St Regis, a Big Sky Country Tooht Fairy and the Hiawatha Trail

The hunt for moose is still on and we are going deep into the rugged mountain side on this leg of our journey to get up close and personal with one. This sounds like an enticing read right? I think Erica is in love with the state of Montana as much as she is with San Diego.  It really captivates you to wind along the mountains in the west and rolling plains of the northeastern part of the state. It has views as far as the eye can see and big sky is right on the money for a slogan.  The long nights of sunlight sky have really been a treat now that we have embraced the late nights up with the kids.

St. Regis, a town of 300 or so residents became our stopping point.  Located halfway between Lookout Pass at the Idaho border and Missoula, Montana, it sits right near the Clark Fork River.  We called early in the morning on the day we were to arrive at Campground St Regis.  Erica and I had decided that we needed another long term stay, which for us meant more than two nights.  We were happy to find out from the very kind front desk clerk that she could move a few future guests around and squeeze us in for three nights. We always have a bit of anxiety when our day to leave arrives simply because it also means we have to begin the hunt for our next destination which has often not gone smoothly.  Boondocking has been so-so for us and while it saves money it is really uncomfortable.  You have no idea how relieved we were to have this spot secured. When we showed up it was as though we had won the lottery...it was so clean (especially for the value at $35 a night), far enough off the interstate that it felt like camping. 

The owner (she was the front desk clerk Erica spoke with originally to book) greeted us so warmly and her husband pulled around and ushered us to our slip...a first for us. It has been very rare to have world class customer service thus far. These folks care about every customer they bring into their campground! The kids were stoked every morning to get free popcicles.  They also offered guests free tea and coffee.  They had a pool that was heated and extremely clean and we had a perfect view of the playground and pool to keep an eye on the kids from our slip.  

On the second day here Blythe finally pulled her front tooth out after months of it hanging on.  She became worried that there was no way the tooth fairy would ever find her new home in the middle of the woods so I told her to get creative and make a sign.  When the owner's father (he was a camp host) came by later in the day to pick up our trash, he mentioned to Blythe that he saw the sign and that he would personally make a phone call to the tooth fairy for her and give her the park address.  He later went above and beyond to make Blythe's morning by bringing a little wooden dream box back to Erica and I to use as a gift from the tooth fairy.  Blythe said  "Dad, I know that man gave the tooth fairy that dreambox when he talked to her".  We will be heading back to Montana to stay at this park!  

After a day of play at the RV park for the kids and I and Erica spending a good part of the day grocery shopping in Missoula we decided to brave the Hiawatha trail the next day.  A 15 mile bike trek downhill through some of the most intriguing historical train trails left from the early 1900's. It consists of driving to the top of the mountain and then biking through 10 tunnels and over 7 trussels all the way through wilderness and past rivers and waterfalls.  It was spiritual for Erica and I to be in this nature and the kids made it the entire way on their own to much relief!  Blythe's tire popped on the last mile and so we walked through the 1.7 mile pitch black tunnel wearing headlamps and enjoying the crazy last moments of our family memory.  I know the kids will never forget what they accomplished. 

We left on day four and headed up to Glacier National Park. After a stop at the visitors center, we were told that we were too big a vehicle to head through the park on the "road to the sun" so we took the road around the south end of the park to Browning, MT and then headed to the Canadian border crossing just North of Babb, MT. Still no moose!!!!