Montana to Home

From the Dead Indian Campground I headed on up Hwy 296 toward the Beartooth Hwy.    This highway runs between Cooke City and Red Lodge Montana.  You may recall I travel the Beartooth a few years back.      I decided this time to head toward Cooke City, and through the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park.   I got up VERY early because, those of you who know me, know I do NOT like crowds of people, so wanted to avoid most of the congestion I knew would be in Yellowstone.     The sunrise along the highway was wonderful.   The mountains are breath-taking.

I was not so early hitting Yellowstone that there were no people there.   Plenty of them, poised with Cameras to get that perfect shot in the Lamar Valley, and plenty of them just out to see the many many bison, and bison babies.    I didn't stop (unless traffic was stopped), but did manage to get a few photos out the car window.   It is amazing, and being LOVED to death I fear.

You may recall seeing photos from the flooding that occurred last year in and around Yellowstone.   One photo in particular showing how high the water had gotten, and a big swathe of the highway that was washed away.   I drove though that part of the park, and encountered significant delays due to the massive amount of reconstruction going on.    It was impressive.

I headed north out of the park through the little town of Gardener. and back up onto I-90.   This time I jumped off at Missoula and headed west on Hwy 12, over Lolo Pass.    Once again, I found a lovely little Forest Service Campground for the night.

Another VERY early morning as I was close enough to home to think I could make it from there in one day (nearly 500 miles).    Hwy 12 follows the Clearwater River and is another beautiful drive winding through the mountains and along the river.

Hwy 12 took me to Lewiston, Idaho and then on through Walla Walla, Washington.     I could finally see the Columbia River and knew I was getting close to home.

I ended up back on I-84, which takes me almost home.      Mt Hood in my view meant I was almost there.

I am home now, Waddles and the car have been washed.  I still have a lot of unpacking and laundry to do.    Trip Statistics:

Total distance driving: 4725 miles

Number of States: 9

Number of days: 15

I haven't totaled up my average miles per gallons, nor what I paid for gas, not sure I want to know, but the price varied wildly.  Wisconsin was the cheapest by far at $3.12 per gallon.   I think Oregon and Washington were the highest at about $4.49 per gallon.

Can't wait for our next adventure.    I still love Waddles so much.

All Good Things Must Come to a (temporary) End

Well, it is fall, there is no doubt.   The snow is moving down the hills, we are waking to frosty mornings and the vegetable garden has mostly been put to bed for the year.

And Waddles and I had to make one more trip before calling it quits for the summer.    We took a jaunt over to La Grande for the weekend to attend a Marimba Workshop.     The drive over was sunny and mostly clear until we got close to La Grande.   Then things turned to rain/snow/sleet.

There was fresh snow on the hills around the valley, and it was darn cold cooking coffee in the mornings.    My little Heater Buddy did a fine job of keeping the chill off in the evenings and mornings, and I had plenty of blankets so was toasty warm sleeping.

The workshop was amazing, as expected.   Two full days of learning, laughing and love.   It was about so much more than playing notes.   It was about the spirit of the music, the spirit of the musicians, the one-ness of the band.    I come away renewed.

Sunday evening Waddles and I headed back over the hill to Pendleton to spend the night with friends.   It was a beautiful sunset dropping down off Cabbage Hill.

Today we headed home.    It's our final outing together for the year.   Waddles and the car both got a good bath (it was a BEAUTIFUL day today), Waddles is now completely cleared out of camping gear,  and she is neatly tucked into the garage for the winter.

I'm sad.   I still LOVE Waddles, and whenever she is in my rear view mirror it makes me smile.  I have the winter to plan my adventures for next summer.   I can't wait!