Northbound with Ralph

THIS IS RALPH.

I took off May 1st and arrived in Las Vegas for the first night out. The drive across the desert never ceases to amaze me.  I look out at the mounds of dirt, imagining that a power greater than myself is sitting cross legged and playing with sand. Some might find the desert boring but I find it mesmerizing!   I met up for dinner with friends, my sisters, brother in law, nephew and his children.  It's always nice to get hugs even though I might be blowing through the area.  There are always some I miss.  The next day I drove from Vegas to Salt Lake City for two nights. It rained about 90% of the time and all along I was wishing that rain could reach the fire raging 20 miles from my mountain home in Arizona.  Later I did learn that the fire had been snowed on!  I enjoyed time with Shauna, my "frister"...a term I have developed for a friend of my sister. We had a nice meal out with her mother and brother.  I also took time to follow up with the doctor that did my laminectomy in September 2016.  It was nice to learn that it all looks good in the newest ex-rays. My sister, Megan had made lovely arrangements for our Mom and sister, Laurel which I delivered.

The next piece of the trip took me over Northeast Utah into Wyoming.  I had forgotten how that part of the country is loaded with iron making the land orange.  I stopped to visit and stay with friends in STAR VALLEY, Wyoming.  Kathy and Dave McCann and I met at Jackson Lake Lodge back in the 80's when we all worked for The Grand Teton National Park.  I took advantage of the short trip by stopping to explore a bit in Evanston, WY. I looked at the Uinta County Museum where I learned two things I might be able to remember....

1. The first woman to drive across country did so in 1909 with three friends that took 59 days.  She drove across ranches and at times forged water lifting the vehicle! Read more here:  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/alice-ramseys-historic-cross-country-drive-29114570/
2. The first cross country bicycle trip was done two years prior in 51 days!

Dave flanked by two Star Valley babes!

Again, I took the opportunity to poke around Jackson, WY and the Teton Park to see how things have changed and to have some memories reignite.  Although little was open, the roads were clean and clear.  The mountains were showing themselves completely and I felt very fortunate.

Jenny Lake Visitor Center was still closed.

Ice breaking up on Jackson Lake....brr!

  I can recall working there and being asked when the peaks would be revealed....as though I were a meteorologist!

I left the Jackson area and stopped in on cousin Jessica in Idaho I have not seen in years.  It was nice to see her and I sure hope so much time does not elapse before the next visit!

This is Jessica with her dad, my Uncle Allan.

After leaving her, I was able to drive to Butte, Montana.  On that drive I saw SO many new baby calves on ranches.  Fun fact....Montana has more cows than people! Again, the drive was nice with sunny weather and some clouds.  I was fortunate because just as I checked into a hotel, rain and wind began for the long haul.  As I watched late night news, I heard that Missoula was hit hard and the storm had left many without power.

I awoke to a foggy morning, but I had a plan to visit a museum and by the time I was done the sun had burned off the fog.  As a tribute to my dad (a geophysicist), I looked in on the World Museum of Mining.  I opted not to take the underground tour and wandered the "streets" of the old West town.  It is really pretty extensive. 

Before I left Butte, I stopped at a bakery to buy a pasty. This is what the miners were given for their meals underground.  My goodness, the thing was huge!  It was filled with beef and potatoes.  I opted for some gravy but I am pretty sure the guys got theirs dry in the day.

Beef and potato pasty (PAHstee) with gravy

I pushed on, working my way close to the Canadian border. I followed a river or two along the way taking note of the level.  The rivers are rising, raging and/or rambling!  Many times it looked as though breaches were imminent

 I took a stretch in Wallace, ID.  What an interesting and fun place.  I enjoyed the museum set up at the railroad depot and visiting with a lady in a visitor center.  I asked, "What should I know about Wallace?"  She told me two things.  First, the place produced more silver than any other mining . district in the US.  2) Every downtown building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.   I90  passes through Wallace on an elevated freeway viaduct.  Fun fact I discovered on museum walk:  Dante's Peak was filmed in Wallace.

You might be able to see the freeway viaduct running behind the depot at a second floor level.

As I left Wallace, I passed Coeur d'Alene.  It is very beautiful, but disappointingly overbuilt. 

Beautiful Lake Coeur D'Alene

I drove through and found a sweet AIRBNB for the night in nearby Sandpoint.