A Short Stop Over!

25  May 2015--In Helena, MT for all of a day and a half, but stopped at this, the St Helena Cathedral that was built in 1908, for a quick look.  For those of you that are new to the blog, Cathy and I usually stop and look at Cathedrals if a city has one...they tend to be really old and really pretty...we have seen some incredible ones, but this one was just sort of run-of-the-mill, so we didn't stay long.



Hopped on over to the original Governor's mansion, privately built in 1888 but not sold to the government till 1913.  It was closed so we didn't get to see inside (some of you might be happy about that--haha).  The 2nd house was directly across the street from the Mansion...if you click on it and blow it up it looks like a Hansel and Gretel house...sorta cool!  And then catty-corner to the Mansion was the headquarters of the Montana Dems!!!  I wonder if it's a sign of things to come that they are outside a place that no one important lives in anymore.  haha



Am I lucky or what?  Our car was filthy from dragging behind the RV, and here is Cathy cleaning my window for me...I am blessed!  haha



Other than the military base, the only other thing we got to see was the Capitol building in downtown Helena.  We always like to check out a state's flag, seal and license plates...the saying on the flag and seal, "Oro Y Placa", means gold and silver.



Montana became the 41st state of the union in 1889, and the Capitol building was built from 1889-1892.  The last census had Montana's population just going over 1 million people...it is the 4th largest state by land mass, but 44th by population!!!  It is call "Big Sky" country, and the view from the top of the steps of the Capitol looking out to the mountains is illustrative of that!  It is a beautiful state!!!



This lady, Jeanette Rankin, was born in Montana in 1880 and was the 1st woman ever democratically elected to the US House...in 1916!!!  You Go, Girl!



The main entrance and staircases.




Some of the paintings on the walls and ceilings of the House and Senate, followed by the "centennial bell" that Cathy is standing behind.




Back at the base...it is a National Guard base, so needless to say no one was working so we got to sneak on the equipment...haha (That's sort of an inside joke...we  in the military always called the Guard and Reservists "weekend warriors"...so that wasn't very nice of me.)  Cathy was looking to tough it out on the tanks, while I prefer to fly!!!


This tiny base that we are on was home to the inaugural training of the 1st Special Forces group...a precursor  to what we now know as the Green Berets, and a joint operation they did with the Canadians!!!  (Hello Gayle and Yvette!)  The guy in the 3rd pic makes it look like he is teaching the other guy to dance, not kill someone!  haha



So we are sitting in Great Falls, MT tonight as I type this.  We are staying at the RV Camp at Malmstrom AFB where Cathy and I were stationed for 3 years back from 1988-1991 (me) and 1989-1992 (Cathy).  It has been 24 years since we have been here, so this is a trip....like a trip down memory lane.  I can't believe it has been that long ago...crazy!

Anyway, gotta go make plans for the rest of the week.  TTYL!

Alaska; The Launch!!!

24 May 2015--Launched from Round Rock, TX for our trip to Alaska on 17 May, and it's hard to believe it has been a week already.  Of course it takes a full 2 days just to get out of Texas, but everything gets pretty after that, so time flies!  Here we are pulling out of Round Rock, with Cathy driving and our lucky charms in place on the dash.



We had lots of cloud, some rain, and even heavy fog through some parts of Colorado and Wyoming, but unless it is totally fogged in there aren't too many places in the country that get prettier than this.



Wyoming seems to have a good sense of humor...The buffalo is placed at the top of a hill as you enter from Colorado, but the 3rd pic of a "jackalope" is of an animal that doesn't even exist.  Years ago they used to have signs on the road that warned of jackalope crossings, but I guess they took them down...haven't seen any on our trip.

 

Cheyenne, Wyoming...sight of the "what the heck was that" episode.  That metal piece broke off our left side rear air bag...it is something that affects our ride height...we were fortunate that it only set us back a day as the repair shop was able to fix it pretty easily.  Look at Cathy under there!!!

 

Into Montana we go.  I wonder who thought that "Moose Drool" would be a good slogan???  Seems to have worked...I guess?!



It is crazily beautiful out here...I remember that when we were stationed here from 1988-1991 it was the 1st place I ever traveled where I didn't feel like I had "narcolepsy of the car" syndrome.  It's just too pretty to nod off.  haha



The horses on the left are real, while the ones on the right are metal fabrications.  Why?  I don't know, but it catches your eye as you drive by for sure!  The cowboy is real...he even has spurs on his boots!  haha

  

Some of these pics look like paintings, don't they? Especially the ones with houses or barns in them. Or even like they are movie sets...not real!

    

We are now in Helena, MT...the state capital...on a National Guard base, for 2 days.  Deer on the base...look at the young one on the right, just growing his antlers.  He is in the pic right above him also...I got out of the car to get a better picture and he actually came forward to see what I was doing. I was a little nervous at first...ready to make a run for it had he jumped that fence at me!  haha

 

So this is our first post of "the trip"...we are heading to Great Falls for about a week before crossing the border, but I am more than sure that greater things will follow once we get to Canada and Alaska!!!