In July of 2008 my undergraduate student Eric Strand and I took off from Grand Forks for a long collecting trip through North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and all the way back, just taking a different road and driving through Wyoming. We collected parasites of birds, shrews, fish and turtles. In Washington and Oregon we were helped by Christina Brewer who knew people and places very well. The trip was great and successful from scientific viewpoint.

Some farmers make exhibitions of old farm equipment	While others make giant animal figures
Animal in Glacier Park were not afraid of people	The little kids enjoyed their first summer
The scenery is stunning	Flowers have to use the short vegetation period at high elevations
Rodents need to prepare for winter in a hurry
Bighorn sheep in the evening	Rivers in Glacier Park are scenic
A nursing chipmunk female was busy collecting food	We saw some pretty spectacular trees.
In the valley these flowers bloom in Spring, but in mountains it happens in mid-summer
A toad in Spokane	Unusual mushroom
An interesting fly	Foxgloves (Digitalis) is a medicinal plant used to treat heart disease
Large trout from a lake near Spokane	Oregon coast has amazing diversity and abundance of imarine invertebrates
Goose barnacles and common barnacles in tidal zone
Sea anemones come in different colors and sizes	Sea stars clinging to the rock during low tide
Hedgehog mushroom	Flowers on the rock
Temperate rainforest reminded me tropics	Scenic rocks
Wind energy use is becoming more common	Yellowstone
A small lake in Yellowstone	Like in the Glacier Park, animals in the Yellowstone are not afraid of people
Sulphuric hot springs	Geiser
Alpine meadows in Rockies
High in the mountains plants use every bit of available soil
And pikas use every available plant	A glimpse of Rockies on the way out