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Author :Steps to Wander in Steps to Wander

We got the call late that morning. Our van was fixed! Although, we hadn’t expected to pay much towards repairs on the road in the first week of the trip, at least this one didn’t completely break the bank. We couldn’t wait to be back on the road and we were itching to check out nearby Bozeman, which the original spot we had planned to spend a couple days in.

We only had an evening to explore Bozeman if we wanted to stay on track with our travel plans. So, we took in the sights of the downtown area and really enjoyed all of the local art and fun energy of the place. We drooled over the trendy restaurants and bars, but we didn’t dare spend a penny after footing the repair bill. But, window shopping was just as fun and we bookmarked the town as a place we would love to visit again in the future.

We had planned to stay the night in a nearby Walmart parking lot, one we had passed by and noticed many other campers doing the same. But, it was late and we had parked on a street we both felt was safe and we thought it unlikely we would be bothered. It was our first time really stealth camping on the side of the road, we were nervous and excited about it. We shut off all the lights, whispered when we talked, and kept Paris from barking whenever he heard people nearby. The night was uneventful though, and no one bothered us except for the many drunk students talking loudly as they walked by on their way home.

We headed out early the next morning, we had another long drive ahead of us but we were so excited for our next destination- one of the most beautiful places on earth: Glacier National Park! Visiting Glacier was one of the trip spots I had been most excited for when we planned our route. I had heard it was absolutely magical and I couldn’t wait to soak up the epic views I knew were waiting for us.

We found a spot in Apgar Campground and we set up camp for the long weekend. It felt wonderful relaxing under the shade of trees after the stressful week we had just endured. But, we didn’t relax for long and hopped on the scooter to go explore Lake McDonald and Apgar Village.

We were completely awed by the beauty of Lake McDonald. There was a peaceful dock we walked down to sit and dip our feet in the water. We were surrounded by snow capped mountains and the lake stretched out for miles ahead of us. The water was freezing, but it was calling to us and we had to take the plunge even if it took every ounce of breath from us. We stripped down to our swimsuits and on the count of three we each jumped in and came up gasping for air from the cold. It was glorious. The cold water, refreshing and invigorating, washed the dirt and weary from the long drive. But, it was definitely not swimming water, and we climbed out just as quickly as we had jumped in.

Next thing we knew, a full-blown storm was above us and rain was pouring down. We quickly ran to the nearby restaurant and splurged on burgers and beer. It was maybe the best burgers we had ever had, or maybe we were just starving. But, it tasted so so good and we devoured our plates and even had room for the huckleberry cobbler the waitress assured us was to die for.

With full bellies and invigorated souls, we made our way back to our campsite to settle in for the night. We made ourselves cozy in our little home on wheels and enjoyed gazing up at the trees while comfy in our bed. It had been the kind of day we had dreamed of having while planning out this adventure, and we still had so much more to see in Glacier.