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Tuesday Sep 17, 2002

We left Spokane WA at 6:30 AM. That is, we were supposed to. I held them up because I was at the wrong Safeway Store parking lot. After a quick phone call, my dau-in-law Magi Rail, hurriedly drove me to the last pickup place and we were headed out, ½hr later than planned. It is so wonderful to start out being embarrassed.

Most tried to take naps to catch up on the lost sleep. We headed out on I-90, with our first destination Deer Lodge, Montana. Mid-morning we stopped for coffee and snacks. Then it was back on the bus and continue.

There were 42 of us plus our fearless leader, Dave Ackerman, plus two helpers, Marilee and Marv McLaughlin. Marilee was the hostess and Marv the second driver. We were traveling on Alpha Omega Tours, which is owned by Dave.

By noon we reached Deer Lodge MT and had lunch in the Deer Lodge Senior Center, which was wonderful, and a must stop if one is in the area at noon. Following lunch we again headed east on I-90, turning south onto Hwy 287, which took us by Earth Quake Lake and Hebgen Dam as we entered Yellowstone Park by way of West Yellowstone.

After we arrived at Snow Lodge and settled into our rooms we were able to travel the area sightseeing. This included Old Faithful and several other geysers. I never did see Old Faithful perform from the start. I always got there after it was up a ways, even when I went early. The name is not so true anymore.

As we continued we saw so many falls, I could not keep track.