the Montana mountains

As we drove from the middle of Wyoming up to Montana the country got more and more beautiful. HWY 287 took us right through Grand Teton and Yellowstone. We stopped so many times to take pictures of the scenery and wildlife, including lots of buffalo and a bull elk at the side of the road. And of course we watched Old Faithful go off along with the other geysers.
It has been so fun to be with the Elsens. From having scrumpcious, ethnic dinners to Italian cafes to enjoying the ruggedness of the mountains. Yesterday we left early in the morning for the mountains. We came across a herd of elk. It was a majestic sight to see them in a green valley with the early morning fog still lingering about. The bull elk was bugling and guiding the herd away from us. We arrived at a spot well known to Dan and John, and after a short hike through the woods, spent the whole morning at natural hot spring pools next to a mountain stream. Just imagine how wonderful this was! To be in a forest with a stream flowing and gurgling past tumbling over mossy rocks while we sit beneath waterfalls of steaming water that come out of the mountain cliffs and fill several pools along the stream's banks! It was the most luxurious spa experience I could ever have, and completly free and with friends!
Peter, John and Dan are having a blast being together again. Besides late night talks and stories, they've gone mountain biking already (of course!) hockey, and fly fishing will be happening soon. I've went on some mountain hikes to see the view from the top and made earrings with Aana and Meredith. We also went to a cafe to get coffee where they did latte art which, of course, makes the coffee taste so good!