Bruce's Trip To Montana -- August, 2020

Overview: Grapevine, TX to Portland, OR to Flathead Lake, MT
July 28, 2020 - August 10, 2020
Posted: August 11, 2020

So, two weeks ago I began my two-week trip to the Pacific northwest to see my wife, daughter/son-in-law, and the two new twins, now four months old.

On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at 9:00 p.m. (late evening), I departed Grapevine, TX, in the Dallas-Ft Worth area, I drove northwest to Albuquerque, NM, via Amarillo, TX.

Somewhere between Amarillo and Albuquerque I caught a couple of hours of sleep. Until this trip I did not know that I have been mis-pronouncing Amarillo and armadillo all these years. They are pronounced as if they end in an "a" rather than an "o." 

It takes about twelve hours to get from our home in Grapevine, TX, to Albuquerque.

Traveling northwest from Albuquerque, I arrived in the four corners area around noon, I suppose. I drove through Farmington, west to Shiprock, and then north towards Aztec, Colorado. There was road construction south of Aztec, and after waiting about 30 minutes in a line that was getting longer and longer, I turned around, drove south back towards Shiprock and then took back roads west into Arizona, and turned north into Utah: Blanding, Monticello, and then Moab before passing Arches National Park. 

Up to I-70 which I took for a few miles west before turning north at Green River, taking a state highway, to catch I-15 in the Salt Lake City area, which was smooth sailing all the way to I-84, near Tremonton, Utah, and then west to Boise, Idaho, and then, all the way to my destination, Portland, OR.

I arrived in Portland, OR, early in the afternoon on Thursday, July 30, 2020. 

The following Tuesday, August 4, 2020, I departed Portland, OR, at 4:00 a.m. (early in the morning), driving east on I-84. About two-thirds across the state of Oregon, I turned north toward Kennewick, Washington, where I caught I- 82 (for a short few miles) and then I-90, toward Spokane.

Of the entire two-week cross-country trip, the only somewhat-boring segment was from Kennewick to Spokane. Even that, however, was a nice drive. But then after Spokane, incredibly beautiful all the way to Lakeside, Montana, on Flathead Lake.

From Spokane, I drove to St Regis, on I-90, where I turned north, taking some Montana back toads north and east to Flathead Lake, hitting MT highway 93 and then turning north to Lakeside, MT. I arrived at Lakeside, at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, the same day I departed Portland, earlier that morning. 

First Week In August, 2020 -- August 5, 2020

Bruce arrived out at Flathead Lake at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 4, 2020. He has no plans to ever leave Flathead. He will send for Sophia as soon as possible and she will begin school out here. LOL.

Wow, it is really, really, really nice out here.

Did I mention that it's nice out here.

Jesus and Sophia were here; Kevin and Anna were here with Avery who turns five months old August 9; and Kathy was here.

Jan was here, and Connor was here.

A great, great first evening.

Big on the list: Connor has an electric golf cart and he tools around giving folks scenic tours of the area. Lots and lots of fun Videos will be posted later.

As a reminder:

Avery's birthday is March 9; Laura's twins, Levi and Judah birthday(s) is/are: March 3.

Family Reunion: 2020

Updates

August 11, 2020: an incredible visit. Nine adults at a time seems to be about the right number of people at the house. Add in children and that might be the max that should be considered out there at one time. First week in August:

• Jan and Connor
• Kathy
• Kevin, Anna, Avery (four months old)
• Jesus, Sofia
• Bruce

Karla and her grandchildren were out there earlier but did not want to be there with the large group due to Covid-19. 

Dave went back to Portland during this week for similar reasons. 

Original Note

Jan plans to be out at Flathead Lake all summer.

It appears the family is shooting for a family reunion the first week of August, 2020.

Avery, Kevin and Anna plan to be there the first full week of August, 2020.

Kiri, Josh, Arianna (16), Olivia (13), and Sophia (6) plan to be out there: they ended up not coming due to the pandemic.

Bruce plans to attend

Jennifer's family plans to attend: they ended up not coming due to the pandemic.

Recipes: Pulled Pork

PULLED PORK
This recipe will “carry” the taste of the barbecue sauce one uses. One may want to try various barbecue sauces. The thyme may or may not be necessary. My first try at this I used Kraft Hickory and Smoke flavored barbecue sauce; maybe that's why it was so sweet.

Pulled pork recipes appear to all use apple cider vinegar (helps tenderize the pork).

This one may be a bit sweet; other recipes do not call for brown sugar.

See spices used in other recipes. I'm not sure how important the thyme was. I like thyme so it was nice to see it in the recipe.

For really tasty “burnt bits,” consider searing the pork shoulder in a skillet before placing it in the crock pot.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/92462/slow-cooker-texas-pulled-pork/.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast

1 cup barbeque sauce
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 extra large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme

8 hamburger buns, split
2 tablespoons butter, or as needed


Step 1

• Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. 
• Place the pork roast into the slow cooker.
• Pour in the rest: the  barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. 
• Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours.

Step 2

• Remove the roast from the slow cooker.
• Shred the meat using two forks. 
• Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices.

Step 3

• Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter. 
• Toast the buns, butter side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. 
• Spoon pork into the toasted buns.

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Another recipe: this one is easier; powdered spices; no chopping;

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a51267/slow-cooker-pulled-pork-recipe/

1onion, finely chopped
3/4 c.ketchup
3 tbsp.tomato paste
1/4 c.apple cider vinegar
1 tsp.paprika
1 tsp.garlic powder
1 tsp.mustard powder
1 tsp.cumin
1(3- to 4-lb.) pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher saltFreshly ground black pepper
Coleslaw, for serving
Buns, for serving

Family Reunion, Flathead Lake -- June - July 2019

Monday, June 24, 2019:

Jan and Dave, with son Connor and dog Tucker, are already out at the lake.

Others are on their way.

Bruce, May, and granddaughter Sophia, four years old, but had fifth birthday on June 30:  departed Grapevine at 10:00 a.m. June 24, 2019.

12:30 p.m.: just a bit north of Wichita Falls, TX.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

12:30 a.m. (just after midnight) Wellington, CO -- about 50 miles north of Denver; "gained" an hour, Central time zone to Mountain time zone. Overnight in Wellington, CO.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019:

Bruce, May, Sophia stay overnight in Missoula, Montana.

Thursday, June 27, 2019:

Bruce, May, Sophia arrive at Lakeside. Bruce called Jan ahead of their arrival and met the Greenwalds (David, Jan, and Connor) at their favorite restaurant in Lakeside. Jan and Bruce order the restaurant's signature cocktail: a bloody Mary.

Friday, June 28, 2019: everyone else arrived.

• Karla, Toby, Caleb, Caitlyn, and Gemma arrive from Williston about 4:00 p.m.
• Kathy and Jorge arrive about 10:00 p.m. -- they had flown from Tucson to Salt Lake City, and then drove a rental car from SLC to Mission View.

Saturday, June 29, 2019 - July 4, 2019: everyone at lake. Lake toys: pontoon boat; large raft; small rafts; two jet skis; two kayaks; two paddle boards. Cool weather but very, very nice.

July 4, 2019 - July 6, 2019: Bruce, May, and Sophia drive back to Grapevine, TX.

July 5, 2019: Kathy and Jorge; and, Karla, Toby, Caleb, Caitlyn, and Gemma, all depart. The former back to Tucson; the latter to Bozeman to join Rob Osborn.

***********************************

House

The house was in perfect condition. Because of so many people out there it was not possible to do any interior decorating, organizing, etc.

The kitchen / dining arrangements worked fine, but on the drive home, Bruce came up with an idea.

Analogy: think how McDonald's does it:

• kitchen
• serving counter / cashier
• dining area

Suggestion: same thing at the house:

• kitchen where only the cooks need to be when dinners are being prepared
• keep kitchen table clear except for meal preparation
• counter between kitchen and dining area
• place plates, silverware, etc., on counter
• cooks bring platters of food to the counter
• those eating dinner serve themselves from the dining room side of the counter
• the counter is of a much better height for serving adults
• the kitchen table is better for preparing meals than on the narrow, small kitchen counters

This will be so cool. The cooks/chef will have more room to work and the kitchen will not become congested either during meal preparation and/or during serving.

There needs to be no formal announcement. If Jan simply clears the counter and the kitchen table, and tells the folks were the food will be prepared and where the food will be served, it will all be natural.

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New Pontoon Boat For 292 Ski Doo? -- March 28, 2019

Jan, Dave, Connor, and Cameron (and Tucker) out of Flathead Lake in late March, 2019. Only 80 hours on it.

October Trip -- 2018

Jan, Kathy, Karla, and Bruce each made it out to Flathead in early October. Very, very nice weather.

Toby's recommendation for restaurant in Kalispell was excellent: The Knead. Our go-to breakfast cafe/restaurant. The alternate, the Homestead in Lakeside. At Lakeside, the Bloody Mary or the virgin Blood Mary.

I had a great trip going both ways; up through Denver on trip north; through Salt Lake City on return trip. Stopped to see Arches National Park.

House looks great.