Trip to Bozeman, Montana

Aug. 19, 2010. Today we traded shifts at work so we could leave for Bozeman, Montana by 3:30 p.m. and spend the night. Our purpose was to get our windshield replaced something we need to do every year on our trips out west. The first year at the "Stone" our windshield was attacked by tumbling tumbleweeds in Kansas. Last year and this year we were hit by loose gravel. So far, it's are three for three! Due to a very damaging hail storm in Bozeman, we had to wait for over a month to get this appointment. However, we decided it would be a good opportunity to have the dogs groomed, and actually do some shopping, which we hadn't done in about four months! Wow, we were in hog heaven. Macys' JCPenneys', Michaels, Home Depot, they all made us feel at home! A great day lay ahead of us! Another reason for our overnight trip was to bring a young lady named Dorothy, from Taiwan, to Bozeman so she could begin her long journey home. Her Chinese name is Lin Tsai-I. As you can see by her photo with Claire they really bonded. She wanted to leave Yellowstone early as her grandmother was quite ill. We also feel sure that she was homesick. If we could have adopted her we would have. What a wonderful young women she is. We have found that so many of the Asian young people display much respect for the elderly. They do not discriminate because you are older. They hold you in high regard. Abel, a young man from Singapore whom I worked with also just left. His contract ended and he had to head back home. He also was a wonderful young man. Two years ago it was Ken and Agnes from Malaysia, and last year Dee from Singapore. We certainly have enjoyed working with these young people and I still hear from them on Facebook. Ken and Agnes call me grandpa. What fun! Back to our trip to Bozeman. As we neared Mammoth Hot Springs we saw a young grizzly on the side of the road and had fun watching him. As we left the park we saw a magnificent sunset over the mountain range. We got into Bozeman and into our rooms at the Holiday Inn. Dorothy wanted to head over to Walmart to get a few things to bring home. Back at the motel we said our goodbyes and Claire told her we would go to her wedding in Taiwan! Of course we would go to Singapore to see Dee and Abel, then off to Malaysia to see Agnes and Ken. What a trip that would be! Friday we got the windshield fixed, the dogs groomed, grocery shopping, then back into the park. As we neared Mammoth Hot Springs there were a bunch of young bighorn sheep waiting to greet us. They were about 1 to 1-1/2 years old by the size of their horns. That same young grizzly was still showing off, forcing us to slow down as the Park Ranger was directing traffic. The closer we got to the young grizzly he stuck his head out as though asking for a ride in our car. The end of the day was approaching and we still had to head through Hayden Valley, where all the bison hang out. It's easy to get into a bison jam and spend hours waiting to get past them. Sure enough, they were walking in the road, causing quite a stir but we did manage to get around them. Eventually we arrived back home and settled in for the night. We will be working the next three days before getting another day off. Actually, I get a day off. Claire has to work on her off day as her Manager will be gone for the week. His daughter is visiting and the employees are each working one day to cover for him. I am planning to take Joan, a gal I work with, on a bike ride tomorrow morning but the weather is supposed to be quite cold, in the forties. She in really excited about riding on the back of my Hog! This is the end of our little journey into Bozeman, Montana