August 8, 2011 Salt Lake City --> Corrales

The last day.  Here’s what happened…

Marooned

We limped the 1 hour to Salt Lake City and found a Honda dealership downtown.  I called in advance and they said they could work us in.  Steve, who checked in the car, called over the shuttle driver and asked him to drive us wherever we would like.  He promised to call when he knew something.  So we were dropped off at The Gateway outdoor shopping mall where we had a coffee, did some shopping and saw “Crazy, Stupid, Love”.  By the time the movie was over, the car was ready.  We apparently did some axle damage and tore out a motor mount.  Not surprising considering the terrain and load for the past 3 weeks. 

Grande Non-fat Vanilla Latte, please

Brew Pub

We left SLC at 3:30 and headed south, arriving in Moab just in time for dinner at the Moab Brewery – a favorite from our Canyonlands biking days. 

Weird sign outside the brewery.  Do they sell babies in Moab?

Rollers

We reached Farmington at 11:00 pm.  There is a lot of construction going on between Farmington and Bloomfield.  And, I have a lead foot.  Therefore, I was watching the speed limits closely.  But I missed the one were the highway goes from 45 to 35.  Suddenly, Gerry started looking out the passenger side mirror. 

Me:  What are you looking at?

Gerry:  That cop that just pulled out behind us.

Me:  What cop?

Gerry:  That one with the lights.

Me:  [insert expletive here]

And thus, I was pulled over.

Cop:  You were going 48 in a 35.  Can I see your insurance and registration?

Me:  Sure

Cop:  Long trip?

Me:  Yes.  And we got a late start today because the car broke down in Salt Lake and we didn’t leave there until 3:30 and I’ve been trying so hard not to speed and I just want to get home and… 

Who knows how long I went on like that.  Anyway, he was back in his car a while.  I tried really hard not to cry in the meantime.  And he only gave me a warning. 

Home

We arrived at 3:30.  Tired.  But there are no kids here so we get to sleep in.

Blessings

There are so many ways that God blessed us today.  We broke down on the very last day of the trip, in a huge town, while the kids were not with us.  It made us slow down, hold hands and see a movie.  My dad is keeping the kids so that we can have some time alone and not have to drive them for 3 days.  We got to eat at a favorite place and see the red, red rocks of Arches and Moab at sunset – the best!  I didn’t get a ticket.  We didn’t hit a deer or a drunk driver between Bloomfield and Bernalillo, a definite risk when driving at night.

In all, I could not have asked for a better vacation.  I’m sad to see it end.  We drove 9,950 miles in 7 weeks – a personal record.  Only 7 more years until the next one!

58838-48888 = 9950

August 7, 2011 Spokane --> Salt Lake City

At 8 am, we kissed the kids goodbye and began the journey back to Albuquerque.  By the time we reached Missoula, Gerry and I had to pee so bad that we both waddled into the gas station.  Without the kids to tell us when to stop, we’ve lost all sense of when to pull over for the potty. 

Lara:  How do you think this trip has changed you?

Gerry:  It’s made me tired, sore and cranky.

Lara:  Ahahahaha!  Seriously.

Gerry:  I think I have a greater appreciation for conservation and the delicate balance of ecosystems.

So true.  For example…

• We pulled over for every wildlife spotting – big or small.  And we insisted that everyone Leave No Trace. 
• We tried to use the bike for travel at every opportunity.  And had we known about the shuttle system in Glacier, we would have used it.
• We brought our refillable water bottles with us and were successful at using them the entire trip.  As a matter of fact we only bought two 1-gallon jugs of water which we then filled and froze for blocks of ice in the cooler.
• I have a new perspective on ‘dirty’ clothes.  Wearing one time no longer requires laundering unless visibly stained.  With puberty approaching for some, we’ll see how long this lasts.
• Gerry plans to build an electric car in the one week of vacation remaining.

The drive today went well.  We narrowly missed a very dark cloud coming through southern Montana and Idaho.  As we crossed the border into Utah, the car started to feel like it was driving on rumble strips, a good sign that we needed to pull over for the night.  I hope it isn’t something too serious.

August 6, 2011 Lake Chelan --> Spokane

We packed up the car (for the last time!!) and drove back to Spokane this morning/afternoon.  Luckily, we found a place to get the oil changed in the van before starting back for home tomorrow. 

It is clear we’ve been traveling too long and consequently used too many convenience store restrooms.  Upon arrival at Daddy Wayne’s and Grammy Lou’s house, everyone was called upon to use the potty. 

Gerry:  Billy, wash your hands.

Billy:  [waves hands under the faucet]

Gerry:  Hahaha!  You have to actually turn the water on.

We dined in downtown Spokane with good friends from Albuquerque, Jenelle & Ethan Scott and family.  Their son, Oscar, and Karl have been friends since birth.  Again, it was as if we never left.  Karl was very, very sad to leave.  As was Lindsay.  She and Lily really hit it off.

Would you believe I forgot my camera??

August 5, 2011 Lake Chelan, WA

I fully admit to being an ocean snob.  I don’t generally like lakes.  The water always seems dirty and there’s something about touching the bottom that creeps me out.  Give me the salty sea and sandy shores any day. 

But I may have come around on this trip.  From Illinois to Montana, all the lakes we’ve passed in the car and actually been in - be it by boat or by swimming - have been lovely.  Clear water, rocky bottoms and breathtaking scenery have won me over. 

Where else could you see a herd of big horn sheep from your boat? 

 Where else could you so safely cliff dive?

If only were it were 15 degrees warmer, then I would truly change my tune.

We’ve been spoiled with great food here.  Tonight was no exception:  buffalo burgers!

August 4, 2011 Lake Chelan, WA

Early morning as usual.  Would hate to break a record at this point in the trip.

We congregated at the lake house early this morning where the kids played in the lake (temp = 63 degrees) and the sane people played cards until about 11 am.  Then we headed off to lunch in the boat to a nearby National Forest that is only accessible by lake, followed by tubing.

The Diving Board Kid 

"Faster, please."

Tubing Madness

Lodge at the State Park

Brrrrr.

Cannonball!

The hot afternoon culminated in a trip to the local Sno-Ice where everyone’s tongue was turned blue by sno-cone madness. 

After dinner and fishing (no joy) and wine, it’s been a long day in the sun and the futon beckons.  

August 3, 2011 Whitefish, Montana to Lake Chelan, Washington

We drove from Whitefish, Montana to Chelan, Washington for most of the day.  Gerry drove the entire way.  Thanks, honey! 

The farm country we drove through was lovely.
And I love it when schools embrace their true mascot

We arrived in Chelan, where we are spending the next 3 nights with my dad, Wayne, and his wife, Linda, in a cabin at Kelly’s Resort.  Well, I’m not sure if it is a ‘cabin’ or ‘cottage’.  The signs are confusing.  But the walls and ceiling are all wood paneling, the kitchen is galley-style, and the plumbing is septic so for the sake of consistency, it is a cabin.  Anywhere with a hot shower and actual bed is just peachy, actually.

Private Road?  Really?

Lake Chelan is a bit like Fancy Elephant Butte.  The water is clearer, the digs are decidedly better, and Kelly’s store carries microbrew.  But, the high desert scenery looks very familiar. 

Very tired, we retired early and look forward to a packed day tomorrow.

August 2, 2011 Glacier National Park & Whitefish, Montana

We slept in this morning – 8 am!  Wow!  Then we packed up camp for the last time on this trip.  Goodbye, cold water dish washing!  Goodbye, hard ground!  Goodbye, mosquitos!  Goodbye, BO!  Goodbye, sleeping bag that will not stuff into the stuff sack!  See you next summer.

This morning we hiked around McDonald Lake on the west side of Glacier, then drove north toward Polebridge to check out the sights.

Karl:  Are we in Canada yet?

Me:  Nope.  You want to go?

Karl:  Yeah!  I’ve never been in another country!

We tried a hike near the Polebridge ranger station, but didn’t get very far.  The regrowth from the 1988 fire isn’t quite tall enough to provide much shade.  It was hot.  Disappointed, we changed plans and drove the 6 miles to Bowman Lake on a, gravel pothole-laden road.  At 12 mph, it took us 2 games of “I’m going on a picnic…” to get there.  In the end, we were highly rewarded for the effort.  Once again the glacial water did not deter the kids from getting in up to their armpits.  They played and skipped rocks on the shoreline while Gerry and I did a crossword puzzle.

Wild Daisies on the Rocky Point Trail

Glacier, That Way

Bowman Lake

 Mid-afternoon, we loaded up again and drove to Whitefish.  A good friend from college (Katie Callahan and her husband Mark Mance) lives there and invited us over to spend the night and have dinner.  Upon arrival, we immediately tossed on our swim suits and went out in the boat.  Their nieces were also there and consequently the kids took turns on Big Mabel – a tube-like floating monstrosity that is pulled behind the boat. 

Mark:  Stephanie, please watch out for Billy while riding.

Stephanie:  Sure, no problem.

Billy:  [huge grin, thumbs up sign]

Billy:  [huge grin, thumbs up sign]

Mark:  I‘ve never pulled a 4 year-old this fast.

Pesky 40 year-old wrinkles

Karl was the least thrilled about Big Mabel and lasted about 1 minute.  Who can blame him, really?  The water temperature was 68 degrees and the kid has no body fat.  Plus, he’s the only person I know who could go out on a raft and come back with a rescued dragonfly cupped gently in his hand.  Afterward, Katie and Mark showed us their wake surfing skills.  It was awesome!  Gerry and both nieces gave it a try too.  It is too bad the camera stayed in the car.

Tired, cold and hungry, we showered then ate a fantastic dinner on the deck and generally drank too much wine.  Happily, I can’t say too much has changed in the past 25 years.   It is wonderful to have friends with whom you can simply pick things up right where you left them the last time. 

Whitefish seems like a great town and I can see why Katie and Mark are here.  They have a lovely home in a truly lovely location.  I look forward to our return visit!  

August 1, 2011 Glacier National Park

It’s much warmer at Glacier than it was at Yellowstone which just seems wrong.  You would think that a place named “Glacier” would be cold, cold, cold.  Upon closer inspection of the map, it must be due to the altitude drop.  At this campground we are at about 3,100 feet and the highest road pass in Glacier is at 6,600 feet.   We camped at 7,200 feet in Yellowstone.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining.  I’m just surprised.

The forest surrounding the lower elevations here is amazing.  It’s a little like a rain forest without the pesky rain.  There are cedars and fir, pine and cottonwood.  And the underbrush is thick – a change from all the other parks we visited this summer.  As you climb into the mountains though, the scenery changes back to alpine forest. 

Trail of the Cedars

We drove the Going To The Sun Road today, taking us from the west side of Glacier to the east and crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass in the middle.  It’s this small, 2-lane, curvy road with indescribable views.  If you ever get the opportunity to drive it, do so.  The tourist traffic was high and road construction is taking place near the pass, so a 50 mile road took us 7 hours to cover.  Of course, we stopped for photos, hikes, a picnic lunch and wildlife spotting along the way. 

Gerry:  [negotiating a hairpin curve]

Me:  Oh, wow!  Pull over!

Gerry:  [trying to keep the mirrors on the car and not hit the tour bus]

Me:  Look at that!  Did you see that waterfall?!

Gerry:  [stopped for construction]

Me:  [out of the car, taking photos]

Gerry:  Get in!  We’re moving!

Haystack Falls

Logan Pass from the south

Looking north from Logan Pass

Saint Mary Lake looking west

This is another park we would love to visit again with our backpacks and no kids.  The backcountry looks breathtaking, and there are multiple backcountry campgrounds.  Plus, they have this awesome shuttle system here that is FREE and picks you up/drops you off at choice locations.  For example, you can exit at Saint Mary Lake, hike a gorgeous lakeside trail for 3-4 miles, then catch the shuttle at the end of the trail.  My only regret is not knowing about this in advance of our trip.  Clearly, we needed a better tour book. 

We arrived back at the campground early in order to decompress.  Tempers ran hot in the backseat today and clearly everyone needed a break from each other.  At Logan Pass, I moved all the kids’ seats around (and was consequently disgusted and livid at what was under the booster seats.  Gross!).  It was so bad that we had to pop “Ice Age: The Meltdown” into the DVD player on the drive back.  It seemed appropriate for both the scenery and attitudes. Going to bed early was definitely in order.

Say Cheese!

Alas, tonight is our last night of camping.  Cry or tap dance?  Sing or sob?  But our trip isn’t over yet.  We’ve still got another entire week to go!

July 31, 2011 Driving from Yellowstone to Glacier

Up at 6:30 to pack up the car and drive the 8.5 hours to Glacier National Park.  It rained a little last night, keeping it oddly warmer in the tent.  We’ve been blessed with very little rain on this trip. 

All the wildlife we killed in Yellowstone

After very serious grilling, the kids received their Jr. Ranger badges at the West Yellowstone Visitor Center on the way out of the park.  It was dicey for a few moments there.  

Driving Interlude

I talked to my sister, Gayle, on the phone yesterday.  She said she loved reading the blog and wished she had taken us up on our offer for her family to come with us on this adventure.  She said we make camping look glamorous.  The point of the blog, I suppose, is to record the highlights.  There have been occasional lowlights.  For example...

It takes 2 hours to either set up camp or dismantle it.  The kids do not help at all.  And if they ask to help, then it becomes ‘help’ in quotes.  While setting up/taking down camp, the kids

a. yell at each other at 6:30 am, waking up all the other campers.

b. become so dirty that you are more inclined to throw away the clothes instead of wash them.

c. require nourishment, individually, every 15 minutes.

d. have to go to the bathroom, individually, every 15 minutes.

e. all of the above.

It also takes 2 hours to shower and do a load of laundry.  It’s such a waste of time – not to mention often complicated and expensive – when there is so much to see that we only do it every 2-3 days.  As the showers become less frequent, so do the hugs and cuddles. 

The inability to get away from each other for 2 weeks has consequences like punching, sulking, tattling, anger-flares, and storm-offs.  And that’s not just the kids.

Sometimes, the bathrooms have no soap or hand sanitizer.  This was the case at the campground bathroom at Grand Tetons.  So every time we washed hands, we were just spreading the germs around.

The Keens and the feet that were in them really smell bad after 3 days of use and no shower, an unfortunate side effect when you have to sleep in a tent with those feet.  The alternative is to wear them with socks, making the socks black instead of white.

Gas and groceries in the wilderness are absurdly expensive.  It’s like being in Hawaii in the forest.  A 12-pack of instant oatmeal costs $7.04 and low octane gas is $4.09/gal.

Campground life can be a smoky blend of cottonwood, aspen, and pot.  Like living in a dorm, you occasionally have to sleep through rousing games of Spit, lots of giggling and beer-soaked conversations about whose canoe is the biggest and more river-worthy.

Finally, when in the car, you are completely surrounded.  There are 5 of us in the minivan.  While we can leave our tent, sleeping bags, clothes and chairs at the campground, everything else comes with us on every excursion due to the bears.  At Grand Tetons, we were fortunate enough to have a bear box in which to store the stove and cooking supplies, but not so at Yellowstone.  So that means all the food, coolers, art supplies, books, etc. are with us at all times.  I have arranged and re-arranged the car at every stop. 

Despite all this, we are actually having a great time.  This is certainly a trip to remember.

July 30, 2011 Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Before heading out for our last full day in Yellowstone, we showered and did laundry.  While waiting for the clothes to dry, the kids worked on their Jr. Ranger badges by finishing their books and attending a Ranger presentation about elk. 

Ranger:  [to Karl]  Where did you learn so much about elk?

Karl:  From my dad.

Ranger:  [to Gerry]  When you are ready to quit your day job, you should become a ranger here at Yellowstone.

Gerry:  Will do.

At each park we’ve visited so far, the requirements for this badge has varied in both activities and strict adherence to the rules.  While each book addressed the critters in the park, the Grand Canyon also concentrated on the geology, Dinosaur was more about the fossils, and Grand Tetons wanted the kids to learn about the glaciers that formed the valley.  (This proved confusing for Karl who referred to all the geysers in Yellowstone as ‘glaciers’ for the first day we were here.)  They all required you ask a ranger about his/her job.  The Yellowstone book, though, was enormous.  In retrospect I guess this is because this park encompasses all of the above.  The rangers also took the requirements for earning the badge extremely seriously, whereas at Grand Canyon they were more about having some fun.  When giving out the books, Ranger Julie had a serious talk with Karl and Lindsay about exactly what they were supposed to accomplish.  Frankly, I’m a bit concerned that they will not earn a badge here at Yellowstone.

Confident that we wouldn’t clear any boardwalks or venues with our BO, we headed north from our campground at about noon toward the canyon area.  The west side of Yellowstone is like a completely different park.  It was here that we saw the majority of wildlife (elk, bison, raptors) and scenic beauty. 

Billy:  Excuse me, what’s your problem?

Ranger at Lower Falls:  [blank stare]

Gerry:  No, Billy, it’s “What’s your job?”
Billy:  Oh.  What's your job?

Ranger at Lower Falls:  [visibly relieved] My job is to protect the park and its resources….

Lower Falls - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Awwww.

From Canyon Junction, we continued north to the Tower-Roosevelt area where we signed up for an Old West Cookout.  Loaded into church wagons, we were driven by draft horses a few miles into the wilderness where we were entertained with music and fed a steak dinner.  Lindsay loved the horses, Karl enjoyed sitting by the campfire while chatting up the wranglers, Billy was generally non-plussed since most of the food was covered in butter, and Gerry ate his own plate of food plus all the kids’ leftover steak.  I took 166 photos, most of which did not turn out due to the bumpy ride.  All had a good time and we decided that wrangling in Yellowstone would be the perfect job for Gerry’s dad. 

Church Wagons

I'm getting pretty good at the self portrait, despite my short arms

Bison blocking the road

Pronghorn Antelope

Nice View

Arriving back at the corral at 8:30 pm, we tossed bedtime to the wind and instead of heading back to camp, we drove through the Lamar Valley with the hope of seeing wolf or grizzly at dusk.  That didn’t happen, but we did have one of those classic Yellowstone moments where we had to stop the car for a bison to cross the road. 

Bison with sage brush camouflage

Honk Honk!  Outta the way!

There is entirely too much to see at Yellowstone in 2.5 days.  Exhausted, we are already mentally planning a return trip.

July 29, 2011 Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

I was cold last night.  So cold, in fact, that I was the last one out of the tents this morning and had Karl sit on my feet for a while until feeling in them was restored.  It definitely warmed up throughout the day, but I was never uncomfortable in my long-sleeve t-shirt.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a balmy 82 degrees. 

We started the day back at Old Faithful.  We were driving up as it was spewing, but since we saw it 3 times yesterday, we didn’t really miss anything.  The kids finished their Jr. Scientist booklets and were sworn in by Ranger Jim.

Ranger Jim:  [inspecting Karl’s book] Oh, you got to see Beehive go off.  I love that one. 

Karl:  The Ear Pool was my favorite.

Ranger Jim:  You know Geyser Hill used to be called Hell’s Half Acre and Ear Pool was Devil’s Ear Pool.  But they took all the scary names out.

Gerry:  I know what you mean.  A highway where we live used to be called NM666.

Ranger Jim:  I guess they did that everywhere.

Karl:  Can I get the keychain and the badge?

We checked out the museum and a few videos then unloaded the bikes for a ride to Upper Geyser Basin and Biscuit Basin to take in the sights.  The guide books are correct when they mention that all you have to do is go about 0.5 miles off the main path and you will generally have the area to yourself.  The bike ride between the two areas took us through pine forests where we saw exactly 2 others.  Despite the crowds, the geysers, pools and fumaroles were very cool.  I mean, hot. 

Sapphire Pool - Biscuit Basin

Bacteria Flats - Upper Geyser Basin

Morning Glory Pool - Upper Geyser Basin

Grotto Geyser - Upper Geyser Basin

I was reminded today to extend grace to my fellow tourists.  We nearly ran over a few while biking.

Me:  To your left!

Tourist:  [Dirty Look]

Me:  To your left!

Tourist:  [Dirty Look]

Gerry thinks it is possible that there were many non-English speakers in the crowd.  He may have a point.  And at Biscuit Basin, I was trying to decide which boardwalk to go down while at the same time wrangling Billy.

Tourist:  We walk on the right here, miss.

Me:  [Smile. Nod.]

We spent the afternoon taking in the sights on the way up to Mammoth Hot Springs.  We say many hydrothermal vents, proving to ourselves that Earth’s crust is indeed very thin here in Yellowstone. 

trafficstoppus elkii

Monkeys in the park

Mammoth Hot Springs

Norris Geyser Basin

We got the equivalent of fast food for dinner since it was so late when we arrived back to camp.  It was just as bad as you would expect.  But there were no dishes.  Hooray!