DAY 25 - HOMESTAKE to SALMONFLY - This morning we had a beautiful soft sunrise. Team departed from camp at 8:00 a.m. for a day of 4WD sections between bushwhacking around private land. On our drive sections saw all sorts of wildlife and old, abandoned homesites and diggings. Gads, to think of spending a Montana winter in one of those log cabins so far from any type of community. Saw two young black bears, three elk cows, blue grouse, we think partridges, feral (wild) horses, a herd of antelope, and the rattler.

The bushwhacks rather fun and easy including crossing three thigh-deep canals and one creek. Although while climbing one fence Rob came close to jumping down on one rather perturbed 3’ rattler (Rob says that it was 10 feet long) and Rob, again, disturbing a swarm of bees. Crossed lots of sageland, a big and, for me, a welcome change from all the forests we’ve been passing though. Took lots of pictures to document bushwhacking - climbling bobwire fences, climbing steep uphills into the sky, and crossing creeks - VERY carefully with AN $8,000 Trimble unit. Into our new camp by 1:30 p.m., our earliest day ever. The Support Team took off to hike at the Humbug Spires and the Trek Team is watching camp and catching up on Journal entries.

Before settling in at the Tec Trailer took a quick dip in the Salmonfly River. Rather cool but not near as cold as the Flathead or Danaher. Felt good after a warm day of hiking. This afternoon the weather is kind of weird. Very hot when we got in, then we were hit with gusts of wind. Now the sky is a combination of blue sky, great white puffy clouds with gray bellies, and on the horizon just dark gray. Guess that if we hear thunder we can expect rain.

It’s nice to have a quiet afternoon. Mike is tucked in the RV writing in his journal. Rob and Charlotte are here in the trailer, Rob checking his email and Charlotte working on her photos. From the Journey, dana