You have to see this to believe it

Six of us went to Columbia Falls for the weekend.  My cousin, Diane McDonald, used to work for the owner of this cottage.  It is situated about 10 miles from Glacier National Park and is the kind of place you would use to chill out; to sit on the front porch and contemplate life.  We did a little of that, but what you see below was waiting for us inside Glacier National Park.

So we spent most of Sunday driving within the park and taking photos.  This is unlike any other place I have ever seen.  Words are not adequate.  We were on the 50-mile-long Going-to-the-Sun Road -- considered to be one of the world's most spectacular highways. We probably only scratched the surface of all there is to see.  We plan to return in 2012 for at least a week.

Given the choice of reading indoors or outside -- for this couple it was a no-brainer.

These antique buses  convey visitors within the park.  Originally built by the White Motor Company from 1936 to 1939 the buses were very popular in all of the western national parks.  As you might imagine age and mountain driving took its toll on these classic vehicles.  Fortunately, a few years ago Ford Motor company stepped up and rebuilt the entire fleet, restoring them to their original beauty -- but with new automatic transmissions, a more powerful engine and (importantly) better brakes.

The lobby of Many Glacier Hotel, one of several beautiful lodges in Glacier National Park.

We stopped here to take pictures.  I left with a lump in my throat.  About 30 yards from Going-to-the-Sun Road I came across a small grouping of crosses each with a plaque dedicated to a native-American Indian who had lived in this majestic park and wanted to be buried in a favorite spot. Not a bad place for one's spirit to roam forever.

Stay tuned