Archive for July, 2006
July 11, 2006 at 7:59 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Monday was a chance for everyone to figure out their new plans. Since Bert & Janie are leaving today for up to five months, we have decided to leave the rest of Glacier for another visit.
Susan and Adam decided to start heading south toward Wyoming. They only have a few more days before they have to park the C and fly home, and they would like to see some of Yellowstone. They left Monday afternoon.
We are going to follow them today (Tuesday) and catch up in Yellowstone on Wednesday. Tonight we’ve got a nice state park picked out in southern Montana.
Rich C is going to go the same way, but he’s already left early this morning. We should re-group with him tonight. His friends Tom and Shane decided to head up to Banff for a few days, so other than a brief visit yesterday afternoon, we won’t be seeing them. They will be flying back out of Seattle this weekend.
Bert & Janie are leaving this morning too. We are both parked in the driveway, hitched up and just about ready to go. Watching Bert & Janie, I am reminded of how much work it is to get an entire house secured before an extended trip. They’ve been checking items off their lists for days, arranging for mail forwarding, turning off appliances and water, setting out supplies for contingencies … it seems endless. We used to do that too, before every trip.
My major prep was putting in a 12-hour day at the “office” yesterday. The World Headquarters of Airstream Life magazine were located in Bert & Janie’s living room for the day, where I could borrow his broadband Internet connection. I like having a portable office. Everything I need, including whatever current projects and paperwork I have, fits in a medium-sized blue backpack. I just sling it over my shoulder and head to my dinette, the local coffee shop, or a lawn chair outside.
If Emma wakes up soon, we’ll be able to follow Bert & Janie for a few miles, but Emma seems determined to sleep in today. We’ll be the last people here in the driveway today, looking forward to seeing our friends again tonight and tomorrow for more adventures.
July 10, 2006 at 1:07 pm · Filed under Places to go
You may have noticed that I didn’t post last night. There’s a good reason for that: total exhaustion. Following Bert’s recommendation, we all got up at 6 a.m. and were driving toward Glacier by 7:30, to beat the crowds. Glacier is getting sadly overcrowded on the only road that goes through the park, namely “Going To The Sun Road.” An early start saves a lot of time by avoiding the traffic.
One of our first views from the hike. Click to enlarge
Now, the plan was supposed to be that we would spot a car at a hairpin turn in Going To The Sun Road, then proceed up to the Visitor’s Center at Logan Pass, and hike generally downhill for about eight miles along the Highline Trail back to the first car. However, Bert somewhat underestimated the mileage for the hike … which turned out to be about 12 miles … and also neglected to mention that about 1/3 of the hike was along trail with 1,000 foot drops along the left edge.
This made for a spectacular view, but a nerve-wracking hike for Eleanor and I. Emma is a superb hiker, and can easily cover six miles in a half day, but we’ve never even dreamed of taking her 12 miles! Plus, we had to hold her hand tightly through some tricky spots. I was envisioning her slipping down the nearly-vertical slope and jumping down after her, so at times my grip was tight.
Lake McDonald in the background. Click to enlarge
But Emma was a trouper. Not only did she safely hike 12 miles with 600 feet of vertical gain and 2900 feet of descent, on a day that approached 90 degrees, but she did it in good spirits … wearing sandals. (I was wearing sandals too, and neither of us had a blister or even a sore toe.) Not bad for a six-year-old, eh? We’re very proud of her, and our hiking partners Adam, Susan, and Bert were very impressed. Bert was so impressed that wrote about Emma in his blog, which you can read by clicking here.
Mountain Goats resting nearby. Click to enlarge.
This was more than a hike, it was an adventure. Bert, being a former ranger in the park, was full of interesting information about the wildlife, plants, geology, and history of the park. We really got more than our money’s worth out of the day.
The historic chalet, about 6.7 miles down the hike. Click to enlarge.
The best thing about this hike may have been the ending: just a few hundred feet short of the trail’s end, when we were all hot and sticky, we found this superb cool stream. I immediately ran down and dunked my head in the water. Ahhhhhhh…. Bert and Adam quickly followed suit, and Emma filled her hat with water and poured it over her head. At point, we all felt refreshed enough to hike a few more miles.
I have posted an entire new album of photos from this hike on Flickr. Click here to see the pictures. If you can’t browse the pictures now, suffice to say that Glacier is a wonderful park, huge, gorgeous, and filled with waterfalls from the melting snow.
Another view from High Line Trail. Click to enlarge
Glacier is also logistically tricky. To see it, you really need to go hiking. Driving the Going To The Sun Road is great and there are many pullouts to see waterfalls, goats, and fantastic views, but that’s only a tiny sampling of what the park has to offer. And it’s a huge park — just driving from the West Glacier entrance to Logan Pass is over 20 miles.
We can’t tow the Airstreams through the park. Our next goal would be to travel to the east side, where Many Glacier can be found, but since we have to detour around the park, this would be at least a three-hour trip. After thinking about it, we’ve decided that we are satisfied with our very full day and we will save the rest of the park for another visit.
Today will be a work day and then tomorrow we plan to start heading south to Yellowstone. Adam and Susan have already headed out, since they have less time than we do. We’ll caravan with Rich C. Bert & Janie are heading out too, for several months of work on the road writing and photographing subjects from Montana to Nova Scotia, and then down the east coast. We are hoping to meet them again in Maine, in September.
Last night, after getting the second car and driving to the West Entrance, it was about 7:30 pm. We drove over to Kalispell (35 miles away — things are spread out in Montana) for pizza at Moose’s Saloon. If you ever get to Kalispell, check this place out. It looks disreputable, but the pizza is great and the atmosphere is fun. The floor is covered in sawdust and peanut shells, the music is loud, and it’s a great place to get the two things Bert wanted most after our 12 miles of hiking: pizza and beer.
When we finally emerged from Moose’s, it was 10 pm and the sun had just set. It wasn’t completely dark until 10:30. In this time of year, Montana seems to understand that your days will be full, and it obliges with plenty of sunlight.
July 8, 2006 at 10:17 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
We’ve arrived at Bert & Janie’s house in Bigfork, near Flathead Lake. The drive up was fine, but fraught with construction zones. Arriving at Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi (just behind our own Lake Champlain in Vermont), we were greeted with spectacular views of mountains and blue water.
We got all the Airstreams parked in and around the driveway — 4 in all, counting Bert & Janie’s. Rich is parked down below the driveway in a secluded spot, we are in the circle drive, and Adam and Susan are in front of the garage. Bert tried to get a photo of all four from the roof of his house, but it was impossible with the trees and obstacles.
Bert took Susan, Adam and me out for a boat ride on the river. We spotted some young eagles, a couple of blue herons, and two osprey in their nest. Bert was our personal tour guide for the trip, which last for a couple of hours. I think Susan and Adam are beginning to see why courtesy parking is so cool.
I also spotted signs of an old practice: farmers using junked cars to shore up the river embankments. Kind of incongruous with the beautiful scenery here in Montana.
Dinner was shared at the picnic table in the middle of the driveway. We had a nice time but the mosquitoes have appeared, and eventually we fled to the house for watermelon. Bert shared with us his basement “natural history museum” (bear skulls, photos, artifacts, etc), and then it was 9 p.m., time to start the bedtime process with Emma.
Tomorrow Rich C is going to relocate to Big Arm State Park, nearby, for a couple of nights. He’ll meet up with his friends from the east coast and then rejoin us later. Our plan is to get up EARLY and head to Glacier National Park around 7 a.m. Bert has a big hike planned for us. He says we’re going to look for pikas, but there should be more than just those furry little rodents to check out. We’ll also drive the Going To The Sun Road. It should be marvelous, if Emma can hold up. If not, we have some backup plans. I expect great photos to come out of this hike.
Other items: Eleanor was up till midnight doing the laundry. Susan and Adam never did do theirs. The next morning, Adam and I were asking ourselves, “So why did we go to the commercial campground??” Instead of paying $38, we could have had the same water and electric hookups in a more scenic State Park for about $20.
Blog reader Peter suggested we use a 120v to 12v adapter so that we can inflate the tires on the driver’s side of the trailer. Then we can use any convenient extension core. Good idea. Today I borrowed Adam’s 120v compressor to inflate the tires. One had only 47.5 lbs in it (it should have had 60 lbs) so I’ll be keeping an eye on that one.
July 7, 2006 at 8:45 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Sadly, Carol has departed our group today. Her husband called and said “I miss you,” and so she decided to hightail it back home. We gave her a hug and watched her pull out. We’ll have to meet up with her again later this year.
The group made a good call on the route today. Instead of taking the easy route up Rt 95 and back to Interstate highways, we decided to plow through the heart of Idaho on Route 12.
Adam and Susan walk back to the Airstreams, Nez Perce NHS
From our base on the Snake River in Clarkston, ID, the road goes east along the Clearwater River, and stays in the river valley for more than a hundred miles. We stopped in at the Nez Perce National Historic Site first, and of course we picked up another passport stamp there. Susan had her brand-new National Parks Passport book too, and we were privileged to see her get her first stamp. Emma also did the Junior Ranger activity and got a patch.
The land gradually changes from brown and sparse “high desert” to forests of evergreen as it winds and climbs. The river changes to the Coldwater, and then the wild and scenic Lochsa.
Along the route there are a few pullouts, but not nearly as many as you’d like. The water was extremely tempting: clear, cool, gorgeous, and spotted with the occasional rafter or kayaker. Rich C called us from his position many miles ahead, and said, “It just keeps getting better. I feel like I just drove through a postcard.”
With the stops and the winding road, the drive from Clarkston to Missoula, MT, took about eight hours. Of course, not all of that was drive time, but it was still a long and challenging drive. Adam has crashed and I’m feeling pretty tired myself. We have found a KOA to stay at, mostly because everyone said they wanted to do laundry, but of course nobody has so far. We did all hit the Safeway for groceries, but I’m wondering when the laundry is going to get done.
Tomorrow I need to do some maintenance too. The tires need air, and I’ve found that my 12v compressor will not reach to the driver’s side. So I need to find a service station with air. We also need propane, and while I’m at it I should check a few other things on the rig. Our drive tomorrow will be short: two hours to Bigfork, where we are expected by Bert & Janie.
July 6, 2006 at 10:39 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
A good night’s sleep can make all the difference. We all put on the air conditioning and conked out for a solid nine hours. When we awoke, Rich C was already on his way and everyone else was slowly coming to life.
Last night we elected to take the scenic route, so we are proceeding east on Rt 124 to Rt 12, all the way through the fabled amber waves of grain to Idaho. They really do have waves rippling through the grain in the breeze, and it looks terrific, as we discovered today. Route 12 turned out to be a spectacular drive, past stands of popular, grape vines, giving way to hills covered with golden wheat, scenic rivers, and tiny villages.
Susan and Adam followed us all the way. The road follows Lewis and Clark’s route along the Columbia and Snake Rivers, and so there’s history to be learned here for anyone who is interested. But the pull-outs are almost invisible. If you want to stop and read the signs, drive slowly.
Stopping at the Laht Neppur Brewing Company along Rt 12 in Washington state.
Across the Snake River from Clarkston, WA is Lewiston, ID. Take a right and head a few miles along the river and you’ll find Hells Gate State Park. This place was recommended to us many months ago when we were in Arizona the first time, and I’ve been waiting to come to this area ever since. It’s a classic state park, shady and grassy, right on the banks of the Snake River (w/e, $20.88).
Jet boat tours can take you up the Snake River to the deep canyons ($135 pp), but we have decided not to take another day to do that. Instead, we took some short bike rides, explored the “Lewis & Clark Discovery Center”, and had a nice group dinner on the picnic table. I also took another long nap — still catching up on sleep.
Tomorrow’s ride will be just as scenic, and we’ve planned to take the entire day to drive only about 300-350 miles. We’ll continue on Rt 12 through some mountains and along the “wild & scenic” river all the way to Missoula, MT, and perhaps farther. If we make good progress, we’ll reach Bert & Janie’s house tomorrow night, otherwise we’ll see them in the morning on Saturday.
July 5, 2006 at 9:13 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
We are off again, heading east again. I’m glad to have the rally behind me, even though it was great fun, because after a few more days of that schedule I’d probably end up sick. The last three nights I got only about 5-6 hours of sleep.
Lack of sleep made towing today less fun than it should have been. I-84 runs through the Columbia River Gorge for over a hundred miles, and every inch of it is scenic and wonderful. Wind funnels down the valley and skims the top of the wide river, creating whitecaps and perfect conditions for windsurfers and kitesurfers. Marvelous bridges cross to Washington state periodically, and often there are high walls of rock with cascades tumblng down alongside the road. Barges and paddlewheel boats can be seen floating down the river. It’s not just another dull strip of Interstate highway.
Adam and Susan caravanned with us for most of the drive, but Rich C left early (as usual) and Carol was somewhere in between. By 4 pm we were all at the campground, which is a lush and green oasis on the banks of the Snake River in the midst of the high desert.
It was hot when we arrived. This Corps of Engineers campground has a small beach on the river and a roped-off swimming area in the cold water, so everyone except Rich C and Carol jumped in.
Photo by Carol
Eleanor and I did take a few minutes to unfold the new Birdy bikes and test them around the campground. We also had a quick meeting with Rich C and Susan to plan our route for tomorrow. We’re definitely winging it, since tomorrow’s route is completely different from the plan we had this morning.
I’m not the only one who is tired. We’re all taking it easy tonight, eating leftovers from the last few barbecues and restaurants, and staying inside to watch movies. Tonight will be an early night.
July 4, 2006 at 10:49 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
This is our last day at the International Rally …
It has been a fine summer day in all respects. Brett, Rich C and I worked the Flea Market in the morning. Brett and I had a successful time selling Airstream Life magazines and other things, while outside thunderstorms rumbled by.
Then in the afternoon, the weather turned fair, breezy, and warm — ideal for us to get organized for our next roadtrip. We cleared out a lot of excess junk in the car and trailer, organized a few things, and re-packed all the toys, including the new Birdy bikes. (They fit very well in the Armada’s storage area with tons of room to spare.)
Robert blows bubbles for Emma, from his bike
Many people have departed the rally grounds already. This left plenty of empty sites near us, so Robert towed his Airstream “Pearl” over, Adam drove the C-Stream over, and Carol B showed up in her new 2007 Airstream Classic Limited 27FB, too. Rich C was already here. So we were all parked together this evening.
Steak, chicken, sausages, grilled asparagus, salad, guacamole, and more tonight!
Eleanor and Susan have been planning a Fourth of July barbecue for everyone. The whole gang attended for a final night together, before we disperse. Brett will be heading back home via air, Robert will be heading south into Oregon to meet his family, and Carol, Rich C, Adam, Susan and us will be caravanning east.
The festivities are still going on as I type this at nearly 11 p.m. All around us, fireworks are popping. We’ve been singing along to the Trailer Park Troubadours on the iPod, blowing bubbles in the wind, and telling hysterical stories. It’s a night that defines summer. I hope you had a good Fourth too.
Adam and Susan admire the sunset, with Emma crowding in
Tomorrow, we leave for a campground in southeast Washington state, on our way to Bigfork, MT.
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