Yellowstone…..

On our third day out, we finally began seeing signs advising how many miles were left before arriving in West Yellowstone, which was our destination. I was like a little kid going to Disneyland, bouncing up and down in my seat unable to rein in my excitement. Though we would get in too late in the day to actually visit the park, Richard said we would get in line at the gate early the following morning.

In Elko we had spoken to a couple in a neighboring spot in the RV park who had just driven down from Yellowstone. They told us it had poured buckets both days of their stay. The travel angels have been with us thus far, fingers crossed, as we seem to be either ahead or behind the weather fronts present on the west side of the country at the moment. I hope this continues to be the trend. As it turned out, our weather luck continued, and the weather at the west entrance to the park couldn’t have been more pleasant. It cooled down to a brisk temperature at night, but once the sun came up, a light sweatshirt and shorts did the trick.

Arriving at the gate when the rooster crowed as promised, in spite of the early hour there were already a number of cars lined up. It seemed we weren’t the only ones anxious to see what wonders lay beyond the fence line. All manner of states were represented on the license plates around us. There were several from California, such as ours, then they ran the gamut all the way to Florida and New Hampshire on the east coast. There were even several representing Canada.

After being handed a map of the park, and other useful information, we were set free to explore. Oh boy. After about a mile of winding roadway, we suddenly came to a grinding halt behind a line of stopped cars. Richard told me to have my camera ready, this meant there were probably animals in the area. There was still a bit of chill in the air, and that, combined with the heat rising from the fissures and lava beds gave the surroundings a bit of an ethereal look. Expectantly we waited with the others in front of us. Sure enough, in a short while, a huge brown furry face materialized out of the mist, closely followed by a huge furry body. The majestic male buffalo was so close to my window, had I opened it and stretched my fingers ever so slightly, I would surely have touched his face. How I would have loved to have done just that, and said good morning. Of course, I had no intention of doing any such thing, as these great beasts are not known for their sunny dispositions. Instead, I sat totally transfixed, never lifting my camera from my lap, as he walked on by. A minute later two more of his kind, a female with her calf, passed along behind him disappearing as he had around the bend in the road. Richard asked me why I hadn’t taken a picture. I answered without hesitation, “I just wanted to experience the moment”, and I did. Wow.

The park is massive in size, Much larger than I envisioned. That being said, in my estimation they could have been more generous with distributing signs. Some were old and weathered and very hard to read, where others, you could read, but often we were past the sign before we could see what was written on it. Consequently we spent some time backtracking and retracing our steps when we got lost. The GPS did not work in the park so you were dependent on signs or your memory to get you back to the entrance.

There were many places to stop and explore or take pictures. Most places gathered fair sized crowds, but being tenacious, we would eventually find parking and always managed to see what there was to see. Some of the parking lots were a fair distance from the attraction itself. I am a walker, so didn’t mind hiking a ways to get to what was out theree. Richard mostly remained behind, keeping his window open to watch for me. He is having hernia surgery when we return in October, so walking too far is uncomfortable for him. There were signs up warning about bison, elk, and bears. Bears were the main theme throughout the park, though we never saw one. I kept one eye on the beauty all around me and the other eye on the trees and meadows where a bear might be hiding, but thankfully nothing appeared. I did pass a large pile of scat along one trail, but tried not to envision the size of the animal who deposited it there. I am glad I didn’t watch the news story about the man mauled in West Yellowstone by a grizzly bear I saw on this morning’s news before our visit. In the hospital with severe wounds, he barely escaped with his life. Had I seen that I might have viewed far more of the park from the car. Wild animals are just that. We are in their territory and the result is they behave like the primitive animals they are.

How spectacular the scenery was. No way my camera lens could ever do it justice. Along the route we stopped to see numerous impressive waterfalls, and all manner of boiling pots of lava. Walking along the walkways next to these beautiful displays signs were posted warning people to watch their footing and watch their pets. Pets, so the signs said, have been known to meet a bad end falling into the boiling ooze. They didn’t say anything about visitors of the human kind falling in, but I can imagine if you tripped and fell it would be fried human on a stick by the time they pulled you back out.

As you drive along you see fissures of steam here and there, A constant reminder you are riding atop something extraordinarily hot and powerful. Yellowstone is a supervolcano. The last eruption occurred some 631,000 years ago so I wasn’t concerned it was going to blow during our visit, but you do feel the massive energy of the place as you explore.

Old Faithful was naturally on our list of must sees. A huge parking lot, lodge, and a ubiquitous gift shop covered most of the acreage by the entrance. The geyser erupts approximately every hour or so. Benches are provided for those who are waiting for the next event. There weren’t many seated there when we arrived. A lady sitting in the row in front of us told us the geyser had just put on a show, so we had a while to wait for the next one to occur. Check. While sitting there, I noticed I was missing an earring. I had stopped at the restroom on the way in to put on a short sleeved tee shirt as it was getting warm, and had probably pulled the earring out in the process. Damn. Since I had the time, I made the walk back to the entrance. I knew approximately which stall I had used in the bank of stalls, but all the stalls were occupied when I went back in. As other stalls emptied out, I gestured to the constant flow of waiting ladies to go ahead of me. People were starting to look at me oddly. Then, when one stall opened up I thought I might have used, the looks became more strange as I scavenged around the floor, rather than closing the door. Finally, I turned to those waiting to say I really wasn’t crazy, I had lost an earring. In typical female fashion, within five minutes everyone in there was scouting the floor for any sign of it. No luck unfortunately, but I appreciated them pitching in in the search.

Back at the bench, a huge crowd had formed. Before long Old Faithful began her age old dance before our eyes. Lava began to rise up and recede, then steam billowed out. Suddenly the lava reached, up, up to the sky over and over again until the old girl was depleted. Well worth the wait.

It was so much more than I imagined, because I couldn’t really imagine it. I kept expecting a T-Rex to appear on a ridge it felt so prehistoric and other wordly.

When we came back to the trailer on our second and last day in the park, we decided to roam about the town of West Yellowstone to pick up a few souveniers. There were clouds in the sky, but it was warm and the sun still shining through so we walked. As we made it through one store after another on the main drags, at a store where I made a purchase the clerk said to me, “Weather coming in. Won’t last long.” “Really”, I thought? It was darker outside, but nothing menacing. While in historic hotel at the very end of town a loud clap of thunder resounded overhead. Oh-oh. Deciding perhaps we’d better get back, bolts of lightening streaked across the suddenly black sky and thunder shook the walkway we were on. Gusts of wind whirled through the town. Shopkeepers were running about grabbing outdoor displays and signs and pulling them inside their stores. Picking up the pace, we were about two-thirds of the way to the RV park when the sky opened up and the most enormous rain drops came hurling down. Hernia or no hernia, Richard and I were now both now running. By the time we got back to the RV, we were totally soaked. In twenty minutes, the clouds moved on, and the sun came out from where it was hiding. This, it seems, is a daily event. Whew.

Today as I write this, we are in Moab, Utah. The rock formations all around me are like works of art. I will share my day tomorrow after it unfolds. Happy trails.

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A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”― Lao Tzu

Well here I am waking up in West Yellowstone, Montana on the fifth day of our road trip. The first leg of our trip took us across Nevada culminating in Elko, Nevada, where we spent our first night. As with most things in life that are new experiences, there is a period of adjustment involved in getting things running smoothly. Traveling on the road is a free and wonderful way to see the country, in my estimation, but there is a rhythm to it, and it takes a few days to catch the beat.

This was not to be my first trip across Nevada certainly. Have to say since the last time, it hasn’t changed much. Nevada’s population is sparse compared to that of California, due mainly to a lack of water. Once you pass the last exit in the larger towns such as we did in Reno, there isn’t much to see but sagebrush and cactus for long stretches of road, until the next time you reach a town with significant population. Little, scruffy towns do pop up along the route, most looking well lived in and a tad shop worn. Old rusted out cars or farm equipment seem to be the common theme for landscaping, many properties not having a single tree in sight. For the most part, it is mile after mile of dry bristly vistas, where the only signs of life are an occasional fence post or a few cows grazing in the distance. Always I wonder how people end up in such places? What draws them to put down roots in such remote locations? Were they born there and just never left, or actually sought out the seclusion? So interesting how different we humans are one to another. I would feel isolated and alone in such barren landscapes where for others it nurtures their souls.

No mechanism runs completely smoothly. There are always glitches thrown in to add a little pepper to the pot. The first hiccup came after I put an updated SIM card in my phone before leaving the house. The nagging voice that alerts me when I’m doing something stupid was on the horn before I did it, telling me to wait til I got home. I tuned her out and went ahead and did it anyhow. Note here, if you are going to update your phone before your vacation and do not know what problems this might create, wait until after your trip when you aren’t depending on your phone to work as it’s supposed to. I had forgotten that last time I changed the SIM card it buggered things up good, and this time was to be no different. First, I could get texts, but couldn’t send or receive calls. Of course, this happened on Labor Day, making it more difficult to get help. Finally, got that sorted out, and then it wouldn’t connect to the internet so no GPS. In the end, I was on the phone three times trying to unravel the mystery, and still it’s not working as well as it did before. The last representative suggested it might be time to upgrade my phone. Of course. You barely get the newly purchased phone out of the store and in your car, when they are suggesting you get a new one. Sigh. Anyhow, small fly in the ointment.

I was to learn how the RV park system worked that first night on the road. Richard told me if we ever could not reach a park, or there wasn’t a spot available, we could park in a Walmart parking lot for the night. Apparently they allow big rigs and travelers that perk. If that happened, he went on to explain, there would be no amenities, but it would be a safe place to sleep. I vote for the RV park. When I was twenty I was happy to pitch a tent, throw a sleeping bag on the ground on a mound of rocks, and fire up the Coleman grill and cook a five course breakfast in the morning. I can remember having a lawn chair with a toilet seat attached to the seat. There was a small spade hanging on one side which was to be used to dig a hole when you needed to relieve yourself. On the other side of the chair, my boyfriend at the time amused himself by attaching a small net pocket for holding reading materials and TP. Basically you found a large tree, dug your hole, did what you needed to do, and covered up the evidence. The next person relocated with the chair, and did the same. All very civilized. These days, I’m all about the amenities. Bring them on. If we were in dire straights and did need a Walmart, however, I don’t see any problem locating one. I have observed, there might be four houses in a small town , one gas station, and only a Dairy Queen visible, but by God in the middle of it all you’ll spot a Walmart sign.

Once you reach the RV park where you have reservations, you check in, locate your assigned spot, hook up all the connections, such as electrical, water, and sewer, and then go about the business of getting the fifth wheel ready to be inhabited. It sounds like a lot of work after seven hours on the road, but once you get the cadence of it, it all goes pretty quickly.

I am nothing if not adaptable. You cannot have moved thirty-nine times and lived all over the country without being able to adjust. The fifth wheel actually provides all your creature comforts once the wrinkles are ironed out. Richard is a person who runs cold. Conversely, I run hot. I prefer it cool at night with lots of covers while he likes to keep it just below the boiling point. To solve this minor dilemma involved stopping at a conveniently located Walmart in Elko, Nevada and purchasing a dual control electric blanket. I leave mine off or on low and he sets his on bake and we’re off to the races.

When living together in these close quarters, cooperation is key. I take a walk every morning to get a little “alone time” while keeping an eye on my surroundings as it’s bear country and I don’t intend to be a breakfast entree for a passing critter. Never saw one bear the entire trip, although there were road signs saying five had been hit by cars over the summer. At one point, I walked back through the woods in Yellowstone about a mile to see these beautiful paint pots. The “paint pots” are bubbling pools of molten ooze gurgling and steaming and swirling about in glorious colors. Richard stayed behind to rest. He has been doing all the driving, as I’m not versed on pulling a house behind me as yet. There were a lot of people on the trail with me, but even with company it does leave you feeling exposed. I stuck like Gorilla Glue to a group of six, three of them big muscular looking men. The logic here, was if a bear did come, they might look big where I would get swatted down in mid growl like an annoying gnat. Fortunately, nothing but trees, amazing blue skies, and rugged mountains showed up.

To be continued as the adventure unfolds. This country has so much to offer. How lucky we are to be able to enjoy it.

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All I have to do is dream, dream, dream….

I wonder if dreams really do hold significant meanings or are simply late night meanderings into the inane and often the ridiculous realms of our imagination? If, as they say, dreams actually mean something and truly are indicative of internal strife, then I, most likely, am in trouble.

Two nights ago I had a dream three armed men broke into my house. When they confronted me in the kitchen, I grabbed a butcher knife out of the knife block and defended myself by stabbing the leader in the stomach moments after he informed me he was going to kill me. Waking myself up before he could act on his threat, I was lying in a pool of my own juices shaking violently. Analyze that, I say.

Last night, on a lighter note, I was planning a wedding for my best friend in high school. I have not laid eyes on her since I was in my twenties, so have to wonder what brain crevice she popped up out of? The ceremony, I came to understand as the dream progressed, was to be held in the kitchen where I was standing. One could begin to wonder what issues I had with that particular room in the house considering my previous dream. From all indications, it was quickly becoming clear I was not a very good wedding planner. The stove top, which apparently was to be used as an altar of sorts, was littered with old pieces of cooked egg and all manner of greasy debris from previous uses. I remember thinking it definitely needed to be cleaned before the bride and groom arrived. Looking around the rather dark and depressing room, it occurred to me minutes before the guests were set to show up at the door, there were no indications a wedding was ever to be performed here. To begin with who gets married in the kitchen? I’m just sayin. A chef maybe, but definitely he would not choose THIS kitchen. There were no beribboned bouquets brimming with glorious celebratory flowers, no seating, other than four seedy looking chairs sitting around an equally dilapidated table, and no food, at least that I could see, unless you considered what was stuck to the stovetop. The wedding planner, that would be me, was still in her pajamas. All in all, it felt like an abysmal start to a successful pairing, if you will. One wonders what kind of tortured mind conjures up these sort of thoughts in the dark of night. From what I deduct, stress seems to be the star of the show, it just shows up in a different outfit from one night to the next.

The most frequent theme of my dreams over the past few years, as I’ve mentioned previously, is bears. Bears, bears, bears. According to the Native Americans, bear dreams hold particular weight signifying strength, power and resilience. Depending on whether the animals are inside or outside, angry or docile, or in the distance or close by, all mean something different from what I’ve read. On our upcoming trip we are spending three days in Yellowstone. I am truly excited at the prospect of at last seeing both Montana, a state I’ve missed in my travels, as well as the park itself. The grizzly population there, however, I find a bit unsettling. Also, I understand the mosquitos can be relentless, hunting you down in swarms, and devouring you until you are sucked dry. Bear spray and bug repellent are both on my list of things to pick up on shopping day, industrial size. Check and check. Somehow, imagining standing up to a huge powerful animal such as a grizzly, which I read can weigh upwards of 700 pounds, and spraying it in the face with something extremely irritating doesn’t feel like the right move to me. According to the park rangers, it is the correct strategy to employ. K. Then do you run? When does the wetting of pants occur? I saw the movie “The Revenant Bear”. I know there must be wetting of pants going on somewhere, and I’m pretty sure it’s coming from me. I can’t imagine the bear is simply going to stand there and take it. I plan to be somewhere else when the spray wears off.

The Grand Canyon should be amazing as well. Can’t believe after all these years in the U.S., I have never laid eyes on it. Excited about that. I have a friend who took a river trip down in the base of the canyon itself. Afterwards, he told me it was one of the most memorable times of his life. The guides made camp each night and cooked fabulous meals under the stars. The rapids were exciting at spots, but nothing mind blowing, if that’s not your pleasure. Other times they simply floated along looking up at the rock structures and enjoying the beauty and wildlife all around them. That could easily be added to my bucket list as well, and I might well do it one of these days. Nothing is off the table to my mind, other than swimming with sharks, and probably fly fishing in Alaska (lot of bears there too so I understand). Yesterday one of the residents where I work, well up in her eighties, on oxygen, and pushing a walker came to my desk to ask me to some research for her. I was most surprised and pleased she asked me to look up glider rides, plane rides, and helicopter rides. This is something she was interested in pursuing. Wow. Impressed with that. I will see what I can do for her and remind myself to explore every opportunity, within reason, of course.

On the news they reported not too long ago another person fell over the side of the Grand Canyon. I believe he survived, but he was lucky. I will not be standing at the precipice testing my luck I assure you. I tend to have that urge to fly when in very high places so Richard has informed me should I feel such a sensation, he will have tied a lanyard to my belt loop and then around a tree in case it overcomes my good sense. Good man.

We are also stopping in Taos, New Mexico. Taos, from what I understand, is an art lovers haven. While there, I want to visit the studios and also take in some of the historical landmarks as well, such as the Taos Pueblo. The buildings there are estimated to be over 1,000 years old, built before Europe emerged from the Dark Ages. I do love places saturated with history. Somewhere in my fevered mind I feel I was a druid in a former life. On reading about the history of druids, I was surprised to find there were females included in the writing. I will include this quote from the article I got that from. My apologies to the author, I’ve lost the link:

“Their practices were similar to those of priests today, connecting the people with the gods, but their role was also varied and wide-ranging, acting as teachers, scientists, judges and philosophers. They were incredibly powerful and respected, able to banish people from society for breaking the sacred laws, and even able to come between two opposing armies and prevent warfare! They did not have to pay taxes or serve in battle. Druid women were also considered equal to men in many respects, unusual for an ancient community. They could take part in wars and even divorce their husbands!”

I wish, while Rick and I were in England, we had been able to add Stonehenge to our list of stops. Now that, would be a fascinating place to visit I’m sure. It remains to this day a mystery how Neolithic people with the simplest of tools were able to erect such an engineering masterpiece. It was built to align with the sun on the solstices. According to historians, many ritualistic ceremonies were performed there. I always have a feeling when walking through ruins with such deep roots in the world, I am not alone, if you know what I mean. Stonehenge, like the great pyramids of Egypt, and the Tower of London must be truly flush with spirits. Smile.

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As to the Taos Pueblo, I was interested to read when the structure was originally built there were no doors and no windows. The multi-family living units shared common walls but no common doors and the rooms were entered from the top down on a ladder, rather than from the front or the back. I would have been totally claustrophobic I believe. Today, there are both. Much better, I’m thinking.

So many things to see along the road. I will be taking pictures everywhere I go. This next week will be jam packed with menu planning, stocking the fifth wheel, tying up all the flapping loose ends. There is a lot to planning a 30 day trip away from home. I am most blessed that my dear friend Barbara will be coming to share space with Boo so my house and my kitty will be well taken care of. Boo and Barb get along well, and have spent extended periods of time together in my absence in the past, so trust all will be well.

Well, I’m off for my day. Sunday, yay, no work for Susie today. Happy Sunday. Talk soon.

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