East Glacier, MT

September 14, 2009 Holy Cow

To say that Glacier National Park is spiritual place would not be incorrect, but a more thorough description would include the spiritual beings and energy that reside there. I think I have already decided to give today up for meditation. Not crunchy "ohm" types with incense and bells, but just the quiet type with my pen, paper and a book. And that sunshine that feels compelled to shine everyday.

By the time we reached our destination on Friday we were totally fried. Welcoming us into his home was Marty, Nicole's friend who spends Sept-April staying at a three story ranch house that sits on over 100 acres bordering the park, a summer home for a couple in their eighties. Lasagna came out of the oven followed by garlic bread and corn on the cob. The air out there was much colder, but the stars were brighter than they've been for me in a long time.

Saturday we drank pots upon pots of coffee, enjoyed with steamy cinnamon buns, all before a hike down the ridge behind the house to the most chilling river and daunting cliffs. Later in the afternoon, we bought some unnecessarily large beers and went to Two Medicine Lake. Primarily the beauty you notice comes because it is so secluded, far away and quiet. Even being in Missoula has gotten me used to some noise, this lake was just so shiny and smooth. The water was low enough that we could hula hoop 40 feet out. We met lots of friends from East Glacier and spent the rest of the afternoon worshipping the sun and laughing.

Laughter. I think the next twenty four hours of the trip was masked in laughs. After the best seafood enchiladas at Serrano's, where Nicole works, we went back to our luxurious vacation home where Charlotte and Christina opted for a nap and Nicole and I went for an evening saunter.

Saturday night I experienced Glacier in the pure form of 'The International Peace Park'. Complete with a camp fire down at Billy Bob's and gambling games that were called "Fuck me!" or "Ooo, I'm fucked!", I had the time of my life. I managed to only lose five dollars of Nicole's money, and I also didn't die.

Yesterday we had waffles, and spent all afternoon riding around in the back of a pick up truck and scampering about the riverside like woodland nymphs. Our laughter had turned to giggles at this point, we were footloose and fancy free.

Don't think that I've lost my mind, maybe just that I've adopted a new one. For the first time ever in my life, someone told me that I resembled a young Janis Joplin this weekend.

yee-haw.

x.x.