Day 25 - Great Falls, Montana

   Today was all about waterfalls and how hard it is to go around them (better known as portaging).

Don Checking for Snakes

Spectacular View from Staging Area

Be careful where you step!

   We began our tour at the staging area, where Lewis and Clark started the 19 mile portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri River.  It was surrounded by the beautiful short grass prairie with a spectacular view, but we were all keeping an eye out for the prairie rattlesnakes that our guide, Don, had warned us about.   We were all in awe of these brave and determined men who physically hauled the boats and all of their supplies across such rough terrain.

     Our picnic lunch was in a glade, across a swinging bridge (6 person limit) with a spectacular view of the Great Falls and the Ryan Island Power Plant, just a short walk away.

Mario, Betty Jo and Ada make their way across the swinging bridge

The amazing Great Falls

   We had other stops at Crooked, Rainbow and Black Eagle Falls which re-enforced our perceptions of the beauty of the river, and the difficulties that Lewis and Clark faced.

Crooked Falls

Black Eagle Falls

    

 The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center was the icing on our cake today.  It had very informative and interesting displays about the expedition and a special exhibit of kites that were hanging around the center and commemorated the expedition.

Hauling the supplies

Learning about the timeline

Lewis and Clark Kite

Lil and Carole at Interpretive Center

     Tomorrow's challenge

   In 2005, Great Falls had a "Buffalo Hunt Project", where 200 life size fiberglass Buffaloes were painted and auctioned off for charity.  They are placed all around the city.  How many can you find?   (Today we saw four, at the Heritage Inn, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Riverside Park, & a local bank)

How many can we see tomorrow?

    

Ralph and Carole Brightwell #5