2009 07 13 The Flathead Valley

The day started with heavy cloud cover and intermittent rain. It was cooler and we donned long sleeves to knockc off the chill. We're not complaining as we opt for a bit of cloud cover over glaring sun and super heat!

We left the RV Park to explore the region known as the Flathead Valley. I suppose our drive took us around 100 miles round trip. We drove through the Pablo and Ninepipe Wildlife Refuges, and the Natioal Bison Range. The Bison range was established in 1908 to protect one of the most important remaining herds of American Buffalo. It is 19,000 acres of natural grassland and it is spectacular. Literature we received suggested there was a heard numbering approximately 400 on the range, but we only saw 1 lonley male. The remaining heard must have been hiding out in the pines on the mountain. We did see some antelope and a Doe and her fawn (it still had spots on its hindside,) but that all the wildlife we saw. I am sure the weather had something to do with it. The scenery, however, made up for the shortage of wildlife. The region is gorgeous, mountains, grassy meadows, rivers, and of course, the lake.

As we left the wildlife refuge we drove to Ravalli and St. Ignatius to view the St. Ignatius Mission. The church is very beautiful and was constructed in the early 1890s. The church has 58 original murals by Brother Joseph Carignano, an untrained Jesuit brother who served in the mission's kitchen.

The weather didn't improve and the cloud cover intensified, as did the rain. It was time to go back to the bus and settle in for a quiet afternoon and evening. Ahhhh, tomorrow will be a new opportunity.