Beyond the backyard - Palisade Falls

I know, I know... I'm almost done blogging about our MT vacation!  :)

On our last day in Belgrade, after Mandy, Ian, Bryn and Maryn piled in their car and headed home, our little family plus Grandma Cookie headed out for another hike.  Charlie got to participate in this one since most of it is really more of a stroll - not much of an incline and a paved path to boot!

It's a good thing it wasn't a tough hike, because on the way up this kid was not in the mood to walk.  On the way back down, he was not only walking on his own two feet, but cheerfully saying "hello" to everyone who passed, enthusiastically following Zach on the short-cuts, gamely climbing over fallen tree trunks, etc.  But on our way there, he was more like this:

Not exactly cooperative.  But we made it, and the view was worth it:

Pretty, isn't it?  Charlie yelled "wah-er fah" a few times, but then was much more interested in throwing rocks in the water.  Apparently that never gets old.  Zach tested his climbing skills on the rocks, with only a few minor slips.  I was quite disgusted to discover while I'd lugged my camera along, the battery was back in Belgrade, plugged into the charger.  Good thing Scott's phone has a decent camera!

See if you can spot Zach on Scott's shoulders on the right!

We took a family picture two years ago when we last did this hike -
click on the link to check out how we've changed!

Beyond the backyard - hiking to the M

Zach kept asking all week - when are we going to hike to the M??  This has become another tradition - trekking up the 1.5 mile trail to the giant "M" created out of white rocks.  So off we went...

This year we did just take the "big kids." I carried Charlie on my back last year, but wasn't about to try that again, and we didn't think he could handle the 850 foot climb in elevation!

Pit stop!  It was hot...

But we made it to the top - here's the "M"!

 

Beyond the backyard - fishing!

Grandma & Grandpa's backyard is pretty darn fun, but we do occasionally leave it.  We have one adventure that is becoming a tradition (this was year 3) - fishing on the Gallatin River with Mr. Collins!

Getting to the river is always an adventure in and of itself.  We walk through fields, pushing aside branches, listening to the kids complain about getting poked and/or sand in their shoes.  And then we get to the rocky part!

We also end up wading through the freezing cold water to find the places where those trout are swimming, and this year we had quite the portage through some fast-moving water.  Everyone made it safely to the other side - whew!


Mr. Collins, a retired high school teacher, may be the most patient man on the planet - I guess a requirement for a good fisherman!  He brings all the gear, is great about making sure each of the kids gets a chance, and wades out into all sorts of water to find the best spots.

And his magic works - this year, once again, all the bigger kids got to catch at least one fish.  Maryn caught a huge one, and one of the ones Bryn caught had swallowed the hook, so for the first time we took home a catch and put it on the grill.  Most of the kids were even willing to try it!

Last year Charlie and I stayed home while the others cast their rods - he was just too small to navigate around on those rocks.   We probably could have done the same this year: Charlie could not have been less interested in the fishing.

What did he love?  Throwing rocks into the water.  So he and I hung back and relocated several hundred rocks from the side of the river into the water.  He was so intent on his work, I sat back and enjoyed myself - it's a very beautiful and peaceful place to just sit and ponder.

And afterward he looked like this:

Perhaps next year he'll be more excited about the fish!

Disneyland Belgrade

Scott looked around at his parents' backyard one day and named it "Disneyland Belgrade."  I don't think the description is far off; his parents have either kept or accumulated a lot of entertainment for the grandkids.  But don't be fooled into thinking it's all for the kids!

First, there's the pool - a perennial favorite.  Someday I'll make a book of all of the pictures I've taken over the years of Scott throwing kids into the water.

Then there's the trampoline; fun in and of itself, but when you put it right next to the pool...

The days may be hot, but the nights are cold in this part of the country, so the pool doesn't get as warm as some would like.  Which leads to warming up in the hot tub!

Not intended for the kids' entertainment is Grandpa's fountain.  But try telling Charlie that!

If you're too small to accurately swing a club, lining the balls up and/or throwing them towards the target/hole can be fun too.

Don't forget the good 'ol swingsets (yes, there are two) and the teeter-totter:

The cheese master!

 Add in the power wheels Barbie jeep that Maryn got years ago, and the fun is almost over the top!

Zach thought it might go faster in the church parking lot across the street.

Squirt gun fights for the, ahem, kids:

And of course, the classic: the slip 'n slide:

 Not enough water fun for you?  How about this ginormous inflatable water slide?

 Whew.  A lot of fun to be had.  And good spots to relax too...