Day 49 - Deadwood, SD to Albert Lea, MN

Days on the road: 49.
Miles today: 562.
Miles to date: 11,123.


Disappointment, thy name is Deadwood, SD. I had high hopes that were far from met on my visit. It would seem as the only way to present American history to Americans is via a Disney filter. It was nothing like the HBO series of the same name.

I did, however, carve canyons in the Black Hills for the first part of the morning, but then it was onto the interstate to make miles. This was the most boring drive of my life. Fortunately, the ipod was loaded and I listened as the BBC's Melvyn Bragg lead discussions about The Indian Rebellion of 1857 and brain function and development in infants. So there. There will be no pictures today.

Day 48 - Livingston, MT to Deadwood, SD via Yellowstone and Wyoming.

Days on the road: 48.
Miles today: 595.
Miles to date: 10561.


OH.

MAH.

GAWD.



Yellowstone is pretty dang incredible. From mountains to lakes to rivers to creeks to curvy mountain passes to wildlife to elevation changes to snow and wind and rain and even a brief bit of sunshine. It was a great drive in a very special place. Temperatures were still cool (between the high 20's and low 50's), and the top stayed up, but I packed a lot into my brief visit as today was a long one on the road.



I left Montana, drifted across the high plains of Northern Wyoming, and entered South Dakota today, covering nearly 600 miles and crossing the 10,000 mile mark for the trip. The car has been a trooper - go buy an Audi - and my sanity has held up surprisingly well. Or so I believe...





After a climb to 8.530 ft via the Sylvan Pass, I exited Yellowstone (no Yogi, Boo-Boo, or picnic basket sightings), into Shoshone National Park and ran along the North Fork of the Shoshone river through Cody (as in Wild Bill) and through the Bighorn basin and into Big Horn National Park. The weather had cleared and the top was down for the first time since the Okanagan Valley. I crossed the Big Horn mountains via the Granite Pass - an entertaining set off switchbacks that climed to 9,033 ft - and kept the top down all the way across the rolling hills of Wyoming to my destination, Deadwood, SD.


I realized today, that as much as I would have liked company at some of my stops along the way, there is no way I could have done this trip with a companion. I came to this conclusion as I witnessed a young couple argue at a gas stop. It was a silly disagreement, but I'm sure the next few hours in their SUV was uncomfortable.

Day 47 - Around Livingston, MT

It turns out that Livingston is a sort of fly fishing mecca and rose to fame after the film "A River Runs Through It" was filmed here. According to the locals I spoke with at various drinking establishments, the notoriety that came with the movie, brought a bunch of "NY types and LA types" who bought property and raised property values significantly. Most of the locals are pretty bitter about the property value thing, but don't seem to mind working for the coastal types as caretakers or skilled labour, and they certainly enjoy telling stories about which celebrities go to which bars and how they like that they aren't bothered by "folks 'round here".



The weather cleared enough to wander around town, by it was still chilly and the rain was a constant threat. I discovered an eclectic place with retro signage, ghosts of the West, and more casinos and liquor stores per capita than anywhere else I've ever been. All of this and a Moose lodge nestled in the snow capped mountains.


And for those sensitive-types out there:

Day 46 - Whitefish to Livingston, MT

Days on the road: 46.
Miles today: 335.
Miles to date: 9966.



Things started off fairly well in Whitefish. I roamed the town some and explored a little as I didn't need to rush to get on the road today. The weather wasn't awful and after a leisurely breakfast with a book and a bratty toddler nearby, I headed South and East some.

Running down the West side of the Swan Range, I got to see great mountain views. The way clouds and mountains interact is very intriguing to me. I guess it has something to do with all the movement and the changing views. Montana is, indeed, big sky country. The views go on and on and on. I zoomed past many ranches with happy, grazing cows.

My selected route took me via Swan Lake (seriously) and through the Flathead National Forest. The rain started and only got heavier as I progressed. Getting to the point where visibility was severely limited and the little blue Audi was aquaplaning - both of which proved less than comforting. Throw in some snow and fog too.

Fortunately, I saw a bumper sticker on a red pick up truck that read, "I'd rather be elk huntin'". That made up for the road-going danger I had to go through.

Day 45 - Hinton, AB to Whitefish, MT

Days on the road: 45.
Miles today: 492.
Miles to date: 9631.



Mucho miles hoy and 10+ hours behind the wheel. And my car was searched at the loneliest border crossing in the world (Roosville, MT). They didn't find anything and I found it amusing that the border agents such hard asses and so without humour until the come up empty on their search and then they want to be personable. Jerks.


But the day was spent traveling South in the Rockies. Spectacular, eventhough the weather was far from pleasant. Wind, rain, snow, more rain, cool air, and yet more rain. Sadly, it cramped the photography, but the Jasper-Banff-Kootenay run was visually stunning. I saw more Moose, big horn, and some sort of other white mountain sheep. This fellow was hardly bothered by my presence as he nibbled at grasses on the hillside:



Lake Louise, while beautiful, left me a little underwhelmed. In my mind, I had a picture of something larger. Plus, the shear volume of tourists poking about diminished its appeal to me.


About an hour South of the border is a town called Whitefish, MT. I picked it because it looked like the only place around I could reach by the end of the day. I knew nothing about it, but headed its way. And am I ever glad I stumbled upon this place. Great people, great food, and a nouveau Western feel to the middle of town. It is also a sportsman's paradise with Glacier National Park nearby and hunting, fishing, skiing, snowboarding, and biking all clearly big activities around here. Nice folks. Nice views. Nice place.

Day 44 - Salmon Arm, BC to HInton, AB

Days on the road: 44.
Miles today: 369.
Miles to date: 9139.

My oh my. Day 44 was filled with automotive adventure, animal encounters, and the Rocky Mountains.

It started off rather early and a little mundane as I had to do some laundry at the gas station in Salmon Arm. That's right. Laundry at the gas station. Stay classy, Salmon Arm:


And a word of advice for all you future road-trippers out there. Do not stay at the Best Western when visiting wild and exotic Salmon Arm, BC. It is rather close to the train tracks. Noise wasn't the issue, but my bed swayed in a most disconcerting way as the trains passed. I thought it was an earthquake at first. Not pleasant.

Once laundered, folded, and rammed into the trunk of the little blue Audi, I set to navigating a short cut that would prove most adventuresome. I skirted by a glass smooth Shuswap Lake (I find it very difficult to pronounce once yet alone 3 times quickly), and having not noticed the broken lines marking the shortcut on my map, elected to take some back roads near Adams Lake. A turn or three later, and the little blue Audi was suddenly on a rough but passable logging road. Logging truck drivers are friendly and enjoy waving at oncoming traffic. As the road wound up the West side of Adams Lake, I came upon the mill to which all those trucks were headed to (tres Beachcomber-esque, n'est pas???):


After about 20 miles, I was back on paved roads and headed through a picturesque valley filled with happy cows grazing away in peace near crystal clear lakes:




On the way to and once in Jasper, the drive turned into Matthew of Omaha's Wild Kingdom:

Tasty, free range deer snacking peacefully by the side of the road:


A family of steaky-goodness:



A Gaggle of Meese:


Some happy little Bighorn sheep:




And Jasper means the Rockies, so here's a shot of Mt. Robson:

Day 43 - Vancouver to Chilliwack to Penticton to Vernon to Salmon Arm, BC

Days on the road: 43.
Miles today: 391.
Miles to date: 8770.



What?!?!?! Rain??? In Vancouver??? Ugh. Tuesday morning brought a Vancouver drizzle to the start of my day. Fortunately, I was well-rested and heading away from slacker city. As I came into Chilliwack, the rains ceased low clouds lifted some. I finally got to see some mountains!!! And of course, they were spectacular and energizing. It was a good boost to my mood and I got some good shots as well.



And then my climb up to the Okanagan Valley began. Fortunately the 110 km/h speed limit seemed nothing more than a suggestion as BC plated vehicles zoomed past me. By the way, Canadian drivers excel at lane changing, signaling, merging, and overtaking. It made the drive a pleasure.



The Okanagan Valley is an idyllic place of and has a multitude of uses - vineyards and wineries, fruit framing, lumber, recreation, and a whack-load of coffee shops. I lucked in and got an email from a former business associate prior to heading North of Peachland and was able to re-direct to Penticton to meet him for a coffee and to catch up.

The my day took me from the bottom of the valley to the top and the temperatures were in the high 60's/low 70's which meant the top was down and my mood was up. The next few days should be exciting but tiring as there are many miles to cover.

Lessons From The Road

Here are a few random thoughts, observations, and lessons learned from 6 weeks on the road:

• The breakfast burrito from a Chevron station is a BAD idea.
• People in the Pacific Northwest are not a happy bunch. Could be the rain or the hoodies or the Columbia sportswear, but they offered this humble traveler nothing but grunts, frowns, and very little eye contact. However, lesbians and Subarus seem to be in plentiful supply in Oregon and Washington. So, there's that going for the region.
• Two women sit at a bar. One is regular sized, her friend is, uh, plus-sized. The first wants to order an appetizer plate. The second initially refuses, but ultimately goes along. When all is said and done, the second one finished the plate and took down more than her fair share of hummus. Just an observation.
  
• American gas stations require a zip code authorization for pay at the pump. The system does not recognize/accept postal codes. One then must guess the dollar amount of gas the car will accept, go inside and pre-pay on the same credit card and show photo ID. This is inconvenient and one ends up either short filling the tank by guessing low or having to go back inside and get a refund. Again, inconvenient. Especially when one is filling up at least once a day.
• Why don't we have cat eye reflectors on GTA roads???? And don't say because of the snow plows. In areas where snow comes to visit, they put them in divots in the road way. Even in construction zones with temporary lanes. Being able to discern lanes is clearly a big thing for me.
• Changing lanes to pass - American drivers don't seem to get this concept. They often pull out to pass and cut off traffic in the fast lane. Then they take an awful long time to get back into the right lane.
• Americans might be catching the British in the arena of drinking culture.
• Guy Fieri is an idiot. Not that this wasn't abundantly clear by his hair, attire, and TV conduct. I have eaten at a number of the restaurants that have been on his show and his over-the-top compliments on their cuisine is not deserved.
• Flip flops are taking me to my breaking point. Words cannot express how angry they make me.
• Many states have shut down their rest stops due to budget constraints. This is inconvenient and at times, uncomfortable.
• Podcasts are a road trip dream. TED Talks, ESPN's BS Report, and BBC's In Our Time have entertained and educated me for many hours along the way.
• Did I mention that the gas station breakfast burrito is a bad idea???
  

Day 42 - Everett, WA to Vancouver, BC

Days on the road: 42.
Miles today: 128.
Miles to date: 8379.

Everett, WA is home to the Boeing company, makers of really big planes. At their facility (Guiness World Record for largest building by volume), they assemble the aluminum and composite tubes that fly those out there that choose to travel great distances NOT by road trip-going little Blue Audi. They build the 747-8, 777, and new 787 airplanes in this massive facility from parts flown, shipped, and truck in from all over the world. I spent the morning of Day 42 touring the facility and listening to bad jokes delivered by yet another overly enthusiastic tour guide. No cameras or cellphones allowed on the tour, so no pictures of the biggest assembly lines I've ever seen. For those keeping score at home, I've now seen BMWs assembled in South Carolina, Corvettes in Kentucky, and now planes in Washington.


Many of the fuselage sections and wings are flown in on a heavily customized 747 called the Dreamlifter, seen here at rest:


The Boeing folks have quite the operation. Even their visitor's centre is big:


And seeing since it was Victoria Day, I thought it appropriate to head back to Canada to celebrate:

Day 41 - Portland, OR to Everett, WA. The Long Way

Days on the road: 41.
Miles today: 384.
Miles to date: 8251.


Oh joy, more rain. I know this is the Northwest, but 3 days of rain in a convertible blows. I had hoped to avoid some of the inclement weather by heading inland, so I pointed the little blue Audi East and rolled the dice. Much like in Las Vegas, I crapped out. The clouds were heavy and low, obscuring the mountains that I had hoped to see. I went inland via the Columbia River gorge, weaving along the river's bends and climbing all the while. It was again verdant and lush, and those well-draining roads continued. My trip took me past the Cascade Locks, a place called Starvation Creek (I wonder what happened there), and through The Dalles, home of a honking big power dam.

I then cut North into the Tekama reservation which turns out to be apple and pear country. Up, high on a plateau, were orchards and ranches and vineyards too. Passing through the Rattlesnake Hills, I went through Yakima, Selah, and Ellensburg. Then it was a massive downhill run back through the Cascades Range, through Bellevue and settling in Everett, WA. If you know what is here, you'll know tomorrow morning's big activity.

Day 40 - Eureka, CA to Portland, OR

Days on the road: 40.
Miles today: 451.
Miles to date: 7867.



Rain, rain, and rain...from light sprinkles to heavy downpours to traffic halting rains of biblical proportions. I started off by heading up the 101 along the coast. Having a convertible and being forced to keep the top up by inclement weather is bogus. If feels as though the gods are conspiring against me. But I'm not paranoid. Once again, the giant redwoods framed my view of the road for half of my day. As I excited the forest, the clouds parted for just a few minutes to get a good view of my surroundings.


And a few miles up the coast provided for what would be the last chance to shoot without getting drenched by the rain:


Shortly thereafter, I headed inland and along the Umpqua river toward Drain, OR. Drain was once a thriving logging town. Not to be confused with a town in which Kenny Loggins once thrived. (I saw a Kenny Loggins billboard on the road today and have been dying to work that in somehow - look, I'm not saying it is all gold, but it is better than sleepy kittens.) And now, it is pretty hollowed out. The mills are dormant and wasting away. Buildings are crumbling and nature is starting to take it all back. Plenty of rain and elk, though.

All that rain makes Oregon verdant and lush. But the people seem like downers. I didn't see anyone smiling or laughing. The hotel clerk, bartender, waiter, doorman, and doughnut vendor I interacted with all appeared dour and mopey. Also, there are very few attractive women in this city, and those that caught my eye are probably hitting 1-2 points higher than they usually would due to lack of competition. And further, TONNES of lesbians. TONNES. More lesbians than you can shake a stick at.

Good things about Portland - your roads drain very well and are fairly smooth. And you've got great doughnuts. Now I gotta get out of here before I confuse another lesbian with a meek, nerdy man from tech support again...

Day 39 - Guerneville to Concord to Oakland to Eureka, CA

Days on the road: 39.
Miles today: 398.
Miles to date: 7416.


I had the opportunity to meet up with some old friends today that had been traveling while I was in San Francisco, so I doubled back to meet SM and AT for coffee and lunch respectively in the Bay area. After re-connecting, I turned North and bid the city by the bay farewell.

I spent my afternoon and evening carving through the redwood forests of Northern California whilst battling intermittent rain showers. Too many miles to cover to make Eureka, so no stops and no pictures. Use your mind, folks, and imagine really big trees.

Day 38 - Russian River Valley, Bodega Bay, Napa (Take 2), and Sonoma

Days on the road: 38.
Miles today: 186.
Miles to date: 7018.


The new day brought a new outlook. Instead of rushing back to wine country, I decided instead to head West to the coast to observe the ocean and see if it had any answers on offer. The drive along the Russian River was fantastic. The sun was shining and the top was down.


As I got to the coast, I stumbled upon Goat Rock State Park. The ocean surf was powerful and angry this day, my friends. I stopped and took it all in and it helped me bust through the road trip wall that I had hit yesterday.




I followed the coast South to Bodega Bay and eventually cut back in and gave wine country another try. I hit Napa again, but it still felt too much like Disneyland. One Valley over is Sonoma, which was much better and more to my liking. But I most enjoyed the Russian River Valley wineries. The vibe was more relaxed and far less corporate.