Wed. Aug. 15, 2007
Today was a bit of a disappointment. The highlight of my trip was supposed to be Western Montana featuring a trip to Glacier National Park. I drove from Bozeman to Kalispell today so I will be close to the park and can spend the entire day there tomorrow. I suspect that I was surrounded by breathtaking scenery but I couldn’t be sure because the haze, caused by all the wildfires, was so bad that I really didn’t see too much. It is amazing how impacted the whole western part of the state is. I drove for nearly 400 miles today and the haze covered every part of it. Obviously, the real tragedy is the land, homes, etc. that are destroyed but I can’t help but feel some regret that I’m missing out on the full beauty that is ‘Big Sky’ country.
Conversely, yesterday went far better than expected. It actually started the evening before when, after a very long day of driving, I ended up at the Days Inn in Twin Falls, Idaho. It was a very inexpensive hotel and yet it was very nice; I was pleasantly surprised. I slept like a baby for the first time in ages. Having finally gotten on the road after weeks of getting ready, I think I was just able to relax and really begin to enjoy my adventure. That feeling continued into the day as I began my second day of driving. I actually started by backtracking a little. I got to Twin Falls after dark so I didn’t see much but I crossed a bridge just a few miles before the hotel and for some reason I suspected there might be something worth checking out there. Before leaving SF, Michael said something about crossing the Snake River and how impressive it was and I thought the bridge I crossed might be related. Sure enough it was crossing the Snake River and it was a spectacular site. The river had carved out a steep canyon similar to the Grand Canyon though on a much smaller scale. It was well worth the small detour.
I decided to stay off the interstates and stick to the smaller highways that day. At first I had no choice as I was heading to a specific destination but even after that I decided to continue on that way. I was reveling in the wide-open spaces and traveling with very few other vehicles around. Listening to books on CD or music CD’s that I haven’t played in a while and taking in the landscape, I began to think that maybe I should be a truck driver for a while. Think of all the books I could catch up on and how much of the country I’d get to see. OK, maybe I’m fantasizing that as a career choice but there’s nothing wrong with that.
I stopped at Craters of the Moon National Monument. It was a fascinating place and apparently somewhat of a geological marvel. Basically, it’s a giant lava field sans a volcano. The lava comes through a series of fissures in the Snake River Plain. Whatever the cause, it’s really something to see. Acres and acres of cooled, black lava with some hearty plants popping up throughout. What I found astonishing about the park were the comments former visitors had made basically calling it a desolate wasteland. What were they looking at? Were they seeing the same things I was? Do they understand the incredible art that is nature? While on the subject of nature and the mindless twits that can’t fully appreciate it: the last section of my drive for that day took me along the western edge of Yellowstone. Once again I got very caught up in the landscape and was thinking that I should just stop and set up camp there for a few days and take it all in when traffic was stopped due to construction and we were delayed for about 25 minutes. The first thing I heard was someone bitching, “I can’t believe they’re going to make us wait a half-hour.’ I, on the other hand, saw it as an opportunity to get out, walk around, breath in the pine-scented air, and drink it all in. The delay passed in no time for me, I wonder how long it lasted for her.
That evening night I stayed with the sister of a very good friend of mine and her husband. Bozeman seems to be a pleasant town, their neighborhood and house are very cute and they are very nice people. We had dinner and went out for ice cream (which was wonderful and very cheap – a reminder of how expensive living in a large metropolitan area can be) and they gave me some travel tips for the next couple days. All ‘n all a very nice time though I couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed being in someone else’s house again instead of on my own. The night before felt brought a feeling of independence that was slightly diminished staying in someone else’s home. But I’m back on my own again so no complaining (except for the smoky haze).
August 21, 2007
OK, I’ve been very bad about writing, and my excuse: time, what else? The last few days have been tough. Drive all day, see a few sights, eat, relax a little and go to bed. I think about writing but I’m usually too tired. Well no excuses now, I’m in one place for the next several days.
It’s been very difficult staying in a different place night after night. The packing and unpacking is tough as is adjusting to different beds and different climates (I’ll explain later) but that’s not the main problem. The constant movement each day makes it tough to get comfortable and get a good night’s sleep. Plus I haven’t been able to get in good stretches after long days of driving. The next time I plan something like this I will be sure to plan on staying most places at least two nights and allow time for some kind of workout to loosen up my back.
The weather from California to Chicago has been interesting in its variety. I left San Francisco in the morning and experienced the typical, chilly fog the city is well known for in the summer. As I headed east, the valley was summertime hot though not scorching and the sky was clear. A brief respite from the heat going over the Sierras then back to the hot, desert weather through Nevada. I got into Idaho in the evening, which was very pleasant. That lasted through the night and for the start of my drive the next day. The heat picked up again as the day wore on and that pattern continued for the next couple days. The problem when I got to Montana was the haze from the wildfires that seemed to blanket the entire western part of the state. I drove a long distance in the haze with only the occasional shadow of a mountain to torment me, making me aware that I was missing the scenery that makes long days of driving pass quickly as one admires the majesty of the western landscape. I was afraid that the haze would ruin my trip to Glacier but the park can impress its visitors even in inclement weather, as I will explain in greater detail later.
Heading into eastern Montana the haze began to dissipate, the skies cleared for awhile but then darkened again as I got closer to North Dakota. However, this time it wasn’t the yellowish, low-lying haze that mutes all the colors and blurs the landforms it engulfs; it was the heavy, bluish-gray clouds that darken and intensify certain colors. This lasted through North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and into Illinois. The concentration of clouds varied from high and nonthreatening to a low-heavy fog often accompanied by varying degrees of precipitation. The last two days in Illinois reminded me why I like to avoid the area in August. Even though the sun came out for a while the air is heavy with humidity. It’s like walking into a steam room every time you leave an air-conditioned space.
August 29, 2007
WOW, I have some serious catching up to do. I will start by going back to the first day of the drive. I didn’t sleep well the night of the 12th. The anticipation was a little too much and relaxing was difficult. I did doze on and off and ultimately that was enough; I reached my first destination with no problem. I immediately got busy packing the car up which went pretty well. I was able to get most of my junk in the car and only left a few things for Michael to use, give away or dispose of. There was an inverse relationship between the amount of clutter in the house and the amount of grief in my heart. The closer I got to finishing packing the more sentimental I became. By the time I did my final scan of the rooms tears were creeping down my cheeks. I knew Michael and Luann would still be sleeping, we said our goodbyes the night before, and so it was a very quiet goodbye.
Once on the road I regained my composure though throughout the day certain songs would play which would trigger a memory or thought and my eyes would well up again. I got across the bridge and through the east bay quickly. Then came a big setback. The Cartenas Bridge was closed due to an accident. There was a long detour which took close to two hours to navigate. I was surprisingly calm the whole time. I guess the realization that I was on my own schedule now made the delay seem unimportant – I would get there when I get here. During the delay a former colleague called. She had recently heard that I was leaving and wanted to send best wishes. We had a nice little chat and that helped spend the time.
Once past that mess the rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. I passed some of the time listening to Sense and Sensibility on CD. Leave it to Jane to come up with a good in-the-car story. I had read it before which was nice as I didn’t have to try to hard to follow along. I tend to daydream after listening for a while. Before leaving California I stopped at the last rest stop. It’s a great little place to stretch your legs. There are a few, short trails directly behind it that wind through a patch of pine trees. The combination of sights and smells makes it a very enjoyable mini-excursion. It was the first of many moments where I realized I was going to miss the beauty of the west and there’s a good chance I’d return.
When I drove through Nevada on the way to San Francisco back in ’91 I thought it was very desolate and couldn’t wait to get through it. This time I drove through it early in my excursion and enjoyed it much more; it’s got a very simple, basic kind of beauty. I believe that is a reflection of how my appreciation for nature has changed by living in the west. Before, I thought breathtaking landscapes had to be green and full of flowers. Now I see colors differently and I see masterpieces in the earth tones of the desert and semi-arid landscape. Conversely, scenery that is all green doesn’t impress me as much as it used to. I wonder how living on the east coast will alter my impression of the world. Hopefully, it will continue to open my mental palette of natural colors. Reflections like this make me realize the value of living in different places versus just visiting them. I can’t internalize the scenarios as well when I just get a snapshot of the area instead of living it.
August 30, 2007
My goal is to get SF to Chicago done before the end of the month, i.e. tomorrow. Days 1-3 are done so day 4: I have to admit I was a fool. On the drive from Kalispell to Glacier (about 45 minutes) I kept preparing for the prospect that the park was going to be a disappointment. The haze was pretty bad again and I was sure the views would be bleak. I lectured myself about the shortcomings of ‘seeing the world through rose-colored glasses’. How by blocking out the bad stuff you also miss the details of your surroundings that give it complexity and depth. Blah, blah, blah… Truth is Glacier National Park is one of those places that are spectacular even on the less than perfect days. I’m sure the park would have been even more stunning on a clear day but I could hardly call it disappointing. It ranks up there with Yellowstone and Yosemite.
The first stop was to the little village just beyond the gate. It had the usual shops, visitors’ center and a beautiful lake surrounded by the shadows (because of the haze) of mountains. Soon after that I started up the Highway-to-the-Sun, the main road that cuts through the park. As you get closer to the top you understand why it is so named. It’s like climbing the side of a mountain range. Awesome, exhilarating, and nerve-racking as you climb up the narrow road with a very steep drop to the side. At one point the road was down to one lane due to construction; this caused a 25-minute delay. While walking around a few people noticed a mother bear with two cubs foraging on the hill above the road. That provided the entertainment for the detained tourists and the time flew by. The rest of the trip to the top highlighted one of the problems with traveling alone: There is no one to share the driving so you can take turns looking views. Trying pay attention to the road and the scenery is not easy.
There is another visitors’ center at the top of the road. Patience helped get me a space in the busy parking lot. Others kept circling around but I just pulled over in one space and waited and within five minutes I had a spot. I was excited about getting some hiking in after so many days of sitting in the car. A ranger recommended a 1.5-mile hike to a scenic overlook from which you can see a lake. Didn’t sound like much of hike which was confirmed by the number of children doing it but I figured I could add on later. The view from the platform was majestic and I saw, a took too many pictures of, wildflowers, marmots, Columbian ground squirrels and even a few mountain goats. From the platform I could see the trail continued on for another mile and a half down to the lake and that provided the extra challenge I was looking for.
Other than my aching knees, which have been terrible lately, the trip down went fine, lots of geologic and organic things to study. One, black rock formation reminded me of the house John’s friends built in Hawaii. At the bottom I walked along the lake and took a drink of water, which I forgot to bring with me. I found a secluded spot to sit, reflect and take in nature. I noticed little black shapes in a pond and upon closer look noticed they were tadpoles a various stages of development. Some had feet that were just starting to poke out, others looked like they were about to drop their tale and come out of the water. That led me to discover the mud all around the pond was populated with the tiniest frogs I have ever seen. They couldn’t have been much more than half-an-inch long. They camouflaged themselves well against the putty-colored mud so it was no wonder I didn’t notice them right away. While walking around that area a goat and its kid came out of the woods and walked right up to me. It was a bit surreal – I didn’t know if it was looking for food (maybe people had fed it in the past), checking me out, or just undeterred by the presence of a human. They passed me and continued on their way. I ended up passing them two more times on the way out – they like using the hiking trails.
Water from the lake flowed into a little river which rushed down a
ravine. I started down a trail that abutted the water and would have liked to
continue on but a combination of time and being alone convinced me to head back
instead. The three miles back finished out a pretty good workout. After that I
headed back to the hotel. It was nice to be in the same hotel for two nights,
but, as luck would have it, it was the cruddiest hotel I stayed in.
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