Monday, September 5. Day 9 and a new camping spot! We are now around at West Glacier RV Park literally right outside the park entrance. It would be possible to walk to the entrance. We won't.

Our morning started by breaking camp and traveling by car headed a mile or so north to Many Glacier road on which one isn't suppose to need a ticket. Unfortunately for us, the park was a capacity and they turned us around. Despite that, we saw some awesome sites.

The first photo includes a glacier in the distance. A forest of conifers then the glacial lake. The color - a milky aqua - is unique to glacial lakes. Glaciers move down hill. As they move, their enormous weight grinds ever so fine particle from the ground's surface. That powder is called "glacial flour." When it hits the water, it remains in constant solution. 

Again in the distance is a glacial formation.

As you see it closer, you see it is not just snow. Glaciers are layer upon layer of snow compacted of thousands of years. Glacial ice often has the turquoise color you see sandwiched between to two white layers. We were fortunate the smoke from very distant fires had blown out.

On our way from one side to the other we learned several things: gas in east Glacier is $5.79/gallon! Vehicles longer that 21' are not allowed on Rt. 49, The wind this time of year is horrendously gusty and won't get better until next summer! The are a gabillion acres in conifer forests as you travel up toward West Glacier - super dark green in color.

Some things we learned thus far overall. Moose are excellent swimmers. They dive down to eat tiny vegetation from the bottom of the lake. They can stay under five minutes. They are faster swimmers than they are runners, however, they don't like to go in the water when it is choppy.

Although our set ups and take downs are getting smoother and smoother almost nothing is ever flawless. While our take off this morning went without a hitch, our set up this evening had a problem. The little curved "thing" that goes into the sewer hole wouldn't fit today. I thought it was that the cover wouldn't open wide enough. I recruited the wonderful gentleman who pulled in next door seconds before we pulled in for help. He discovered that the previous campers left part of their hookup in the hole. He took it out, and because our part wouldn't thread in securely, he loaned us a rubbery thing that is holding ours in place. Campers are so helpful.

Other trivia - there are few birds in Glacier National Park. We saw some crows in the park today, and I saw a buzzard in the sky today. There are no poisonous snakes in Glacier National Park! Corky loves to ride in the camper, but seems less comfortable in the rental cars. He has to sit alone in the back seat in the rentals.