Into Yellowstone

[slider effect="fade" pausetime="3000" autoplay="true" navigation="true"][/slider]As the Snake River Valley of Idaho now lay most behind me, I had a choice to make. I was due in Salt Lake City in just a few days. Up here on Route 20 (This is all about following these roads, after all) outside of Idaho falls, I reminded myself that second chances come less often than I'd like them to. It was time to see Yellowstone National Park. Established in 1872, at at roughly 3,468 square miles (thanks Wikipedia), this is the granddaddy and crown jewel of the National Park System and, although I'm destined to return here with a camper-van full of yelling kids, it was time to see it on my own. I spent the night in West Yellowstone, pretty much the main option for jumping into the park. It's certainly the most convenient and "developed", but that means you won't be alone. No, no. You, most of the touring National Lampoons vacationers, and about half the population of China are here as well. Better book ahead. Luckily, not too many people were renting tent-sites, so I was in luck when The Rustic Wagon RV/Camp ground had a plot available to me. In fact, although I'm hesitant to pay for a spot to camp in the first place, this place was fantastic. Granted, my campsite consisted of a small plot of dirt and gravel, the real winner here were the showers. When you've camped for a while, you know how precious these are. Clean, spacious public restroom with a hot, high pressured shower was just what I needed.

Next morning, I woke up bright and early, packed up, and headed to the Running Bear Pancake House. My God in Heaven it was marvelous. I'm a huge diner fan in general, and this was just the perfect dose of rustic, home-grown cookin' to get you started. Do not miss the boysenberry sauce. Alas, finally, Yellowstone.

I entered the gates at around 7am, and although I was nervous I'd already fall behind the morning rush, I still beat the crowd and drove on in. Be warned that the lack of crowds are made up for for the abundance of morning fog, so don't expect to see too many vistas right away. It made for some great photography though, so that's not a complaint.

Once the sun started beaming through, I really had a fantastic time driving around. I went right at the fork from West Yellowstone- there is essentially one large circular loop in the middle of the park that hosts most of the attractions. So, as such, I headed south along this route. I came across several elk herds, sulfur springs, geysers (some not so faithful, and some pretty old faithful), and lots of bison. There really doesn't seem to be too wrong a way to do it. I did a large counter-clockwise circle, and after repeating the first section, left the park southward by way of Grand Teton National Park.

Since this is all about following various roads and where they take you, it comes to my attention that U.S. Route 20 has become one my most travelled roads, and for good reason. The truth of the matter is that Route 20 holds a special place in my heart. It ran about 5 minutes behind my house growing up. I used to travel it on the way home from college on breaks. And, as my family has gravitated toward the city of Boston as our favorite East-coast city, we always boasted in seeing the end of it. I've already mentioned seeing the other end in Oregon, yet here I was another time. It's incredible to think that one stretch of pavement can take you past so much. Here I was, with geysers on my right, a few bison on the left, and high, snow-capped peaks in front of me. All I had to do was get back on that road and I could drive home. I never that that the road behind my house (with cows on one side and corn fields on the other) could take me so far away. Yet here I was. It's truly incredible. We're never too far from a great adventure!

Into Idaho

[slider effect="fade" pausetime="3000" autoplay="true" navigation="true"][/slider] I spent last night in Boise, Idaho, but I'l back up a few hours to tag the end of my last post "Eastern Oregon". I reached the end of the vast, beautiful, almost-nothingness that is eastern Oregon, and entered Idaho near Ottawa, OR. I kid you not, I rolled my windows down and I could smell potatoes. I wanted that to be a figment of my imagination, but I took several minutes trying to pinpoint the earthy smell, and once "potato" came into my mind, it was all over. Alas, Idaho was already living up to its reputation. To be fair, about 20 miles later, I could smell onions. I'm not sure if that helps or hurts, it's just a fact.

OK! As far as lodging goes, I couch surfed  right in downtown Boise ( a small, school friendly neighborhood in the north section, right against the hills). I am always very thankful for organizations that attempt to bring travelers together and make it easy to move around. I had great hosts, with a nice, comfy couch. We shared a great love for breakfast food, so the next morning, upon their suggestion, I went to Goldy's Breakfast Bistro (warning, music), where I sat at the bar next to a very talkative former congressional lawyer/dean of students at the law school. She was very nice, and we laughed about student debt and the American job market. You never know who you'll meet, and a conversation is always worth the time and effort.

After breakfast I walked downtown a little bit. I's a small downtown, with the Capitol building standing quite prominently, making for a nice, clean, stately feel to it all. The Idaho hills are a nice backdrop to boot. I then went on a (very) sort hike to the top of a little ridge behind the city called the Camel's Back. It's a quick jaunt that offers a rewarding view of the city and the valley that hosts Boise.

I moved onward and upward, continuing on I-84 until Bliss, ID, where I jumped off to detour to Hagerman, where I spotted the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. It resulted in visiting the monument visitor centre (smack in middle of downtown Hagerman, pop. 872). In all due respect, it was anticlimactic, but it got me off the highway, which I enjoy.

I crossed over I-84, and onto Route 26 heading East, met up (again!) with Route 20. This entire region (and essential the entirety of populated southern Idaho) courses alongside the Snake River valley. That means a nice, relatively flat drive, with mountains to my side. It was beautiful.

I stopped into Craters of the Moon National Monument, the day's travel goal. The entire Snake River valley, extending the width of southern Idaho and into Wyoming, is a remnant of successive volcanic activity and caldera formation. Calderas have formed ever few million or hundred thousand years (or something) heading eastward. In this region of Idaho, what remains is lava rock...as far as you can see. Cue weeping settlers on the Oregon Trail (no, really, there are signs depicting struggling settlers). Also, cue the government deciding to preserve the area because it's pretty neat, and for once, I'd agree with their opinion.

The park is a quick drive, with several stoping points for small hikes (walks, really) into the lava beds themselves (lava rock, not actual lava). The contrast of the black rock against the blue sky and tan hills was quite remarkable. A couple spots allowed you to hike up to the top of some of the volcanic spires (mounds, really), offering some nice views. Appreciate photos, if you will =).

After finishing there, I continued on Route 20 until I hit Idaho Falls. Of note, I passed through a town called Arco, the first town in the world to be powered by nuclear energy. Also of note, a town proud of the fact that every high school class since 1920 has painted their graduation year onto the hill sides #seniormoments.

I arrived in Idaho falls early evening, and I had an exciting travel epiphany. I didn't need to be in Utah for another 2 days, and there is a particularly famous national park very close by. So with that, I made the decision to head East and North en route to Yellowstone. I got there just before sunset, and was introduced to the fact that the town of West Yellowstone is a jam, packed, tourist-dependent machine. Not that I should have expected something differently, I guess that's just a fact. I was able to secure a tent spot at a camp grounds at the entrance of town. They had phenomenal shower rooms actually. The man on duty had a thick drawl, dirty, worn denim all over his body, and a trucker hat that was at least placed into a gas tank for a week, I'm guessing. He went off about how the Chinese are taking over, and will soon run Yellowstone. Keep dreaming my friend.  So, with that, I bedded down for the night, ready to explore the great symbol of America the next day. Until next time!

Eastern Oregon

[slider effect="fade" pausetime="3000" autoplay="true" navigation="true"][/slider] Excited for the day ahead! I got up nice and early and rendezvoused with a fellow traveler and local I'll call "Mary" for security purposes (lol?). We started by heading straight up to Crate Lake National Park. This is about an hour drive north of Klamath Falls, making this little town a great jumping off point. It's full of nice little restaurants, and the usual amenities that a traveler looking to stock up and refresh needs.

As we approached Crater Lake, the bad news began- in the form of rain. I remained positive, knowing that sometimes some clouds make for some dramatic pictures (remember Glacier?). Well, Crater Lake is a couple of thousand feet in elevation from the surrounding valley, so that rain started turning into its winter counterpart pretty quickly. Still, we pressed on, and although it was lightly snowing at the park entrance, I wasn't coming all this way not to try at least.

And it was least. We climbed up the park road in dense fog and the trees were powdered with fresh snow. At the top (based on signs telling me I was at various overlooks), I could see...nothing. The drive was quiet (no crowds that day), I could hear the snow hitting the trees, and there was something still so beautiful about it. And yes, that's me being as positive about the experience as possible.

So down we went, and left Crater for another day. We headed instead into California (just barely- but it counts!) and to Lava Beds National Monument.

This park surprised me! There is subtle difference between the national parks and monuments, mostly being that monuments are smaller and more drive throughs (though, that's not always the case- so i guess a mixed bag, or some nomenclature rule I'm not aware of with, assumably, a politician and naturalist duking it out over a table). Anyways, this is set along a small hilly ridge, overlooking a large valley (a former giant volcano caldera from ages ago). The highlight of the monument are the multiple caves that were formed as lava flows dissipated. They are fully open to explore, and it was a lot of fun! Some nice views of the region as well.

Well I stayed another night in Klamath Falls, and next morning headed out. I'll admit, yes, I passed by Crater for another chance, but it was the same story as the day before, so onward I went. Before passing through Bend, OR, I jumped into the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, where, admittedly, the only interesting thing was a large obsidian flow. I cannot confirm or deny if i snagged a piece of obsidian lying helplessly on the ground.

Eastern Oregon was now in front of me. I connected with Route 20 in Bend, OR (another shoutout to Rt 20!), and it was now due East until Boise, ID. I'm going to lay it on the table... there is VERY LITTLE to see between Bend and Boise. This is rural America at its best- tiny towns that were mostly homes to ranchers or farmers, a gas station and maybe a place to eat. It was some beautiful country- an element of high desert that I hadn't quite had the chance to experience. The sky was big, sun was out, and it made for a beautiful drive.

Although the drive was a long one, it gave me time to A). finish an audiobook (Stephen King- Wolves of the Calla), and B). Have a nice day of reflecting and observing some nice geography. I've already mentioned the high desert- an arid scrubland that covers most of Eastern Oregon. However, as I got further East, the land gave way to incredibly large valleys with surrounding mountains. We've all seen mountains and valleys, but I felt like this landscape took it, and stretched it to cover miles and miles. It felt imposing, and I felt very small in the world, being in the middle of seemingly nowhere. It was beautiful. Another reminder to find that beauty in all things, and how travel allows us to do so. To explore new places, and see something your eye has ever quite seen before. That's why I travel. Until next time!

Into Oregon

  My time in Seattle was fantastic, and alas, all good things  must come to an end, and I must move onward. Feeling refreshed and full of that "cozy home" goodness feeling, I headed south into Oregon, a new state for me!

I hopped on I-5 and shot due south- it's only about 3 horus from Seattle to Portland, so it comes as a surprise even to myself that I had never been there before. I stopped in Vancouver, WA to replace my wiper blades. There is an excellent Walmart there, in case anyone needs to know that. It's across the Colombia River from Portland, so in just a few minutes I was in Portlandia, wiggling my way through the suburbs.

Downtown Portland surprised me with it's geography-  it sits quite nicely against the riverfront and against a hillside. Makes for a pretty scene. I found a parking post downtown, and started walking around. I wasn't here for a true visit, more of a fly-by. Nevertheless, I went to Powell's Books (a massive, square-block sized bookstore), got some food cart Pad Thai, and walked over to Voodoo Donuts to get a piece of that. Food cart- excellent. Powell's books- pretty decent (kinda felt like a cross between a B&N and an old used book store), and Voodoo donuts was actually pretty tasty!

After Portland, I headed south to Salem, for a quick visit of the Capitol building (a recurring theme on my trip, if it's relatively convenient). Then I headed on some back roads to meet up with Route 20 and off to the Oregon coast. I grew up a few minutes from Route 20, and it's always been fun to think about how it spans from Boston, MA to Newport, OR. I've been on it a few times during my journey, and it was a little "win" to drive it to it's final point in Newport.

The Oregon coast lives up to its fame. Predominantly rocky, transitioning from cliffs to bluffs, to relatively shallow sand dunes, it complement the Pacific Ocean nicely. I timed it pretty well with sunset, making for that "all is right in the world" feeling while you drive.

And speaking of the drive- highway 101 is great! There are a few stretches that hug the coast on the sides of cliffs, and I'm a big fan of roads like that. I drove until dark, then bedded down for the night in Coos Bay.

The next morning I headed back east on Route 42, getting back to I-5. I drove through some beautiful forest, and saw a pretty neat covered bridge! Once I met up with I-5, the goal was to get to Klamath Falls, to act as a base for exploring Crater Lake and Lava Beds National Monument.

The drive down I-5 and over via Rt 140 went through some mountain passes, not as high as the rockies, but nevertheless a pretty drive. The Cascades are a slightly more arid look to them vs the Rockies, but no shortage on lines trees. Now in Klamath Falls, and will start adventuring in some more national parks tomorrow!

Hello, Seattle

After I left Glacier national park, I drove due south west to rendezvous with I-90. From there, I passed through the narrow strip of Idaho that is up there (near Coeur D Alene), which I believe is mostly mining and mountain country. I pulled off the highway to get some gas for the car, but wan't too much to see, and before I knew it, I was in Washington!

I stopped and drove around downtown Spokane quickly, mostly to say that I'd at least seen it. It's a tiny town, but has a hopping little downtown (I think there was an event going on?). I calculated how long it'd take me to get to Seattle (my endpoint for the first leg of the journey), and if there was anything to see between here and there. As my family lives in Seattle, I had been to bits of eastern Washington, so I decided it wasn't worth spending the night out here, so I booked it right to Seattle (also, there is SO LITTLE in Eastern Washington. Honestly, fill up your gas tank in Spokane before heading into that desolate, rest stop-less land).

Ahh, Seattle. The emerald city of the pacific northwest. My family has lived here the last few years, so this is likely my most-frequented city I travel to. So I'll take this opportunity to try and sell Seattle to those who are curious! So why is Seattle great?

Family

OK that's cheating. This applies to a limited number of people reading this, but it matters! When one considers traveling, and all the excitement it encompasses, still nothing compares to the feeling of "coming home". I'm lucky enough to get this feeling in a couple of places (Upstate NY, where I'm from originally being the other). A place to put up your feet and laugh wit those who know you best is the best kind of place. Wherever that is for you, never take it for granted, and go there often.

Travel tip- consider tarting a family here, or forcing your parents to move here. Then you'll have an excuse.

City Vibes

...but not TOO much. I think cities are great, and I love visiting them. Growing up within reasonable driving distance from NYC is a rare treat, and visiting Chicago on the way out here was awesome (see that post). Seattle early bumps elbows with the big east towns when it comes to that feeling of "being downtown". High rises, the crowds, the architecture, it's got it all. What I like about Seattle though, is it don'ts feel too big. It has held on to it's fishing and outdoor outfitter roots (think way station en route to Alaska back in the day), which makes it approachable, and comfortable.

Travel tip- start your morning in Pikes Place, and head down to the waterfront. Walk down to Pioneer square for exploring and lunch in Chinatown. Work your way back up any street to pass museums, shops, the Library, etc. The needle is at the north end. Makes for a 1 or 2 day little loop.

Natural Beauty

This is what sets Seattle apart in my mind. Few cities allow you to have mountains on three sides, a gorgeous water landscape, and still be lush and green almost all year round. The Olympic mountains, a fairly close together collection of jagged peaks (easy not the eyes), lie across the Puget Sound to the west. The Cascade mountains (reminiscent of the Rockies, with their broader peaks and larger range) lie to the East. And who can forget the prominent Mt. Rainier, almost the Symbol of the NW, who stands dramatically to the south.

Travel tip- Go to Kerry Park for the quintessential view of the City and Mt. Rainier in the background. Head east to Issaquah to get closer to the Cascades, or north for nice views of the Puget Sound.

Weather

Seattle gets a lot of flak for having terrible weather. Now, being from Syracuse, NY, perhaps anywhere seems better to me. However, I'm here to quickly state that no, it does not rain all day fro 365 days a year. Seattle still has a four-season feel to it, with two predominant "dry" and "wet" seasons. From late Spring through Fall, the rain mostly stops, and it's beautiful, sunny days. It's really fantastic. Toward the end of the fall and through spring, it starts to drizzle on a regular basis for most days. It's not the down pour that east coasters are used to, but it is consistent. Contrary to a lot of opinions I've heard, most locals LOVE the rain, and look forward to it every year. It's cozy, it's lush, it keeps things green. Seattle, going green since...ever.

Travel tip- August is my favorite time of year to come here. Views are perfect, weather is great.

Well, that's my shout out to Seattle. I'll spend the next week visiting my family and enjoying being home. Enjoy the pictures, and I'll update when I head into Oregon!