It’s a secret, yet this road happens to be named Fish Creek Road; the guy in line at the dump station in town told us about it under his breath, putting his finger to his lips with a dramatic “shhh”; and my old friend David, whom I caught up with briefly in Missoula, said, “Oh, […]
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Tracy Labors on His Birthday
The University of Montana I’m excited to be near Missoula, where I lived for two years getting an MA—which was not especially practical, but, damn, I had fun. All until the last three weeks. That’s when I learned a lesson that saved me from the wrong lifelong path. Although I love taking classes and researching […]
Our Own Private Mountain
Instead of heading north in Montana, we picked just a little west, into more mountains for elevation. We’re outside a tiny town called Elliston, which is near Helena, which is HOT. It’s in the 80s up here in the mountains, but that’s not bad; a record high of 106 was set in Billings yesterday, 108 […]
Dodging Forest Fires in the Belt Mountains
We’re not in Oregon dodging that colossal fire—we’re still in Montana. How can you top the Beartooth? Our plan is to head north, cross Glacier National Park on Highway 2 (that we left because of the heat), and see if we can boondock for a good long while at my friend Jess’s family house on Flathead […]
Beartooth Highway
According to Destination Red Lodge, Beartooth Highway is “the most beautiful roadway in America.” Maybe “roadway” is the operative term here, being used in a very specific way, because I sure do enjoy Highway 101 along the Pacific Coast, and The Going to the Sun Road in Glacier Nat. Park, and even Skyline Drive along the […]
Glacier Lake Trail in Wyoming
We drove away from the campsite one morning along the same road we’re camped on that follows the main fork of Rock Creek—all the way up the canyon to the source of the creek in Wyoming. Little did I know that we’re on the border, but of course Tracy did because he looks at maps. […]
Moose or No Moose?
We’ve been camping in the Beartooth Mountains in Montana for five days so far, with no cell connection unless we drive out to town. So I’ve written this and the next blog post while at the campsite and am posting them, fingers crossed, while at the brewery in town several days later. The Town of […]
Montana at 7,500 Feet
We’ve just driven into Custer Gallatin National Forest, which is in the Beartooth Mountains in southwest Montana, home of the highest peak in Montana: 13,000 feet. We’re doing “dispersed camping” in this national forest, which means you simply pull off the side of the road into a spot in the woods and park. No amenities, […]
Solitude at Moose Lake
We wanted a longer break from civilization, and we got one, involuntarily. But still welcome! Moose Lake is in northern Wisconsin, actually in the same National Forest camping area we stayed in last year at Black Lake. They’re both small, no hook-ups camping loops on lakes dyed with tannin from the surrounding deep forest. Which is wonderful. […]
Rhymes with Phenomenon
We finally entered the UP of Michigan via the exciting route (last year we came up through Wisconsin, which is beautiful but not as dramatic), crossing the Mackinac Bridge that spans Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Our campsite is at the Tahquamenon Falls State Park, this time in the rustic campground (no hook-ups and no […]
