Glacier National Park - Day 1

the next day we started our drive to Glacier National Park in Montana. we had heard on the news that they was a large fire in the park and we debated whether it was still worth going. we found something that said that although many people were cancelling their plans on going there, actually only a few small part of the park is closed down. I am so glad we decided to still go.

we wanted to camp in the park that night and were (once again) going as fast as we could to get a camp spot. we hoped to get a spot along the Going to the Sun road which we had planned on driving down the next morning. I checked online and there were a few open until we got to the entrance and found out they were full. we decided to go camp on the east side in the Two Medicine campground where there were some spots still open. it was an hour away from the south entrance where we were at. there were some campgrounds outside the park, but we really wanted to camp inside the park and were willing to drive a little further. 

we got to the campground at around 6 pm and were lucky there were a couple spots still open. we picked a large spot that had another spot connected to it. the sign said that the spot was taken but there was no one there. we walked around and explored the area a little. 

we walked past a camp with a lady looking through binoculars and she stopped us to show us some white mountain goats on the mountains. she gave the funniest directions to find it- "you see that peak? well take the dip after that, and then there's two more peaks and another dip, then a little below that that's where they are at." Jason and I both pretended like we saw them and then later admitted to each other that we really didn't see anything but we were just appeasing her. we joked that maybe she didn't see any either but she likes fool other campers into thinking they are there. whatever passes the time I guess! :) 

we talked to another couple who lived nearby and visited Glacier Park often. they gave us some tips about where to visit and some excellent hikes. we told them that we were only there a short time so they suggested Going to the Sun road which we had already planned. we told them that we got to the campground at 6 and were still able to get a spot. they were surprised because they said that it usually filled up in the morning and that was the only day that it didn't. that is very surprising for a Saturday but it might have been because of the fire.. or our camping luck! :)

we got back to our camp spot and sent up our tent and made plans for the next day. 

as we were sitting by our fire some guy driving by rolled down his window and asked if the spot next to us was open. we told him that it was reserved but no one had shown up but they made come later that night. he said all of the other camping spots were taken and they didn't know what they were gonna do. we said that they could just set up their tent in our spot since we had a huge area for just the two of us. he took us up on the offer, and we were happy to pay forward Art's hospitality to us when we were desperate for a spot back in Oregon. the man was with his fiancé who was from Iran and had been in the country for about a year. he was originally from Iran but lived in the U.S. for most of his life and currently lived in Portland. he was way cool and she was nice too although her english was a little rough. we invited them to sit with us at our campfire and they obliged bringing us some campfire wood that they had with them. we were glad to use it and not have to use the wood that we had carried all the way from the Redwoods (it made our car smell wonderful the entire time.) they were also on a road trip from Portland, to Yellowstone, and Glacier Park was their final destination. they gave us some suggestions of places to visit in Yellowstone, and where they were able to easily find a camping spot. we told them about our trip and he asked if we partook in any of the newly legalized festivities in Portland (smoking pot), and I think he was surprised when we said no. he also offered us some wine which we politely declined. he talked about Iran a little and the differences between our cultures. he said that the media very often portrays Iran incorrectly but he didn't go into very much detail. we chatted and laughed with them until about midnight then we went to sleep. it was so much fun having camping friends and we were very glad we invited them into our spot. the other camp spot next to us remained empty as the people who reserved it never showed up.

we didn't know it at the time but that ended up being our last time camping on the trip. I'm glad it was a good one!