I am too tired to form an intelligent sentence right now.  If not for NaBloPoMo, perhaps I would wait until tomorrow to craft a more extensive narrative.  For now, 22+ hours on a coach bus, traveling through the night and day, with stops only to change drivers, have a quick breakfast, and make a grocery run, has left me depleted of creative thoughts.

So starts the Thanksgiving holiday week, with half of my family in West Yellowstone, and the other half holding down the fort at home.  Nordic skiers from all over the country converge on West Yellowstone for the Yellowstone Ski Festival.  For many, it is the first time on snow for the season — and hopefully not the last for weeks to come!  But, before I take you to the ski trails (and before I crash for the night), let me share with you a few of the scenes from the moving bus.

The landscape grows increasingly mountainous in its features as you head west from Billings, Montana and then south through the Gallatin National Forest.

Rushing mountain streams take on a blue-green mineral hue, fighting against the encroaching ice along their edges.

Craggy peaks rise above the snow-tipped trees, creating a muted stage for the brilliant blue sky.

No matter how tired the buses’ occupants may be, the magic of the mountains is at work, with hushed comments of admiration at varying points along the way — from the first glimpses of snow-covered peaks in the distance, to the ice-tinged rivers and streams, to the isolated peak of Lone Mountain dominating the Big Sky terrain.

The incomplete housework, paper-piled office, and other cares of life drift away for a time, as I sit back and soak in the view from the moving bus.  My oldest son is on his last high school ski team trip to this beautiful section of Montana, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to tag along as one of the adults with the group.

Sleep is calling and I hope to share more of this stunning scenery with you, from both on and off the trails, in the days to come.

Ciao! ~ Kat