Thursday, June 30, 2011

Kevin talks Boondocking


In this installment of Kevin Shutterbug, our favorite roving reporter discovers the meaning of some RV jargon – when he learns the term boondocking! Thanks again to One Way Street for making Kevin’s report about the Martins and their life on the road a reality!!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument







You can now read this post and much more in our new book Napkin Dreams! Click here http://www.amazon.com/Napkin-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00AZR24LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358194928&sr=8-1&keywords=napkin+dreams



We not only strolled the grounds of the battlefield, we also watched the film and did the junior ranger program at the battlefield. The rangers were all very helpful and the displays at visitor center went a long way in sparking my kids interest and imagination in the history of the place. We stopped here the day after the anniversary of the battle, and it was still a pretty busy place. Still we truly enjoyed our time here. I still get goosebumps thinking about the feeling of being there.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Campground Review - Pelican RV Park

Pelican RV Park in Laurel, Montana was so memorable it made Patsy's Facebook status! This was mostly due to the bar, strip club, truck stop and signs warning of the water at the campground!

Nearby attractions - 5 - Close to Billings, Montana, but not close to anything real exciting.

Staff - 5 - Someone in the truck stop takes your money, but she didn't even know if they were back-in or pull-through sites.

Natural surroundings - 6 - Despite the surrounding, we didn't notice our neighbors too much, and they have a decent amount of trees on the lot. It is close to I90 and we could hear a train, but neither noise level was real bad.

Value - 5 - We paid $30 a night for a pull-through with full hook-ups including wifi. Giving the circumstances we felt that $20 would have been better.

Bathrooms - 7 - Bathrooms were passable, showers were nice and hot. $5 deposit gives you a key to the bathrooms, so you fell safe inside!

Roominess - 7 - The site sizes were a little short. We had to take the van off the tow dolly to fit in our site.

Facility fun - 1 - Blake and Tanner normally like to take a walk in the evening for some quiet time. We didn't even feel comfortable letting them do this.

Cleanliness - 5 - Campground was slightly below average in cleanliness.

Facility usefulness - 5 - Dump station, truck stop has a store inside. Free wifi.

Overall - 5 - It is Ok for I90 travelers, just to sleep and shower.

Campground Review - Dick's RV Park

Dick's RV Park in Great Falls, Montana holds the distinction of being the first RV Park where our kids go into trouble from someone besides their parents! While we were getting the rig ready to go inside the three little boys were outside by themselves, which is normally something we don't do. It seems they were throwing rocks, which we had already told them not to do. One of the employees there told them to stop, according to the story, several times and they did not stop. So he came to our and asked us to make them stop. Can you say embarrassing!! Oh well, parenting and embarrassment go hand in hand sometimes.

Nearby attractions - 6 - Several thing to do in and around Great Falls area, nothing worth traveling hundreds of miles for, but if you are passing through....

Staff - 8 - Besides the guy who was upset at our kids, everyone else was pretty pleasant!

Natural surroundings - 6 - A few trees in lot, close to highway and airport.

Value - 7 - We paid $33 a night for a pull-through with full hook-ups including cable and wifi.

Bathrooms - 6 - Bathrooms were average, showers were basically hot.

Roominess - 7 - The site sizes were average in size.

Facility fun - 6 - Free min-putt which we did several times and croquet. DVDs for rent.

Cleanliness - 7 - Campground was not pristine, but clean.

Facility usefulness - 8 - Cheap laundromat on site. Small camp store. Very small exchange library. Propane and dump station.

Overall - 7 - Average is the key word here, but we may be too embarrassed to go back!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Campground Review - Johnson's of St. Mary


We did not stay in Glacier National Park during our visit there, but instead camped at a place just outside the eastern entrance in the little town of St. Mary. The campground was called Johnson's of St. Mary and not only has a campground but also a hotel and restaurant.


Nearby attractions - 9 - Minutes from Glacier National Park entrance.

Staff - 9 - Talkative guy checked us in, joked around a bit. Another staff member was helpful

Natural surroundings - 10 - Great view of lakes below, mountains to the west and south.

Value - 6 - We paid $41 a night for a pull-through with water and electricity.

Bathrooms - 7 - Bathrooms were OK, showers took coins which they give each day.

Roominess - 7 - The site sizes were actually pretty decent, and we had plenty of room around the park for walks.

Facility fun - 4 - Other than the restaurant not much to do on site.

Cleanliness - 7 - Campground was not pristine, but clean.

Facility usefulness - 8 - Laundromat on site and free wifi in lobby. Small camp store. Very small exchange library. Propane and dump station.

Overall - 8 - Loved the view here!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Glacier National Park


We are so sorry, but this post has been removed becasue it is a aprt of our book Napkin Dreams that details our trip around America!

 



 

 



 

Water Colors

You can now read this post and much more in our new book Napkin Dreams! Click here http://www.amazon.com/Napkin-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00AZR24LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358194928&sr=8-1&keywords=napkin+dreams

Chase's Watercolor

 



 



 



 

Friday, June 24, 2011

Black Sandy State Park








This post has been removed as it is in our book Napkin Dreams.




 


 



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Nearby attractions - 6 - Very close to Helena. Easy drive to Butte and Great Falls.

Staff - 9 - The ranger we spoke to was very friendly as were the campground hosts. The hosts gave us some firewood and answered our questions about fishing on the lake.

Natural surroundings - 8 - Lots trees and nice view of mountains. We backed right up to Hauser Lake.


Value - 8 - We paid $28 a night for a back-in site with electric only.
Bathrooms - 6 - Bathrooms were clean with flush toilets and soap to wash hands with, but no showers.

Roominess - 5 - Actually kind of small for a state park.

Facility fun - 7 - Lake with lots of water sports opportunities. Hiking trail. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Our site had two tables.


Cleanliness - 7 - OK, but some people were staying there for awhile and had lots of stuff out at their sites. People next to us were drunks who were passed out and throwing rocks at birds and the river otter swimming in the lake.

Facility usefulness - 3 - Dump site.

Overall - 7 - I did have a poignant moment here and the hosts were really nice, but the obnoxious drunks knocked it down and notch.



Thursday, June 23, 2011

Last Chance Gulch Train Ride




You can now read this post and much more in our new book Napkin Dreams! Click here http://www.amazon.com/Napkin-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00AZR24LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358194928&sr=8-1&keywords=napkin+dreams



 



 

50 McDonalds - Montana


We stopped at the Deer Lodge McDonalds for our Montana stop. We stopped here primarily because they have Pokemon action figures and Tanner is a big fan. All the boys were excited for the Happy Meal treasures!

This was our 14th state with a Mickey Ds stop so far! We are seeing America in style!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Good Times in Missoula



We spent Father's Day Weekend in Missoula, Montana and we really enjoyed the small city. Who knows, we may even settle down here someday! First thing we did was visit the Big Dipper. I had heard about this ice-cream joint on Facebook, primarily for its Huckleberry Ice-cream. Patsy and I were the only ones who truly enjoyed this flavor, although Brendan did say he liked it as well. It sort of tasted like raspberry and blueberry flavors combined together.


Next on the Missoula list was to visit their fully restored and functional carousel, called a Carousel for Missoula. This beautiful piece of history is very affordable, kids ride for 50 cents each, but also quite fun because it is so fast. Blake and Tanner enjoyed the old-time feature of trying to pull the rings out of a dragon's mouth that is hanging close to the edge of the carousel. Both boys got some rings, but could not get the "gold ring" which would have earned them a free ride. Still each boy got to go twice on the carousel!

Right next to the carousel is a very large playground called Dragon's Head, aptly named for the dragons' heads that adorn the structures. Our boys have played in playgrounds all over the United States and while they said they have seen a few cooler playgrounds than Dragon's Head, it ranks up there at the top of all the ones they have seen. While we were downtown we saw something we had never seen before - two guys were river surfing! Hmmm, interesting.


On our way out of Missoula we stopped at the Smokejumpers Visitor Center. Smokejumpers are forest service fire fighters who parachute into remote areas with gear and supplies to fight fires where normally it could take days to hike into. Smokejumpers have been around since 1939 and their training facilities are in Missoula. At the visitor center they have several displays, some informational movies and a tour of the training facility lead by a guide. It was very interesting and free!


Monday, June 20, 2011

Sunset Reports on Dinner


It has been awhile since I last wrote, mostly because the humans have been so busy hoggin all the blog-time I never get to put my thoughts in!

Well I have been thinking what might interest my legions and legions of fans about my life on the road with the Martin family. My thoughts were naturally directed to what they are normally consumed with - food. For those of you are a bit squeamish, you may want to quit reading. You see the main staple of my diet is dead rats.

My people buy them from pet stores frozen and then thaw them out for me in this thing they call the "Rat Bowl." Now you may think this all sounds disgusting, but in truth they are quite appetizing, being farm raised rats they taste quite nice.

I have noticed however that rats from different areas of the country have their own unique taste. Rats from Wyoming, for example have an open range taste, while the rats from Arizona require a bit of getting used to, having a desserty flavor, almost gritty in texture. California rats have the flavor of the sea while Utah rats are quite salty. My favorite rats so far, however, have been from the state of Texas. Being a big fan of tangy barbecue, I was pleasantly surprised that even the rats in Texas have a the zesty taste of barbecue!

How could this be, you might ask? Well I am not quite sure myself, but ours is not to question why. All as I know is that I hope we make a return trip to the Lone Star State!!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Campground Review - Jim and Mary's RV Park and Butte KOA



We are reviewing two campgrounds in Montana, the first is the Butte KOA. We usually don't stay at KOAs unless there are not other viable options, as was the case in Butte.


Nearby attractions - 6 - Couple hours drive to Yellowstone and there are some interesting things to do nearby.

Staff - 9 - The staff here was quite helpful and held our site for a couple of extra days beyond what we paid and gave us some directions to nearby places.
Natural surroundings - 8 - Lots trees and nice view of mountains, including a mountain with Our Lady of the Rockies overlooking us. Trees are not always a positive thing though, in this case we could not get our satellite because of a large tree by our site!

Value - 6 - We paid $43 a night for a pull-through with full hook-ups and free wifi.

Bathrooms - 7 - Bathrooms were average.

Roominess - 7 - Decent sizes for a KOA.
Facility fun - 8 - Playground and heated pool. Walking path runs right by the RV Park.

Cleanliness - 8 - Pretty clean and well-maintained.

Facility usefulness - 8 - Laundromat on site and free wifi. Large camp store. Very small exchange library. Propane.

Overall - 7 - This is a typical KOA that you can know what to expect and pay a little more.



After our stay in Butte we parked Howard at Jim and Mary's RV Park in Missoula. This was a cute and quaint park.


Nearby attractions - 8 - Less than two hours to Glacier and Missoula is a fun little city.

Staff - 6 - Staff was helpful, but they do have their rules! We were supposed to grill Father's Day steaks here, but they didn't allow charcoal. So we had fried steaks!


Natural surroundings - 7 - Lots of trees, yet our site had good access to satellite line. Train tracks close by, but they only come a few times a day.


Value - 8 - We paid $34 a night for a pull-through with full hook-ups and free wifi.

Bathrooms - 9 - One set of bathrooms were excellent and the other set was average.

Roominess - 8 - Nice big sites for an RV Park.

Facility fun - 8 - Not a lot here other than a TV Room and concerts on Tuesday nights. Boys rode their bikes here quite a bit though.

Cleanliness - 9 - Very clean and well-maintained with lots of nice flower beds and potted plants everywhere.

Facility usefulness - 7 - Laundromat on site and free wifi and fuzzy cable. Very small exchange library.

Overall - 8 - Very tidy and clean and inexpensive. Not as family friendly as adult friendly.

Grant-Kohrs Ranch



You can now read this post and much more in our new book Napkin Dreams! Click here http://www.amazon.com/Napkin-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00AZR24LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358194928&sr=8-1&keywords=napkin+dreams



 


 


 







Saturday, June 18, 2011

Gem Mountain


We are sorry, but we have removed this post because it is a part of our new book entitled Napkin Dreams.course.

 


 



 

Friday, June 17, 2011

Campground review - Bear Canyon Campground

We stayed at Bear Canyon Campground in Bozeman, Montana after getting the repairs we needed done in nearby Livingston.

Nearby attractions - 6 - Couple hours drive to Yellowstone and there are some interesting things to do nearby.

Staff - 7 - Talked to one guy who checked us in. He was courteous and professional.

Natural surroundings - 5 - A few trees and nice view of mountains. Train tracks seemed far away when we checked in, but boy were they loud at night and early in the morning.

Value - 6 - We paid $41 a night for a pull-through with full hook-ups and free wifi.

Bathrooms - 7 - Bathrooms were decent, but small showers.

Roominess - 6 - Pretty tight sites, but typical for an RV Park

Facility fun - 8 - Small playground, heated pool with slide! We took advantage of this even though it was in the 60s.

Cleanliness - 8 - Pretty clean and well-maintained.

Facility usefulness - 8 - Laundromat on site and free wifi. Small camp store. Very small exchange library.

Overall - 8 - Little boys loved their play area and we all liked swimming in the heated pool.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Campground Review - Rocky Mountain Campground



After staying in Yellowstone for a few days with no showers or laundry, we were glad to get some amenities at the Rocky Mountain Campground in Gardiner, Montana.

Nearby attractions - 9 - Very close to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

Staff - 8 - The staff was friendly and helped us find some professionals who could help us with some vehicle troubles we had in Yellowstone. Our van shredded a back tire while on the tow dolly and we needed to find a new tire. Plus an SUV clipped the driver side mirror on Howard and we needed to get the glass replaced. They pointed us in the direction of some people in nearby town of Livingston and all was fixed.

Natural surroundings - 9 - Nice views of mountains and the town of Gardiner, right next to the Yellowstone River.

Value - 4 - We paid $52 a night for a back-in with full hook-ups.

Bathrooms - 10 - Bathrooms were immaculate. Some of the best we have seen yet. Patsy wanted pictures.

Roominess - 5 - Pretty tight sites, very short. But we got Howard in and out.

Facility fun - 7 - Free mini-putt!

Cleanliness - 8 - RV Park is being restored and is in good shape.

Facility usefulness - 8 - Laundromat on site and free wifi. Small camp store.

Overall - 7 - Very nice owners and staff. Expensive, but all parks near Yellowstone are, except for those with no hook-ups.


Campground Review - Yellowstone Valley Inn and RV Park

We stayed at the Yellowstone Valley Inn near Cody while we explored the area.

Nearby attractions - 10 - Very close to Cody and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.


Staff - 8 - The staff was helpful and helped us with a number of questions.

Natural surroundings - 7 - Not many trees in lots, but right next to mountains and the Shoshone River.

Value - 5 - We paid $45 a night for a pull-through with full hook-ups.

Bathrooms - 6 - Bathrooms were OK with and could be locked with a shower, toilet and sink in each one.

Roominess - 6 - Pretty tight sites, but typical for an RV Park

Facility fun - 7 - Small playground, indoor hot tub and game room inside bar.

Cleanliness - 7 - RV Park is newer, gravel roads had some pot holes.

Facility usefulness - 8 - Laundromat on site and free wifi. Small camp store. Restaurant, small exchange library.

Overall - 7 - Expensive, but all parks near Yellowstone are, except for those with no hook-ups.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Yellowstone highlights

Yellowstone National Park is a magical place for me. It is one of a few places in the world that I could go back to you again and again and never get tired of going there. Disney World, Shenandoah National Park and Cape Hatteras also come to mind as places I could visit a 100 times.


There is something amazing and intangible about Yellowstone that just affects your whole attitude. Even during snow or rain, you feel closer to the creation and somehow a bit more human.

We love spotting wildlife and Yellowstone, and our family had several first-time spottings during the our visit to the park. This is the list of animals we saw there, with first-timer spottings on this trip in bold.

Grizzly Bear

Moose and baby

Bison

Elk

Wolf

Bighorn Sheep and babies

Pronghorn

Mule Deer

Bald Eagle

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Uinta Ground Squirrel

Chipmunk

Osprey

Clark’s Nutcracker

Grey Jay

Magpie

Canada Goose

Mallard

Greater Scaup

Bufflehead

White Pelican

Chipping Sparrow

Green-tailed Towhee

Raven

Catbird

Sage Thrush

Mountain Bluebird

We all really enjoyed the geysers, mudpots, hot springs, mineral pools, sulfur pits and other volcanic activities. The colors, smells and sounds were just what boys love! We had so many pictures from our five days there that we made a highlight video set to classical music. Be sure to check it out as well as the video of the mama moose with her baby.






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