Van Excursion
Amidst the madness that is the year 2020, I decided to follow through with the ingenious idea to go on a super fun-awesome-epic-magical road trip for six weeks. Pre-COVID, the idea sprouted while I was at work, massaging a client and looking out the windows at the snow covered ski runs of Deer Valley. A few of my fellow therapists had been telling me of their tales working in Alaska during previous summers and I was trying to plan my own adventure during the slower shoulder seasons that were rapidly approaching. That’s how it all started. I figured if they could make their way that far north, so could I!!! From there, the dream ran on and I got progressively more and more excited about being on my own with Dexter (the best dog you will ever meet ;) ) and out on the open road. I imagined all of the places we could go, what we would do and what we would see.
Step 1: ACQUIRE A CREEPER VAN.
So this was one of the main factors if I would even go. I drive a 2 door manual Jeep Wrangler daily which would’ve been a nightmare to be in for so long, especially with the pup and all my gear. I’m eternally grateful to my housemate who “happened” to stumble upon some vans for sale on Craigslist and for subtly nudging me to see it was possible to find something within my budget and that it wouldn’t be a huge mistake to invest some money into something that I was really keen on doing. I looked at about 5-6 vehicles before deciding on my girl, Tonya (with an ‘O’, because she’s a little rough around the edges). Let me tell you, I was so unsure of myself actually saying yes to buying her, but I am so glad I did! She’s a 1995 Ford Econoline E150, converted; I can stand up (which is amazing, might I say essential, for day to day living), there is an awesome VCR player, sadly I did not have any VHS tapes, and a sofa bed in the back with lots of space in between that and the driver’s seat….more room for activities!!!!
Step 2: FIX HER UP AND MAKE HER PRETTY!
This was such a fun, rewarding learning experience for me!!! Again, eternally grateful to my housemate, who is a mechanic and helped me immensely. This would’ve been a much tougher (and pricier) project had I been solely on my own. I would go to work 5am-1pm and rush home to sand, stain and revarnish the interior woodwork. I also bought, measured, sawed (so fun), nailed and screwed together a folding table to eat/write at, as well as a shelf and sliding drawer for the back, to house my kitchen wares that would also double as my counter space for preparing delicious camp meals. It was exhausting, but so good because I learned about tools! And basic carpentry stuff! And how engines work (kinda)! Oh, and electric wiring in vehicles! I changed the oil (by myself), replaced the spark plugs (mostly by myself), and my housemate repaired the exhaust leak and mass air flow sensor for me. After a few long weeks, she was ready to hit the road, Jack!
Step 3: PLAN, PLAN, PLAN.
I had a general idea of where I wanted to go, but nothing really solid, which is just the perfect way to plan, in my opinion. The original plan was to go up to Alaska via Idaho and Montana and come back down the PNW coast, back into Utah. But…Coronavirus. I think everyone has lived a similar story at some point or another since March. June 15 being my projected departure date left me feeling unsettled and unsure of how much I could actually get to. Alas, I brought my passport with me, just in case by some miracle things changed and Canada decided to allow me to cross the border. Here’s a shocker: they did not and I am selfishly really glad they didn’t because the trip ended up being just perfect timing wise and everything else just the way it was. I planned where I would go based off of landmarks I researched on my own, other peoples recommendations and just going with the flow. I knew generally where I wanted to be and when, but made a lot up as I made my way along the route
Step 4: GO!
The morning of my departure, I woke up early to finish last minute packing and to get on the road! I started by going to pick up a last minute paycheck from one of my jobs, where I got to chatting with the woman writing my check. She actually sent me off to my first unplanned destination, on my first day! On her recommendation, Dexter and I made our way to City of Rocks, Idaho, aka climbing mecca. Imagine an arid sage desert, with these giant, gargoyle-like almost white rock formations popping up in the middle, and you are surrounded by them all! I felt like I was transported to another planet almost, especially being out in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. It was really pretty and unique terrain, but definitely better suited for people who want to climb rather than noodle around, I thought. The first hours on the road weren’t as filled with enthusiasm and excitement like I thought they would be though. I did keep a journal to log my mileage and the day to day experiences; here is an excerpt from my first entry:
‘I woke up early and was so nervous all morning and the first hour or so. I was scared of the van not working, not knowing where to go or what to do, but so far it has gone well.’
My main concern was Tonya breaking down or getting stuck somewhere, but that dissipated rather quickly after the first day. The secret, I learned, was to tell Tonya what an excellent job she was doing and how amazing she was for being such a good van for keeping Dexter and I safe everyday!
From there we continued to Craters of the Moon National Park, which is spectacular in it’s own weird, barren right. We hit the jackpot though, by getting there before sunrise to avoid the heat, crowds and missing the glorious colors that shine with the morning light. Coming into the park, you get little teasers of what is to come with some volcanic rock nestled in the sage and dirt. As the sun kept rising, the colors got more magnificent. The soft pinks and blues of dawn really enhanced the smooth dark chocolatey tone of the holey rocks everywhere. This too was so different from anything I’ve seen and again, I felt like I was on another planet (hence the name Craters of the moon, I suppose). Then once we were actually in the park it was even better! By that time, the sun was at a point where it was casting golden light over all the extraterrestrial land, there was no one around and you couldn’t see any footprints in the virgin dirt for miles. It was also cold, since it's a high desert, so there was a pretty frost covering the earth which was all sparkly in the sun. It had sort of a spooky feeling but I loved it, it was so good to be alone and enjoying nature without hoards of people and annoying kids (oops, did I just say that out loud?!). It was flat as far as the eye could see, except for these mounds of volcanic rock that got blacker as the sun got higher.
On our way back we even stopped at an amazing little hot spring right off the highway and went for a chunky dunk! I know you might be thinking “what’re you doing running around naked on the side of the freeway crazy lady?!” But in reality, it was a short walk down in a little valley that was perfectly hidden from sight and noise. It was actually quite relaxing to be in the warm water, surrounded by brush on a brisk morning. Idaho was absolutely wonderful and I can’t wait to explore more of it in the future.
We did an overnight backpacking trip in the Sawtooth Mountains which was beyond exceptional: the views, trees, lakes, solitude…need I continue? We continued up 75 and connected to the Bitterroot which took us into Montana where we camped, saw a bear, met some new friends and visited/stayed with another!
After our overnight stay with a friend in Missoula, where we slept in a real bed, caught up on laundry and took a shower not from my solar bag, we continued east around the rockies into the Bob Marshall Wilderness...true bear country and totally wild and amazing! Here, we did another overnight backpacking trip, based on our friends’ recommendation. This one had me feeling a bit nervous, mostly because: bears. I had bear spray (super concentrated pepper spray, essentially) but in reality, what would that do to a big honking massive animal that potentially felt threatened by me or my sometimes silly mutt who likes to chase and not listen, especially when there are delicious sniffs to be had?? Oh, and it was a 9 mile dirt road to the trailhead where everyone was headed out as I was going in and there was only one other car at the lot. Despite my unease, I got going and settled into a groove soon enough and was enjoying the quiet and peacefulness the mountains possess. There had been quite a bit of fire damage (more on that later!) which was interesting to see in an area I had previously thought was always rainy or snowy and never dry. Gorgeous wildflowers everywhere!
As we continued our 2,000 ft elevation gain, dark gray clouds started rolling in. If you know anything about the mountains, it’s that the weather can never be trusted and the general rule is to always be prepared for anything. We were, but the idea of spending the night in a tent, in bear country, during a rainstorm isn’t necessarily my idea of “fun”. Nevertheless, we pressed on, and we finally made it to our destination: Pyramid Lake. To my relief, there were two other tents set up by the lake, so I decided that I would set up camp a respectable distance away to give them privacy, but close enough that should there be any danger, I would have someone to help. MOSQUITOES EVERYWHERE was my next annoyance. Those buggers are persistent and the worst!!! Quickly set up our tent and hopped inside to read my book and relax a bit before the task of dinner. Before long, I heard people approaching who kindly whistled to notify me of their presence and it turned out to be two young guys. My initial thought was yay! People! Then, I thought hmm, this could go one of two ways....turns out, they were very nice young chaps, we shared some beers and layed in the sun on the rocks while they fished and we all chatted. They were college students who were out there for work, studying elk nutrition based on the fire damage. They had a GPS computer that gave them coordinates they had to hike to, collect samples, and return to the graduate student who was conducting the study. I was fascinated and it was nice to have company!
By the time dinner and bed rolled around, the rain was coming hard! Then the lightning and thunder started, which meant poor Dexter was shaking with fear and so unsettled that he wouldn’t lay down and of course lead to little to no sleep for the two of us (this dog mama worries about my Doo!). All said and done, we survived the night safe and sound, woke up, packed up camp and made our way back to the trailhead before we ventured on our merry way to Glacier National Park! By the time we arrived at our next home for the night, it was early evening; keep in mind that far north the sun wasn’t setting until 10-1030 sometimes, and for this granny, that is wayyyy past my bedtime! I was so exhausted from the night before, plus hiking the 5 miles with a pack and then driving 199.7 miles to our epic destination so all I wanted was my nice solar shower and a good night's rest! Since it was still so light out, I decided to read my book and relax for a bit to unwind. Let me entertain you with my journal entry for that night.
‘Last night was ROUGH! For some reason, I felt uneasy laying in bed. I heard this noise and told myself it was Dexter’s tum. Around 10.30 after I finished reading and quite soon after lights out, I heard this weird light scratching sound sort of below me which freaked me out. THEN! I felt something scurry across my pillow, above my head! It was a mouse! How’d the bugger get in??? I got up and started duct taping any holes I could find in the doors or floorboards, while stumbling around bleary eyed. After that drama I settled down and turned the lights off again. About 20 mins later, same thing. Can’t find him, going crazy with the flashlight and I’m so tired and just want to sleep, meanwhile sleeping beauty Dexter is giving me the hairy eyeball looking at me like excuse me lady what are you doing?! It’s well past midnight by this point and I’m too creeped out to fall asleep. So I resort to pulling the covers over my head, since the monsters can’t get you like that, you see, and I’m clutching my flashlight so I can quickly see him next time. I heard him nibbling through Dexter’s treat bag but every time I get the flashlight, he scurries off! I saw his little butt in the suspected port of entry-the heating vent that is housed by a removable cover that sits above the rear wheel well. I got a cracker and leaned a bowl behind it, hoping it would lure him to it and his movement might trigger it to fall on him so he would get trapped and I could free him far far away from us. I also set up another ‘trap’ with a Dexter treat and another bowl on the back shelf, figuring he might like that more than the cracker.I fell asleep for about an hour after this and woke up to a tapping noise. It. was. HIM! I looked up and shone the flashlight on him and he looked me dead in the eyes!!!!! He was kinda cute, I have to admit. Now, it was about 2 or 3 in the morning and I had planned on waking at 4.30 for the sunrise but that was out of the question now. I think he had his fill of the treat because I was able to fall back asleep and stay asleep without further interruption until about 8. You better believe I went around banging on the heating vent and telling Gerald this was his last stop and he better get the hell out!!!!’
Gerald’s suspected point of entry, and the makeshift mouse trap.
Well, Gerald listened and I didn’t have a stowaway traveling with me through Montana any further and I learned that Dexter is a horrible dog in that he has no chase instinct, at least when it’s important anyway!! Deer? Yes. Bald eagles in Washington? Sure, why not? Mice in the van? Hard pass!!!! I also learned to pack up and hoist my ambient foods in case any other critters decided to make an appearance that way it would be safe.
After the mouse saga, we thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our travels. Meeting up with a friend from high school, some others from my hometown and picking one up in Portland for an epic 40 mile backpacking loop around Mt Hood! From there, Dex and I continued along the coast, southbound toward the motherland-California-where we spent a few treasured days at home before going to visit our brother and sister-in-law and another friend in San Diego! We are beyond lucky to have lived this slice of heaven sans major problems, and to have been able to see and experience so much beautiful nature, wildlife and honestly, cultures within our own country!