August 17•18•19•20•21•22• 1999 • with BB • Tuesday August 17 • lunch by a spring which the Corps thought the source of the Missouri, now dedicated to Sacajawea • hike uphill to the Continental Divide • scope for a painting site • make camp + start drawing from the highest point in the landscape looking East • a family of 5 young Clarks Nutcrackers, their feathers still fluffy + unkempt circle around me keeping up a constant raucous conversation • their flying skills only allow them to launch tentatively + with great trepidation from one tree to the next • August 18 • whilst breakfasting at dawn realize there is a larger + better painting to be done • start work on the view drawing immediately • at 4:00 a great bellowing + whistling as 6 cowboys move a herd of cattle along the ridge • a cloud of dust in the afternoon light • hike over the Divide + down into Idaho to paint the evening sky until 8:00 • August 19 • up at 3:00 to erect the tent when a rainstorm moves in • paint all day interrupted by occasional violent thunderstorms • August 20 • paint all day • August 21 • paint all morning • hike all afternoon with BB 1500' down to Copper Coin mine + back up to camp through a landscape destroyed by cattle + logging • August 22 • work AM • hike down to spring to collect Missouri water then over the Continental Divide + down to the first spring to collect Columbia water for symbolic souvenirs • pack - leave •