The Lurid Details

2009-08-25: For those who are curious as to what exactly happened in North Carolina, here is a  photographic record!

This is the Google Maps street view of the approach to the crash site. It happened in front of that red building to the north. When I was there, the was more roadside vegetation. If you scroll northward, you can see a black or grey SUV turning into the driveway. That is where I rear-ended the Yukon. I tried to stop in time, and apparently I hit it at a low enough speed that neither of our airbags deployed. Unfortunately, I hit the other vehicle as it was turning right and it spun around then tipped on the driver's side.

In retrospect, it does not seem that a collision should be likely there, but, according to the local tow truck drivers, accidents on this stretch of highway are quite common.

An Interruption

2009-09-20: For my readers who wonder why I haven't been posting, here's what happened. A few weeks ago, I was in North Carolina, on the outer banks. Unfortunately, near the town of Kill Devil Hills, I ended up in a car accident. Luckily, I wasn't hurt at all and the other person was taken to the hospital and subsequently released. Sadly, my vehicle was not driveable. I had to stay at a hotel (at resort-town prices, of course!) that weekend, while I waited for the appraiser the insurance company had hired to come and inspect my vehicle. He was very slow to get it done, and after a couple days of waiting and camping and some nasty insect attacks, I decided to come back to Illinois, expecting my vehicle to be considered total loss, which it later turned out to be.

I was fortunately given a rental car (the pitiful Dodge Caliber) and I drove it back to Illinois. I'd gotten a replacement Jeep, plus my insurance check, so I was just about ready to get back on the road. Or so I thought, but then I somehow caught a vicious cold/flu! Now I'm just about ready, again, and I must say that visiting New England at this time of year is going to be sweet.

In the future, I'll do a better job of keeping you all up to date. I will also, at a later time, change the date on each entry to the actual day that I am describing.

Kevin

Travel Notes: Palouse Falls » Kanaskat-Palmer State Park, WA

The way to Kanaskat-Palmer State Park was literally desert until I crossed the Columbia River. I began by climbing up high hills descending down to the river, then climbing and descending another range of hills, and then, finally, I had reached the green part of the state. Many of the crops growing there were labelled, and included large fields of potatoes, sweet corn, spearmint, and peppermint.

Eastern Washington » Palouse Falls State Park, WA

2009-07-21: When one thinks of Washington, I would guess that one envisions lush temperate rainforests, foggy coastline, and cool mountains. These were my expectations. I was going to be camping at a place called Palouse Falls, so I assumed that anywhere with a waterfall would have to be cool and verdant. I came out of the mountains and drove into Spokane, where I was confronted with a temperature of 100° F. I considered not buying another blanket, but where I was going, I thought, it will be cool at night. My GPS guided me down an empty state highway lined by dusty fields, some of which were bare earth, while others produced a golden crop of wheat. I was ready to second guess the directions, but I continued on. The temperature was not getting any cooler. Massive dust devils could be seen in all directions. I actually drove though a couple of them! This area resembled the wastes of Wyoming. How could a waterfall be anywhere near here? It seems that the Cascade Mountains stop much of the rain and cool air coming from the west.

Eventually I did reach the park, and as can be seen in the photos, it was much different from what I had expected. The river had cut its way through the arid steppe and spilled into a circular canyon, its spray creating rainbow patterns as the sunlight filtered through it. In the photo with the waterfall, fishermen can be seen near the bottom of the falls. The canyon opposite the falls reaches to the edge of vision. I strolled around the unfenced clifftops surrounding the falls for a short time, keeping watch for rattlesnakes, before I began to feel tired and weak, which I knew was likely from being dehydrated. I went back to camp and relaxed. There were many noisy birds, which I had not previously seen or heard, darting around the campground's few trees. I saw a number of yellow-bellied marmots as well. The heat finally abated some time after sunset.

Travel Notes: Salmon Lake » Garnet, MT » Idaho

I was at a crossroads here. The signs were telling me I could go north, to Glacier National Park, about 225 miles distant, but if I did that, I would also have to go to Banff National Park in Alberta, as missing it when being that close would be inexcusable. Neither had been in my plans…and I made the difficult decision to head for Vancouver, as I had originally planned. I recalled seeing a sign for a ghost town on the drive to Salmon Lake, and I decided to visit it right away. The drive up to the mountaintop was not difficult, though it took around 25 minutes. I explored the deserted town for a half-hour or so. There were a few old buildings and many artefacts - utilitarian things, as well as mining and logging tools. Tattered wallpaper still hung in places. Old furniture, the most recent dating from 1912, could be found in some rooms of the hotel and its surrounding buildings.

I left the town to head west, and some signs pointed me in the direction of the Interstate. I assumed this was the "recommended" way back - perhaps it would be shorter. But it wasn't! Instead, I made my way down a narrow, one-lane mountain road through the misty forest. It was unsafe to turn while travelling any faster than 5 MPH in most places. Sometimes the road was muddy, while other times the gravel was very loose. Eventually I caught up to a cement mixer, though I have no idea why it was on this road. The dust cloud it generated was nearly impossible to see through. Eventually, after something like 15 miles, I was back on the interstate and bound for Missoula.

I stopped to rest just before crossing into Idaho and was confronted by a swarm of hungry rodents! I tossed them some bits of my lunch (radishes and crackers) and found that they were brave enough to run up and grab these things from my hand, if offered. One fat creature bullied the others but then refused to take the radishes; the others were not so picky. I stopped again briefly to take a photo of the Idaho mountains. The highway took me past Coeur d'Alene; I was satisfied just passing through. I then began descending into eastern Washington. That was to be another surprise…

Bozeman » Salmon Lake, MT

2009-07-20: I experienced a bit of a mountainside adventure between these two points. This day started well. I found a local business that was a laundromat, car wash, and small cafe, with wireless Internet access and a large television, all at reasonable prices with well maintained equipment. I cleaned some laundry as well as my car, and was off to Salmon Lake. 

My GPS receiver told me to exit off of the interstate near a state park named Beavertail Hill. I complied, though this was about 30 miles ahead of where I planned to exit. The paved road (Cramer Creek Road) quickly turned into rutted and potholed gravel and dust. The turn I was to take was around 3 miles ahead, so I made my way slowly down the road. I came to the turn, and found it was a steep upwards slope (I would guess 20% grade), but it was only supposed to be a mile or so until the next turn. I assumed this was a shortcut, and decided to try it out. I crept slowly up the steep road as my engine put all of its torque into hauling me up the dirt path. About a quarter mile in, I came across a locked gate informing me that the road was closed. I did not want to attempt going back down in reverse, so I very carefully turned my Jeep around and went back. It was so steep that I could not use the brakes much, or I would begin to slide. There were, of course, many trees and rocks to collide with. Taking it slowly, I made it back onto Cramer Creek Road and back to the interstate.

I took the exit I had originally planned for and eventually arrived at Salmon Lake State Park. I set up camp and got a shower and went to sleep just after nightfall. I woke up sometime late that night to find the temperature had dropped to around 50° Fahrenheit. I had not been expecting that and I did not have enough blankets. That morning, a friendly Minnesotan camping nearby gave me a cup of much-needed coffee.

Travel Notes: Yellowstone National Park » Bozeman, MT

2009-07-19: I emerged from the storms that were raging through Yellowstone and found myself in Montana. The air temperature had fallen dramatically. The fragrance of pine was thick in the air left damp by the passing thunderstorms. Montana's valleys, in many places, reached as high as much of Yellowstone, but their slopes were considerably more gradual. Some of the valleys I passed through were narrow and likely dark most of the time. The beautiful Gallatin River ran alongside the road much of the way. This part of Montana is an epic place. Within Yellowstone, one often travels up close along massive walls of rock, high, dense, forests, or winding river canyons. This is impressive, of course, but in many places a bigger, wider, macroscopic overview isn't always easy to get. In Montana, one can see alpine meadows lying at the feet of mountains, and behind those mountains, more mountains, and behind those, a wide open sky. The state is sometimes nicknamed Big Sky Country, and appropriately so.

Bozeman's downtown area was quiet when I arrived on a Sunday evening. It was a pleasant place, but the big-box retail strips on he edge of town hinted that it was not long before Bozeman was assimilated into the American corporate hegemony.

I stayed there for the night, and loosely planned the next part of my journey.

Yellowstone National Park: Day II, Part II

Yellowstone National Park: Day II, Part I

2009-07-19: I awoke early the next morning and was pleased to see that I had not received a ticket or citation for parking overnight. I checked if any trails were suitable for a day's hike, and if I would still be able to see all of the famous landmarks in the park after hiking. I decided I would not be able to see all that I wanted to unless I omitted any back country hiking, and I did not want to try my luck with the park authorities (and possibly lose my national pass!) by staying another day. Later, on the way out, I noted that the camps were all still marked as full, so waiting for an open camp was not an option. There were many small things to see - a roadside waterfall here or there, a bald eagle perched atop its nest, colourful flowers lining the highway… But I had a map and a few things in mind, and with a little hustling I was able to get to nearly everything. Some of the things I saw included an eruption of Old Faithful, and its surrounding geysers and hot springs (many of which contained boiling water!), the Norris Geyser Basin (where my favourite geyser, the Green Dragon Spring, which hisses and roars and blows steam, can be found), Mammoth Lake, Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls, and of course, the Grand Prismatic Spring. When I had arrived at the Grand Prismatic Spring, dark storm clouds came roaring over the mountains. The thunder echoed off their stone peaks across the valley. I made my way out of the park through the storm, bound for the green valleys of Montana.

Yellowstone National Park: Day I

2009-07-18: As I approached the park's general region, the terrain had returned to being desert shrub-land. The town of Cody was the gateway to the park and marked the beginning of the climb back into the mountains. The highway followed the Shoshone River's North Fork, sometimes along the sides of the steep canyon it had carved, but more often along its bank. I was excited to arrive at Yellowstone. Sadly, as I approached the entrance, I was confronted by a wooden sign which informed me that every campground in the park was full. I spoke with a ranger there, and was offered Western Yellowstone (in Idaho) as an option that "might" have available campsites. I also discovered that this was a national fee-free weekend, which was likely the reason everything was full. I decided to enter the park and then I would decide what to do. I traveled some twenty miles to get to the first main "town" in the park, on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. The drive there brought forth more and more anticipation as I entered the high forests and looked down into the mountain valleys. The curves and grades were a bit more pronounced than what I went over in Bighorn National Forest. This road wound around the lake and slowly descended to its surface level. I stopped to visit some of the nearby hot springs. These are strange places. The boiling acidic water kills any plant life it touches. The pools emit an a hot steam that smells of sulfur and other minerals I cannot identify. Shortly afterward, I ended up parking my car at the campers' registration center and spending the night in the back seat.

Travel Notes: Bighorn National Forest » Yellowstone National Park

After coming down from the mountains, I dipped into a summery valley of tree lined rivers and vacationing anglers and followed the road along the river. The land gradually became hotter and drier and faded into a wasteland of drab rocky soil and little plant life. Apparently, oil can be found beneath this parched land; pumpjacks in the distance continued their ceaseless reciprocation. In the less rocky places, wheat was being grown. It looked like most other land that could be used was grazing land. On a side note, I noticed that when a large machine, like a tractor or a car, breaks in rural Wyoming, you simply find some empty land, of which there is an abundance, and abandon it. Over time, it will be joined by other failed or worn machines and left to rust.

Bighorn National Forest, WY

2009-07-18: The roadside signs indicated that US Route 16A had the lowest grade and was the safest route to Yellowstone. I did not care much about that, but subsequent signs informed me that it was the most scenic and shortest path. Traveling along this highway, I came into Bighorn National Forest, and I was stunned. This was my first time traveling on a serious mountain road. Slopes descending hundreds of feet and winding turns were a bit of a thrill, but it was the spectacular scenery that had me awestruck. 

This is where things started to get big. It was no longer about seeking out the interesting vistas; they were now everywhere. Beyond most every curve along the mountain road, a new view of an immense landscape loomed ahead. I began to have difficulty portraying the size of these things with my camera. Signs indicated the age and name of various rock formations, some of which were billions of years old. Try to imagine just one hundred thousand years. Imagine what humanity could accomplish in that time - or what we were doing that long ago. Multiply that by ten thousand. It is mind blowing, at least to me. You can stop and touch those very rocks, thus symbolically bridging the eons, but while doing so, take a moment to realize that all of human history is meaningless on such vast scales.

"Pulvis et umbra sumus." - "We are but dust and shadow." Horace, Odes, Book IV, Ode VII, Line 16

Travel Notes: Devil's Tower » Yellowstone National Park, WY

Wyoming doesn't have much of anything along the interstate, or anywhere, really. The scenery is mostly arid, rocky hills with land used for grazing where appropriate. I stopped in whatever towns had fuel to offer when I needed it. But then I saw something on the horizon - mountains! Through the blue haze I could see the snowy peaks. My GPS receiver indicated I was still far from Yellowstone, but this was where the Rocky Mountains began. I hadn't expected anything interesting between there and Yellowstone, but I was wrong...

Sundance, WY » Devil's Tower, WY

2009-07-18: En route to Devil's Tower, I intended to take the quick path. I missed the exit, or maybe there was no exit. So, I ended up going the long way around. The rural areas in between the Tower and the interstate (such as Carlile) were hilly and partially forested. I saw no one aside from fellow travelers.

 

Devil's Tower is a strange object. It looks completely out of place. Geologically, its existence makes sense, but that does not make it easier for the human instinct to accept. It is a sacred place to all Native American tribes in the region. Their holy men hang colourful prayer cloths and small pouches from the surrounding trees.

 

I was amazed that people were climbing up between the columns of this massive thing. I can only imagine what it feels like to stand atop it. I wonder if the descent is more difficult than the ascent.

 

The surrounding forest was a bright, peaceful place. One can hear the cries of eagles that nest on the mountaintop.

Mount Rushmore » ???

2009-07-17: Since Custer State Park was full, I returned to Rapids City only to find that every hotel there and nearby had no vacancies due to a Corvette rally being in town. I had seen the Corvettes and their owners all along the way to Rapids City. It was remarkable how nearly every Corvette owner I saw was nearly identical - down to the same height and weight, clothing, mustache, cap, and many other attributes. So, I traveled as long as I could, even looking for somewhere to stay in Sturgis (which I think by now is pretty much Disney World with motorcycles; the hardcore bikers likely go elsewhere). I ended up staying in my Jeep at a rest stop just across the Wyoming border, near a town called Sundance.

Custer State Park » Mt. Rushmore, SD

2009-07-17: After leaving Custer State Park, just outside of Rapids City, I entered the Shoshone National Forest. Hairpin turns, one lane tunnels, and even corkscrew ramps wound through the forested hills. Mount Rushmore was impressive, though I am never sure if Theodore Roosevelt should be up there. He did a lot of good in that he was a dedicated conservationist and trust-buster, but I cannot overlook his blatant racism. And who knows what the others have done? I heard a child ask her mother, "Is Obama up there yet?"