What a fall it has been. It has felt like we have been on one mega road trip for the last month. Sacha was so excited because just a few days before we had to move out of Gardiner her friend Becky called to say she needed a roommate. Woo-hoo we both thought. We had been facing moving to Big Sky with out a place to live. Well as it turns out that is what happened anyways. The place was not ready to move into until mid November. So we overstayed our welcome at just about everyplace that it was offered. That got a little frustrating
so we decided we should go somewhere and do something with ourselves and so the road trips began.
The first one we took that was spur of the moment was to Western Montana. We went to Missoula and stopped at Kettle House Brewery. Then on to Lolo hot springs. It would have been more fun with friends. Instead it was just me and Sach in a sad little cabin with a sub-par space heater. Sacha went to soak that night, turns out you had to sit inside this little box of green corrugated plastic. Then the next day we were on to Hamilton, MT where we stopped at the Bitterroot Brewing Company before continuing on to Dillon, MT where our friends Lauren and Eli live with their dog Lilly. We stayed for two nights of hot springs, home cooking and relaxing movie watching before heading back to Big Sky. Upon returning to our little town Sacha convinced the land lord to let her crash at the house a few nights until her next road trip.
Our next trip was planned in advance. A ramble around Utah and Arizona with the entire Charny clan. We started off in Salt Lake where Sacha stopped in for beers with her friend Tom. Then we picked up the family. The next day we headed to Goblin Valley State Park and Moab. We went to Arches and went to one of the few we haven't visited yet. Then it was off to the Grand Canyon. Everyone felt squished in the car after 8 hours. We made it though. I decided to sleep in the car while all five Charnys crammed into a little hotel room built for four. It was worth it. We were parked right on the rim by the Kolb studio and I got a spectacular sunrise viewing. Then after all the people hiked a bit we were off to Page, AZ for the night. The next day we drove to Bryce Canyon National Park, a new one for all of us.
We were pleasantly surprised, in fact Sacha and I want to go back and backpack there later this year. The last full day we did a hike to a waterfall and stumbled upon the Big Rock Candy mountain from the song! Then it was on to Provo for the night. The last day we drove everyone else to the airport. Picked up some skis from Tom for our friend Corri and just Sacha and I drove back to Big Sky.We had just one night there because the next day we had to return to Yellowstone so Sacha could take a Wilderness First Responder Course in the Lamar Valley. We tried to look for wolves, instead we say Big Horn Sheep, Bison, Elk, Coyotes and Bald Eagles.
After all these travels we returned to Big Sky and finally moved into our new house!
