On The Road w/ KC ~ August 6 - ?

[kcowyo]

Greetings from Missoula, Montana!

Due some recent choices that I've made and some choices that were made for me, I have decided to take a sabbatical of sorts and hit the road for awhile. I have no definite plans or timeframe, just the notion to go and see some new areas, places and faces.

While most expeditions will be well planned in advance with a defined goal in mind, my trip has had to be quickly realized or lost and my only real goal is to make the most of the experience. Time will truly tell what this journey is about and what I take from it.

I believe it's a responsibility to share a blessing and since this clearly is a blessing, I want to share some of my impressions and experiences with people here who enjoy the simple pleasures the road offers. I hope you all enjoy what is to follow and I hope I'll be able to update fairly often. The internet has made a small world even smaller.


OK - First week

Left my home in Lander, WY on Sunday August 6th
Raced through Yellowstone National Park with the speed and disrespect usually reserved only for the 2AM Booty Call
Passed two cute hitchhikers and was miles down the road before I realized what I had (hadn't) done....
Visited Ennis, Montana where they made the Steven Segal movie, "The Patriot." The town is much cooler than the movie
Montana means one thing to me - rivers. Best campsite of the week, on the historic Madison River in SW Montana
Drove hundreds of miles over SW MT trails and backroads around Ennis, Dillion, Wisdom and the Painted Rocks Resevoir
Randomly met up with the owner of a small website for Four Wheel Camper owners, (WanderTheWest.com) on a brief trip into Idaho near the Salmon River. I visit his board and have communicated with him but we had no plans to meet up on this trip. Two FWC geeks chatting on the side of the road for half an hour, too funny
Lots of spooky burned areas in SW MT, and some rain that tried to catch me but hasn't yet
Spotted wildlife includes 3 Golden Eagles, 2 baby Bighorn Sheep in the road, several cow elk and deer and perhaps a peacock, I'm still trying to verify that one.More to follow. Pics of where I've been so far -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Montana003.jpg

[Ursidae69]

You are living the dream dood, living the dream! :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[flywgn]

Keep up the 'updates', kc, and don't forget that we now live a stone's throw from Hwy 93.

Ever since riding with SS (when he was married to Kelly) we've avoided ALL of his movies. Having fished the Madison a bunch of times, we know Ennis.

We know the Madison even better. There are several good camping spots right on the River. If you're heading north, there are also good places on the Clark Fork and the Blackfoot.

Have a great time!....and 'we'll leave a light on for ya'

Allen

[seth_js]

Hell fawk'n yeah man! That's so bad ***. I'm so jealous. Please keep the updates and pictures coming.


Raced through Yellowstone National Park with the speed and disrespect usually reserved only for the 2AM Booty Call
Passed two cute hitchhikers and was miles down the road before I realized what I had (hadn't) done....

:xxrotflma

[bigreen505]

K.C.,

Thanks for sharing your journey with us, may spirit be your guide.:wavey: :sombrero:

Oh, and this is one hell of a great picture!
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2820&d=1155341772

[Scott Brady]

The sun rays are awesome. That is my most favorite of natural occurrences. Very spiritual...

Thanks so much for the updates amigo!

[18seeds]

I want to live your life. My first step is to subscribe to this thread.

[datrupr]

KC, that is too cool man. I love reading your posts, and now I have a new one to subscribe to. Keep us posted with your great travel tales and awesome photographs.

[oly884]

KC, beautyful pics!

Glad to see you're enjoying MT as much as I do. My camper gets here on the 30th WOOO, so labor day weekend I'm heading out and about!

[blupaddler]

KC.

Beautiful photos (I may have to "borrow" one with your permission)
Wonderful stories
Awesome journey

[Nullifier]

Nice KC!! wish I was there too.

[kcowyo]

KC, that is too cool man. I love reading your posts, and now I have a new one to subscribe to. Keep us posted with your great travel tales and awesome photographs.

You should probably be here with me. I have room and we could compare notes.....:friday:


Thanks everyone for the compliments so far. Sorry Nullifier that you had to abort the mission. I know you've been looking forward to it and working for it for so long. Would've been nice to catch up.

Robb feel free to grab any pics you like, that's why I put 'em up. Wouldn't be right to be having all of this fun without sharing.

[kcowyo]

Greetings from West Glacier, Montana!

A couple of things to briefly mention for clarification. While the majority of this trip has no set itinerary or schedule, I did have two places in particular that I wanted to visit, Glacier National Park in NW Montana and the central Idaho area. I'm heading to GNP because my previous attempts to see the park in the fall were snowed out. I'm hoping by going in the summer, the weather will work with me even if I have to battle the crowds.

I had alloted a week to make the ten hour trip from my home to GNP via the many backroads that straddle the MT & ID border and it actually has taken 8 days. I stalled at the beautiful Hungry Horse Resevoir, just outside GNP over the weekend hoping the crowds would be less during the week. We'll find out tomorrow if it was worth it. The backroads through Rock Creek near Missoula, Seely Lake and the Flathead Indian Reservation and into the famous Bob Marshall Wilderness have been tremendous and easy to navigate with only maps and a decent sense of direction. The next several days should be spent in and around GNP, with pics and impressions to follow.

And regarding the title to this thread, if it seems familiar, good. I have blatantly ripped it off from my favorite travelling storyteller and fellow NC native, the late Charles Kuralt. It would be impossible and overly sentimental (like MarkF'nStephens overly sentimental) to convey how much I, as a child of the pre-cable era, enjoyed Kuralt's stories from the road. What a great set of pipes too. It is also a tribute to Kuralt, as he often proclaimed Montana his favorite state and a natural treasure. Maybe that's just because it's where he stashed his secret mistress all those years.

More impressions from the road.....

Part II -

Spent Friday, 8/11 in Missoula, MT with a friend at a downtown food, music and microbrew festival. Multiple Double Whiskey Sours make for a poor nightcap following a day of sampling Micro Brews....
Spent Saturday 8/12 swearing off Double Whiskey Sours
It's hard to imagine any devout athiests living in Montana. If there are, surely they must have several doubts about their beliefs when they look at the mountains and rivers around them
Had to deal with several dead trees fallen across the trail. Many of the areas I've passed through have burned in recent years. Strong winds earlier this week felled many and I've been first to come across many of them
The Hungry Horse Resevoir, located directly south of the west gate to GNP is as beautiful a lake as I've seen. I spent 2 days driving the entire 100 mile loop around the lake. The second day I travelled only 40 total miles before finding another campsite that I couldn't refuse. I even took a super quick dip in its emerald waters
If I put a dollar in a swear jar everytime I said "Dammit!" after hitting a pothole on the 100 mile loop around the HHR, by the end of the loop I'd have had enough money to pay to pave the whole thing. Dammit!
The truck and camper are performing very well. I have 3 screws in the camper that shake loose after time on washboard roads. I have far more loose screws in my own head, so I tend not to worry about these too much
You could make a lot of money in Montana, if you sold Subaru Outback Wagons or fly fishing vests
Sometimes the map is right, the locals are right but the darn trail is closed anyway. I came across a few locked gates this weekend and no GPS, Supercharger, or Fridge can overcome that
MarkF'nStephens is right. Moosedrool is a fine local brew to sip on the riverbanks. Wish I could figure out how to send him some
XM Radio subscribers take note - channel 27 is called Cinemagic, featuring the orchestral pieces of some great movies. I listened for hours one afternoon to the music of Legends of the Fall, Field of Dreams, Forrest Gump, Dances with Wolves and A River Runs Through It. Really made for excellent driving music. The anxious music of War of the Worlds, really added to an afternoon's frantic search for fuel
For nearly 20 years I have completely avoided hot dogs. Can't and won't eat them, no matter what. For some inexplicable reason over the last week, I have been craving corn dogs. Everytime I stop to fuel up and they have a little heated display cabinet on the counter, loaded with burritos, churros, etc. I have been compelled to buy two corn dogs. I bet I've eaten a dozen of them in the last few days.....?
I should've gotten a fridge before this trip
You can't win an argument with someone when they are not around and it's only in your head. Willie says, ".... and I know just what I'd change if went back in time somehow, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. I'm forgiving everything that forgiveness will allow and there's nothing I can do about it now."
Trust in WillieMore pics of things I've seen -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Montana108.jpg

[Jonathan Hanson]

Your photos are always awesome, KC!

[BajaTaco]

Subscribed to this thread.

This last post of yours definitely got some audible laughs here :) K.C. it's hard to express stuff in words sometimes... but you are doing a fine job.:bowdown:

And this... I'm speechless (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2852&d=1155611155)...

[pskhaat]

KC, hope you have some very serious time now to think about and consider the proper window dressings for your camper.

Love reading what you have to say here, please keep 'em coming. I'm living though you right now :)

[seth_js]

...Legends of the Fall, Dances with Wolves and A River Runs Through It...

Three of my all time favorite movies.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Montana108.jpg

Freak'n awesome!

[datrupr]

Keep it comin' KC. Now, I do not have XM, but I might have to check my Sirius for a channel along those lines. I would love to drive up there and hook up with you and compare notes, but I unfortunately spent all of my $$ on a trip to Mexico recently, so I am now broke and have no job. Perhaps if I come across a few bucks and I still have the time I will pack up and meet you in Montana. I have not been to Monana in about 15 years, I love it up there this time of year. Or, perhaps, we can compare notes another time.

[bootzilla]

Wow - just stumbled across this thread - beautiful country, and GREAT shots! Sounds like you are having an incredible time doing something I hope we all get the chance to do from time to time - just look and admire - nature, people - everything. :1888fbbd:

I like the Sirius, too - but if you are within earshot of Missoula again, you gotta tune in my buddies Craig and Al on 99.9 - they are great!

[bigreen505]

Thanks K.C.! Beautiful!

[Darren]

Oh man, you're killing me with your comments on part II, namely the potholed road! The pictures very much confirm you are having a stellar trip to this point. The initial God beams shot is magnificent; the one Bill pointed out with your maps, beverage and journal--perfect; then the ominous and amazingly cool cloud shot Chris mentioned is a winner for sure. Too cool you were able to meet with the WTW owner. Looks like your T has a "bit" more clearance than his F150. He may have lowered his, though, I don't know.

By the way, one year ago today I was on a pretty decent trip. I was roaming around somewhere in the Winds with you and remember it like yesterday. Good times, dude. Take care, and enjoy the rest of this trip like you know how and keep that camera at the ready--especially for any other, ah hem, hitchikers that might be walking along! :D



I want to live your life. My first step is to subscribe to this thread.

Too funny!:D

[kcowyo]

Darren, you're the sh!t - :bowdown:

I hadn't noticed the date, nor can I believe a year has gone by already! That was a fun weekend and I'm glad we got to do a longer trip in Utah this year. Where we going next year? :jumping:

I didn't know if anyone else would like the maps picture, but I did. Took it only as a memento of what's becoming my typical morning routine but it turned out pretty well I thought.

There is some nice praise from some great photographers here. I am extremely grateful for the compliments. Those of you who know that I've shamelessly tried to take some of your style and make it mine, I hope you'll take it as the highest form of flattery.

Finally heading into the park today. Be back when I find a connection.

Thanks gents - :beer:

[flywgn]

Absolutely first-rate narrative and photos, KC. Keep 'em comin'!

I don't know about atheists in MT, but we agnostics don't have a problem. :)

We love GNP. I believe that next to the Great Basin NP it's the least visited and that means fewer persons. We tried to get into Canada via the west road last year but the border was closed. The drive up along the N Fork of the Flathead then cross at Polebridge (great tavern there for sandwich and Moose Drool) and back SE to Apgar is worth the dust and washboard.

Also, even though it's paved the Going-to-the-Sun road is well worth the hassle of tourists. Lake McDonald reminded us of the Lake District in England.

I'd say 'Have fun!' but it looks like you already know how to do that.

Allen R

[articulate]

Sometimes the map is right, the locals are right but the darn trail is closed anyway. I came across a few locked gates this weekend and no GPS, Supercharger, or Fridge can overcome that
The meat-n-potatoes of travel is the act of turning around and having your plans f'd up. For some reason, we keep on doing it.

Good stories, amigo:

If I put a dollar in a swear jar everytime I said "Dammit!" after hitting a pothole on the 100 mile loop around the HHR, by the end of the loop I'd have had enough money to pay to pave the whole thing. Dammit!
I was just reliving some tales the other day: every time we came into a little pueblito in Mexico, we'd forgotten all about the notorious speed bumps the Mexicans place in the middle of the highway. "Topes" is the Spanish word. We renamed them in Spanglish to "****in' topes." (sorry, don't let your kids read this...)

Which must be evidence of your nickname for me...

MarkF'nStephens

[oly884]

KC, you have no idea how excited you're getting me to get my FWC!!! Glacier is amazing, no questions asked. I plan on doing many trips to that side of the state.

[kcowyo]

Greetings from Libby, Montana!

This is my first stop and access to the outside world since last week. Libby is just a stopping point on my way to somewhere else but the library had wi-fi so I thought it time to check in.

Over the last week I had a surreal experience, a truly singular adventure in Montana. Although slightly prone to dramatics for the sake of decent storytelling, I cannot over emphasize the significance of the week I spent in Polebridge, Montana. I'm only a day away from it and have not fully processed all that happened and all that I've taken from the my time there. For now, I was searching for the solitude that you find at the end of the road but then found something truly special on the outer fringe and among the souls who flourish there. More on this week later.


"The injustice of travel is having to choose to stay or go."
- read on the Outhouse wall at the North Fork Hostel

"It's never a bad idea to carry two campfire chairs, even when travelling alone."
- KC



Part III -

Entered Glacier National Park on Tuesday 8/15, via the west entrance
Quick trip over the bumper to bumper filled, Going to the Sun Road. Yes, you should do it. No, I probably won't do it again
Visited the majestic lodge at Many Glacier. As scenic as GTSRoad, but less crowded
The famous Weeping Wall, wasn't. In fact, it was rather stoic due to recent drought conditions
Made it within 7 miles of Canada on the Chief Mountain International Highway. Fun to think desertdude & desertgirl were on this same remote road just a few weeks ago
The drought contributed greatly to the recent fires here on the east side of the park. Over 30K acres burned, as recently as last week. Saw several areas where the highway was still black from the fire jumping the road
So most everything on that side of the park was extremely smokey and hazey, hampering pics and contributed to making the trip into Glacier so far quite underwhelming
Start the day with a bad attitude (generators fall under the quiet hours policy, people!) and it will ruin your day, even in Montana
Determined to not let my piss poor attitude ruin a trip I've been wating to make for years, I sought out the most remote spot in the area I can find. Somewhere I can chill out, give the gas card a break and let the annoyance of people wear away
About 15 miles past the end of the road is Kintla Lake. Crystal clear water, rugged mountains and a serene setting for the ravaged soul. It was here that I made a friend, who changed not only the trip itself but made a significant impact on me as well. We journeyed to Polebridge together and both found that sometimes what you thought you didn't want, is exactly what you need.
For the perv's in the group, this wasn't some weird tantric sex thing, it was more than physical satisfaction. This was some deep **** that forced me to reexamine several things in my life. You've heard of that pop psychology craptacular book Chicken Soup for the Soul? This would be more like River for the Soul. Actually this past week was more like "Twilight Zone meets Big Fish" with Tim Burton in the directors chair.....


Until I can put it all together, here are a few interesting things that will be a part of the story about my time in Polebridge -

The Guardian of the North Fork of the Flathead River
A former dude ranch, now a Hostel
Freekbass
Huckleberry Bearclaws
A smoking hot Brit with an old soul
Polebridge Electric Company
A three legged dog
the Northern Lights Saloon
Clinton Ferron and friends
A liter of Crown Royal
A 50 year old transgendered barmaid
the Indian Medicine Wheel
a double rainbow
Three Little Birds
2 lawyers from Cali
a 1963 RHD Land Rover SIIA
Aurorafest 2006
And, I feel a little bit better....
Some pics of things I've seen -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Montana002.jpg

[kcowyo]

Oh yes, formal stats -

Total miles so far - 1,964
Total days on this trip - 16
Total nights camped - 15
Total states visited - 3 (WY, MT & briefly Idaho)
Total hot hitchhikers seen - 2
Total corndogs digested - I don't want to know


Plans from here including messing around MT for a few more days before making my way into Idaho via Lolo Pass, near Missoula, MT. Fires and smoke will determine my route.

...a few more pics -

[flywgn]

KC, your choice of subjects, photos, and journal entries are a treat to view and read. Many thanks!

Glad you made it to Polebridge and met Tripod.

Allen R.

[seth_js]

Hell yeah man, keep on keep'n on. Now I gotta pick my favorite of the lot... hmm, decisions decisions. I think I'm gonna go with this one:

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2953&d=1156201928

[pskhaat]

Dude, I am so in awe! And dearly need some stories from you over the campfire soon.

[Dave]

Freekbass

First, amazing pictures!

Second, Freekbass! :rockon:

[Ursidae69]

This was some deep **** that forced me to reexamine several things in my life. You've heard of that pop psychology craptacular book Chicken Soup for the Soul? This would be more like River for the Soul.

Man, you are in the midst of a gift my friend, a real gift. I'm glad to see you are taking full advantage. :bowdown:

Also, you need to get a kayak or canoe to hit these beautiful lakes you keep seeing. :jumping:

[BajaTaco]

I don't know which I like better, the words or the images. :clapsmile

I really look forward to your posts from the road KC - good stuff!

I think this one is my favorite - two lanterns (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2941&d=1156199882) double the light when things seem really dark :costumed-smiley-007

[oly884]

KC, you lucky SOB. haha

A week from this wednesday and my camper arrives. I'll only be able to take weekend trips (work and school hinder anything longer) but I'm definitely knowing where I'm going!

If ya swing through bozeman, give me a heads up!

[blupaddler]

KC...

Thanks again. I feel humbled and in awe of your journey. Add to the fact that you are sharing this amazing experience with us.

My sincere and heartfelt thanks.

[desertgirl66]

KC, Man, I am there with you in Glacier, seeing as we just went through there!! I loved that part of Montana, the lakes are sooo stunning. And the Huckleberry Bearclaws at Polebridge are the BEST! I am still working those off at the gym :rolleyes:

Long term road trips really have a way of bringing truth into your life and soul. Can't wait to turn around and the hit the road again!

Look forward to more of your great adventures and pictures :elkgrin:

[bigreen505]

[QUOTE=kcowyo] This would be more like River for the Soul. Actually this past week was more like "Twilight Zone meets Big Fish" with Tim Burton in the directors chair.....

That sounds like quite a trip, love the description and the photos continue to illustrate the adventure.

Sounds like the road really did rise to meet you!

[flywgn]

I don't know which I like better, the words or the images. ...

I agree and hope that neither stops coming. :coffee:

Allen R

[kcowyo]

Wow! So many kind comments and things to consider. A few comments I did want to try to to reply to -




Quote:
Originally Posted by 18seeds
I want to live your life. My first step is to subscribe to this thread.


Too funny!:D
Hey....wait a minute... Darren, should I be offended by your comment? ;)



The meat-n-potatoes of travel is the act of turning around and having your plans f'd up. For some reason, we keep on doing it.

....Which must be evidence of your nickname for me...
Well it's been meat-n-potatoes on the menu all week then. The fires and smoke have forced me to change plans several times over the past week. Everywhere it has been one burning, smokey haze after another. I haven't seen this much smoke since the Dead played Dark Star at Hampton in '89.

It's lines like the meat-n-taters line (and particularly the three hole punch) that has earned you the nickname. Definitely one of my favorite scribes and I'm almost glad you're not here with me or I could just see us in hysterical fits of laughter, driving right off a cliff.



KC, your choice of subjects, photos, and journal entries are a treat to view and read. Many thanks!

Glad you made it to Polebridge and met Tripod.
Thanks for all of the kind words Allen. I'm so glad you speak my language. Can't wait to tell you about Polebridge in person. Hope you had a safe trip to Reno!



Dude, I am so in awe! And dearly need some stories from you over the campfire soon.
Actually I'm thinking of starting a therapy group. I've got your seat saved already, right up front. Better bring Jonathan too.....




....Add to the fact that you are sharing this amazing experience with us.

I'm happy to share it with everyone here, plus everyone at home is too busy telling me why I (read: they) can't or shouldn't be doing a trip like this. One gal friend, with a $150K mortgage, 2 ATV's, 2 snowmobiles, a new Tundra and a baby told me, somewhat snidely before I left, "You know, you're not as free as you think you are." I just nodded and thought, "Yeah, but I'm free-er than yooouuu...."




And the Huckleberry Bearclaws at Polebridge are the BEST!

Long term road trips really have a way of bringing truth into your life and soul.
Mmmmm... bearclaws......arrrgghhh
Those damn things tasted so good they made my tongue erect!

As usual, dg is right on with her comments. There is a very good reason desertdude wrote such a nice tribute about her in his Alaskan blog. Wish I could have caught up with the dude and his good-vibe girl in MT. Soon enough I suppose....

I've got to download and resize some pics, but I should have an update from the road ready by later this evening. Thanks again to everyone for the comments and compliments!

[VikingVince]

KC,

I don't know how I missed this thread...but I'm glad I found it. Echoing everyone else - beautiful pics and great narrative...you should write the next "Blue Highways"!!! I'm serious...I think you could do it and it would be a bestseller (think $$$$$$):Wow1: thanks, dude. Hey, if you're still on the road next week(after Labor Day) and thinking of heading south, would love to have you crash at my southern CA mountain cabin...I think you'd love it...it's an entirely different experience than you would think of re southern Cal (which is probably way down your list):wavey:

[kcowyo]

Greetings from beautiful downtown......Lander, Wyoming!

(Yes, this is where I live, but no, the trip is not over. )

Thanks to a great link posted by flywgn (http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html)in another thread, I've been watching the progress of several fires burning through Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The smoke last week in Montana was getting worse and worse everywhere I went. A quick trip into Sandpoint, ID forced me to change my loose itinerary when I came to realize this isn't the best time to see Idaho or explore its many backroads and trails through the 2 million acres of Frank Church Wilderness.

I started backtracking back south through Montana, but even the areas from the first week in Ennis and Dillion, along the Madison River were now in a thick haze. In an effort to see some blue skies I retreated as far south as the town of Big Sky, just north of the west entrance into Yellowstone. Along the Gallatin River the smoke was thinning out so I proceeded into Yellowstone, taking the northern route, east, till I exited at the NE entrance at Cooke City, MT. The smoke was mostly gone and so I opted to take a trip over Beartooth Pass into Red Lodge, MT. The pass was breathtaking as always and the weather was much more agreeable than when I passed through in May (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1541).

I camped at Island Lake, elev 9600ft, in the Beartooth Mountains and it got down to a brisk 38 degrees overnight! I mosied (it's a western thing) into Cody, this past Saturday, 8/26 and by then had decided Idaho would have to wait till I could see it, but what next? According to the Nat. Fire site there are currently no fires in Colorado. Sounds like its time for a little Rocky Mountain High, so Colorado here I come!

From Cody, I called home and made arrangements to spend the weekend with my children and for a quick visit Monday to the local Toyota dealership to get a popping ball joint checked out. I also needed to do some laundry as the camper has started to take on a malodorous air of dirty socks and propane.

Another issue I had to take care of that should be considered by anyone planning a month long or longer trip, revolved around my finances at home. I had paid my bills for August before I left and I left a few signed checks with the gal who's getting my mail and sending in any other bills that may arrive while I'm gone. My one oversight before leaving was not looking to see if I had another book of checks for her, if needed. Well I was actually out of checks and not able to order more until I was already on the road, so I needed to come back to sign a few more to cover September bills. Between needing some time with my wee ones, laundry, a popping ball joint and paying bills, it seemed to make sense to spend a couple of days here, on my way south to Colorado. Plus I still think Lander is as scenic as anywhere else I've been so far.

Now that we're up to date, pics and details of the last week in Montana are up next -

[Desertdude]

you know you are on vacation when you can do it in your own town :)

yes I understand about being gone an paying bills - I do most everything online - Only one company still refuses to get into the year 2000 - health insurance - and when they do not get there money they will drop you like a hot potato covered in aluminum foil right out of the fire...

good writing... still planning DV ?

[Scott Brady]

Your trip is an inspiration KC!

Have you noticed any changes as the time passes: Reduced stress, discomforts, more/less energy, the desire to keep driving south to Spanish speaking countries? :elkgrin:

It is always interesting to hear how a long trip begins to shape people.

[calamaridog]

Thank you for sharing those pictures, very nice indeed.

[Ursidae69]

...the desire to keep driving south to Spanish speaking countries? :elkgrin:


Yeah, what he said! :wavey:

[kcowyo]

Your trip is an inspiration KC!

Have you noticed any changes as the time passes: Reduced stress, discomforts, more/less energy, the desire to keep driving south to Spanish speaking countries? :elkgrin:

It is always interesting to hear how a long trip begins to shape people.

Thanks Scott, this site has been an inspiration and great motivator to flatten my *** in a truck seat instead of on the couch or in a cubicle.

Changes? To paraphrase Old Blue Eyes, I've had a few -

I don't find myself thinking very often about the responsibilities I'll face when I return. To my way of thinking, that will all be there when I get home. No sense in taking a trip and then letting the mind be bogged down with stuff at home. Might as well stay home if you can't stop worrying about things. The first few days I had to remind myself about 10 times a day to stop rehashing old arguments in my head. Now, maybe just once or twice a day do I find myself reflecting on things I can't change. I would say I'm getting there, but more research is necessary!

Stress? Other than fuel; where I'll find it, how long before I run out etc. I really have no big stress. I think stress eminates from expectations and a rigid schedule. I have neither and flexibility is a great stress reducer. I have come to find one thing about my truck I wish I could change. I would love a 3rd and/or 4th door for the ext. cab. That's the closest thing to discomfort I can think of. Oh, and maybe a fridge would be nice....

I learned from my experience in Polebridge, where I was completely out of my element ( and Diet Coke too. The horror!) that if I allow myself to be open to new experiences, more often than not they will come to me. I love having my mind blown away by the unexpected but I didn't really know that until I hit Polebridge. Now, in a roundabout way that doesn't sound like it makes much sense, I am letting my journey come to me.

From our trip to Utah, where I lived primarily for 7 days on doughnuts, Diet Coke and rice, I've learned the importance of eating better on long trips. I found myself pretty worn out by the fourth day in UT, from the steady diet of sugar and starch. I still prefer a diet of "easy to make and easy to clean up" while on the trail, but I've been trying to eat a better mix of foods and drinking more water and juices instead of 6 Diet Cokes a day. The corndog thing doesn't fit into this at all however.....

The globetrotting desertrose said something to me before we both left that I've taken to heart. Basically she encouraged taking this huge leap and reminded me that while some folks might crash, most people bounce. Over the last year in my personal life, I toiled with the choice of freedom or security. Obviously I went with freedom and I haven't crashed yet.

Spanish speaking countries? What, like Phoenix or LA? ;) Well of course the desire to plop my pale white *** on a sandy beach with blue water appeals to me. However until my Spanish consists of more than "Cerveza and tacos de pescado, por favor", I'll probably wait until I can tag along on a trip with some of the more seasoned Baja vets. But please don't think I don't feel the gravitational pull south, especially everytime I hear George Strait sing about starting life over on the Seashores of old Mexico.

So how can I sum up the first 21 days and 2,160 miles? Fear supresses taking advantage opportunities, you can't change another person and the road less traveled that lies within, should always be your first route away from home.

Thanks Scott for the bandwidths of therapy! :beer:

[flywgn]

Well, KC, we're disappointed that you had to alter your plans and therefore postpone (NOTICE: postpone) your diversion by Shoshone, but we've enjoyed immensely tagging along via the ethernet on your trip.

The smoke's bad here today also. Two more fires cropped up SW of us and the Snake River is inhaling the stuff right up river toward us. Seems like the whole west is :campfire: . Smoke chased me out of N Nevada after the Vegas to Reno race as well. Spent a nice night west of Austin (I know there's an ExPo member from Austin?????) at 7000' where the air was clear and the surroundings peaceful, but trying to get up into the Owyhee Valley seemed like a bad idea.

Next time, KC. Either here or Punta Bufeo. We'll catch you later.

Allen R

PS Now just what do I do with the two cases of Moose Drool?
:beer: :beer: :beer: :drool:

[kcowyo]

More Montana -

After my time in Polebridge, where a new friend basically took me like a dishrag and wrung out all of the negative energy I've been filled with and then soaked me up with positive thoughts, feelings and energy, it seemed like it was time to move on and see what other unexpected gifts this trip had to offer. I didn't want to leave but I didn't want to miss out on another opportunity for a surreal experience.

I've somewhat recapped my route in a previous post so I'll just mention some impressions from my trip south, back to Wyoming -

On 8/20 I found a great campsite on Lake Koocanusa, north of Libby, MT. Clear, crisp water, the loons were calling (and I keep thinking Katherine Hepburn is right behind me. "It's me, you old poop!"), the trout were jumping at dusk and a warm breeze joined me for the evening. Don't get too excited, but after dark I even went for a quick naked swim in complete defiance of my inhabitions. As I splashed around, looking up at the stars, letting a lot of inner crappola float away and completely soaking up the experience (and dealing with shrinkage....****ing glacier water...) I could only think how proud my new friends in Polebridge would be to see me so relaxed and not trying to make sense of everything
Paid $3.46 for a large chocolate shake in Sandpoint, Idaho. When I asked if I had been accidently charged for 2 milkshakes, I was told the amount was correct. I asked if there was a milk shortage or a shake shortage or a foreign war with cows for milk, but all I received was a blank stare. When I explained that I could get a gallon of 91 octane gasoline next door for only $3.35, the hapless counter wench simply said, "Oh. But we don't sell gas." Unreal. In an attempt at being discreet, I won't mention the name of the restaurant, I just took my McFleecing and got the McHell out of there
Obviously many of our west coast members are familiar with huge fires and what the smoke does to the sky. For the mid-west folks, the sky looks like a huge dust storm has just blown through and the east coasters would think it similar to when a big factory is on fire. Occaisionally a blood red dot will peak through the smoke. This is cool for about 10 minutes. After that you start to feel like you're driving on faith with a blindfold on. It also makes everywhere really, really hot which I'm not into
The postmaster in tiny Wisdom, MT has no arms below his elbows. This gave me reason to pause when I needed postcard stamps because it seemed like it was going to be an effort just to mail something. He did wear a unique looking set of prosthetic arms, including one that looked like it had a pintle hook on the end. He capably provided me with my 2 stamps and change, then as if reading my mind (or more likely, having seen the look on my face a hundred times before) he stated, "Yup, I can do anything with these that a normal man can do." He paused and then added under his breath with a snort, "Except spank the monkey like I used to!" I thought about asking how that worked out for him, but he was still grinning from his joke and I didn't want to kill the obvious highlight of his day, shocking a tourist. So I left, content with the thought that somewhere out in this vast country, there is at least one government employee who was actually working instead of jerking off
You have to love a western town like Ennis. They have a greeting sign when you arrive that reads, "Welcome to Ennis! Population 600 - Trout 11,000" This is a good place to spend some time
Why do campgrounds have Men & Women's vault toilets? Is there something special in the women's outhouse not offered to men? Seat liners, feminine products, gas masks? Before I finish this trip I'll work up the courage to ask a ranger or peek in one for myselfOn the side of the road, near the town of West Yellowstone, I met Dan. Dan is a vagabond carpenter living out of his custom '84 Toyota truck and camper with his big *** German Sheppard, Rugun. He referred to himself as homeless (which I won't because I think it has a negative connotation) and has been living out of his truck for 6 years. I stopped because the camper and snorkel caught my eye as I passed but it had the hood up. The truck looked like a well outfitted old school rig. This was one interaction I was going to force. Two hours later I had completely checked out this truck and got an unintentional lesson on living life so close, or far depending on your perspective, to the edge.

Wired and wirey Dan had from a distance, this cobbled looking truck made of a homemade steel camper body, homemade bumpers and homemade snorkel. But in the ultimate proof of "it's what's underneath that counts", this thing had the most tricked out 22R and engine bay I've seen. Thousands and thousands of dollars of Downey and LC Engineering upgrades, a custom air and fuel system, I mean the thing was unbelievable! All the parts and ARB compressor were powdercoated black and complimented with red finishes, plus stainless steel lines and hoses. The suspension was all AOR springs & shackles, Bilstein 7100 remote resevoir shocks, u bolts flipped, diff cages, etc. Dan spends a lot of his off time in Moab, living and rolling. His truck and his dog are his life and he's not asking for anymore than that. Very interesting guy and after a two hour discussion left me with, "I'm 53, never been married, no kids and no home. I am spiritual and I do a good job for people. I don't have much and probably never will. I just think we should all go through life with grace."

I swear I can't make this **** up.


More pics of things I've seen -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Montana080.jpg

[HongerVenture]

I just can't get enough of this KC. Thanks for sharing.

[Mlachica]

This is an outstanding thread KC!!!

Your pictures are all :Wow1:

Very very inspirational, I can't wait till I collect months of vacation time :p

[datrupr]

Keep it rolling KC, I am loving your facts, tales and pitures. Try and make your way south to AZ and perhaps even Mexico while you still have the time and positive energy. I would love to hook up with and hear your stories first hand around a campfire.

[p1michaud]

KC,
I'm living vicariously through you as I sit at my desk staring at the screen, reading your adventures and wishing I could do the same.

I hope this trip will bring you what you have been looking for and that you have the chance to keep travelling.

All the best and happy trails!
Cheers :beer:,
P

[kcowyo]

you know you are on vacation when you can do it in your own town :)


Greetings from beautiful downtown Lake City, Colorado!

The welltraveleddude makes a great point and it is with immense pleasure that I return to another hometown as the journey progresses. For six years I called this tiny Colorado mountain town, nestled high in the San Juan Mountains, home. I was married here, opened my own Mexican restaurant and had my firstborn here.

It is a special place for me that I was a little nervous to return to. This is my first visit since moving to WY, right after 9/11 almost 5 years ago. I still receive the weekly newspaper from Lake City and I was hoping to find in person, that not much has changed. Indeed Lake City, pop. 450 & 8600 ft elev., has not changed much at all. I find that a great comfort. The mountains still hover near and over the 14Kft mark, the second largest natural lake in CO, Lake San Cristobal is still clear and blue. Best of all, the town had rain almost everyday from July 1 to Aug. 27, so the hills are green, the sky is clear and there are even leaves starting to change in the higher elevations.

I'll be here for a few days visiting friends, running some trails over to Silverton and of course taking pics. I had lunch today at my old restaurant and it was a very wonderful feeling to see something I created still prospering in this small hamlet. I even found my old CJ-7, that I rolled outside of Silverton years ago, still sitting in the Conocco graveyard. Talk about temptation!

I wish I had more time to spend roaming the hills but I don't want to get sucked back into this town. Not yet anyway.... It's a very secure feeling being here as I've spent so much time in these mountains on foot, Jeep, 4 wheeler, bike, horseback and snowmobile. Who says you can't go home again?


"You can't make a rock from a rolling stone"
- Waylon & Willie


Lake City has some of the most truly unique business names -

Shot & Hung in Lake City Photo Gallery
Curl Up 'N' Dye Beauty Salon
Lost Sock Laundromat
The Cannibal Grill
Hardtack Mine Jackass Line tours
Mammy's Kitchen & Whiskey Bar (where the locals get vocal)
Poker Alice Pizza Co.
Tic Toc Diner (a 1938 Valentine's Diner immaculately preserved)
Mocha Moose Coffe House
More pics of things I've seen -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Colorado023.jpg

[articulate]

Sweet pictures (as always). Thanks for the list of hilariously named haunts in Lake city. Made my day.


Livin on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath as hard as kerosene

[BajaTaco]

Greetings from beautiful downtown Lake City, Colorado!



Cool! If you see my sis, give her a hug for me. :wavey:

Curl up n' Dye... LOL! That's the best hair salon name I've heard yet!

[Desertdude]

Like the "Burger Den" we saw up north - how can you sit around and make this up...


Great update and photos - KCmanaboutthestates

[desertgirl66]

K.C.,

That is sooo "Rocky Mountain High"!!!

:campfire:

[OverlandZJ]

KC, your adventures and how well you relay them always leaves me in awe.


I hope our paths cross someday. :campfire:

[cruiseroutfit]

What a great thread :Wow1:

I'm envious of you ability to pick up and hit the road. I long for the day I am able to hit the road for a month or so... Until then I will get my fix through your adventures.

Lake City is a neat town, we had lunch there a couple weeks back at the Tic Toc Diner.

Keep up the good work!

[Scott Brady]

More great stuff KC!

Please don't hesitate to let us know how we can help in any way. Maybe a few days in Prescott before the DV trip? We would love to have you :beer:

[kcowyo]

Checking in from a sprinkling afternoon in Lake City.

I played the tourist today, taking pics at the lake and even the local cemetery. I never went there when I lived here because, well, why would I? I mean who hangs out in a cemetery?

I also visited some friends who are expertly trying to lure me back. Had a wonderful meal last night of fish tacos with tequila avacado suace at Mammy's Kitchen. I actually ate in the kitchen while visiting with the chef who is a good friend. And did I hear we have some Shiner Bock fans here at the portal? Well I had a few of those too.

Meeting up with the owners of Poker Alice Pizza for dinner tonight. I worked for them for a couple of years before opening my place. Wonderful people who I miss all of the time. I'll camp up Henson Creek again tonight, which is the beginning of the Alpine Loop that includes the popular Engineer and Cinammon Passes.

Tomorrow I'll make my way over Cinammon Pass into Silverton and down the Million Dollar Highway. For the holiday weekend I'm thinking of heading to Monument Valley to catch up with the Super Cool Chick and his wife Brooke. We'll see where I wind up!

BT- no sight of sis yet but I did see Tim pass me yesterday in a late 80's 4Runner. You'd be proud, it was even white!

Alaskadude and Alaskagirl rule! I wish they would adopt me! :jumping:

Scott, you know I hate to ask for help, but I know you've got some stroke. Can you do anything about the $3.35 - $3.50 I'm paying for fuel? Honestly, you'll see me soon enough. Please warn Stephanie.....

SWR - doesn't $360,000 seem like a lot of cash to spend, to buy yourself a job where you have to work your *** off for a slow return on your money?

Such is the paradox of Lake City, where a suggested town motto for the tourism brochure once was, "We're all here because we're not all there."

A few more pics from this morning -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Colorado019.jpg

[kcowyo]

Originally posted by Willie
Livin on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath as hard as kerosene


Oh yes, I didn't forget about you my little wordsmith.....



To all the girls I once caressed
And may I say I've held the best :violent-smiley-031:
For helping me to grow
I owe a lot I know

[OverlandZJ]

Boy i wish i could pack up and head off to meet you KC. My return to work only lasted 3 weeks...and i'm sitting home again.

Looks like your cruising around Colorado, myself and Cowboy saw some of the San Juans in the late 90's.

There was one road we really enjoyed and ran into some severe weather...it's called Last Dollar Hwy and it was awesome. It terminates at Telluride airport. Here's a pic of a scenic spot along the trail where we spent hours...you may be able to camp here also.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d24/ExpeditionXJ/mtntop.jpg

I can turn you onto a nice campsite in Gunnison NF if you get that far south. It's very close to "Diner Station".

Pardon the old crappy photo.

[kcowyo]

Oh, I knew you were kidding. Although I wish I had gotten $360K for it when I sold it......

What I meant was it is so interesting that everything in LC is for sale for a very high price. Unfortunately you have about 100 days to make your money here as the town virtually closes in winter. There is nothing to justify the high prices except that everyone wants to move here until they realize it is nearly impossible to come out ahead with any type of business.

I mean if you had $360K handy, first can I borrow some and second, would you use it to buy a restaurant? I think I'd just keep the money and live off the interest...:suning:

[articulate]

Oh, I knew you were kidding. Although I wish I had gotten $360K for it when I sold it......

What I meant was it is so interesting that everything in LC is for sale for a very high price. Unfortunately you have about 100 days to make your money here as the town virtually closes in winter. There is nothing to justify the high prices except that everyone wants to move here until they realize it is nearly impossible to come out ahead with any type of business.

I mean if you had $360K handy, first can I borrow some and second, would you use it to buy a restaurant? I think I'd just keep the money and live off the interest...:suning:
Of course! Everyone wants to live in one of those quaint mountain towns with fresh air, peace, and run a B&B. The economics never work, though. There is always something screwball messing with the market - like people with a lot of money. :)

A nice coffee shop owner in Ouray once told me, "If you want to lose a million dollars, buy a million dollar business in Ouray." His coffee shop is long gone now.

[bh4rnnr]

Kc, it was good to meet ya. Funny that is was just outside Silverton coming down from Animas forks rd. What are the chances:Wow1: . We will have to get together soon, longer than 10 minutes.... Enjoy the rest of the trip:beer: .

[durango_60]

Great camping with you on Friday night KC. Simon(my 4 yo) was a little dismayed that you were gone when he finally rolled out of bed, he is looking forward to camping with you again. Hope MV was good and I'm looking forward to more pics a narratives.

[kcowyo]

Greetings from beautiful downtown Silverton, Colorado!

The last few days have been some of the best of the trip. As Perry mentioned, we bumped into each other near here last Friday. Cool guy (best 'do on ExPo for sure!) and a sick little outfit! Wish I had a rig to keep up with him on some of the harder trails around here. Cinnamon Pass with the Condo is about as much as I need.

Later that same day I was able to weasel in on a camping trip that durango_60 had planned with his family and friends. Thanks so much for letting me in on a great hidden campsite in La Plata Canyon. I really enjoyed meeting Jonathan in Leadville in June, he's a great guy with a wonderful family. Cool wife, adorable baby girl and the coolest little boy, Simon, this side of my own wee man. J, please tell Simon I'm looking forward to camping with him again. I know you're proud of him and you should be.

Following a night camping in Durango, I made my way 3 hours west, to hook up with articulate and his wife for a 3 day-er in the Monument Valley area. In addition to MV, we hit Natural Bridges National Monument for some light hikes and later drove the awe inspiring Valley of the Gods. I have been looking forward to meeting MarkF'nStephens for quite awhile now as I'm a huge fan of his writing and photography.

I'll save most of my thoughts, comments and funny stories from that trip for his MV thread, but it was a great trip he put together. His wife is indeed the Super Cool Chick and they were great and easy going to hang out with. He's also put together a great truck for exploring and I really enjoyed his shower for washing away too many days of trail funk. I'm happy to say he's as good a guy as he is a writer and photographer. Inconcievable!

Although I was hoping to travel further into AZ, my candy *** can't take the heat and so I've retreated into Colorado, where I'll be camping near Eureka (between Silverton and Animas Forks) for a few days. I would love to take up those offers to visit our members in AZ & CA, but gas prices, heat and needing to be within a one day drive of home will keep me in the Rockies for now. The trip will be wrapped up in the next couple of weeks as sadly, all good things must come to an end.


"I love to hike with the class of people who come to see the Bridges,
since they all seem to have a little pioneer blood in their veins."
- Zeke Johnson, first Natural Bridges NM superintendent
Journal entry, July 1937


Trip stats -

Total days on the road - 31
Total nights camped - 29
Total miles traveled - 4,551
Total states visited - 6 (WY, MT, ID, CO, AZ, UT)
Total hot hitchhikers seen - 2
Total corndogs digested - pales in comparison to the # of Diet Cokes consumedMore pics of things I've seen -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Utah002.jpg

[pskhaat]

I missed you guys on the way down from Bluff on Sun/Mon! I tried calling a few times, but my mobile coverage was spotty at best and zilch in MV. Hope you had a great time.

[articulate]

Damn dude! This stuff came out better then I thought: dust storm in MV (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3154&d=1157486593)

...but on to saying something worth reading, folks, the front of his truck - after those 4,551 miles - was cleaner than the kcowyo himself. That ain't sayin' much. He has a solid (no, literally solid) collection of bugs, insects, road weeds, and cattle flesh plastered on the front bumper and the camper. Absolutely disgusting. And just the kind of guy you'd want to camp with for a few days.
:camping:

If it wasn't for our shower system, I'm not sure he'd have gotten one at all during the On The Road with KC journey.

Sweet MV shots. Good to meet you. Let the smart *** writings continue...

[articulate]

I missed you guys on the way down from Bluff on Sun/Mon! I tried calling a few times, but my mobile coverage was spotty at best and zilch in MV. Hope you had a great time.
Yeah, coverage was nuthin'. Sorry we missed you. Mr. ScenicWonderRunner is out there somewhere still, probably doing plenty of running around those scenic wonders. We never hooked up with him either.

[Scott Brady]

Hey Mark,

What's with the new license plate :ylsmoke:

[kcowyo]

If it wasn't for our shower system, I'm not sure he'd have gotten one at all during the On The Road with KC journey.



The shower rocked! Great pressure and smart set up. There is only one thing that could make it better......


You reeeeeaaaaalllllyyyy need one of these -

http://www.pahaque.com/imagelib/tepee.jpg

[blupaddler]

Hey Mark,

What's with the new license plate :ylsmoke:


:xxrotflma :xxrotflma

[blupaddler]

KC...

If you insist on staying the Rockies and continue posting all of theses pictures, I am going to have to unsubscribe to this thread. I can't take it much longer.

I REALLY need to get my butt out to Colorado.


Once again...:Wow1:

:bowdown: :bowdown:

[articulate]

The shower rocked! Great pressure and smart set up. There is only one thing that could make it better......


You reeeeeaaaaalllllyyyy need one of these -

http://www.pahaque.com/imagelib/tepee.jpg
:xxrotflma

Nahhh...those suck. Or blow. it's just a $200 wind rocket. Note to others: If you're thinking of getting - or have - a paha que shower tent, you are hereby advised not to set it up next to a cliff in high winds. May as well shower under a hang glider.


Hey Mark,

What's with the new license plate :ylsmoke:
That went right by me!

[Scott Brady]

:xxrotflma

Nahhh...those suck. Or blow. it's just a $200 wind rocket. Note to others: If you're thinking of getting - or have - a paha que shower tent, you are hereby advised not to set it up next to a cliff in high winds.

Yes, they do require using all of the ground stakes and guide lines. I found that out the hard way too :peepwall:

[articulate]

Yes, they do require using all of the ground stakes and guide lines. I found that out the hard way too :peepwall:
Uh....it WAS staked, with four rocks inside as well. Now it's a kite. Or a Navajo sweatlodge. Or just swimming in the San Juan.

It's also one of the funniest things to happen in camp this year. :p We came back to camp to see that the tent left us for something better, the stakes still in the ground, and the floor with the rocks in place as well. Not so hilarious at first, but I giggled about it the whole way home. I could take an ad out on craiglist: "Paha Que parts available for cheap."

[Scott Brady]

OH NO, now I understand

:xxrotflma

[bh4rnnr]

Greetings from beautiful downtown Silverton, Colorado!

The last few days have been some of the best of the trip. As Perry mentioned, we bumped into each other near here last Friday. Cool guy (best 'do on ExPo for sure!) and a sick little outfit! Wish I had a rig to keep up with him on some of the harder trails around here. Cinnamon Pass with the Condo is about as much as I need.

Later that same day I was able to weasel in on a camping trip that durango_60 had planned with his family and friends. Thanks so much for letting me in on a great hidden campsite in La Plata Canyon. I really enjoyed meeting Jonathan in Leadville in June, he's a great guy with a wonderful family. Cool wife, adorable baby girl and the coolest little boy, Simon, this side of my own wee man. J, please tell Simon I'm looking forward to camping with him again. I know you're proud of him and you should be.

Following a night camping in Durango, I made my way 3 hours west, to hook up with articulate and his wife for a 3 day-er in the Monument Valley area. In addition to MV, we hit Natural Bridges National Monument for some light hikes and later drove the awe inspiring Valley of the Gods. I have been looking forward to meeting MarkF'nStephens for quite awhile now as I'm a huge fan of his writing and photography.

I'll save most of my thoughts, comments and funny stories from that trip for his MV thread, but it was a great trip he put together. His wife is indeed the Super Cool Chick and they were great and easy going to hang out with. He's also put together a great truck for exploring and I really enjoyed his shower for washing away too many days of trail funk. I'm happy to say he's as good a guy as he is a writer and photographer. Inconcievable!

Although I was hoping to travel further into AZ, my candy *** can't take the heat and so I've retreated into Colorado, where I'll be camping near Eureka (between Silverton and Animas Forks) for a few days. I would love to take up those offers to visit our members in AZ & CA, but gas prices, heat and needing to be within a one day drive of home will keep me in the Rockies for now. The trip will be wrapped up in the next couple of weeks as sadly, all good things must come to an end.


"I love to hike with the class of people who come to see the Bridges,
since they all seem to have a little pioneer blood in their veins."
- Zeke Johnson, first Natural Bridges NM superintendent
Journal entry, July 1937


Trip stats -

Total days on the road - 31
Total nights camped - 29
Total miles traveled - 4,551
Total states visited - 6 (WY, MT, ID, CO, AZ, UT)
Total hot hitchhikers seen - 2
Total corndogs digested - pales in comparison to the # of Diet Cokes consumedMore pics of things I've seen -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Utah002.jpg

KC, thanks for the kind words. Sounds like the trip is going well. Love the shot of the dust storm. Keep the updates going!

Mark, looks like the rig is progressing:cool: . Wish I had a rooftop tent.......

[kcowyo]

My intent to spend a couple of days camped in Eureka, CO have been thwarted by an invasion of locals.

This morning at 6AM several hundred head of sheep were being unloaded to graze in the area. I woke up seeing all of the sheep and thought I'd woken up in the 80 series section of Mud (Please don't flood my PM's. I love 80's but when I heard an 80 owner and member of this and that forum referring to themselves as sheep, I thought it too funny not to repeat).

After downing several excellent coffees at the Mobius Cafe & Bike Shop in Silverton this morning, I'm going to head for the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. I'll be in touch soon - :beer:

[pskhaat]

You won't be dissapointed with the Dunes...but you've probably already been there? Do leave your truck though for a night and hike into the Dunes and camp under the stars weather permitting, it's a great place.

Be prepared, we hit snow 5 miles north of there about a week ago :)

[jeffryscott]

Damn dude! This stuff came out better then I thought: dust storm in MV (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3154&d=1157486593)

...but on to saying something worth reading, folks, the front of his truck - after those 4,551 miles - was cleaner than the kcowyo himself. That ain't sayin' much. He has a solid (no, literally solid) collection of bugs, insects, road weeds, and cattle flesh plastered on the front bumper and the camper. Absolutely disgusting. And just the kind of guy you'd want to camp with for a few days.

did super cool chick throw a beer bottle at KCs truck trying to shoo those bugs away?:xxrotflma

[articulate]

did super cool chick throw a beer bottle at KCs truck trying to shoo those bugs away?:xxrotflma
Well, the bugs were dead, smashed and well-embedded. A little beer wouldn't do a thing.

:Wow1:

[datrupr]

I think I might be the only one lucky enough to have Super Cool Chick throw beer at their camping gear.:victory:

[kcowyo]

“Never allow anyone to rain on your parade and thus cast a pall of gloom and defeat on the entire day. Remember that no talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, are required to set up in the fault-finding business. Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealously, and envy. Guard your fragile life carefully. Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces.”
- Og Mandino


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Utah007.jpg


Greetings from soggy Alamosa, Colorado!

Well after 30-some days on the road, the rain has finally caught up with me. I am just a few miles from the Great Sand Dunes NP (which I haven't seen yet) and will likely see them in the rain and overcast skies today. The rain started in Silverton, followed me back over Cinnamon Pass into Lake City and down the Silver Thread, Hwy 149. I stopped yesterday to travel back into the Rio Grande Resevoir and the Wheeler Geological Area, both of which are several miles, off road between Lake City and Creede. Archery season has started here so the hills are alive with safety orange, the sound of generators and the scent of store-bought doe urine. Ah, Fall in the San Juans......

It is with more regret than anticipation that I left the San Juans. It would be far too easy to spend time where I'm comfortable with old friends and familiar restaurants. That would be a vacation and I am not exactly on "vacation." In the words of a great American thinker, traveller, football star, war hero and shrimpin' boat captain -

"My Momma always said you got to put the past behind you before you can move on. I think that's what my run was all about."

And so it goes. Many people might go endure tough changes in their life and turn to the bottle, or worse, for their escape. That's not my style. In the most redundant sentence you will read in this thread, travelling has always been my escape. Least Heat Moon said a man who can't make things go right, can at least go.

Waxing a little philosophical, I think that's exactly right. It just seemed unproductive to try to do the growing that I need to do at this point in my life from my cubicle, complete with a 3 hole punch. Hopefully, I return a little wiser and a little more at peace with situations I can't change. If not, I suppose there's always the bottle....;)

Actually, this amazing woman I met in Polebridge, who was on her own soul searching quest, actually said it best when she offered, "We usually already know the answers that we're seeking. It's putting them into practice that's difficult." That little nugget of enlightenment probably came too early in the trip, because while I understood what she was saying, I still felt compelled to move down the road; looking, searching and accepting.

For those that check this website for trail info, GPS coordinates, the latest in suspension mods and exotic trip reports, I apologize that this thread offers little of that. It is with great appreciation that ExpeditionsWest has allowed me to use this space as I have. I am also grateful to the many members here who have commented and complimented this thread as well as those who have invited me to their homes and offered to share their time with me. This thread was started for selfish reasons but I am amazed at the response it has received. If it inspires just one person to make their own situation better, than it's been worth barring my own dramas on the world wide web.

More pics of things I've seen -

[datrupr]

KC, great post and more great pics. I love the shot of the 110, but they are such eye candy around here that I am sure everyone is loving it. And, I do have to say, that this thread has inspired me to take my life in a new direction, for the better I am thinking. I just wish I had the means to soul search the way you are. Now, it has not been over 100 in a few days down here in Phoenix, so get your arse down here and lets hit the trails for a weekend.

[chet]

I for one do not mind your ramblings one bit! I say thanks for sharing them. I fully support your philosophy. I went through the soul searching and finding myself thing around 5 years ago. I decided that the bottle was not the way and built me a kick arse 4x4 that kept me busy and sane. Once my life settled I sold it and moved on. :iagree:

you pictures are truely stunning.

[articulate]

KC -
I was driving to get some lunch today thinking about that road through MV where you mentioned that it was straight out of ol' Forest Gump.

...and I couldn't help but notice the fine symbolism. That's the very point where Gump stops, turns to the lemmings, and one dude says, "Wait. I think he's going to say something."

"I'm kinda tired. I think I'm gonna go home now."

Well, frankly, that seems to me that was the same place you did the same thing. In different words, but you turned around and began your trek home. So, the question begs to be asked: What do your feet and pounding heart say now? Perhaps not much more than what Gump says?

:friday:

[kcowyo]

So, the question begs to be asked: What do your feet and pounding heart say now?

Some dude -"Wow! You just ran through a big pile of dog ****!"

Forrest Gump - "It happens."

SD - "What, ****?"

FG - "Sometimes."


:violent-smiley-031:

[kcowyo]

Greetings from beautiful downtown Moab, Utah!

Yes, I have arrived at the Mecca. Let there be no doubt that Utah is America's premier playground. Following a 700+ mile drive yesterday through Taos and Shiprock,NM I arrived very late in Moab,UT last night.

I finished up last week at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado. It was my first visit to the park despite having driven by it many times. The dunes are huge, the tallest in the US, some almost 800 ft tall. The rain wasn't cooperative although it made for some great low hanging clouds over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

At Chuck's suggestion, I took the Medano Pass 4WD road around the east and north part of the park. This soft sandy road with tons of hoopdees, would be great on a mountain bike! There are several primitive (ie: free) campsites along this road and there are at least five creek crossings. Some up to the tops of my 33' tires and 2-3 truck lengths long. Coulda' used some Shmorkle Farkle.

After the dunes, I spent a great weekend in Ursidae69, New Mexico (it's on the grid, but off the map) with my good friend Chuck. He made the mistake of taking me out in public to meet some friends for dinner and drinks. And while I may not be allowed back in Espanola anytime soon, he's got a great crew of people around him. Despite the typical good natured razzing that seems to follow a few drinks, it was obvious that they all think highly of Chuck and value him as a friend. I completely understand.

I'm hoping to spend a couple of days around Moab and then proceed north. I'm really dissapointed that all of the fires (17, at last count) in Idaho will keep me from exploring the interior of that state. I've been holding out for rain but I don't know if they'll ever get any. If I can't get into Idaho, I may opt for home for awhile, we'll see.


More pics of things I've seen -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Colorado033.jpg

[Desertdude]

Love that area :088:


BTW when we came through Idaho we drove through millions of acres of previously burned trees - it is hard to see and be inside that type of forest.

[flywgn]

Thanks once more, KC, for this entertaining and stimulating account. Your images, both photo and word, are exceptional.

We're still under a layer of smoke here. The "Burnt Fire" in Utah is "completely under control", but this still means that a bunch more smoke will emanate from it. Many of the fires now burning in ID are wildland fires that they will not attempt to extinguish, so nature will do its thing. What's more, many are now "complex" fires, that is, several smaller ones that have joined up to become one.

Maybe we'll get some early fall rains. :rolleyes:

Allen R

P.S. I think your shot of the Mittens in MV is exceptional. Where is that river shot? CO? WY?

[Ursidae69]

Great pics of the Nambe Church and the area around Truchas. :bowdown:

[BajaTaco]

:clapsmile I finally got caught up on my lunch break today. Man, I love this thread. I couldn't stop laughing a couple of pages back there...

Mark, how did DMV let that plate slide through?! :D

KC, I am LOVIN' the pics! BTW, I shot that 110 (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2468&d=1151506601) in Silverton too. Man, whoever owns that thing should get signed on here at ExPo.

[GeoRoss]

Congrats on the Shiprock photos. I used to live in Farmington and the air quality in that area used to be so bad, so often that it was actually rare to have such a clear sky.

Ross

[kcowyo]

Thanks everyone for the comments and compliments. Good pics are easier to take when you put yourself in such beautiful places.

Flywgn, I'm not sure which picture you're referring to, but I don't have any from WY. Must be Colorado.... (Wow, I stumped Allen, that's better than stump the bartender!)

I was afraid that I would find much of Idaho burned. It happened to me in Montana too. It's cool for the first hour or two, but it gets depressing rather quickly.

I just finished the La Sal Loop. The colors are turning up high, lots of gold Aspens. Also got a tip on where the locals take a dip under some waterfalls, apparently sans swimwear. If I were a little more incorrigable (thanks for noticing Allen!) I would check it out but I think I'll opt for the high country tonight.

Re the 110, it just worked that he pulled up as I was trying to get a shot of LoDo Silverton. If he'd been driving a Kia, I'd have Photochopped it. ;)

[kcowyo]

Before I wrap this trip and thread up, I thought it only appropriate to mention a few things about my faithful companion on this trip and the big reason this year has been full of so many great adventures, my 1997 Toyota T100.

The Lone Ranger had Silver, Christopher Columbus had the Nina, Pinta & Santa Maria, heck even the Fonz had his bike. Our host, Mr. Brady has referred to his Tacoma as a tool for his work, Jonathan Hanson's FJ40 has long been an invaluable member of his explorations to educate others. The Bajataco has clearly been a creative outlet as well as a capable, comfortable traveling vessel to its owner.

Every cowboy has his horse, so I thought it fair to I tell you how my own outfit, specifically the modifications made to it, has enhanced my travels over the last year. Rather than doing a repetitive recap on this trucks' mods (you can read a slightly dated list of that here, if you're interested) (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=15871&postcount=61), I thought it might be more helpful to recap what has worked and what hasn't been worth the money.

ARB rear Air Locker w/ ARB Compressor -(*E-lockers were never an option on T100s) Big bucks investment, used very seldom. On four distinct occaisions when travelling solo, the locker helped me recover myself. I believe the tow bill and mocking of friends would have been far more to endure than the cost of a locker. The single best investment to make to any vehicle that will see miles and miles of dirt roads.
TRD Supercharger - Even bigger investment and requires top dollar 91 Octane gasoline. Living and travelling in 6,000ft elevations among the many mountain passes, whether towing a trailer or now with the FWC, the SC has proven to be the best performance mod of all. The ability to get out of your own way, pass slower moving vehicles, tow at legal speed limits over 11,000 ft passes, improved MPG over stock ratings and the sheer thrill of hearing that whine winding up are the reasons I am enamored with the SC. Besides, when was the last time you heard a Toyota owner complain that his rig had too much horsepower?
Mild suspension tweaks - I'm a longtime believer that ground clearance and traction are the most important upgrades one can make to improve off road performance. The subtle mods like larger Torsion bars, adjustable air shocks, low profile bumpstops, and most recently adjustable airbags combined with 33' tires have provided me more ground clearance and more wheel travel. The custom 1 inch ball joint spacers I have waiting to install will provide additional lift and wheel travel, while keeping me in the mild lift specs I prefer.
Four Wheel Camper - More than all of the other mods, this had the potential to be the coup de grace or the beginning of a very slippery slope. After 54 nights in the camper this year already, I would have to say this has been the best money spent yet. It has yet to limit where I can go and provides a safe harbor from the weather. It makes for a damn fine animal blind as well.
Satellite Radio - Finding the perfect music for the area you're in can really enrich the experience. Popular western movie soundtracks really enhanced Montana. Willie, Waylon and Cash compliment Colorado very well while Coldplay, Pink Floyd and other heavy synthesizer acts set the perfect mood for Utah's slickrock trails. I still prefer heavier faster tracks for big city driving (get out of my way if you see me in the rearview and hear Linkin Park blasting) and XM has allowed me to deeper explore my relationships with Beyonce and Fergie.Mods that I have found to either not be worth the money or effort include things like -

Fender Flares and debadging the T. People just think its a Tundra. Call it Schmundra Farkle
Magnaflow hi flo cat and exhaust sound good but a header may have been a more effective mod
Safari Rack (when I had the topper) was just a place to put more stuff that I didn't need and was difficult to access.
Window tint is great when it's hot out and a PITA to see through at night.
GPS - I'm sure I would enjoy it if I used it more, but for me it's one more thing to update and keep an eye on. I like big colorful maps layed out so I can daydream about where I've been, where I'm going....
CB Radio - Al & Chuck say 2M is better. Whatever, I still can't pretend that I can't hear MarkF'nStephens when he knows I have a radio onOverall, this outfit has far exceeded my expectations and original intentions. The quality and reliability has been unequaled. It sounds silly but I also enjoy the bragging rights of having a Toyota that was actually made in Japan. For the last month and a half on the road it has been the one thing I could count on when the weather turned, the trail petered out or the restaurants were all closed. It has provided me with shelter and comfort in an extremly capable package. I think I'll keep it -

Thanks for letting me toot my own horn - :smiley_drive:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Montana095.jpg

[bh4rnnr]

Kc, sad to see the trip comming to an end. Have enjoyed the storys and pics. Still cant get over running into you. Glad your enjoying the truck, nothing beats a strong running yota. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us:beer:

[articulate]

Before I wrap this trip and thread up, I thought it only appropriate to mention a few things...Every cowboy has his horse

Thanks for letting me toot my own horn - :smiley_drive:

This has been GREAT. What we need now is a thread about How to Get Rid of That Nasty Expedition Smell That Seems To Accumulate in My Truck

After that many days, you don't think you need a fridge? (:littlefriend:)
After that many dusty roads, you don't think you need a snorkel? (:yikes:)

Willie sang it best:

Well it's late so I guess I'll be going
Too much smoke what I need is some air
By the way did she ask you about me
I just wonder not that I care

[goodtimes]

What we need now is a thread about How to Get Rid of That Nasty Expedition Smell That Seems To Accumulate in My Truck

Yea, that corn-dog smell can be hell to get out.:xxrotflma

[durango_60]

OK, now it is someone elses turn to allow the rest of us to vicariously explore some fantastic parts of the country.

Fantastic storytelling, I'm glad I was able to meet up with you for a small piece of it. Now go get a job you slacker...:violent-smiley-031:

[bigreen505]

This has been GREAT. What we need now is a thread about How to Get Rid of That Nasty Expedition Smell That Seems To Accumulate in My Truck

This expedition has been brought to you by the makers of Febreeze. :jump:
Seriously, you should contact them about selling your story.

K.C. I can't thank you enough for sharing your journey, thoughts, revelations and beautiful pictures with us. They were truly inspiring. I'm sorry we were never able to join up, my ability to get somewhere always seemed to lag behind you being there by about a week.

[blupaddler]

THANKS!

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[kcowyo]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Montana118.jpg

"I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere"
- The Man in Black

And so I find this journey has reached its end of sorts.

The final trip route resembles a spastic figure 8 through the Rocky Mountains. Starting in Wyoming, north to Montana & Idaho, back south through Wyoming into Colorado and New Mexico, then north through Arizona, Utah and home to Wyoming. It's a lot like a Mobius strip, which is both really cool and really appropriate.

I have returned home after making new friends, seeing new places and having an authentic experience. I am comfortable here right now but I'm sure I'll be back in the saddle soon. Some things can't be denied. Call it the rhythm of the road.

Trip Stats -
total days travelled - 40
total miles travelled - 6,317
total nights camped - 37
total states visited - 7 (MT, ID, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT)
total hot hitchhikers seen - *sigh* 2
total ExPo members encountered - 4 (+ 2 wives + 2 kids)
mechanical problems - 0

Here's a list of other highlights -

Best campsite - Hungry Horse Resevoir, MT - Murray Bay, spot #1
* Runner up - Lake Koocanusa, MT - Peck Gulch campground
Most miles in the dirt - Day 2, 100 miles from Ennis, MT to Modina, MT
* Runner up - Day 3, 74 miles from Shoup, ID to Alta, MT
Best Visitors Center - Great Sand Dunes National Park
* CO photographer Darren has a photo on display at the center (http://www.mycolorado.org/)
Favorite Meal - Dinner at Gabrielle's with Chuck. Fresh guacamole made at the table, awesome!
* Runner up - Grilled fish tacos with tequila avacado sauce at Mammy's Kitchen & Whiskey Bar - Lake City, CO
Most scenic 4WD trail - Cinnamon Pass, CO
* Runner up - Valley of the Gods, UT
Best Bumpersticker - "Can't see the forest for the fees", seen in Taos, NM
Most miles in one day - 684, Day 37 - 9/11
Coolest rig seen - bh4rnnr, AKA Perry Loughridge's 87 4Runner
*Runner up 1963 Right Hand Drive Landrover SIIA (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2955&d=1156202065)
*Honorable mention - this little German RV (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3281&d=1158074106)
Funniest book read on trip - The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson
Dumbest moment - well, passing up the two cute hitchhikers comes immediately to mind...
*Runner Up - finding a new use for the Oh sh!t bar in Chuck's Tacoma
Best coffee and wi-fi cafe - Red Rock Bakery - Moab,UT
Worst place to camp - Fish Creek campground, Glacier Nat'l Park. Stacked in like cordwood, too many generators, no views, $18 a night
Biggest dissapointment - (tie) 1.Not getting to explore Idaho's interior and
2. not getting to meet Flywgn and his family
Best new beer I tried - Henry Weinhardt's Blue Boar Pale Ale
Random camp fact - you can & can't camp too close to the outhouse
Favorite Lunch - Having lunch with Mr. & Mrs. articulate in the back of my camper on Elk Ridge while it rained
Best live music act I saw - Freekbass at Aurorafest in Polebridge, MT
Best question I was asked - when meeting durango_60's wife, upon her seeing my convict-like facial hair, "Are you here for the big biker thing?"
Most expensive gas (91 Octane) - $3.50 in Lake City, CO
Old and Busted - Corndogs
New Hotness - Wasabi Horseradish. On everything.
Best quote read in the nastiest place - "The injustice of travel is having to chose to stay or go." Written on the wall in an outhouse
Best advice I was given - Peggy in Polebridge, "Never be satisfied with the answers. Keep asking questions."
*Runner up - Our own Jonathan Hanson, "I've never found on a trip that I've taken too many notes."

And that's how it all went down folks. Back to the unreal world - :wavey:

[HongerVenture]

KC, thanks for sharing. I've enjoyed reading this thread as you've journeyed the west. I hope you get out again soon.

(BTW, I know I still owe you a proper e-mail, I'm getting there...)

[Desertdude]

Dumbest moment - well, passing up the two cute hitchhikers comes immediately to mind...
:iagree:


KC you need your own cable TV show - " on the road with KC"


well done!

[jeffryscott]

very nice KC - you are a talented and gifted storyteller/writer/photographer. Can't wait for the next journey to begin ...

good luck with everything,

Jeff

[flywgn]

OK, now it is someone elses turn to allow the rest of us to vicariously explore some fantastic parts of the country.

Fantastic storytelling, I'm glad I was able to meet up with you for a small piece of it. ...


This will be a tough act to follow.

Many thanks KC. This narrative has been a real treat. We'll all look forward to seeing it in hardcover form.
:bowdown:

Allen R

[Ursidae69]

Dumbest moment
*Runner Up - finding a new use for the Oh sh!t bar in Chuck's Tacoma


Yeah, luckily you missed my slider as you hung out the passenger side spewing your guts... :xxrotflma

[desertgirl66]

So now the unpacking begins and time to go wash the truck!!

After 14,000 miles and 2 1/2 months on the road, we had lots of unpacking to do :littlefriend:

KC, I will miss this thread and your often unusual concepts and ramblings about life :costumed-smiley-007

Forget the getting a job thing---get back out on the road:088:

[kcowyo]

Forget the getting a job thing---get back out on the road:088:

You're supposed to be my good-vibe girl, not a bad influence! Them Bear Claws ain't free, sista! :elkgrin:

I've unpacked and done laundry so far and I got a break on washing the truck as I drove home in a massive downpour. Saved myself about $14 in quarters at the car wash!

I do like your idea though, of getting back on the road. A few friends back in NC are attempting to get me to come out for the Fall colors. It would be nice to see the Outerbanks again too.

Gas prices have dropped considerably in the last 2 weeks....hmmmmm.....

[HongerVenture]

A few friends back in NC are attempting to get me to come out for the Fall colors. It would be nice to see the Outerbanks again too.

Gas prices have dropped considerably in the last 2 weeks....hmmmmm.....

You know... Indiana is on the way... free food, lodging, and friends.

Joel