We have been coming to Spokane since 1982 to visit my sister and her husband but we have never stopped at beautiful Couer d'Alene. Must do that sometime.
As we travel the mountain ranges we see varied landscapes.
We toured the Smokejumpers Base in Missoula, MT.
Smokejumper's gear.
After the jump they change to the firefighter's gear.
Food supply for several days.
Gear.
Cargo pack.
Saw packed for cutting down trees.
Equipment ready so they can be fully suited up and in the plane in 2 minutes from when the call comes in.
Fire shelter used by firefighters. Reflects heat as intense as 1600 degrees. Inside is 150 - 200. (Temp. of dry sauna.) Has saved 220 firefighters.
Inside of plane, gear packed....ready to go.
Tower where parachutes are hung.
Tables where parachutes are packed.
He just finished packing a parachute.
Trainee sewing equipment.
Visited Missoula Aviation Museum. This plane dropped the firefighters for the Mann Gulch wildfire in 1949. 3 of 13 survived. The loss enforced the need for firefighting training.
Montana is the home of Sky King. Childhood memories.
Charles Lindbergh flew into Missoula.
After dinner in our RV we went to the Deer Lodge library and started researching Phil's relatives who lived here. We are camping at Indian Creek Campground.
On the Road Again Wednesday Sept. 7
Phil's Great-Uncle was an electrical engineer for the Milwaukee Line Railroads in the early 1900's. This is an electric car used in the 1950's.
Measurements were given in meters. After being in Canada we puzzled why meters were indicated in the U. S. This sign explains it.
We toured the Old Prison. http://www.pcmaf.org/prison.htm
The walls were 24 ft. high. 3 ft. thick at the top and 4 1/2 ft. thick under the ground. No prisoners were able to escape by tunneling out.
Convict labor built large portions of the prison compound. Over time, inmates fashioned 1.2 million bricks by hand for use in erecting the original 1896 cell house and other buildings. Stone was quarried nearby and hauled to the site. Convicts cut the timbers and dug the lime for use in cement.
Locks confiscated. Inmates had secret lock picking classes.
Shoes with concrete soles. Each shoe weighed 20 pounds. They were given to inmates who were a threat of escaping.
Phil's Great-Aunt was a nurse for the Prison's hospital.
To ease crowding prisoners were involved with many work tasks. The farm girl in me especially noticed this job opportunity they had.
We toured the Antique Car Museum....155 antique cars.
1886 Benz vehicle....first successful internal combustion engine.
1910 Ford Model T
1913 Detroit Electric Car could go 80 miles between charges.
Location:Missoula, Deer Lodge and Butte, MT
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