I got my hair cut. It was really long but now it's pretty short. EDITED -- anonymous sources say that old picture was skeeery

Hinterland Who's Who: The Black Bear

Important information about black bears -- brought to you from our friends up north

my running group did a trail run today -- we ran from Foys Lake to Blacktail Mountain. My Garmin said 14.5 but it seemed longer. Anyhow, we climbed from around 3300 feet to nearly 7000 feet. I was tiiiiired!!!

Just a picture from last week when it was still smokey. The smoke seems to be gone finally thanks to some desperately needed rain!!!

I think Gretchen now thinks she's a husky mountain dog. It will be a rude awakening to return to the city. The air will seem so clean and clear there. (This day in the park was possibly the smokiest it has been this summer, yuck!)

Cheryl has been here this week and we went rafting with "Feddy" and some Spokane people. Cheryl was trying not to lose a contact. She says. :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMF2Eb0Wa_I

I'm not smart enough to figure out how to properly embed this but this is my favorite thing to watch right now. Shus.

WOAH BEAR!!! WOAH!!! Ted and I had a lovely time this weekend in South Lake Tahoe. Mesh and Josh from Chicago wed in front of the bluest lake I've ever seen. Little did I realize it used to be bluer. We had a great time but it's nice to come home to a place that is, in my opinion, just as beautiful.
Ted and I also celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary there. It seems appropriate to attend a wedding your anniversary weekend.

This weekend Ted and I hiked at Holland Lake in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The hike was short -- to a waterfall. We had a really nice day. I like nice days. Unfortunately though the area is ablaze and everything is sorta smokey and campfirey. Makes my dead yard seem like not a big deal in comparison.

My friend Catherine and I went to the rodeo Friday night in C-Falls (Columbia Falls for those not in the know). It was "Heritage Days" and so we thought we'd check it out. I was not as distressed as I thought I would be -- no animals were harmed and it was pretty amusing to be honest. Lots of cowboys and cowgirls and tourists. We had a drink at the Blue Moon afterwards -- a place that had always scared me. It was pretty fun.

Grandma Edythe passed away early this morning. Not everyone is lucky enough to have had such an amazingly cool grandmother -- one who wore bright velour tracksuits with matching shoes, headbands and lipstick -- who celebrated diversity and preached tolerance -- who taught to "save a little spend a little" -- who took a solo Spring Break vacation to Mexico in her 80s -- who apparently attempted stand-up comedy at her Senior Center and taught (or took) Spanish and played tambourine in her band -- who gave birth to one of the most amazing men I've ever known. . . the list goes on and on. Rest in peace Grandma Edythe. If there is a heaven I'm sure there's a spot in the funky urban section of heaven waiting for you.

do you think this guy can make a player out of this girl?

I didn't have my camera, so you're going to have to pretend this guy, who is actually a pet of the Swope Park people in Kansas City, is a little bigger and there are four of them standing in a row -- then you will visualize what I saw on my run this morning. Sonja was with me and didn't even notice the four very large turkey vultures staring us down as we ran by. I would swear they were 3 feet tall but according to the trusty interweb they aren't *that* big.

Yesterday I did a 20 mile trail run/hike in the park -- I took the shuttle to the Gunsight Pass trailhead and ran/hiked to the Lake McDonald lodge where my car was waiting for me. It was perhaps the most amazing and beautiful run I've ever done. Here is the full set of pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97221727@N00/sets/72157600953732412/

Leanne's new puppy!!!! Wally -- what a little cutie!

My brother got married!!! This has been a busy week fo sho. And my parents are here now and my dad is officially 60 years old! Happy birthday daddy!!!

Good morning!!! I go to KCMO tomorrow -- it was 55 this morning. I think I will miss Montana.

This is the view from the trail we ran today. We did about 12 miles. It was a gorgeous morning.

It's finally summer. It has been hot in the afternoons! But it's still pretty. I can do hot here better than hot in Chicago.

I forgot to mention the most important event of the summer -- David and Ellen came to visit. I think I mentioned that they inspired me to restart the blog. We had so much fun and I wish they lived here!