Category Archives: Cross-country road trip

Final Installment

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August 8, 2006.

I left my posh accommodations at a decent hour this morning and got through the “traffic” in Spokane without incident. I was anxious to get to my new home, and promised myself I’d make as few stops as possible so that I could be productive today.

I don’t remember much of the first half of this day. Looking back at my pictures, I see that the scenery was uninspiring and there were few interesting places along the way. I did stop at a rest stop in Washington state that served snacks and beverages for whatever donation you could manage for some local sports team or YMCA. What a great idea! I dropped a dollar in the jar and got a big cup of freshly brewed iced tea. I sipped my tea in the warm, morning sun before getting back in the car.

Welcome to Oregon. Yes! It was raining, as predicted, but that was okay. The rain calmed the blistering heat, making outdoor excursions more comfortable. I stopped at the visitor’s center, located only after following a maze of signs off the highway. I gathered armfuls of books, maps and pamphlets about the Portland area.

Only a few hours to go now. I was surprised to see how dry the eastern 2/3 of the state was. I drove and drove, watching trains, looking at fields dotted with power lines, reading road signs, and doing everything in my power to stay awake. When does it get green?

Finally I began seeing a few trees and before long the sides of the road exploded with greenery. I entered the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area and watched the boats go by. There were beautiful dams, rocky cliffs, and even more trains to distract this weary driver. The numbers on the Portland signs got smaller and smaller as my excitement grew. Once the city skyline came into sight, I felt somewhat relieved. I made it. I spent the afternoon exploring the area and checking out apartments. Later that evening I settled down at my friend’s apartment. That’s where I’ll stay until my own life falls into place. I am eternally grateful for all the people who have helped me make this epic journey, those who:

*contributed CD’s for those long hours on the road

*called me along the way to check in

*provided much moral support during the planning phases

*suggested places to stop along the way

*provided me with a place to stay during and after the journey

*helped in the moving process in any way

*continue to support me as I fumble around in a new city trying to build a life.

One thing I learned while undertaking this move is that I have an incredible circle of friends and family who are behind me 100%. Although I am now distanced geographically from many of them, I am determined to stay close to them all. Without you guys, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. THANKS SO MUCH!

Idaho, Montana, and Washington

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August 7, 2006.

Last night I stayed in a lousy, loud, bug-infested campsite so I was glad to hit the road. I was also glad that the train of ants that formed on the outside of my tent never made it inside to eat me alive. Today’s plan involved driving through southeastern Idaho, into Montana, and then back into the northern panhandle of Idaho. It was longer than taking the southern roads but it looked to be more scenic.

Idaho was one two-horse town after another. I stopped in Dubois to get gas and a cold beverage. The gas station shop was a grocery store, deli, souvenir shop, hardware store, and everything else rolled into one. I probably could have bought a refrigerator there. It was huge. And it was the only vendor for miles upon miles. Driving was tedious so I looked at my roadmap to see if I’d pass through anything worthwhile today. I noticed some unusual museums in Butte, Montana, so I set on visiting there.

The visitor’s center in Montana was staffed by useless teenagers who’d obviously have little insights to offer on the finer things in the town of Butte. I settled on grabbing a few pamphlets and maps before taking off to explore on my own.

I had an hour to kill before the next museum tour so I went into a small cafe for lunch. The service was abysmally slow but the people were friendly and the food was reasonable. And, I had no choice. So I sat there, sipping a delicious blueberry- pomegranate smoothie while waiting for my lunch.

After lunch I hightailed it to the tour company where I embarked on an underground history tour with 3 other folks and a guide. We were informed that years ago, Butte was a slammin’, prosperous party town rich on mining copper and other metals. Skyscrapers lined the streets, money flowed like water and people were always out and about. Today, there are remnants of the old times still visible to the average person but much of the town’s history is hidden underground. Today’s basements are located at yesterday’s street level, so many legitimate and illigitimate businesses are buried beneath modern sidewalks. Our first stop was a barber shop in the basement of one of the old buildings.

The tour company had restored the barber shop to its 1950’s look based on accounts from aging locals. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and had many anecdotes to share. During Prohibition, he said, barber shops were the place to go to get booze because the barbers could hide the bottles among the many bottles of shaving supplies they had on the counter. This barber shop had a hidden back room that doubled as a bar for certain, trusted customers. In fact, more men probably visited the shop for drinks than for a haircut. There was even a hidden escape door that led up to the street if someone’s wife came looking for him. Crazy.

Our next stop was the Butte City Jail. The old one, shut down in the 1970’s. This place is in the process of being restored; some of it is still inacessible to tour-goers. Our guide told stories of police brutality, the “interrogation room” with three foot walls and no windows, the incarceration of Evel Kneivel, and repeat offenders who’d scribbled their names on every wall they could find. The jail conditions were putrid and inhumane; it’s amazing that it was only closed down 30 years ago.

The final stop on the tour was in an old Speakeasy. This was a place for drinking, gambling, dancing, and other shady goings-on. The guide’s tales of life during Prohibition were vivid and interesting. There were secret passwords, one-way mirrors, hidden rooms, corrupt government officials, and much more. For someone who has no interest in history, this tour was really something. I was sad to be let out back to the modern day streets of Butte, which are far less vibrant and lively than they were in the 20’s.

I didn’t want to leave Montana, with its beautiful scenery and cute little towns, but all good things must come to an end. I passed through Idaho again and drove on to Washington. I felt I deserved a nice night somewhere so I settled into a hotel on the outskirts of Spokane where I could take a nice shower, surf the web, and watch cheesy TV. I stretched out on the comfy bed and enjoyed my last evening on the road. Reality is going to hit hard very soon.

Teton Adventures: Static Peak

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August 6, 2006.

1690

After yesterday’s hike I longed for something more challenging and satisfying. I inquired at the visitor’s center if any trails actually went to a peak. The girl at the desk recommended Static Peak, a mountain reached via Death Canyon. There was no official trail to the peak but she assured me a short herd path (which she called a “social trail”) would lead me to the summit. The trip would be just about 16 miles and a 4,000ft. -or so elevation gain. Great.

At 7:15 am I started up the trail. Getting to the trailhead was an adventure in itself since it required driving up a long dirt road at a max speed of 15mph. There were several cars already in the lot, surprising for an early morning start at an out-of-the-way trailhead. I guess nothing is too out of the way in the Tetons.

This trail was similar to the one I’d followed the previous day: flat, with lots of switchbacks. *sigh* Doesn’t anyone have a sense of adventure out here? I plodded along at a fair pace; I knew I had lots of miles to cover today and I didn’t get the 6am start that I’d wanted.

I reached Phelps Lake and then went down into Death Canyon. “The prettiest in the park,” the girl mentioned. It was nice, but didn’t blow me away. The tall coniferous trees were set back in the canyon while narrow meadows of scrub and wildflowers lined the trails. The rocky canyon walls jutted up from either side of me, leading to steeper sections of trail ahead.

Contently singing songs in my head and looking around at the colorful flowers, I wondered what I’d take away from my experience today…

Rounding a switchback and looking up through some trees I saw a large, black shape. I stopped in my tracks and carefully walked forward, eyes focused on this unexpected being. It raised its head and looked right at me. Oh sh…….

Staring into the eyes of a large bull moose several yards up the trail was frightening. I’d never seen one without a fence separating the two of us. I’d heard that bull moose (mooses?) can be violently aggressive so I wasn’t sure if I should try and scare it away or sneak past. As I closed in on him, I realized the trail went right in his general direction. He obviously was aware of my presence and he didn’t seem to care. The moose munched away on the flowery vegetation just off the trail. I skirted right by him, breathless, trying to snap pictures without standing for too long in one place.

Not far up the trail I encountered another group of hikers who’d had to bushwhack off the trail to get around the moose, who didn’t budge for them. Luckily the moose was in the shrubs when I arrived. I would see these hikers a few more times today.

It took some time to get above treeline, something I didn’t get to do yesterday. Unlike in the Northeast, where the trees get noticeably shorter and more gnarly, there wasn’t too much indication that I was coming out of the forest until I was already there. The sun beat down brightly on the rocky ridgetop as I continued to climb. I was treated to lovely views of melting ice in the valleys below and jagged peaks in all directions. My steps became shorter and more forced. I’d like to say it was the elevation that was affecting me but I think it was just my own sloth :). I hadn’t done any big hikes in a long time. Along the trail, a tiny patch of snow glistened in the dirt. Instinctively, I reached down, scooped up a handful and rubbed it on my limbs, head and the back of my neck. I put a few clumps down my shirt for good measure. The cold snow felt so good on my overworked body.

Upon reaching the Static Peak Divide, I saw Static Peak and the herd path leading to the bare summit. Soon, I lost the path and meandered slowly up the rocks. Looking behind me, I saw someone else with the same idea so I tried to hurry up. I was winded and tired but I wanted to arrive first. I found the herd path again, which led me to the top.

The panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and bowls in addition to the feeling of conquering a peak created the sense of satisfaction I’d been looking for. I took off my socks and shoes, sat on the ground and soaked it all in. I chatted with the other hiker up there, a local who shared lots of information about hiking in the Tetons.

It was still morning, but I’d been warned about freak lightning storms up here so I retreated after a half hour of relaxing. I happily bounced down the mountain and ducked below treeline all too soon. Back in the woods, nose to the ground, I moved along steadily.

The wooded sections of trail were broken up frequently by stretches of grassy clearings. In one such clearing, I heard the sound of hundreds of grasshoppers or crickets leaping from plant to plant. Strange…I thought…until realizing that was the sound of heavy raindrops falling from the sky. I was miles out from the trailhead, with no raingear, and then I heard a loud BOOM. Thunder. Wonderful. The rain started coming down and I walked a little faster. Then I saw lightning and started to run. Being wet was no big deal, as I’d seen my share of wet hikes this past spring. But the thought of being struck by lightning was not appealing to me. For most of the next few miles I sprinted down the trail, pausing in the dry, wooded areas, and blasting across the clearings. I had been feeling the hurt of a long hike prior to this rain, but the adrenaline kicked in and fueled my rapid descent.

Towards the bottom of the trail, the rain subsided. I encountered many, many groups of people, mostly decked out in ponchos and other rain attire. They must have been furiously hot in there. When I arrived back at my car, the lot was overflowing with cars. Most people make the 2 mile trek to Phelps Lake and call it a day. It was 3:30pm. I’d just cranked out 16 miles in just over 7 hours.

Beat, soggy, hungry, thrilled. I saw a moose, several pika, some grouse, magpies, a marmot, and many unidentified birds. I’d gone above treeline, reached a summit, and battled the rain. This completed my exploration of the Tetons, as I had to get back on the road. I drove almost 3 hours today before stopping in Idaho Falls. Tomorrow, more driving.