My roommates and I love eating Asian food. It’s sort of a tradition to go get Thai food in town. We went yet again this week and enjoyed a nice dinner and each other’s company. 

I went water tubing for the first time several days ago. It was a great experience for me and some of the other interns. The sunset was also incredibly beautiful. It was a nice break from all the research and writing! 

At Yellowstone last weekend we had tons of fun hanging out at the lake near our campsite. Mariana, Tasha, and Eliza also played some hot tunes  with grass. 

We visited some caverns this weekend and saw many distinct creations from water droplets. We also saw sleeping bats and experienced the freezing cold as we went deeper into the caverns. 

Crunching down on research and deliverables today so we can get ready for Yellowstone tomorrow!!!

Ya girl went to Glacier National Park a second  weekend. Best believe we saw some breathtaking views…and a lot of mountain goats. 

We were riding back home and saw a deer on the road and three others off to the side. They looked gorgeous up close. They stared us, unblinking, until we rode away. 

Went to Glacier National Park last weekend and did a 9 mile hike to Iceberg Lake. Hands down, the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. 

Members of the SPAW team taught hydrology to kids at the Powwow today. I think it’s safe to say that we were one of the most popular booths there.

Went to the Bison Range last night, and we saw lots of animals like bison, elk, antelope, and deer. It was a great experience. 

After collecting data from a huckleberry site we took a hike to the waterfall that was nearby. It was so cool and creepy. If I slipped, I would fall into the water below, so I tried to walk carefully. The sight thought was so worth it.

On the way back to campus our mentor took us on a detour to St. Ignatius. It was such a beautiful sight. The water looked so pure, and as I crouched over it, I could see many smooth, round rocks. I ran my fingers over the surface of the water, and it felt cool. I felt a sudden urge to jump in, but I didn’t want to spend the rest of the car ride soaked. The best part though was the view of the mountains. Hopefully, I get to go back there and kayak. 

Hiking up Montana mountains is super cool. It is definitely a different kind of experience. The folks here tell me a lot of stories about their instances with bears in the mountains. The instances sound pretty frightening, but I honestly hope I get the chance to see a Black bear or a grizzly bear from a distance at least. I also heard stories about how mountain lions like to stalk people as they hike. I’m not super fond about that. 😖 Either way, the landscape here is gorgeous. Here is a picture of the view on one of our hiking trips through the mountains. 

Day one of checking out huckleberry sites was so cold but day two was much warmer! It feels so adventurous to hike up mountains and pass through areas of dense vegetation. I am learning to identify different kinds of plants as we go, and I have beargrass and lupin ingrained in my memory now. Can’t wait for the next adventure!