September 15, 2009: Hanging out in and near Red Lodge, MT...

Mike's cousin Tom and his wife Helen came from Utah to visit us while we were in Red Lodge this year. They arrived the evening of September 14th in time for dinner... after a LONG day of driving. Our day together on the 15th was a bit low key with a somewhat late breakfast together before wandering around town.

Our house (which is available as a vacation rental when we are not using it) is in the "Hi Bug" area of Red Lodge which is where the larger homes were built by the "upper crust" of Red Lodge in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Several of the homes on our street were designed by the same architect, Seth Hunneywell, as our house was. Our walking tour of Red Lodge with our guests included wandering up our street all the way to route 78 and then back again, reading both from a book on the historic homes and a book on the history of Red Lodge as we wandered around.

Photos I've chosen to include today include some from our walk as well as a couple from later in the day when we drove up to Red Lodge Mountain and stopped at Silver Run before returning to town.

Chapman House was completed in 1902, having been built by W.S. Smith at a cost of $6,500 from plans drawn up by Seth Hunneywell. It was described as one of the finest residences in the state of Montana at the time.

Heading back toward town, a structure of a different sort... this grain elevator is no longer used for grain and currently stands idle. I'm not sure whether it will be eventually torn down or repurposed... the angles and shapes against the cloudy sky struck me as worthy of recording. The fencing in the foreground is part of a relatively recent addition to the town of Red Lodge, a childrens playground.

Trains no longer run to and from Red Lodge but this rail car is preserved outside the Art Gallery.

Family photo... Mike (on the right) with cousin Tom and Tom's wife Helen.

The parking lot at Silver Run outside of Red Lodge, MT is accessed by crossing the West Fork of Rock Creek. Silver Run is a multi-use trail with several loops that allow the hiker, biker or cross country skier (in winter, of course) to choose how long they want to make the trail. This photo of the West Fork was taken from the bridge one must cross to reach the parking lot.

September 13-14, 2009: Coaster Classic and House Guests...

If you follow my Photography Addict's Showcase blog or my Flickr stream, you may already know that on our return home from our western trip, I was invited by a local Bethesda, MD art gallery to have a show of my photography in February, 2010. SO... the excitement over that has kept me hopping recently and I'm way behind on finishing up the saga of our three weeks in Idaho, Wyoming (Yellowstone National Park) and Red Lodge, Montana. Before I forget entirely... thought I'd better work on finishing my posts of our adventures!

The day after Oktoberfest (previous post), the Coaster Classic (Cruiser Classic?) happens... an event involving bicyclists who have their bikes trucked up to the State Line (or to Rock Creek Vista which isn't quite as far up the highway) on the Beartooth Highway and then coast back down. The meet-up spot is on the Rock Creek Road at the campground parking lot where everyone gathers 10ish (timing isn't exact) with their bicycles and various vehicles involved in carting the bikes up the mountain. Of course Mike participated in this adventure but I'd fallen the previous day (on my way TO Oktoberfest) and had skinned up my knees pretty badly so didn't take part.

Without further blathering, I'll leave you with a few photos from the event... And a teaser about our house guests... Mike's cousin Tom (from Utah) and wife Helen arrived at dinner time on the 14th and there will be a couple of final posts about their visit and the end of our stay... will try to finish this trip before TOO long!

We, of course, were the first people at the parking lot... and witnessed a truck pulling into the parking lot with the driver rushing out, throwing up the hood, hollering did anyone have a fire extinguisher and throwing dirt on this engine block while hollering some more about needing a fire extinguisher! He was supposed to help drive bicyclists and bikes up the mountain... but was unable to do so... and I didn't get a photo because I felt bad for the guy... so enjoy this view of mountains from the parking lot instead.

The bicycle in front with the banana seat was ridden by an adult, all the way down the mountain from the state line (Montana/Wyoming border) on the Beartooth Highway.

These boys rode down the mountain too ... but from Rock Creek Vista which is a shorter ride.

The gentleman standing on the rear of the fully loaded flatbed truck is the driver of the flatbed and hauled MOST of the bikes up to the two drop off points... here he is giving instructions to the crowd and cautioning them that they ride at their own risk!

Fully loaded... Lucas drives riders up the mountain in his truck/van complete with couch for seating in the rear. Mike is on the right, bicycle helmet already on and ready to ride.