We have had such beautiful days here, skies almost always clear, night time temperature between 25 and 35 and the days getting up to 60-65. Perfect fall, an extended one for here we are told, so apparently we picked the right year to bike over the mountains late in the season. Wonderful to have a real fall again after being thrown off by the moderate climes of San Francisco last fall. Have had fresh apple cider, worn jackets in crisp air, admired yellow needles and leaves among the green, saw a long driveway lined with fallen leaves.
We are taking almost a week off in Corvallis, days filled with work and play and rest. Will soon (probably tomorrow) head up to Missoula, then over Lolo Pass and through Idaho to Lewiston. From there we plan to find our way west to Seattle, stay there for a day or two, then mosey down to friends inland in Oregon, then out to the coast and down to San Francisco. From there, we are still talking about continuing to head south into Mexico. We've even outlined a world trip -- down into South America then a boat over to South Africa, up the west coast of Africa and over to Europe, through Europe into Russia, then down through Asia and ending up in Australia. This is obviously the stuff of dreams, and neither of us really think that we would last that long on the road. But hey, it's fun to dream once in awhile.
It will be interesting to see how our traveling changes once we are truly over the mountains and don't have to worry so much about beating really bad weather. Will we still do 80 to 100 mile days? Will we stop more to take in local events? Will we still be driven to ride? But for now we still have a few passes to cross in Montana and Idaho and then the Cascades in Washington. We'll see how many adventures we have yet before getting to Seattle.
And now back to Helena, where we are enjoying the company of Phil and Gwen and their family...
10/11, day 53: Our third full day in Helena, our goal to "get out in the hills, not on the road". Phil winding us through dirt roads in his big Ford diesel to the Casey Meadows trailhead. The morning brought snow showers which we could see continuing, moving across the valley and through peaks around us as we started to hike. Followed the trail through low scrub and open meadow, over clear streams. Went through sections of new growth, crowded pine trees 3 to 4 feet high, their seeds released from fallen pine cones by the heat of the fire that cleared everything out years ago. Decided to go off the trail, hiked over hillsides of broken rock and scree, then up an elk trail to the top of the ridge. On top cold and windy, picking our way over fallen trees, snow showers sometimes obscuring the valley, long wisps of snow hanging from pale clouds, whitened skeletons of dead trees creaking in the wind, wind whistling through the trees like the happy screams of children on a distant playground or like the murmuring of lost souls searching for respite from their torments (I am reading the Inferno, after all). Scramble to the very top of Casey Peak and enjoy the view for a few bone-chilling minutes, find the trail again and begin our hike down through a stand of mature pines as the snow showers catch up to us and turn our immediate surrounding into a Christmas card. With the wind blowing toward us, we come over a ridge and surprise a small herd of elk resting in the trees. They quickly gallop off; a treat to have seen these reclusive mountain animals so close. Stop in a sheltered spot to have a snack, our hands cold enough that we all have to take turns trying to open the Pop-Tarts. Decide that I probably won't ever climb big mountains -- I like my creature comforts. After three plus hours and 10-12 miles of hiking, happy to be back in pickup and warm. In the evening we have a glass at a local brewery then go out for pizza with a few of Phil and Gwen's friends. Watched a movie before falling asleep on comfortable couch.
10/12, day 54: Phil made cinnamon and clove pancakes in the morning. While everyone else planning to drive north and do another hike, I decide to stay home and take a personal day. Been feeling not-caught-up and unorganized, and when that happens it's hard for me to take in anything new. Even yesterday on the hike sometimes the beauty of the mountains around just sliding over me, not sticking because I do not yet feel myself settled here -- too much happening without adequate empty space for reflection. After everyone leaves, I set myself up with CD's and my journal at the computer and type for several hours. In the afternoon I drive to downtown Helena (which I love), duck into the art museum for a quick tour, sit in the cathedral and pray, have a hot chocolate in a quiet cafe. Feels good to be by myself enjoying a city again. Am not writing poems any more. For the first maybe forty days of my trip doing almost a poem a day; of course nothing was near being finished, writing that fast, but at least the seed of something from the day or from the imagination down on paper. But once it began to get cold back in North Dakota or so, had to put more energy to basic survival, less available for creative writing. And the drain of the past days on the road adding up. I am now without a writing or creative project (other than my journal). Hoping that by the time we get to Seattle I will be missing that enough that I will fashion new one.
10/13, day 55: I made a late breakfast this morning, so fun to be clattering around in a kitchen again, orchestrating a full stove top of pans. Wanted biscuits and gravy, so I baked biscuits and made my first sausage gravy ever -- a success. All sat around table and enjoyed fruits of a lazy Sunday morning. Glen and I went out with Phil on a mountain bike ride, my first experience with technical riding on single-track. Did a 20 mile ridge trail loop, some beautiful views of the valley as we go up and down mountain ridges. It's very bumpy and a little slippery on the hills with no suspension on my bike and smoother road-type tires, but have loads of fun anyway. A little unnerving at first to be bumping over stones, going tight in between trees, negotiating sharp turns with an occasional 6 foot deep sinkhole beside the trail to fall into. No big wipe outs for me but plenty of falls and pushing my bike up hills that I can't quite do. One particularly memorable fall -- decided to bail on a short, steep hill before I gathered too much speed. Managed to get my feet cleanly out of the pedals and found myself running down the hill while my bike stopped half way down. What a blast! Some day I'm going to get a good bike and ride trails. Back home, Phil let me try out his full-suspension bike -- so sweet! Phil and Gwen out on a ride together while Glen and I stay with the kids, have fun playing basketball with them. In the evening we have a bonfire and roast hot dogs. Decide to leave the next morning since both Phil and Gwen able to ride out with us if we do.
10/14, day 56: On way out stop by bike shop to get new tire for Glen's trailer. Wind through Helena, enjoying the fall leaves and the fun old architecture of the town. Phil and Gwen set a great leading pace to the foothills of our mountain crossing for the day. Pull a 6 mile climb to McDonald Pass, a beautiful sunny day with excellent views; felt great to climb, fun to pedal steadily and strongly up the long grade. At the top said goodbye to Phil and Gwen, put on some warm clothes for the long descent. On the way down stop and talk to a man and woman with bikes and trailers going up the hill. They in a totally different mode of touring -- no helmets, old bikes, lots of gear packed in double-wheeled trailers, taking their time it seems. Had bikes for several hours and maybe forty miles, so stop in Avon for food, but the store is closed for Columbus Day. We eat a granola bar and hope that will get us to Garrison 10 miles away. In Garrison we fly right past the one store, don't realize it till we are a few miles down the road and unwilling to turn back. Stop at a bar for water and end up splitting a grilled cheese, hoping that will get us another 20 miles to next town of Drummond. Half a grilled cheese doesn't last long as we bike a short stretch of interstate shoulder, the only road that's going the way we want to go. Pedal hard to get to food in Drummond, hoping we don't bonk before getting there. Make it and stuff ourselves, then do another 15 miles south before dark comes. Stop at the obligatory bar in ten-house town of Maxville, go up into hills a bit and find wonderful camping spot beside clear stream. Very happy to be out in such a nice place, stars filling the circle of tree tops overhead, fire sparking and cracking in a stone ring, stream murmuring, food tasting great, owl hooting, even the cold feeling good.
10/15, day 57: Pop-Tarts and half-frozen banana for breakfast, then a stop in Phillipsburg for water, post office, bathroom. Four truckers came out of the cafe after morning coffee and climbed into their semi's, four empty cattle trailers pulling slowly away, one after another onto the road. From Phillipsburg turned west again, planning to go on a gravel road over Skalkaho Pass. From a lunch stop at a random ranch entrance, descended through high mounds of rounded hills to a beautiful stream valley. At a confluence of creeks, a stand of yellow-leaved aspens, white bark shimmering against rippling of the creek, canyon with towering rocky outcrops behind. Very special to be riding through this beautiful place; realise I must enjoy this Montana mountain scenery that will not last forever. Take the gravel climb up Skalkaho very slowly, Glen and I separating and riding at our own pace, trying to absorb the moment, the tree-lined hills, the slopes of broken rock and fallen trees, stream tumbling beside the road, occasional springs that flow down side of hill over mossy rocks and fallen limbs. Think of my grandparents and the effect their stories of youthful travel and adventure had on my family, still have on me as I do my own wandering. Down the other side of the pass, had some fun and some dicey moments slipping and sliding on gravel descent, trying to pick the best line and avoid holes and washboards. Some places a steep drop by side of road; slow down often to look around. Go by Skalkaho Falls, veins of white water smoothing over mottled red rock. Have our picture taken by Dave, who tells us to stop by his theater outside of Corvallis and pick them up in a couple of days. Down, down, down toward Hamilton, then a few more miles to Corvallis. Glen's friends Ken and Leslie surprise us by coming out to look for us, Ken joins us for last six or seven mile ride to their house. Wonderful venison roast and veggies dinner waiting for us, hot showers. Glen catches up with old friends and I begin to make new friends of my own. These past two days from Helena to Corvallis, especially the ride over Skalkaho pass now a highlight of our trip so far.
10/16, day 58: Join a kindergarten class (Leslie is a kindergarten aide) for a tour of the apple orchard next door. Fun to watch small family operation as they sort and grade crates and crates of apples (something magical about apples in the fall!). Mouth waters for the fresh cider they will make on Friday, cider something I've been craving all trip. Baked bread and cookies, had fresh loaf for a late lunch. Wrote away the afternoon. In evening we borrowed "dirty clothes," went to help Ken and Leslie's friends round up and inoculate some cattle -- shooing steers into the chute, learning how to swing a rope onto a calf, playing with kids, getting to ride a horse through open meadow. Realizing rural life has its pleasures, thinking maybe I could be a country boy again, at least for a bit. End up at Scott and Jo's house having excellent chili and laughing hard over after-dinner conversation -- fun to be comfortable in a small community of gathered families.
10/17, day 59: Today we worked, for real. An honest day on the job. Got up at 7 and ventured into cold work van, helped Ken all day spray sealant on cedar siding. Day warmed up and got nice, hills surrounding us, getting the process of spraying and laying boards out down to a science. Felt strangely good to be working hard, doing something routine other than our biking. Did get monotonous toward end of day though, reminded how fun it is to be out on an unstructured trip, how much I'd rather (at least for the long term) have a desk job than a construction job. In evening went out for huge 12 oz. burgers, then to Hamilton High gym for Army Band concert. Fun to hear good band music. Torn by the shows of patriotism and military fondness, especially on this trip where I have been internally re-affirming my commitment to pacifism and non-violence (esp. in the face of possible war with Iraq). Gained a better sense of why people in far-flung places like Montana are so patriotic, sacrificing sons and lives to wars they never see, loving the freedom of open land, the pioneer fondness for the new world still alive. Though I feeling jokingly cynical all night, also feeling profoundly the privileges I have in this country, privileges won by others' sacrifice. Managed to at least hum with the "God Bless America" encore.
10/18, day 60: Ken took today off of work; we thought about doing a long hike but decided to make a fun day of run-around-town-errands instead. Over breakfast made a list of things to do: Bike shop for mirror, get fresh Cider, go Shootin', have fun Stackin' the wood we painted yesterday, get Beer, pick up pictures at the Pharoah Plex, Bob Ward's for hunting license, help Charlie and Julie stack apple Boxes, short canyon Hike, get Groceries, downtown Hamilton Tour, find a Climbing Guide, get Mexican food. I think we got everything done except for Shootin', running all over the place the three of us in Ken's work van, joking and laughing and enjoying crossing things off our list. In the evening went to the Hamilton-Corvallis football game. Had fun joining in the cheers of the Corvallis crowd in the stands. Actually an exciting game, went to overtime with Corvallis winning and we rushing the field along with everyone else; not quite sure what to do once we got out there. Hot spiced cider at home after.
10/19, day 61: This day centered around hiking Ward Peak. Up early and pancakes then good car napping to trailhead. Six mile climb to the peak, Leslie setting a great pace all the way. Some steep sections but a good trail, great views from top of the rugged mountains almost completely surrounding us. Impossible to write to you these sights. Had fun bantering-about words and would-you-rather questions on the way down. Would you rather be chased by a bear right now or find a wolf in the car when we get to it? If someone offered you $200 to hike back up to the top right now to retrieve their forgotten camera, would you do it? Though tired after 12 mile, four hour up/two and a half down hike, still threw a little Frisbee at the bottom. At home, ate great spaghetti made by Leslie, then watched first game of the World Series (go Giants!).
10/20, day 62: Went to church, fun to be again in a rural, pretty normally evangelical worship setting. Made brunch of biscuits and gravy, eggs, home fries and enjoyed chatting around table. Too stuffed to go anywhere but to the living room; watched football and rested for awhile. Still feeling lazy, but decided to get up and go do some rock climbing. Gathered equipment, drove to a canyon and hiked in to a practice wall face. Started climbing about 5, Glen and I doing several runs while Ken belayed. So fun to be on the rock again, learning to trust the rope, trying to make moves, feeling the fun of climbing up a steep stone wall. Always reminds me of my mortality, a valuable thing to think about. Ken took one climb as it was getting dark, we packed up and hiked back to vehicle in deep dusk. Stopped by to see my cousins James and Pam. Had a good time eating with them and chatting, James tempted to drop everything and bike with us for awhile. Reminded what a privilege it is to be able to do this trip.
Keep in touch - Joe (lappjoe@yahoo.com) and Glen (glapp@juno.com)!