Montana Trip - Day 20

[slept OK, although the nearly hourly trains that blow their horns outside the window made it hard - if I could, I'd send a blank post card to my friend Red in Shawshank Prison, to let him know I'd made it... - spent the morning on emails and finances - it is time to start a new job search, I guess (headed back to Fort Worth) - drove down to the US-Mexican border this morning (0845L) - crossing not busy: thought about going across - dead "downtown" - drove up to the next town and then got back on I-10 - drove to Van Horn (McDonalds for lunch) - raining almost all day - time change (finally back in Central...) - changed to I-20 - gas in Pecos - more rain - continued east - stopped in Eastland, Texas, for gas and a Dairy Queen Blizzard - no longer raining (too bad for north Texas...) - made good time: back in Fort Worth around 1930L - drove over to watch the girls playing volleyball at St. Georges (near downtown) - back at our house around 2200L]

Montana Trip - Day 19

[finally figured out what time zone I'm in (Pacific) - so, ended up waking up at 0600L - my car cleaned off my big storm last night - had breakfast in the lobby and chatted with the owner - he bought a deserted motel last year and is renovating it room by room (who said the American Dream is dead ?) - on the road by 0730L - east on I-40 to Sanders - got gas - continued south on US-191 - lots of evidence of the rain: mud across the road, water actually flowing through (the usually dry) washes - through St. John's and into Springerville (pleasant little towns) - mailed post cards - lots of volcanic rock - cool (I'm still at high altitude!) - east on US-60 - long constuction delays near AZ-NM border - time change (again!) - drove (sprinkles and muddy truck water...) until I saw signs for Pie Town - decided to stop to see what the hubub was about (1230L) - while I was eating their famous "New Mexico Apple Pie" (with green chilies and [pine nuts], the lady behind the counter told me how ladies in the vicinity used to make been pies and dried apple pies for the ranchers (before there was a highway there) - the place only has 35 residents and got its start with the little pie shops (1920s/1930s) - I just missed the annual festival - continued east until I found the Very Large Array (VLA), just east of Datil - I'd been wanting to see this place for years, especially after the visit to Greenbank in West Virginia (see AUG 2007) - it was a lot different than I expected - to start, there are 27 radio telescopes - they can be arranged in several configurations, so depending on the camera angle, it looks like there are many more - when I drove up, I only saw a few (turns out, they are spread out over miles and miles of the area) - nice little visitor center (very informative) - ominous weather in the distance, but still took a self guided tour (walk) of the grounds - got very close to one of the units (big!) - saw the "High Plains Lifter" (train that moves the telescopes into position) - drove east towards Socorro (rain all the way) - on I-25 and drove to the south (windy!!!) - got away from the rain - decided to stop at the El Camino Real State Museum (exit 115) - had to drive through back country to get to it (it was, luckily, open on Wednesdays) - very interesting displays, told of the history of the trail from Mexico to New Mexico in the Seventeenth Century - it was an International Heritage Center, after all, so it had a definite slant against the Mexican War - still, it was worth the stop - could see some of the trail in the distance - drove back towards the interstate and figured out I'd need to drive a good distance to get back on it - used NM-1 through canyons and valleys until I could re-enter I-25 (1700L) - drove south for a while - got gas in Hatch - had been researching the location of Spaceport America - no signs about it AT ALL (despite reports that it was finished) - I read you would need to go to Truth or Consequences and ride a tram to the site - screw that! I got off at exit 32 (there was actually a sign there, saying "Home of Spaceport America") and started off on a dirt road that followed El Camino Real (two birds with one stone!) - very remote - sun setting / double rainbow - after about 15 miles off the pavement, I made it to a hiking trail area - climbed to the top of a ridge and could see... NOTHING... - I think I needed to go about 20 more miles on the increasingly poor road - by now, the sun was setting - so, I'll have to come back... - drive back to the highway took a good bit - on I-25 when it was completely dark - south to Las Cruces - got dinner at Arbys (to go) - after entering Texas (wow, it has been a while!), drove through crazy-driver-land (El Paso) until I was in the desert - speed limits picked up to 80 (!!) - made it to Fort Hancock (and a motel) at 2145L - it was good to stop...]

Montana Trip - Day 18

[my neighbors woke me up at 0630, which was OK - out of my room and back on the highway before 0715L - changed to US-491 in "downtown" Monticello - hardly any traffic (kids waiting for bus...) - made it to Cortez, Colorado, around 0830L and (after switching to US-160) to Mesa Verde visitor center by 0900L - needed a coat! - got some help to determine the tours I should take - in the end, decided to go on the Cliff Palace tour (1000) and the Balcony House tour (1200) - picked up some lunch (to go) at the [Red Mesa] Cafeteria across the street and then drove down to where the cliff houses were - arrived just as my tour was beginning - very informative with spectacular views - got to walk in front of and on top of one of the houses (some areas closed because of structural damage) - stories about the Kiva and history of the Ancestral Puebloans (got a little mystical) - had to climb up a wooden ladder at the end - finished with the tour in just over an hour - stopped a few times on the way to the next tour (hoping to get on the 1130 - didn't happen) - ate lunch outside in the pleasant weather - waited with an increasingly large group until a ranger appeared and told us they missed the 1130 and would have to combine that group with 1200 - pretty large group... - good ranger, though, great stories and explanations (the 1130 ranger showed up halfway through, calling himself Ranger McTardy) - stone stairs down, tall wooden ladder to get up (...) - very pretty views from the balcony house - ranger told us to be quiet and it was REALLY quiet - wandered through several stages of the place, learning about construction, dendochronology, history of the cliff dwellers - to get out, we had to crawl through a narrow tunnel and climb up a rock face with little footholds (and chain-link railings) - NOT a tour for the faint of heart... - the tour lasted just over an hour - stopped several more times in that area and saw even more interesting places (most would never be seen by white people for over 600 years after they were last occupied: hard to spot in dead-end canyons) - drove over to the nearby Mesa and found a whole different stage of the culture: pit-homes - learned about the agriculture of these people - finished up at the Museum (VERY crowded) but didn't go in - visited post office and chatted with the clerk - drove out of the park without stopping and backtracked to Cortez - followed US-160 all the way into the Navajo Reservation and then to the Four Corners site - I'd been wanting to visit the place since my room mate went there in 1991 - it had been newly remodeled - put my foot on the "X" that marked the intersection of borders (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona) - walked around the square, reading about the history of the borders (and ongoing disputes about precise location) - vendors from the Navajo Nation (and Ute Nation) were selling wares all around the square - chatted with one of them (stories about tribal resentments, conflicts, land development ideas, religion, etc. - very interesting) - backtracked to CO-41 and drove north - desert very barren - into Utah again (and UT-162) - gas in little Indian village of Aneth - then drove on county roads towards Hovenweep National Monument (about 20 mile "detour") - open range really a factor (starting to see horses, too!) - interesting visitor center (volunteer couldn't have been much older than Erin & Brenna!) - walked on the park trail for a bit, photographing the interesting stone towers and other ruins (different than cliff dwellings because of the exposed nature of the buildings) - drove a short distance into Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (and Colorado again), but it was clear I was losing the daylight - drove back to a semi-good road and turned west - saw Indian jogging with his three dogs (one a wolf-mix) - more stock in the roads - barren, rocky, sandy terrain (with lots of canyons) - eventually on [UT-262] and then US-191 - followed that to US-163 - views became increasingly breath-taking - passed Valley of the Gods (wow!) but didn't drive on the dirt road to get closer - instead, drove towards the sunset towards Monument Valley - near Mexican Hat, saw balanced flat rock (looked like it was teetering) - terrain and photo-opportunities probably unparalleled (even on this trip!) after that - I've seen these images in movies ("The Searchers" and "Forrest Gump") but nothing compares to watching the sun hit the red rocks as it "goes to bed" (as Forrest would say) - took tons of photos, but none adequately captured what I saw... - into Arizona - eventually came to town of Kayenta - probably the first busy place since Cortez - I saw signs for an Indian road to drive out to Monument Valley, but the sun was down by that point - got dinner at Burger King (1930? time zone change ?) and kept driving: this time, east on US-160 - seeing the beautiful sights was worth it, but the drive I had to do to get to a hotel turned out to be unbelievable - after I turned south on US-191 (again), started to pick up radio stations from Los Angeles, Dallas and Oklahoma City (!) - big storms in the south (lightning)... - only found one place all night that had hotels: Chinle, near Canyon De Chelly National Monument - I would have liked to stay, but there was only one room available at the three hotels in town (and it definitely was NOT worth the asking price) - so, continued south again, bound for I-40 - drove through my first real rain storm of the trip - wasn't too bad - most gas stations closed and no hotels at all (Navajos must not want people staying on their land overnight...) - finally, at Chambers, Arizona, found a pleasant motel "Chieftain" (very inexpensive) run by nice people - settled into bed late (still don't know what time-zone I'm in...).]

Montana Trip - Day 17

[got an earlier start today - breakfast in the hotel and on the road by 0900L - US-6 through country defined by treeless mesas, stunning cliffs - made it to Price pretty quickly - got off the road, planning to visit a museum there, but it ended up being too far off the highway - the weather was too nice to be inside anyway! - continued south to I-70 and drove east until intercepting US-191 - needed gas, so stopped at the first place I'd seen for miles - price per gallon turned out to be $0.70 more than I've seen for most of the trip! - capitalism at it's finest, I guess (luckily, most service stations haven't been gouging me that bad...) - didn't fill up: just got enough for a tour of the National Parks and to get me to the next station - south towards Moab - got off on UT-313 and drove up to the Island in the Sky, part of Canyonlands National Park - pretty red stone all along the way - stopped at visitor center (around 1200L) and got some good tips for scenery and hikes (plus souvenirs) - TONS of people in the park (a theme all day) - drove all the way to the end of the road, which provided spectacular views of the Green River Canyon (on one side) and the Colorado River Canyon (on the other) - I was very impressed (I think better than Grand Canyon!) - hiked to Upheaval Dome (0.8 miles each way) and then drove over to another trail to see Mesa Arch (0.5 miles each way) - weather was pretty pleasant for hiking (fortunately) - after several hours there, drove back to US-191 and south into Moab - got gas and then a late lunch at Wendy's - drove back (north) to Arches National Park - skipped visitors center - stopped (and hiked) at the many different formations: Balancing Rock, the Windows (about 0.5 miles up and back), Double Arch (about 0.5 miles up and backm, steep climb to get "inside") - continued north into the park until I arrived at the trailhead for the Delicate Arch (famous landmark of the park) - didn't have enough time to hike the three mile trail to the arch itself, so settled for the half mile trail to the top of the nearest ridge (called a "fin" of sandstone) - felt good after all the walking today (better than being in the car all day yesterday) - drove back down (literally) toward the visitor center - stopped at Park Avenue formation before departing - souvenirs and some local info from the rangers - drove through Moab (kind of busy!) - mailed postcards - would have liked to stay the night, but wanted to visit Mesa Verde tomorrow - drove south on US-191 - began to sprinkle a little (enough to make the driving more difficult when the sun went down) - it became evident that I'd probably not be able to make it to Cortez, Colorado, so I began looking for motels in Monticello (pretty pricey at first - eventually found one) - dinner at PJ's Diner in town - talked to cook and her son, who was doing his homework in one of the booths - he told me about how his school football team has to travel great distances to play (including a NINE hour trip to northern Utah, a series that happens every year!) - back in room, watched some football and news - relaxed - bed around 2300L.]

Montana Trip - Day 16

[somber anniversary... - got a very late start today (finances...) - didn't leave hotel until 1030L - drove across the Snake River (one of several crossings today) on I-84 and made it to Caldwell, Idaho, before I had to get gas - back on the road and drove through Boise without stopping (needed to get back into Utah by tonight) - passed Mountain Home (neither a Mountain or a place I'd like to call home) - following Snake River - got off highway at [Bliss] and started down old US-30 (called the 1000 Fountain Byway here) - after a nice ride down into the river valley, arrived in Hagerman and visited the Fossil Beds National Monument - Ranger was very helpful, pointing out other places to visit nearby and giving me some trail maps - I ended up missing a turn she recommended, but I'm glad I did: as a result, I saw the 1000 fountains! They look like waterfalls - on the opposite site of the Snake - falling from the high cliff walls - there were resorts along the river nearby - lunch at McDonalds in nearby [Buhl] - followed US-30 into Twin Falls (a mistake, it turned out, since I had to stop at nearly every light as I drove through the middle of town just to backtrack to the next place I wanted to visit: Minidoka Internment Camp) - the National [Monument] was in a very remote area off [ID-25] - interesting history and sobering reality - followed [ID-25] east and south, back "towards" Twin Falls, hoping to get around the city to head south - was successful, using [ID-50] - great canyon views when crossing the Snake east of town - sneaked around by the airport and then got US-93 - had a lot more traffic than I've seen for several days - very remote, desert-like environment - lots of BLM signs, indicating recreation areas - long, boring drive, actually - but straight with good speeds! - came around a corner into Nevada (and Pacific Time Zone again) and stumbled across Jackpot (a casino town in the middle of nowhere...) - picked up some snacks and mailed some post cards - back on the road soon after - listening to football games on the radio - rest of drive to Wells was uneventful (except for the pleasant rain showers) - got on I-80 and tracked west - realized soon after leaving Wells that there were NO gas stations to be had until the NV-UT border (and I really needed some fuel!) - hoped there would be some gas in Oasis (shouldn't there be?), but only a rest area - raining a bit more in the mountains - sweating for a bit (idling on big hills, slowed down, did everything I could to make it) - got lucky again and made it to [West Wendover] and a gas station - crossed border into Utah and got off the Interstate again, this time to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats - drove all the way out onto the flats on a paved road but found out they had just closed the raceway access before I arrived (1800L) - turned out to be a good thing, though, since I saw the amazing amount of salt that built up on the cars that had been out there all day... - saw a couple taking wedding photos on the flats - learned a little amout the speed testing (it is in season now - too bad I can't stay around...) - back on I-80 and into the desert (salt storms and high winds - beautiful sunset behind me! - long, desolate spaces for 70+ miles - getting dark - made it back to the exit I'd turned around at almost exactly a week ago - into Salt Lake City, switched to I-215 and then I-15 (towards Provo) - LOTs of construction - swerving lanes, closed lanes, speeding trucks, poorly lit signs - figured I was a goner a few times... - finally arrived at Spanish Fork and found a hotel (Western Inn) on US-6 (brings me back to the Cape...) - emails and repacking until 2330L, then bed - most amount of driving in one day since I started the trip - not as fun...]

Montana Trip - Day 15

[got a later start than I wanted (0945) - figured that my stop last night short of Boise gave me a second opportunity to visit Oregon, so I followed US-95 south - came out of the canyon for the first time (in what seemed like forever!) at [New Meadow] and then continued westerly (vice straight shot south) - got gas in Council and then switched to [ID-71] and drove back into Hells Canyon - road much better - found two reservoirs on the Snake River (first was Brownlee Dam) - crossed river at second Dam (Oxbow) and found myself in Oregon - weather was nice - got lunch at the [Hells Canyon Inn] (good sandwich) - Pacific Time Zone again - turned onto a remote Forest Service Road towards the heart of the National Recreation Area - very scenic, very remote, trees & mountains, speed limit less than 40, free range stock on roads - stopped at a scenic overlook of the west side of the Canyon - great view, but I'll admit that I'm getting a little tired of the type of roads required to get around in this area (by that point, I'd been driving for almost four hours and I was almost due west of Riggins: probably only 40 miles as the crow flies!) - passed the time with radio updates of the college football games - the Nez Perce Trail went straight across the canyon, but I had to go miles to the south and then north again to meet up with it again! - by the time I arrived in the little town of Joseph, I was pleased to see flat land again - drove south towards Lake [Wallala ?] and found the grave site of Chief Joseph's father (Old Joseph) - it sat on a bluff overlooking the beautiful lake - back into town and walked around for a bit (pleasant) - got some ice cream at [Gobbler's Nob] - back on the road - switched to ID-82 and used it all the way to La Grande (and I-84) - motored south for awhile (nice to be able to travel faster!) until I got to Baker City - got off on a road that was headed back into Hells Canyon (it was actually [ID-26], the same road I'd used when I was in Halfway earlier in the day - but the other end) - stopped at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (run by Bureau of Land Management) - very classy and informative place (well done!) - saw actual wagon tracks for the Oregon Trail (and, realized then that I was seeing the same view that pioneers saw when they reached Oregon for the first time) - drove back towards the interstate - listening to NASCAR race - went through Baker City (very nice) - it began to be clear that the area was expecting a large number of returning Guardsmen (I saw "Welcome Home" signs between Baker City and the state line, and news reported everyone being excited) - with the Blue Mountains on my right and the last glimpses of the mountains of Hells Canyon on my left, drove south on I-84 until I reached the Ontario, Oregon (right on the border) - as I drove into the area, I could smell the pungent aroma of onions (later confirmed by the locals) and saw the big Ore-Ida Plant (makes sense now, doesn't it?) - found a hotel and then walked to nearby [Paoli's ?] Pizza - watched Notre Dame blow their lead on Michigan - back in my room, caught up on sports and took care of emails - bed around 2345L.]

Montana Trip - Day 14

[up around 0800 - had breakfast in the hotel - drove into Missoula (0830) - this place is the setting for the book "A River Runs Through It." - saw sign for [Elk Preserve] - took a little bit of time to locate it - took a nice tour and short nature walk - on US-93 south through town - drove all the way to Lolo through pretty Bitteroot Valley - visited Traveler's Rest State Park (interesting talk with Blackfoot who worked there) - walked to site of Lewis & Clark's camp - looking at map, saw that there would probably be no services for several miles - so filled up gas tank in Lolo - drove up US-12 to Lolo Pass (met Forest Service person from Texas) and into Idaho (and Pacific Time Zone!) - VERY remote after that - miles and miles of [Seyle-Bitteroot] Wilderness - following Clearwater River (it really was Clear!) - several short stops for nature walks (grove of cedar trees, Nez Perce / Nimiipuu displays) - all trails on the other side of river (had to cross wooden suspension bridges) - when I was in Sixth Grade, our teacher showed us a movie about Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, and his famous quote "I will fight no more forever" - I had always wanted to learn more about his people - with that in mind, followed US-12 to Kamiah so I could visit one of the Nez Perce Park stops (Heart of the Monster: creation story w/coyote) - backtracked to ID-13 and used it to find US-95 - stopped at Mammoth site (Tolo Lake) and then found White Bird Pass and Nez Perce War battlefield site - saw a sign for Hell's Canyon (I thought I had to be in Oregon to visit it - I guess not...) - followed gravel road over mountain to get to Pittsfield Landing on the Snake River (whew! didn't think I would make it!) - saw lots of wildlife and scenic views of the Hells Canyon - VERY remote - much hotter than I've felt for days for some reason - drive back was an hour again (to town of White Bird) - on US-95 again, entered Salmon River Canyon - even more scenic - sandy beaches, steep cliffs on both sides - getting dark (with sun behind the mountains) - smells like smoke everywhere - it had become clear earlier today that I wouldn't be able to cross into Oregon (much less, Washington), but now it was clear I wouldn't even be able to make it to Boise, so I stopped at Riggins - it is a pleasant little town - first place for cell service all day - ended up staying at Salmon River Motel - ate dinner at nearby [Summerfield's] - talked with Nicky on the phone for a long time tonight - bed late...]

Montana Trip - Day 13

[up around 0800 this morning - didn't have to do much this morning to leave - on the road by 0830 - good drive on AB-5 (nice mountain views) - entered Waterton Lakes park around 0930L - beautiful views of Prince of Wales Hotel and pretty lake - stopped at visitor center and encountered a crotchety Quebecois ranger (no help) - another visitor told me to go up to Cameron Lake - with gas tank nearly empty, still figured I could make it - drive was relaxing (far fewer visitors in the park!) - views of the Lake were tremendous - southern end was nearly a rock face that went straight up (Montana border) - decided to walk the Akamina Pass trail - it went uphill all the way to the British Columbia border - encountered a ladies hiking group and a woman who popped out of the bushes as I neared the top - very pleasant - reached border (and Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park boundary) - decided to turn around (thought I had gone 1.5 miles up but forgot they measured in kilometers... - no wonder it went so fast!) - back down the hill to the car - stopped at the site of the first oil well in western Canada - drove into the little town of Waterton (VERY pretty!) - got gas (pricy) at the only station - they recommended I eat at Trappers, across the street - I sat outside there and had to eat breakfast (they don't serve lunch until 1200L) - ate buffalo meat, eggs and spuds (skillet) with toast - afterwards, ate some Saskatoon berry pie (mmmmmm!!!) - bought some souvenirs - walked around town, along the pretty lake - great views of historic hotel - I actually did not want to leave - weather was great, town wasn't busy - still, needed to get going - drove towards exit, stopping at Prince of Wales Hotel on the way out - also drove up to Red Rock Canyon (interesting river views - small, different layers of red) - left park and got on AB-6 to the border (great view of Chief Mountain) - glad I didn't come this way last night because they close the gate at 1800! - got quizzed a lot (and searched) - drove down MT-17 and back to US-89 - mail in Babb - got on Going to the Sun Road at St. Mary (stopped at visitor center) - glassy lake surface (St. Mary) with amazing reflection - stopped several times for photos (Jackson Glacier), but wanted to make sure I got across the pass before the major road construction impacted my goal to reach Missoula - as I got to Logan Pass, had to wait about 20 minutes for road work - one of the ladies there told me that the road had only just opened in mid July - and that the road and visitor center had been damaged during the long winter - a HUGE line had formed, so after we got escorted to the Pass, I decided not to stop there - but, after getting going again, I got immediately delayed for another 20 minutes just below - saw herd of elk very close to the road - with the huge line of cars and the significant construction, the drive was severely affected (scenery and enjoyment wise) - after I made it through the Loop, let cars pass me - made just a few stops on the way down - best view was Lake McDonald (glacial lake) - break at Apgar (souvenir) - drove out of park on US-2, down to where it intercepted US-93 - first cell signal in nearly two full days - drove through [Kilispell] and on to Flathead Reservation - got dinner at Burger King (ate in car) - road meandered along beautiful Flathead Lake - mountains of the "Crown of the Continent" in background... - would have stopped if it was earlier: St. Ignatius Church (Father De Smet) and National Buffalo Herd - made it to the edge of Missoula (I-90) around 1930 - didn't get on interstate, found hotel (Redwood at truck stop) - watched TV, emails, money (etc.) - bed around midnight.]

Montana Trip - Day 12

[slept straight through to 0815 (feeling more rested) - photos, journal, emails - didn't leave hotel until almost 0945... - used I-90 west until just past Three Forks - headwaters of Missouri River - construction (with signs that show where the money comes from!) - lots of wheat fields - back roads (US-287!) to East Helena - gas fillup and sack lunch (1230L) - got on I-15 and continued north - saw Montana State House as I drove through Helena - pretty scenery (canyon/gorge) for Missouri all the way to Great Falls - radio talking all day about how they have caught three bears in Yellowstone, tagged and released them pending DNA tests - got off in Ulm and visited the "First People's Bison Jump" park (interesting) - gravel roads and back roads back to I-15 - stopped at rest area for water (hmmm) - got off on MT-44 (Valier Highway) and drove near Lake Frances - mountain scenery (including small glaciers) - getting better and better! - intercepted US-89 - stopped to see a few Lewis & Clark monuments - entered Blackfoot Reservation - passing through Browning, used US-2 (west) to get to East Glacier - took MT-49 to entrance of Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park (1530L) - ranger lady at gate told me where I could find bears - saw one (small black bear) in the group campground area (eating berries on a hill - just a stones throw from my car and across a little creek) - chatted with another traveller - drove back to MT-49 and then got on US-89 - unfortunately, construction delays - cows in road - made it to St. Mary after a harrowing drive on really bad roads... - lots of traffic (mmmm...) - continued north until I reached Babb - took park road (12 miles) up to Many Glacier - had hoped to get a room there in order to get an early start on a hike to see glaciers in the morning, but they were full - restaurant was very busy, too (decided not to wait) - sensing urgency to find a room (they said all the park hotels were full), headed back down the mountain - no rooms in Babb - no rooms in any of the places north of town - came to fork in road (MT-17) and decided to take my chances in Canada - arrived at border around 1900L (they actually close the border at 2300L - and lock the gate!) - got "searched" (virtually ?) - watched other folks come to the border and ask about hotels - got released around 1930L and drove on to Cardston, Alberta - looked around town a little before getting a room at South Country Inn (2000L) - lady at desk recommended I get dinner at the nearby Cobblestone Manor - dinner OK (chicken with syrup flavor) - service a little overwhelmed with US visitors in town, I guess - manager gave me tips about visiting Waterton Lakes park - pointed out the Mormon temple nearby, all lit up (learned LDS founded Cardston in late 1800s) - found out it snowed here in September last year (better hurry, I guess!) - back to my room - found they only have 10 channels (but, luckily, wi-fi)... - TV and emails - then bed.]

Montana Trip - Day 11

[up at 0800 - packed and left hotel around 0830 - stopped at post office and got gas nearby (prices wildly fluctuate) - would definitely return to Jackson! - drove north on US-[89] - first view of Grand Tetons [National Park] (SPECTACULAR!) - stopped at visitor center - drove around on some of the (one-way) scenic roads (deer), walked down to Jenny Lake - great panorama (a little hazy) - drove up Signal Mountain (Massachusetts people) - lunch at Signal Mountain Lodge (corned beef) - made it into Yellowstone National Park around 1330 - stopped at waterfall near south entrance - drove through park on way to Old Faithful (my only planned stop) - saw something on the map about a place called Lone Star [Guyser] - stopped there (close to Old Faithful) - met some folks who said it goes off every three hours and that I missed it - decided to walk up there anyway - was about a 2.5 mile (40-45 minutes) hike up an old road - pleasant (sprinkling) - squirrel - got to geyser (nothing happening) - luckily, there was a book there with notes about previous eruptions - timing was almost perfect! - started to bubble and splash around 1500L - it lasted about 30 minutes with a big finale! - walk was well worth it - walked back with some other hikers (from Sante Fe) - passed the time with good conversation (walk took about an hour) - drove down to Old Faithful - got more water - that time meant I almost missed the Old Faithful eruption - as it was, saw the last few minutes - got ice cream in hotel - souvenirs - walked over to visitor center and got some tips on what to see before leaving the park - backtracked to "Thumb" and drove along the river / canyon - mud volcano - lots of wildlife (and cars) - many people with binoculars, telephoto lenses - buffalo, elk, one moose! - beautiful [Hiram ?] valley... - evidence of closed trails (where the tourist recently got mauled by a bear ?) - made it to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before sunset - saw falls (Artist Point) - drove a little farther and found Brink of the Falls - getting dark - realized I would still be in the park after sunset (not what I wanted...) - drove back west on Norris Canyon Road and then north (on US-89) to Mammoth - pretty remanents of sunset - steam vents everywhere across the valley - red/pink sky - stuck behind a trailer for awhile, but then got past him - smooth sailing after that - dark, curvy road at north entrance (not as relaxing as south entrance...) - through Gardiner, Montana - continued north on US-89 (52 miles) to Livingston, Montana (good speeds all the way - no wildlife, luckily) - found a place to stay (Livingston Inn Motel) near I-90 (2130L) - later, I drove back to a place I'd noticed as I entered town (Rosa's Pizza) - good dinner (pizza and salad) and conversation with one of the cooks - back to room - some TV - tired! - bed at 2300L.]

Montana Trip - Day 10

[woke up around 0700L - wanted to sleep longer, but got started anyway - packed up and checked out of my room - on the road by 0845L - got on I-15 and drove north, not really knowing which direction I would go (had emailed a work friend to see if he would be in Boise, but I didn't get his reply until late in the day) - there were some clouds to the west, so I continued on I-15 at the I-84 split - stopped at the Idaho vistor's center (Malad) - got gas (and Subway, lunch) in Pocatello - left interstate at Blackfoot (US-26) - intersected with US-20 and drove towards Arco - on the way (crossing Idaho Nuclear Laboratory - INL), saw signs for EBR-I - wondered what it was - then realized that it was the site of the first nuclear power plant - stopped to take a tour of the site (very interesting - described use of NaK, "Nack" - an alternative coolant) - chatted with the tour guides for a bit, learned that the Navy Nuclear Power training site (nearby) was discontinued - they test the nuclear batteries for space missions here, too - back on US-20/26 and made a wrong turn at Arco (bad signage...) - quickly realized error (I was on I-93...), though - back into Arco and drove southwest until I reached the Craters of the Moon National Monument - toured visitor center (light rain coming down) - drove though park, walking on several trails: [first lava field], Devil's Orchard (preachy displays by National Park Foundation), [Infierno Cone] - the whole place was a combination of Sunset Crater and Valley of Fire - last walk was on a trail that took me to caves - went inside one (Dewdrop Cave) - talked with another hiker on the way back (almost exactly same itinerary...) - saw NAS JRB car in parking lot (small world) - backtracked to US-20/US-26 split - took road to Idaho Falls - more traffic - dinner at Arbys - then drove through town (crossing Snake River again) - followed river on US-26 and US-89 - multiple stops along the way (reservoir, etc.) - saw sheep, signs for bear (warnings!) - drizzle, but not bad - great views of mountains as I came into Jackson Hole - got a hotel (Rawhide) - family called - walked around in town (unique shops) - best "ski town" I've visited on the trip! - had a drink (Snake River Lager) at Town Square Tavern - another drink (Snake River Heffeveisan) and paltry bruschetta at Silver Bullet Bar, sitting outside (on street) - weather very pleasant - picked up souvenirs - back in room, watched TV, took care of some bills and emails - bed just after midnight...]

Montana Trip - Day 9

[awake early (0530), but managed to get some more sleep before finally getting out of bed at 0815L - got on the road as soon as I could after that - drove north on I-15 all the way to UT-83 - realized after I passed Corinne that there wasn't going to be any fuel for a very long time (thank goodness I had enough...) - found Golden Spike National Historic Site - very interesting: just as I arrived they were demoing old locomotive procedures - trains parked where the golden spike was driven on May 10, 1869 - watched movie, toured museum - would have continued across the desert on the old railroad bed (to see the Bonneville Salt Flats), but didn't have enough gas... - drove back to UT-83 - stopped at ATK site (old Thiokol) to see "rocket garden" - back on UT-83 and took it as far as West Faust Valley Road (W 11200 N), then east towards Tremonton - got on I-84 and drove south, intercepting I-15 - got gas at Brigham City and then had lunch at Hunan Village (mmm...) - still undecided about what to do next (tired, wanted to go back to room to relax - but can do that any time...) - took US-89 south, stopping to mail a post-card - got on I-15 and drove to Salt Lake City - got off a little north town and followed railroad tracks into town (ended up back on 600N Street) - drove east up "capitol hill" - pretty - stopped for a short time at Brigham Young Heritage Park - then drove around the campus of University of Utah - turned onto Emigration Canyon Road (Burrs Lane) - found "This is the Place Heritage Park" - nice views of the city and, clearly, a nice place to walk around with the kids (and learn more about pioneer life) - didn't stay too long - instead, continued into the Wasatch Mountains through Emigration Canyon - turned south at UT-65 and got on I-80 (east) - exited at UT-224 and drove up to Park City - found free parking - walked around for over an hour, enjoying the unique stores and the Park Silly Sunday Market - wanted some ice cream, but things were closing up quickly - on the way back down the mountain, visited the site of some of the 2002 Olympic Games events - got back on I-80 (west) around 1830L - decided to check out the Great Salt Lake - using I-80, found a few good places to view it (beaches, building from movie, etc.) - there is clearly more water in the lake than when my Atlas was produced... - turned around at [exit 88] (photographed salt flats along highway) - found exit for the Great Salt Lake State Park (it was just closing, 1900L) - still able to drive along the edge for a while - got back on I-80, used I-215, Legacy Parkway and US-89 to get back to UT-193 - drove back to Hill AFB - drove down Hill Field Road until I found a little Greek restaurant - had a nice kebab, rice, salad, potatoes and gyro meat and a great conversation with the cook (he said no one had been in all evening) - interesting kid (from Hillsboro!) - finished dinner just as he was closing (2100L) - back to room - laundry, photos, journal, expenses until late (0100)...]

Montana Trip - Day 8

[woke up around 0715 - still feeling tired - spent morning on finances, emails, etc. - organized for final day at Library - left around 0945 - drove back to Salt Lake City (I-15) - free parking today (behind Church History Museum) - research (Ireland records) from 1030 to 1330 - went to lunch at JB's again (club sandwich) - back to work, it was harder to concentrate and keep going (three days in a row at the library tired me out!) - didn't leave until around 1945L - put my genealogy stuff in the car (24 pages of notes) and then spent about an hour walking around Temple Square and the immediate environs - it was very pleasant - lots of families out walking (dressed up) - quiet gardens, flowing water, pretty lights - realized I'd missed a few other tours and a quaint restaurant in the Lion House (next to Beehive House) - explored and read lots of historical markers - stumbled across the old Hotel Utah, now converted to a Joseph Smith Memorial - went to 10th floor and ate dinner at The Garden Restaurant - view of the Temple from my table (from above!) - good food (wedge salad, fettuccine pasta (with chicken) - nice old hotel - walked back to my car after that (2115L) and headed back to Layton - dragging, but feeling pretty satisfied with what I found this week at the Library - got to bed around 2330L.]

Montana Trip - Day 7

[up at 0630 - had to go by the ID place again (0715) to correct problem (no line, quick) - big breakfast at Burger King - drove downtown - easier and quicker to get to parking - got a ride from hotel bellman to nearby post office - bought post card stamps (Pandora starts) - walked back to Temple Square (several blocks) - beautiful day - in Library by 0900L - spent some of the morning on the 2nd floor (more US microfilms - air conditioning (!) - around 1100, went down to B2 (UK & Ireland) and went through all the books I could stand - worked straight through lunch - found lots of things from UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand - then got Irish films - near end of afternoon, back to 2nd floor for more US films I'd missed - walked next door for dinner around 1730L (JB's again, salad & soup) - saw a man almost get run over by the UTA (train) and heard the engineer scolding him on a loudspeaker ("you're old enough to know better!") - called Nicky & kids - finished up the day on the 3rd floor (US books), CDs - beginning around 2000, explored the library (places I hadn't been) - genealogies of the Mormons - was going to walk across to Temple Square again but, instead, took a tour of the LDS Museum next door - friendly people again - lots of interesting displays (life mask of Joseph Smith, portraits and displays of the Presidents of the Church) - ended up getting a personal tour of a gentleman who told me the special revelations of each man - talked about statehood, beehive meaning, abandonment of polygamy (jokes about multiple wives not being able to get along, one wife good enough anyway! - he himself had been married for 55 years) - afterward, walked back to car (cold!) - noticed large pigeons on top of train station (to ward off real ones ?) - drove back to VQ - getting easier - watched some TV and went to bed earlier (2300L).]

Montana Trip - Day 6

[woke up very early (0600L), and not on purpose... - got things organized for trip - first stop (0715) was at the ID card office (first day retired) - went pretty quickly - had to send Nicky some paperwork - tried post office (closed) and then headed towards Salt Lake City (I-15) - found a FEDEX (expensive) - made it into town (used 600N Street exit - road names not very imaginative...) around 0915 - took some time to locate a good parking garage (at the Plaza Hotel - $8 for whole day) - walked a short distance to the Family History Library - What a place! - I've heard about it for years, but being there was something special - building was five stories: US books (3), US films (2), family histories (M), Europe and Latin America (B1), UK & Ireland (B2) - dozens of computers on each floor - scores of film readers - row after row of research materials - as it was my first day, I spent a few hours looking through the books on the third floor - Nicky called with an "emergency" - had to stop research and make several calls - eventually got things straightened out - had lunch at a hot dog cart (ate in a pretty park) - back to the library - powered through third floor - down to second floor (microfilms) - continued research until around 1700 - went out to make some calls - had dinner at nearby diner (JB's): turkey stacker (pickle!) - back to library - researching on second floor again - before finishing for the day, checked out B1 and B2 - around 2000, decided to wrap things up - met a gentleman (from Texas) who told me about how we could watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing - first went into Temple Square but found some people who said we needed to walk (south) to the Conference Center - it was a big building - lots of people "escorting" us around - sat and watched the performance for a bit (choir clapped for visitors, conductor talked to us) - left around 2100L and walked around a bit in Temple Square - pretty by night - post cards - drove home via I-15 & Hill Field Road - organized - emails - bed around 2355L.]