BUSHNELL BACK TRACK GPS - D-TOUR

Ok, some people have expressed concern about poor Kinsey not getting anything for Christmas whilst I made out like a bandit getting several gifts including a brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee. It should be abundantly clear who the "nice" girl around here is.

Not to worry though, she did get a present. It was a personal GPS. The Bushnell Back Track GPS D-Tour to be exact.

Bushnell D-Tour Personal GPS

Regular readers may recall Kinsey got herself temporarily lost last spring whist hiking around Chief Mountain. Click here to read her account of the story. She almost never gets lost so this was a little hair raising for her. A good friend who read the story suggested this little device might be helpful. Of course she's going to have to learn how to use it first. So far the learning has been going rather slowly. It took her an hour to figure out how to set the clock! She'll get it eventually I'm sure. Then again, hope does spring eternal.

In addition to finding your way back on a trail you can also find your car in a parking lot. This could also be handy. But, at the moment Kinsey's problem is recognizing her car. There are so many charcoal grey Grand Cherokees around here she keeps trying to get into other people's cars. The Cherokee is a way popular car, around these parts, that's for sure.

Anyway, just wanted you to know not to worry about Kinsey she got hers!

Ciao for now!
Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Yesterday we got five inches of new snow. Today it's sunny and just gorgeous. It's so beautiful it's like living in a Christmas card.

You already know I got a new 2015 Grand Cherokee for Christmas. If that wasn't enough I got two more presents this morning. You are probably thinking I'm spoiled. You might be right. It's probably the reason one of my presents was a training vest. I continue to suffer from irrational exuberance when meeting new people. Kinsey signed me up for a training class this summer but the trainer took her money and left town. So, I am still a work in progress.

Kinsey is hoping this vest will keep people from approaching me. Everywhere I go people want to pet me and tell me how beautiful I am. I love it! Maybe too much. Kinsey is hoping if I get a little less attention I might settle down. We'll just have to see how that goes. I can't help it if I'm a happy dog.

My new training vest and old frisbee

I also got a new frisbee. It's not really a Frisbee. I just call it that because the word frisbee is as exciting as the word dinner. I make really short work of my "frisbees". And, I'll probably make really short work of this one. It's not my usual flying disk made be Chuckit!. The one I got today is a Booda and they're kind of light weight. . My Chuckit Paraflight is at my feet in the above photo and you can see how tattered it is.

My new frisbee

So, as you can see Santa Claus was really good to me. I sure hope he had on his long johns last night because even though it's beautiful it's pretty cold.

Kinsey and I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas and got lots of fun things. I'm a lucky dog and I know it. I hope you are a "lucky dog" too!

Ciao for now,
Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

I Just Got a Brand New 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Kinsey just bot me a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Edition 4x4. At least she keeps telling me she bot if for me.

We've been driving a 2012 Ford Expedition 4x4. Kinsey didn't like the thing from the start. She bought it because her Explorer, which she adored, was a 1999. She thought maybe it was time to get more current technology for safety reasons. When she got to the Ford dealer she discovered, the years old, traditional style Explorer had been discontinued in 2010 and replaced by a crossover thing. Koty was still with her at the time and his crate would not begin to fit in the redesigned Explorer. After looking at other makes it appeared the entire auto industry had gone to the crossover mid size SUV. She looked for a used 2010 but couldn't find one. Apparently,  other Explorer lovers were reluctant to let go of the last "real" Explorer.

In the Explorer Koty's crate fit perfectly with the box facing forward just behind the passenger seat. It was an arrangement that made it like they were traveling together. But, Koty was getting too old to jump through the passenger side and the crate eventually had to be turned around to the back and a ramp placed on the bumper for him to walk up.

With little enthusiasm Kinsey settled on the Expedition. She never liked the car. It was so big it barely fit in the garage. It certainly wasn't handy to run errands in. But, worst of all, it was not the least bit sure footed on snow and ice. The truck was so heavy, even with studded snow tires, it easily lost traction.

Koty passed away in February of 2013. I arrived not long after. I didn't need as large a crate as Koty and I could clear a six foot fence if I put my mind to it but because of the way the back seats went down I still had to be way in the back looking out at where we'd been not where we were going. It was like being Siberia I can tell you.

Finally, I guess, Kinsey had had enough of the Expedition and started looking at what was out there. She narrowed it down to the Explorer and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. In the Explorer she felt like she was sitting in a hole. If she raised the seat her legs knocked into the steering column trying to get in and out. Jeep's down hill assist works on engine compression. The Explorer seemed to use the brakes. About the only thing the Explorer rated higher on, as far as Kinsey was concerned, was more cargo space.

So, Kinsey bought me the Jeep Cherokee Limited Edition and I'm just as happy about it as she is. She thinks, dollar for dollar, the Jeep is a better value. You can spend $60,000 plus on a Jeep but I doubt you get $20,000 worth more stuff. I think what you get is bragging rights. Thrifty Scot that Kinsey is she could give a fig about bragging rights.

Me in my new car

This car has so many bells and whistles I have no doubt it's going to take Kinsey awhile to figure everything out. Right off the bat her biggest challenge is getting the Jeep started. She keeps looking for the ignition and there isn't any. It has the push button start and keyless entry. It takes a while to teach and old dog new tricks but I'm confident she'll get the hang of it, eventually.

Meanwhile, I'm styling up front with the wind in my hair from the sunroof! Thanks for buying me a new car Kinsey. I'm loving it.

Ciao for now,
Molly Montana

Bridger-Teton Grizzly Attack

Well, at last, my next installment on our Fall trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons.

My last story took us into the Gross Ventre an incredibly beautiful area you don't want to miss if you are visiting Teton National Park.

This day September 21, 2014, we headed for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. For those just joining us we don't do much inside the national parks on accounta they don't let my kind hike on their trails. What a lot of people don't realize is, surrounding most national parks are equally beautiful places without the crowds. Forget I told you that.

Up and at 'em early we headed out. From the RV park we were staying in it was a pretty good distance. Kinsey has decided when we go back we will plan ahead and make reservations at Colter Bay, inside the park. It's a much better location to reach the places we want to go. Kinsey is generally all about planning but this year she was out to lunch. I duh know, maybe it's her age. Thank goodness she's doing that Luminosity thing. Maybe it will save some brain cells.

From Moran Junction we headed east to Road 50 which takes you to the Buffalo Fork trails, north and south. Kinsey had her eye on Buffalo Fork South which looked on the map as though it was a nice walk along the creek. The trailhead is a major staging area for the outfitters and the place was packed with horse trailers not tourists.

Off we went. As soon as we cleared the initial rise we saw that the trail headed down for about a quarter of a mile and the drop off was a good one. The trail was nice and wide as trails go but Kinsey, rightly, doesn't trust me not to get excited about something and yank her right over the side. It was a long way down. You might wonder why she didn't just let me off the lease. The problem with that, remember Taylor Creek? If some riders were coming up whilst I was headed down, my irrational exuberance could very well get somebody else hurt. the only sensible thing we could do was abort.

Buffalo Fork Trail

Kinsey had hoped to get a little professional help with my exuberance this past summer but the trainer took her money and skipped town. And, get this, a neighbor recommended the trainer!

As luck would have it there was another trail nearby, the Clear Creek Trail.  Kinsey didn't realize you cloud drive over to the trailhead so we walked to it through a meadow. I didn't mind because I got to get off leash and stretched my legs. There were bear warnings everywhere and Kinsey has a hard and fast rule, no running free on mountain trails where visibility is limited.

The Tetons

The trail was a pretty good aerobic exercise and the views, like the one above, were beautiful, but, to get anywhere really cool was about six miles. Me, I coulda done it easy peasy but you know who has her limitations. The truth is, neither one of us really cares if a trail turns out to be a beauty gold mine. We just love being out in the wilderness. We saw some bear scat and a couple of tracks but no bears.

Molly Montana on the Clear Creek Trail Bridger-Teton NF

You will note from the above photo I was still looking trim in my Naked Girl cut. Boy, I sure hope I get that hair do again next year. Just not at Petco.

On our way back, as we crossed the meadow, we ran in to a Forest Service person. Whilst Kinsey flapped her gums I took the opportunity to run around like a banshee. Wheeee! From her conversation Kinsey learned there had been a very nasty bear attack just the week before. According to this person, all they'd found of the guy were a few body parts. The man was a researcher and known to the forest service. He apparently didn't believe in either bear spray or guns. What was that Forest Gump said? "Stupid is as stupid does". That guy was just asking for it. Kinsey carries both. Her plan to defend an attack: Hit the bear with spray. If that doesn't work, let the bear get as close has you've got the guts to let him and empty the gun close range. Thank goodness we've never had to test her resolve. But, we don't doubt for a second that it could.

The Fall colors this year were exceptional. On the drive back out we saw this pretty, bucolic scene of horses in a pasture. Truthfully, the only interesting thing in that photo are the horses. I bet they'd love to run with me! Can't you just see it?!

Ranch Along the Buffalo Fork

The colors were so beautiful we even had a great view at the RV park. If you like color you gotta come here in the Fall if you not done it. It's really amazing or so Kinsey sez. :)

Teton Fall

Ciao for now!
Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

25% Off Sale On Entire Open Stock Fine Art Photo Colections

I apologize for not getting my Bridger-Teton story published. As the cry goes "It isn't my fault!" Kinsey has been on one of her tangents and I depend on her for my photos. She got the bright idea that she should should make public a collection of her photographs that didn't make the grade for her limited edition collection but are pretty darned nice. She's doing it as much for herself because it's a good way to get the images properly stored and catalog for the ages.

The problem is; when she gets one of these ideas she goes obsessive and it's not a project that will get done in a very big hurry because there are an thousands upon thousands of images to sort through, upload and catalog. So far she's gotten over 500 up and running. She's got 16 different galleries so you can easily look at what interests you. I just noticed she hasn't got one yet with seascapes. I'll have to get on her about that.

Since everyone else in the cosmos is having a sale Kinsey thought she would too. All of the images are for sales in various paper print sizes and on canvas plus you can get note cards, playing cards, puzzles and mouse pads. Maybe gift ideas? You can see all the different galleries in the collection by clicking the highlight.

EVERYTHING IS 25% OFF! Use this coupon code at checkout HOLIDAY$$  Sale ends 12-15-14.

That butterfly in the right hand corner is an example and here's another.



I had to make a deal with Kinsey; if I posted this she would get me my photos today so I can write my next story. I apologize for the interruption to our regularly scheduled content but I will be back today or tomorrow with another great yarn!

Ciao for now!
Hijacked Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard