Glacier National Park

We pulled into Glacier National Park from the western side and entered directly into the Disney World of Hell and Wax Museum. Shops, boutiques, food galleries...the Wal-mart of the National Park Service. We found our way to one of the most out of the way campgrounds, Bowman Lake, which is accessible only by 30 miles of washed-out washboard dirt road, expecting to have the grizzlies to ourselves. What a surprise when we found ourselves accompanied on the trek by obese and limping mini-vans, and ubiquitous Buick sedans. Talk about ego deflation. Here we are in Biesel, our off-road tank of love, feeling the power of her big Cummins engine and the grip of her 35 inch tires, only to be surrounded by a certain segment of the population with their expected vehicles, dogs, cigarettes, and loud new-country music.

To counterbalance this suburban strip-mall experience we were continually enchanted by a family of deer who seemed to think that we were part of their scenery and entertainment. They strolled right through our campsite and nested down mere feet from us and never gave a start. Please keep in mind that we have a bit of a love/hate relationship with deer. At home in Maine they love us and we hate them. You see, the deer seem to crave all of the best that we have growing in our yard: apple trees, pear trees, beets, greens, onions, blueberries. Pacifist vegetarian mushballs that we are, we can't help but hope a group of hunters will have a really good year in our neighborhood this fall.

After one night hiding out in Bowman we decided to make our way East and take in the views of the Going to the Sun Road. It was truly magnificent winding through the park and seeing the glaciers and waterfalls and incredible vistas. Only the feeling of being a lemming or a camel in a single file caravan moving in slo-mo controlled by traffic lights and flag-bearers tainted the experience. We left the park and made our way to the South-Eastern corner and Two Medicine Campground.

Finally a genuine camping pleasure. Two Medicine was near capacity but seemed to be occupied by people that had as similar a take on the universe as we do.

The views were stunning and the lake clear as a contact lens. We hiked up to Scenic Point, about 7 miles round trip, to one of the most breathtaking sights. The girls were super troopers and only whined on the uphill (read: the entire first half of the hike). Sara caught her second wind on the down hill and nearly ran down the mountain. We attended the Ranger Presentation that night and learned about the past of the Two Medicine area and the Blackfoot Indians who lived there. Super powerful presentation by a man in character as an Irish priest who had settled with the Natives when he realized that it was impossible and pointless to try and convert them. Truly a moving experience.

We woke early the next day and headed toward Minnesota and a surprise for the girls...and so it will be for you faithful readers as well.

Note--you can click on the pictures to enlarge them (at least it works on our computer)

Wind, Cold, Lighthouse: Got to Move On.

Our drive to Oregon didn't take very long as we were so far North in Cali. However, the drive from any one point on Route 101 to any other adjacent point along that dog forsaken highway took at least one lifetime. We sincerely expected to fall in love with the Pacific Northwest. We had been told over and over again that it is just like Maine but hipper, with no bugs and no snow (except at elevation for the snow).

If the drive up the coast was any indication, we'll stick with Maine. It wasn't any prettier than the Maine coast and the traffic moved just as slow, if not slower. And did I mention that it was stupid windy and only about 58 degrees. At least in Maine summer feels like summer. We couldn't take the brain and soul crushing tedium any longer and stopped at Cape Blanco State Park for the night.

Great little park on the water with the distinction of housing the oldest and furthest west lighthouse in Oregon. The Girlies wanted to play at the beach and swim. After 20 minutes or so we headed back to camp and the girls exclaimed that they weren't cold because they, infact, couldn't feel anything at all. They were frozen. We had a pleasant evening and took a hike to the lighthouse the next morning. Crazy l'ass wind. Great tour up into the light. Super views of the fog and wind. Moved out and up the coast.

Well, 101 hadn't gotten any better overnight. By the time that we reached the intersection with Route 20 we just had to change our plans. We consulted our map and decided to head east toward Corvallis, grab I-5 North and head directly to Glacier National Park. We stopped at a great farmstand in Corvallis and stocked up for the trip. Fresh fruits and veggies and honey sticks for the little ones. We made it just over the Montana border before I needed some shut-eye. We boon-docked at the Welcome Center Rest Area. Someday I'll tell you just how gross every single men's room was on this entire trip around our beautiful country. We caught a few hours of sleep and headed into Missoula for breakfast, fuel, and laundry-mat. Then we trekked North to Glacier...and what a time we had.

Sara's California Post:

We were just on a trail at Mill Creek Campsite. We have site number 55. Maybe it's 54, I can't remember. We saw giant trees and took some pictures of Ali and I standing in front of and on some. We also saw a different kind of slug than we have at home. They are called Banana slugs. They have flaps over their heads and have one long spike down their backs. So long!

Holy...Hole-y...Wholly Trees Fat Squirrel

We entered Redwoods National and State Park at dusk and by the serpentine scenic route. If the trees were going to be impressive in full sun they were surely ominous and surreal in the dim of the day. The gauze of filtered light that made it through the canopy had the effect of smudging the edges of the trees, making them seem less distinct and even larger than their true might. The twisty slalom of country road had us heading directly at these beasts at times and careening around them as we made our way to Mill Creek Campground.


Our first evening was uneventful except for the banana slugs that populate the forest. It seems that the only thing these slime-ball behemoths won't eat is Redwood trees. Every other plant or decomposing matter is up for grabs, so these guys breed (at least I think they do...perhaps they just divide or clone or xerox) like neon icky bunnies. Did I mention that they are huge? We saw one that was almost a foot long.

We woke and hiked for the first half of the day through incredible old-growth forest. These are the true elders of our planet and a powerful presence to be around. At every switchback we encountered a tree that was more grand, more stately, more prescient. I felt as though I was surrounded by my own ancestors and that all of the wisdom of the universe was right there, in my reach. This one day and hike was worth the cost of this trip.

We attended a hep little ranger presentation that night about the geology of the Redwood area and the Left Coast as a whole. Lots about plates and friction and volcanoes and tsunamis and the impending doom that will befall all of the critters living within the first hundred feet above sea level on the coast. The girls loved the whole talk, especially the part where Ali, as volunteer, handed out Oreos to all the participants. After using them as a prop to show how the plates move about and shove up piles of stuff (creamy filling) into mountain ranges, everyone got to eat their individual plates and their newly formed range.

In the morning, we would leave the park and head up the brief remainder of the California coast to Oregon...See you there.

Coasting, Drifting, Living on the Road

We did indeed coast downhill finding a fuel stop with local wheat apricot ale and a killin' stout...and diesel, too. We headed to the coast to make our way toward Redwood National Park. As we passed Arcata, our most rockin' friend, Jennifer Wennifer, came to mind. For a time we had planned to hook up with her in California for a week or so of our roadtrip. At one point the plan included her flying into the Arcata area to meet us. Had that plan worked out, 'The Lady” would have needed a pilots license or a hang-glider as the airport was about the size of our front yard and the windsock looked like it might have been one of my long lost woolies that seem to go AWOL in the washing and drying process. We had a hearty laugh and a quick but solemn tear that JW couldn't make the trip this year. Perhaps another year we will rendezvous in a leftist South American country and J Wo can sneak in under the cover of night by one-woman "nucular (ha ha Wubya)" sub.

Coming soon...adventures from the Redwoods National Park!

Leaving Utah for the West Coast: We're Hungry...Let's Go Left

On Sunday morning we bid the Mayer clan adieu and headed toward Reno. The map suggested that we would be in the desert but it didn't feel like we ever quite left the mountains. Though we drove on the flat for the majority of the day we were still surrounded by craggy hills, some with snow topped peaks, all the way till our stop a Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. Fuel prices soared the further left we went. We stopped at a little hole in central Nevada, lots of gambling, not so many teeth, that wanted $5.85 a gallon for diesel. We didn't fuel up there. We found some for $5.05. Glad we did too.

As we entered California we had to stop at an Agricultural Inspection Station. They we're worried that we might be smuggling oranges back into Cali. They were also more than a little concerned that we might be harboring Gypsy Moth fugitives in our camper. Apparently Maine is a breeding ground for civil and agricultural disobedience.

We wound our way through the mountains toward Lassen passing super quaint little towns with low populations (my favorite kind of town) and fueling stations with prices under $6 a gallon. We got to the park gates a tad low on fuel (I take fuel responsibility for this as I assumed that we would see another fuel station in the next day) at a scoche under a quarter tank. Wouldn't you know that we had to climb Lassen mountain to get to our camp site. By the time we parked Biesel (our beloved Dodge 2500 truck) her computer showed that we had 28 miles of fuel left. We were at least 30 miles from any town that might have a diesel pump. Not very good expedition etiquette. I now truly understand why real expedition folks carry a few jerry cans of fuel with them.

We bunked for the night and rose to take a five mile hike to Echo Lake, which was so much fun for the girls since we live right near Echo Lake in Mount Vernon. Lots of uphill, lots of dust and rocks, so many dragonflies that I thought my heart might burst with joy, incredible vistas, and lots of tinkle. The girls each have their own camel pack with water for hikes. Sara tends to drink a sip for each step or so even though she doesn't seem to really sweat any of it out. Inevitably she needs to piddle every five to ten minutes. She and her mother have the squat system all worked out. I guess we are just glad that she doesn't eat a prune for each step or so.

On the hike we encountered the rare and introverted tree dragon. We came upon her slowly and managed to convince her that she might enjoy spending some quality time with two young humans. She eventually came around to our thinking and took each of the girls for a short flight around the lake. After our hike we broke camp and cautiously and conservatively headed out of the park. Biesel's computer changed our potential mileage every few feet making the drive ever so interesting. Our only saving grace was that since we had climbed the range the day before most of our exit was to be down hill. By the time we reached the ranger station that had been rumored to have fuel (gas only as it turns out), we had a range of 17 miles. It was 17 miles to Shingletown and the nearest diesel pumps. Dun, Dun, Dun!!! Would they make it?... Would our intrepid travelers need to flag down assistance?... Would Biesel roll into town on fumes?... Would the fuel station also carry locally brewed organic beer?... Tune in next time for:Shingletown, Arcata, the Repetitive Stress Driving Course, Banana Slugs, and Really Big Stumps.

Don't Forget to Comment

Drop us a line when you get a chance. We'd love to know what everyone is up to. Miss you all!

July 3 - 11

At long last I sit down to write again. Tons have happened since the last entry and we've had a fair bit of down time, especially since we've been in Salt Lake with Shannon's dad. I just haven't been in the right frame of mind to sit down and blog. I think perhaps there has been too much to process and that the down-time forced me into some self-reflection that I've needed to do for quite a while. At any rate, if I had blogged during the last week it might not have been very pretty.

We spent the fourth of July in Fairplay CO, just south and over Hoosier Pass from Breckenridge. Breck is a town that is just a bit over the top for my taste. Lots of beautiful people, lots of money, lots of stuff. Once you go over the pass, over 10,000 feet up and twisty-turny switchbacks, you come to the most bad ass little town of Alma. We shopped at the Al-Mart. T-shirts for the girls. Pick 200 or so of the quirkiest, artsy, back-to-the-lander, sun and snow hardened folks you can imagine and those are the residents of this former mining beef raising town. They have refurbished all of the turn of the century downtown buildings and have opened the coolest bars, hair salons, art galleries, outfitters, etc. We camped in a little BLM campground called Horseshoe at about 9,000 feet up. Ali and I took a 3 mile hike up into the mountain and threw snowballs. We had to cross a fast flowing 30' wide snow-melt river to get back to camp. The BLM folks had laid some large timbers across the water but it was flowing too high to cross. So, somebody put large stepping stones every foot or so on top of the timbers. The water came over the top of many of these. Ali donned her Crocs and I went naked foot across. Man, was that water cold.

Our reason for being in the Breck area for this trip was to attend the wedding of our college buddy Laura Allen. Her folks have been heading up there from Plano, TX since the 80's and Laura is now living and teaching there. We had a great time meeting friends and family and her new husband, Bernie. The wedding, held at the home of a family friend, was beautiful. The view of the mountains was priceless and the weather held out until shortly before the reception then the cold rain came pouring in. We wish Laura and Bernie the very best.




We boondocked the night of the wedding at a rest stop in western CO. The next morning we headed to CO National Monument. What a beautiful place. Similar to Canyonlands National Park but just different enough make it a special day for us. We hiked a couple of the trails, explored a cave off the trail that we shouldn't have, and had a picnic lunch at the top of one of the canyons. We headed into Fruita, CO to check out the Dinosaur Museum. OK but not nearly as cool as the one at Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal, UT that we visited three years ago. We crashed at Highland Lake State Park in CO, a bit of an oasis in the desert with several bodies of water and lots of trees, grass, birds, and white trash. We slept fitfully through a raging wind storm and headed out first thing in the morning for UT.


Since arriving at Gary and Connie's we have slept, showered, read, relaxed, hiked, swam, eaten, cooked, caught a movie (Wanted), read some more, washed and waxed Biesel, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The girls have had an absolute blast hanging out here with the grands. In five minutes Kenny and Kristi and clan will arrive from TX and the girls are beside themselves with anticipation. We'll keep you posted.

Ali's Notes - July 3, 2008

I just bought a new iPod. I named it pPod because it is green. I have about 16 hours of songs on it, most of them are the same as the ones on Sara's iPod but I added some Beatles and Eagles. This morning we entered Iowa and at the welcome center we went on one of the balconies that overlooked the Mississippi river. That's all for now.
Ali

Sara's Notes - July 3, 2008

I don't have much to do right now cause I read all of my books that I brought already. Approximately 25oo pages so far. Most of those books are Harry Potter books. I'm done with book 6. We don't have book 7 but my dad said that we could buy it if we ran out of reading materials. Talk to you later.
Sara

July 3rd - Corn Fields

We are now in the heartland. Yesterday we hit a couple of the 'I' states. Today we are in Iowa. Boy, do they grow some corn. Lots of signs indicating that the corn is being grown to ease our fuel prices. While diesel is cheaper here, by about 30 cents a gallon, we haven't seen but one bio-diesel establishment on the entire trip. Incredibly nice folk out here. The weather has been all but perfect with sunny, breezy days in the lower 80's and nights down into the lower 60's or even upper 50's for perfect sleeping. I write this entry while seated at an outdoor gazebo at a beautiful rest area outside of Des Moines. We hope to make it well into Nebraska tonight so that we can spend the night of the 4th in Colorado. Long driving day. Need some espresso, no?

June 30th HERSHEY PARK

In honor and celebration of Ali completing her first decade, we spent the day at HERSHEY Park. They let us camper-types in an hour early in return for spending so much money on the campground entrance fee. What they didn't tell us is that only a very few select rides but all of the pay-to-play stuff (face painting, whack-a-mole, food court, etc.) is actually open at that hour. Our first ride together as a family was on the Comet, a old-school wooden roller-coaster. On the first drop I turned to see how Sara was holding up (this was her first ride on a big kid coaster) and instinctively reached out for the stop-this-train chord. She looked like she might be in cardiac arrest or at the very least that her large intestine had come unglued and was slowly corkscrewing its way out her back side. Her cherubic little face was gripped with a look of sheer joy-terror-pain-wtf, I couldn't decide if I should laugh or try to console her. She soon loosened up and enjoyed the ride that she never wants to go on again.

Ali and I went on the Claw. Can't really describe this to you. Kinda like the pirate ship on mushrooms. You know you are in for a good time when the floor drops out from under you after everyone is safely chained in. It swings, wicked high, while spinning and teetering, and such. Ali and I had an absolute blast while Sara cried in Shannon's arms, worried that Ali and I were going to get hurt or worse.

We ended our park day by taking in a show. Imagine the greatness of Blue Man Group combined with really bad broadway shtick and pseudo broadway vocals. Add Velveeta. Stir to mix. Let ferment in the afternoon sun. Yields 1 big serving of poop.

We went back to the trailer park with all or our rowdy friends for a dinner of kettle corn and cider. We turned the fan on full blast to drown out the neighborly noises and turned in for the night.

June 29th – Hershey, PA

Today was our first day on the road. We made it about 550 miles to the Hershey Highmeadow Campground in anticipation of spending the day at Hershey Park tomorrow. We drove through five states today, which at least sounds cool! Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The campground is quite interesting...not our usual stomping grounds. We tend to prefer primitive, serene settings where one might hear a loon, some birds, maybe a few campfires. As it turns out here, the sites are right next to each other and our camp neighbors love listening to the Jeff Foxworthy show, apparently loud enough for the neighboring county to hear.

But the sudden downpour...I mean monsoon...cleared out the noisy campers. Ahhh...karma.