Purcell Range - British Colombia

I had saskatoon pie with coffee in the sun this morning. Shivering to wake up in the morning chill up here and then wandered around the ranch. In the early morning calm whitetail deer graze in the fields, ground squirrels poke their heads out of holes beside the road, and some half feral horses romp around near our tents taking a dust bath. Finally Brandt, the other instructor arrived along with my rental car ride back to Missoula. I hate goodbyes so I tried to draw it out staying to hear the ranch owners talk about their conservation work here in the Purcell's before saying a reluctant farewell...

The drive back south was uneventful, but very beautiful. I listened to the same bluegrass CD over and over and tried to let the past month in the field teaching wash over me. All that I had done and seen, learned and felt - some much needed reflection and down time. At the U.S. border a young official gave me a hard time because my life is different. I'm not the average Joe, but he eventually waved me on.

And finally I found myself in Kalispell Montana where I met old friend's Julie and Will from Virginia who just happen to be visiting. It was serendipitous timing and a bit of a crazy, weird whorlwind night for us both. I saw Rosie, my favorite munckkin and boy was she excited to see me too. And then like a dream I bid them farewell again in the morning and kept driving south. We'll meet up again back east in the fall. For now onward to Missoula....