headin' out west

After we left Minnesota, Pete and I headed out west towards Seattle for the aforementioned amazingness that was my birthday surprise. The days in between were no less amazing, though. We spent four nights camping in four different places without paying a dime any night.

Night numero uno: Whitewood, South Dakota. The undeveloped land of the Dorr family, nestled next to stacks of hay. We got here at dark after having watched the sun set in Badlands National Park. We woke up to the sun rising up from behind the sole hill that jutted out of the landscape.


Noche number two: Lewis and Clark National Forest, on an abandoned logging route up the mountain. This site was incredible. First off, there was already firewood everywhere. We were tucked away up in the mountain, surrounded by evergreens and strange new critter noises. And, I'm proud to say, for the first time in our camping history I actually built the campfire that next morning. It was a Big Day.


3: Hungry Horse Reservoir, Flathead National Forest. Off a dirt road in Hungry Horse, Montana we found a campground that was marked as "unserviced during the off-season." We pulled in and the only other people there were fixin to head out, but not before they super-nicely gave us their leftover firewood (which the dude also chopped up for us). Pete and I pranced around the lake that surrounded us, watching the sky turn all those magical colors it tends to only in the most beautiful, secluded places. We checked out the crazy different foot and paw prints in the sand around us (wolf, bear, moose, Keens). After several days of not bathing we decided it was time to make some changes to the team smell. So the next morning the Hungry Horse Reservoir--incredibly clear and incredibly cold--was our bath tub.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Bathe in Frigid Waters:
A. Bring to the water: a towel, a fresh change of clothes, soap and sandals or crocs.
B. Fill a water bottle with water.
C. It's cold, but you gotta strip down. Just do it. If you do the It's Cold Dance while getting undressed, it really helps. This involves lots of quasi-crouching poses and shaking your fists close together.
D. Cover yourself with the water you've got. A good dousing all over.
E. Quickly, before the water dries, soap yourself up. Be sure to work up a good lather. You probably smell terrible.
F. You're covered in soap. You have no choice now. Get in the water! GO!
F. Now get out, you crazy person! It's effin cold (this step will actually just come naturally)

Well done, friend.

So that was a refreshing way to start the day and from there it only got better. It was this day that we ventured into Glacier National Park and pretty much piddled our pants every five minutes. We found our way to a couple different giant lakes sandwiched by glacier-topped mountains. We hiked the Avalanche trail through giant cedars atop the greenest, mossiest forest floor until we reached another lake. In the distance there were waterfalls shooting down from the tops of the mountains, so we decided to make our way to one. We hiked and climbed all day until we'd made our own trail up one of these falls and were looking down on the lake we'd just stood in. The water was the clearest and tastiest I've ever drank.


As we finally made our way back through the forest and trail and out of the park, we thought the day couldn't have been any more wonderful. And then we had to slam the breaks because a baby black bear was crossing in front of us. !!!!!!. Just to say "Hey, thanks for stopping through. Hope you enjoyed the park. Safe travels." Pete wouldn't let me take him with us.

We also managed to find the tree in which I was raised as a young hobbit!



Da Fourth Nyte: Wenatchee National Forest, Red Mountain Campground. Washington state, you are super pretty. And you have a crapload of deer that just roam around your streets at night in the fog. It's pretty and groovy and also a little frightening because if they planned it, the deer posse could totally ambush a car. Even one as big as the Buick.

So I won't retell the tale of our night in Seattle, but suffice to recap that it was one of the best nights of the trip. The next day we packed up again (we are getting wildly efficient at repacking. it's insane) and got the car onto an evening ferry from Vancouver into Victoria, where Pete's Nana lives. This night was amazing for me. With the tiniest bit of light in the sky Pete and I watched the waves from the ferry from the top deck, bundled up like little kids in the snow, sharing a [Boundary Waters] hot cocoa. Being on the water, with the cold wind all around us, breathing in fresh northern air with my love right by me, was incredible.

I'll stop now, but not before wishing my dad a happy birthday. I love you, Daddy! It's you who has always inspired me to travel. Without you as my pops, I wouldn't be sitting where I am now.




Lots of love to everyone!