Finding the Middle of Nowhere, Part 1

It took us ten days on the road to find the middle of nowhere!  There were many times on the journey I thought we found it but it wasn't until Saturday that I concluded we really were...finally... in the middle of nowhere.  The trip this summer was planned to avoid the crowds and see some of America's less frequented National Parks.  We read and heard that many of the parks are very crowded now that people feel a bit more free to roam the planet.  Except to Canada, which we are still not free to roam into.  No hard feelings...well...almost none.  I miss it, but instead of sitting around missing it, we are enjoying the middle of nowhere, avoiding the crowds and giving some of the other parks a little love.

Sunset on the first night of the road trip, in Fredericksburg, TX.
Not the middle of nowhere yet!

Our first park was Big Bend National Park.  You may have heard, Texas is very large!  We feel like we drove through most of it to get to Big Bend!  After driving many miles on the flat west Texas highways the flat rocky desert gradually changes to a hilly desert with mountains in the distance.  It is like you are in a different state!  We enjoyed getting to know the small town of Alpine which was where we stayed.  Alpine is full of murals!  They are little surprises around every corner.

The murals of Alpine!  
Worth checking out, even if it is almost 100 degrees.
Yes, that is Hoss from Bonanza who is from Alpine.

We explored Big Bend and just had to do the most iconic hike to see one of the most recognized scenes in the park.  TJ rode his bike up and down the steep hills while the rest of us drove to the canyon and hiked to the Rio Grande River.  We saw Mexico, across the water, several different places in the park.  After driving to the three main areas closest to us, we decided we should definitely come back, when it is cooler outside!  The crowds were...minimal.  Nobody else is crazy enough to visit a park in south Texas in the summer.

At least it is a dry heat....🥵

Just a short hike from here....

To here!  Mexico on the left, USA on the right.

After a few very warm days in south Texas we headed north, expecting to escape the heat.  The best way to escape the heat is to go deep into a cave!  Carlsbad Caverns National Park is another, out of the way, park.  We saw that reservations were required to enter the caverns and they were sold out online for the day we were there.  TJ, being TJ, decided to just go get in the very short line with his Senior park pass and try his luck.  Lucky for me...he is a lucky guy!  We were given a ticket to enter and in a matter of minutes we were taking the elevator down 750 feet to the caverns.  No hiking down for us, we were on a schedule and only had a short time to explore.   Ahhh, nice and cool down there.  I am so glad we took a chance, it was amazing!  I wondered if I would feel claustrophobic in the caves but upon entry I realized there was no way it would be a problem.  It was like entering a gigantic cathedral that went on for a mile!  The lighting inside was perfect and highlighted the formations beautifully.  I was surprised how much I enjoyed this place.

I love how the two on the right side are just about touching, after hundreds of years!

Photos will never do this place justice, just go and see it for yourself!

 

After five days on the road and some pretty impressive parks it was time for a break from the trails and the oppressive heat.  Time to join civilization for a couple of days.  Santa Fe is a perfect mix of civilization and still a bit wild.  We enjoyed eating out at nice restaurants, walking the streets and looking at the galleries, visiting a church or two and playing a round of golf.  Playing golf on a road trip feels like a touch of home, since I spend at least two to three days a week on the golf course at home.  It is a familiar environment and an exercise my muscles are familiar with as opposed to hiking on steep trails.  We enjoyed our little civilized break.

To quote on of my sisters-in-law....
"I feel like letting my arms go!"

I had the same feeling here.
Gotta love air conditioned golf!

After a short break in Santa Fe, we headed north to find The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.  Sorry to admit, a park I had not heard of until a few weeks ago.  Our original plan was to spend the next three days in Moab exploring Arches and Canyonlands.  After hearing how overcrowded the parks were this summer and how Arches closed for part of each day due to capacity crowds, our friend Roberto, refigured the route.  Sticking with our "less visited parks" theme we diverted to Montrose, Colorado and Black Canyon.  

To get to Black Canyon from Santa Fe, we passed through Durango, Co. and had lunch with a good friend of our son.  We had to stop!  What are the chances we will pass this way again?  After lunch, we drove The Million Dollar Highway to Montrose, Co.  There are many legends as to why it is called the Million Dollar Highway ranging from one vertigo challenged man saying he would not travel that road again for a million dollars to the legend that when it was built in the 1930's they used gravel left over from nearby gold and silver mines only to discover later that it was rich in ore and very valuable.  TJ agrees with the first legend wholeheartedly!  He drove the first five miles and I had to pry his clenched fists off the steering wheel and guide him safely to the passenger seat while I drove the remaining 80 miles of switchbacks up and down the peaks of the San Juan mountains through the San Juan National Forest.  It is a stunning drive but not for the faint of heart!

Not for the vertigo challenged!

Turns out Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one beautiful park!  TJ, again, decided it would be best explored riding his bike.  For whatever reason, cliffs and switchbacks do not bother him as much on the bike as they do in the car.  The rest of us, again, drove to the end of the park, hiked up and down the trail to get the big view and then pulled over at every lookout on our way down.  I had no idea what to expect from this park and am so glad we put it on our itinerary!  The canyon is deep and dark and surrounded by mesas and mountains.  

We also stayed in one of the most unique accommodations of the trip while in Montrose.  We had 2 rooms in the Old School House Lodge in Montrose.  An  interesting communal experience.  We joked that it had the makings of one of those novels like, "Nine Perfect Strangers" or "The Woman in Cabin 10".  There were the two couples traveling together (us), the guy riding a dirt bike from coast to coast, the young couple who had been in town for a month and were heading back to real life the next day, the mother and her twenty-something son who was taking a break from work, the couple no one ever saw and the woman who lived downstairs.  All the makings of a good novel!  The place is amazing and we loved meeting the other travelers!

Breakfast on the porch in the cool, fresh air!
Perfect!

Glad I have these groovy hiking shoes!
Painted Wall

We enjoyed our time in Montrose very much!  A two night stay makes a big difference when you are on the road for over a week.  We also opted to do take-out while there.  After a year and a half of not eating out, we ate out most nights on the trip up to this point and believe it or not, it felt so good to just stay in.  We played cards after dinner and one night we played dominoes with our new friends, the young couple who had been in town for a month.  We all commented on the fact that last year we would not have sat together at a table with 4 other people we did not live with and play dominoes together.  We all happily thanked our vaccinations for giving us the freedom to really enjoy playing a game together with new friends.  Travel is much different this year than it was last year, and it is a good thing!

Stay tuned for Part 2 when we reach the middle of nowhere.

What's That Smell? Oh, It's Yellowstone!

 Yellowstone was the first National Park in the United States.  That alone makes it worthy of a visit.  The fact that the north entrance is about 80 miles from Bozeman, MT and was very much on our way to Park City, UT made it a no-brainer to visit.  We could have easily spent several days exploring the park instead of one long day, I guess we will just have to go back.  Yellowstone is HUGE!  It is a daunting feeling to drive through the gate and have so much to see with so little time!  We had to pick and choose the highlights and even that was a hard job because there are so many highlights! We followed the road and stopped at every curious and beautiful spot we saw!

First stop....Mammoth Hot Springs

Limestone poetry in motion...or actually in solid form.

I read about all of this in the handy newspaper they give out at the gate but I still don't understand how they formed and find it amazing that they exist. Please do not give me a quiz about the science, I am only here to marvel!  They look like they were melting and then suddenly froze or if you are hungry it looks like caramel drizzle.  One other interesting thing about Yellowstone is the ever present smell of rotten eggs from hydrogen sulfide.  If there is steam wafting up into the air or something gurgling....it smells/stinks!  

The cool thing, one of the cool things, about Yellowstone is that you can stop and see something like the Mammoth Hot springs and then down the road you come across a lovely river surrounded by lush green grass and trees.  Unexpected!

One "must stop" was the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The sign said the lower falls was 1/4 mile away, I am not sure I believe them.  After viewing the canyon and the water falls from one viewpoint, TJ and I saw a path that lead to the lower viewpoint.  He decided to pass on the hike and go fetch our car, that we had to park quite a ways down the road.  I wanted to hike to the lower falls viewpoint.  We decided to meet at the upper parking lot at an appointed time.  I was about halfway down the path, enjoying my downhill hike when it occurred to me that the hike back up was going to be VERY steep!  I kept walking...and walking...and walking.  There were so many switchbacks!  The deeper I got the more I realized there was no way I was going to be back up to the top at the appointed hour.  Oh well.  The view was lovely!  I enjoyed it, took a few pictures, drank some water and prepared for the uphill climb.  I could look up to my end point and I must say it was a bit daunting!

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

The lovely water fall and if you look at the bottom left,
you can see that boardwalk to the lower falls.
Looks easy enough!

Going down! One switchback at a time.

Still going down and realizing these stairs will be a lot harder going up!

Needless to say, TJ had to wait a bit longer for my little expedition.  By now, we were both hungry!  The National Parks were all open but all of the facilities in them were not open.  This was early in our road trip so we were still novices at the whole Covid National Park touring thing.  We did do a bit of research just to make sure there would be somewhere inside the park where we could get lunch.  Lucky for us there was.  It was EMPTY...we were also very late for lunch.  We sped through, ordered something edible and grabbed a table outside (where most of the meals on this trip were consumed).  I sat and looked around and could imagine in non-Covid times this place would have been buzzing!  There would have been people everywhere, no tables to be found and long lines to get anything!  This made me a bit happy and a lot sad.  Yes, we lucked out wherever we went as far as crowds were concerned. Yellowstone was one of the most crowded parks we visited and even it seemed to be running at 30%.   On the flip side, think about all of the families who did not take that long awaited vacation and the workers who are not working because there is no one to feed or the venders that are not selling anything because there is no one to buy their goods.  For us, this was a blessing.  We were on a trip that we had not planned to take.  We were thrilled to have this park to ourselves and to not have to stand in long lines wasting time that could be spent seeing the beauty around us.  But still, it was a bit sad.

 

The lunch break was much needed, especially since there were "real" bathrooms available.  National park bathrooms are a whole other blog post...suffice it to say indoor plumbing is a luxury.  I had seen pictures of some turquoise pools of water and really wanted to see them.  We found the Porcelain Basin!  The color of the water was unreal and yes, it smells!  This place continued to amaze me with its many colors!

I loved the boardwalks through the basins.

Some of the science if you are into that kinda thing!

Nature's thermometer up close.

Our goal was to be at Old Faithful for the 5:30 ish "show" but soon realized it may have to be the 6:30 show.  The problem getting from one place to another in Yellowstone is that no matter how you try, you cannot resist stopping to see the view or to watch the wildlife because you never know if or when you will pass this way again.  We stopped a lot!  

We stopped for mountains

We stopped for bison

We stopped for steamy springs

We stopped for bubbling pools of stinky mud

We watched the clock and kept driving.  One thing that TJ had considered doing was riding his bike across the continental divide and down to Old Faithful.  It was a good idea...for about a minute.  As we climbed the mountain and arrived at the Continental Divide the thermometer on our car read 48 degrees.  We were not dressed for 48 degrees!  He did insist riding across the divide anyway...even if it was just for the photo op!  So...we took the bike off the rack, he rode across, posed for a few pictures, loaded the bike back onto the rack and carried on.  He had stopped about a thousand times throughout the day for me so turnabout if fair play.  

Proof!

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Old Faithful was close to where we would be exiting the park for the day.  We did not want to miss anything before we left but we also did not want to miss the big show.  As luck would have it, our day began with sunny skies but as we approached the big show it got cloudy, cold and a bit drizzly.  

But first...let's stop and look at this lovely river!

 

Look at those antlers!!

It was time for the grand finale to our day in Yellowstone... Old Faithful.  We gathered with the other people, wearing our masks, holding our umbrella and keeping our distance.  We waited.  There were a few minor eruptions to keep us  interested and on the edge of our bench.  We put on our jackets and have found that a mask also helps keep you warm.  I am very glad we got to see Old Faithful.  I am disappointed to say it does not photograph well against a gray and cloudy sky.  The video will have to do.

As soon as "the show" was over we headed out of the park.  We were only distracted by one more sight.  The Grand Prismatic Springs was on my checklist all day.  We just happened to pass right by it on our way out.  One more stop!  One more stinky walk.  One more miracle of nature.

I only wish I had a drone to see this from above!

 

We finally decided it was time to leave.  Unfortunately, so did almost everyone else in the park.  The road through Yellowstone is a two lane road.  There had been an accident a mile or two ahead and traffic was at a standstill.  It took us an hour to drive two or three miles.  After a day of taking our time, stopping at every overlook and enjoying the leisure pace of our day we were ready to be on the road only to have to sit in traffic.  If the view had been across a field at some beautiful mountains maybe I would have been in a better mood.  Nope....just trees....on both sides of the road...for three miles.  We finally got on the road and drove to Idaho Falls, Idaho.  A quick 2 hour drive.  We totally bit off more than we could chew here.  We were beat and hungry and it was late at night.  Nothing was open!  After a day of sensory overload, our dinner consisted of the complimentary frozen Stauffer's Lasagna the hotel provided and we microwaved in the room.  It left a lovely odor in the room for the night.  The glamour of life on the road was becoming a reality.  At least the wine was good.

So, just like Yellowstone this blog post is full of scenic stops and very long.  At least you can't smell it!

Plan B is Pretty Good so Far

When it became very obvious that summer in Nova Scotia was not going to happen this year, TJ and I began making Plan B.  There have always been parts of the U.S. we have wanted to see but never put forth the effort to see.  If I think about it carefully, I have been to all but 7 states.  Those states, other than Alaska, are concentrated in the north central west part of the states.  There are places we needed/wanted to experience.  Also, thanks to some friends, or friends of my kids, the National Parks suddenly seem like places I need to see before it gets too late, if you know what I mean.  Plan B was shaping up nicely.  We figured since we were so far north visiting our kids and grand kids in Wisconsin, why not continue the road trip and visit a few new states, national parks and long lost friends while avoiding summer in Houston.  All plans, of course, with appropriate care and caution to keep our social distance and stay healthy.  Never in our wildest dreams did we expect to visit these places for the reasons we ended up visiting them.  Thank you Covid for making us think outside of the box and allowing us to experience some of the most breathtaking spaces in our country.

Badlands National Park

We left Madison, Wisconsin and the grand kids and headed west on July 20th.  We drove to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  To get to Sioux Falls we had to drive through Minnesota which checked off a new state for me.  We crossed the Mississippi River up north which I found interesting having been raised only miles from it in the state of Louisiana.  It is a mighty river for sure. 

The mighty Mississippi, welcome to Minnesota

We continued on to Sioux Falls and were pleasantly surprised.  It was only an overnight stop but we managed a lovely dinner and a post dinner walk to see "the falls".  South Dakota so far is winning me over with its beauty.  Driving long distances lost its allure to me many moons ago after 40 something drives to and from Nova Scotia.  I am totally over long distance driving, so the fact that I was more than willing to take on this adventure was proof enough that desperate times require desperate measures.  Funny thing though, driving through new places that just happen to be beautiful did not feel as mind numbing as the 40 something drives over the same highways through the same states year after year.  Thank you Covid.

Downtown Sioux Falls

"The" Falls

Our minds are not numb yet!

 The next morning we headed to a rest stop of all places!  I had read about this sculpture of a Native American woman and just had to see it for myself.  The name of the sculpture is Dignity.  It is magnificent!  She stands 50 feet tall and is framed by the Missouri River in the background.  The rest stop is also one of the stops for Lewis and Clark on their westward expedition.  I felt like I was walking on history.  Best rest stop EVER!

She is magnificant!

A sacred stop and well worth the trip.

This was not mind numbing at all!  Look at how blue the sky is....
how green the grass is....
how straight the road is....you can see forever!

Our goal for the day was Badlands National Park.  We/I wanted to arrive with plenty of time to see the park and then take a break for dinner and go back for sunset.  I am very lucky to have a willing co-pilot!  He is the best partner a wanna-be photographer could have on a road trip.  If I want to stop for a photo, he pulls over and off we go.  If I want to break for dinner and go back to the park and sit and wait for sunset, he is more than willing.  There are not many people who would do that.  We stopped a lot of times in the Badlands!  The park was surreal!  What an amazing geologic phenomena.  I could sit and look in wonder for hours.  How does a place like this just pop up after miles of green grass and flat land?  We stopped, we hiked, I took lots of photos and we sat with our mouths wide open in awe.  South Dakota for the win!

I go out on the edge and he documents it.

Lifetime Senior National Park pass.
Totally worth admitting I am 63.

Yellow Mounds

Everywhere you look the colors and formations amaze.

Jagged and smooth

Wall Drug...the "See Rock City" of the west!

I wish I knew this family so I could send them this great 
photo of their picnic dinner.  I love it!

Thank you TJ for partaking of the golden hour with me!

Not spectacular but still memorable.

We left after sunset and drove another hour to Rapid City, South Dakota.  Yes, we were tired.  It was a day full of visual delight.  If you ever think of going to see the Badlands, do not hesitate.  I still look back and thank God for the opportunity to see such an incredible place.  I can only imagine what the native Americans thought when they came upon that "land bad".  What do you do with such a place but sit in awe?  It was the first time we got to use my National Park lifetime pass and I already felt like I got my money's worth.  

Last night, coincidentally, we watched a PBS show about the National Parks narrated by Ken Burns.  I highly recommend it.  I had tears in my eyes by the end because the beauty that has been preserved by the National Park system is a national treasure worth saving.  Having only seen a small portion of the parks I look forward to another and another.  After only two days of our westward adventure, I can say I am so glad we took a leap and did this.  I will take a break here in Rapid City, South Dakota because it deserves its own post to be written on another day.  Stay tuned.