Monday, July 20, 2009
Feedback and Heart Attacks
I like to take a moment and thank all of you that have either e-mailed me or made comments on the blog. Because I had no idea how to create a blog, upload pictures or anything else, the project has been more work that I had thought. However, I have enjoyed trying to put down my impressions of where we have been, what we have seen and the food we’ve eaten and the joints we visited. My purpose in writing has been two-fold. I am not only sharing my thoughts with all of you all I am trying to keep a daily log of our experiences so that one day I can look back and remember. One of the things that has happened as I have grown older is my memory is not what it once was. I find if I don’t write things down they are gone.
Of all the things that have happened on the trip, one of the highlights has been reading your e-mails and comments. Every single night I sit with a smile on my face and often I find myself laughing out loud at how right on point you are and how humorous your comments have been. Those reading the blog and sending me feedback comprise the full range of the American political spectrum. Some of you are to the right of Attila the Hun and some a little left of Lenin, most are somewhere in between, but all of you are bright, incisive and funny. When last I checked there were nine people signed up following the blog. There are about two dozen more that read it and every day and most days about half give me their thoughts on what I have written. I have the advantage of knowing all of you and appreciating what a truly diverse group you are. So keep your comments coming.
As most of you know, this September will mark the eighth anniversary of my heart attack and six way coronary bypasses. Every morning I religiously take the eight pill cocktail that helps to keep me alive. This morning as I sorted through my meds I recalled an e-mail I received on this trip telling me that taking a trip of more than 7,000 miles to eat barbeque and Mexican food may not be the regimen my cardiologist would recommend. You think? I do not want to be flippant about your concern; I love you for caring enough about me to tell me to take care. To be serious for a moment, I will never forget how scared I was before the surgery, how much it just flat out hurt and how long it took me to recover. Trust me, I do remember. I think that all of our lives ultimately end the same, some sooner than others but at the end of the day, the reaper awaits. I have decided that before that time comes I am going to try and remember what it has all been about. I am going to feed my senses. Cheering as hard as I can for my Gators, seeing beauty, talking to my children and grandchildren, tasting wonderful food, appreciating good music and having the love of my friends. All of it matters more to me than ever before. So I guess I will always tell the joke, share the cold beer and hope we beat those damned Seminoles
Of all the things that have happened on the trip, one of the highlights has been reading your e-mails and comments. Every single night I sit with a smile on my face and often I find myself laughing out loud at how right on point you are and how humorous your comments have been. Those reading the blog and sending me feedback comprise the full range of the American political spectrum. Some of you are to the right of Attila the Hun and some a little left of Lenin, most are somewhere in between, but all of you are bright, incisive and funny. When last I checked there were nine people signed up following the blog. There are about two dozen more that read it and every day and most days about half give me their thoughts on what I have written. I have the advantage of knowing all of you and appreciating what a truly diverse group you are. So keep your comments coming.
As most of you know, this September will mark the eighth anniversary of my heart attack and six way coronary bypasses. Every morning I religiously take the eight pill cocktail that helps to keep me alive. This morning as I sorted through my meds I recalled an e-mail I received on this trip telling me that taking a trip of more than 7,000 miles to eat barbeque and Mexican food may not be the regimen my cardiologist would recommend. You think? I do not want to be flippant about your concern; I love you for caring enough about me to tell me to take care. To be serious for a moment, I will never forget how scared I was before the surgery, how much it just flat out hurt and how long it took me to recover. Trust me, I do remember. I think that all of our lives ultimately end the same, some sooner than others but at the end of the day, the reaper awaits. I have decided that before that time comes I am going to try and remember what it has all been about. I am going to feed my senses. Cheering as hard as I can for my Gators, seeing beauty, talking to my children and grandchildren, tasting wonderful food, appreciating good music and having the love of my friends. All of it matters more to me than ever before. So I guess I will always tell the joke, share the cold beer and hope we beat those damned Seminoles
Stars and Angels
Last night we went to a grocery store to buy provisions and had the good fortune of chatting with the check out lady. She mentioned that Saturday was open house at Glacier National Park and that “it would be a zoo.” She said that every year open house resulted in bumper to bumper traffic and just a general mess. That made our minds up; we decided to go on Friday. Bright and early we headed north toward the Canadian border. Just a word of advice to any of you that travel. Three years ago Jeannie and I were in Arizona for the National Championship game. Following the game we were driving through the desert in California and decided to visit Joshua Tree National Park. The lady at the ranger station said that admission was $25.00, but for $10.00 anyone 62 years of age and older can buy a life time pass. The pass is good for an entire car load of people. We purchased the pass and what a deal it has been. Just show the pass and your identification and any national park, national monument, forest or campground is free. Now that all of the parks have gone to a $25.00 entry fee, buying the pass is a no brainer.
I have uploaded the pictures of Glacier National Park and they speak for themselves. The park has hundreds of water falls. There are large mountain lakes and rushing mountain streams complete with cataracts, rapids and water falls of several hundred feet. Mountain meadows filled with wildflowers are everywhere. There are black bears, grizzly bears, wolverines, wolves, mountain lions and mountain goats and big horn sheep. The main thoroughfare is called “The Road to the Sun” it is a fifty mile trip over the Continental Divide. There is one section of the road called “the Weeping Wall” it is over a mile of continuous water falls ranging from torrents to gentle streams. There are snow caves right by the road; Just like our last trip, Jeannie, once again assaulted me with a snow ball. The trip can be made in two hours; we spent nine hours and could have stayed much longer. Glacier National Park is a magical place.
Today, Saturday, we toured the Flathead Valley. Flathead Lake is the largest natural fresh water lake west of the Mississippi River. The lake reminded Jeannie a great deal of Lake Tahoe. The water is the same deep cobalt blue and is surrounded by snow capped mountains. The community closest to our cabin is Bigfork, Montana. Anyone that has been to Carmel, California would see the similarity to Bigfork. It is a wealthy community with a lot of coffee houses, boutiques, and community theater and art galleries. In physical appearance, the village is striking. Flowers are everywhere, the varieties and numbers have to be seen to be believed. I do not know what their nursery bill is for plant upkeep, but believe me it is significant. We went over to Kalispell and had a pleasant picnic in a City park. Driving the perimeter road around Flathead Lake we drove through several communities celebrating their annual cherry festival. I don’t remember ever seeing a cherry tree before and I know I have never tasted freshly picked cherries. They were surprisingly sweet, I don’t know what I expected but they were better. Later we went to two State Parks near Swan Lake and at each we talked to some local residents. My advice to everyone I meet is always the same, secede now.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the night sky. We are on the side of a mountain over looking a large mountain lake. There are no cities or towns within ten miles and at night there is zero ambient light. There is no pollution hence Montana skies are crystal clear. Jeannie and I have been trying to think of how to describe how the stars up here. The sky is so black and there are so many brilliant stars and the Milky Way is so vivid you wonder if it is even the same sky.
Jeannie is spending the last few minutes of our final night in the porch swing. We are in the middle of a forest of Blue Spruce, Douglas Firs, Red Cedars and Pine. The air outside the cabin smells like Christmas inside of a cedar chest. Just the act of breathing is refreshing.
We will leave Sunday morning for the Grand Tetons and Wyoming. Reluctantly, we will be departing Montana, for in the words of the Blackfoot Indians, not only is the Flathead Valley the Great Spirit’s own chosen country, it is where the Angels come to sing.
I have uploaded the pictures of Glacier National Park and they speak for themselves. The park has hundreds of water falls. There are large mountain lakes and rushing mountain streams complete with cataracts, rapids and water falls of several hundred feet. Mountain meadows filled with wildflowers are everywhere. There are black bears, grizzly bears, wolverines, wolves, mountain lions and mountain goats and big horn sheep. The main thoroughfare is called “The Road to the Sun” it is a fifty mile trip over the Continental Divide. There is one section of the road called “the Weeping Wall” it is over a mile of continuous water falls ranging from torrents to gentle streams. There are snow caves right by the road; Just like our last trip, Jeannie, once again assaulted me with a snow ball. The trip can be made in two hours; we spent nine hours and could have stayed much longer. Glacier National Park is a magical place.
Today, Saturday, we toured the Flathead Valley. Flathead Lake is the largest natural fresh water lake west of the Mississippi River. The lake reminded Jeannie a great deal of Lake Tahoe. The water is the same deep cobalt blue and is surrounded by snow capped mountains. The community closest to our cabin is Bigfork, Montana. Anyone that has been to Carmel, California would see the similarity to Bigfork. It is a wealthy community with a lot of coffee houses, boutiques, and community theater and art galleries. In physical appearance, the village is striking. Flowers are everywhere, the varieties and numbers have to be seen to be believed. I do not know what their nursery bill is for plant upkeep, but believe me it is significant. We went over to Kalispell and had a pleasant picnic in a City park. Driving the perimeter road around Flathead Lake we drove through several communities celebrating their annual cherry festival. I don’t remember ever seeing a cherry tree before and I know I have never tasted freshly picked cherries. They were surprisingly sweet, I don’t know what I expected but they were better. Later we went to two State Parks near Swan Lake and at each we talked to some local residents. My advice to everyone I meet is always the same, secede now.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the night sky. We are on the side of a mountain over looking a large mountain lake. There are no cities or towns within ten miles and at night there is zero ambient light. There is no pollution hence Montana skies are crystal clear. Jeannie and I have been trying to think of how to describe how the stars up here. The sky is so black and there are so many brilliant stars and the Milky Way is so vivid you wonder if it is even the same sky.
Jeannie is spending the last few minutes of our final night in the porch swing. We are in the middle of a forest of Blue Spruce, Douglas Firs, Red Cedars and Pine. The air outside the cabin smells like Christmas inside of a cedar chest. Just the act of breathing is refreshing.
We will leave Sunday morning for the Grand Tetons and Wyoming. Reluctantly, we will be departing Montana, for in the words of the Blackfoot Indians, not only is the Flathead Valley the Great Spirit’s own chosen country, it is where the Angels come to sing.
Computer ills and such
We are fine the laptop is not, I will up load some new stuff tonight, sorry about the delay. We are in Idaho, been through Yellowstone, headed for the Grand Tetons then Rocky Mountain Natinal Park. Your Travelling Trolls, Larry and Jeannie
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Montana
No WI FI in the wilderness. I am doing a draft that I will copy to the blog if and when we ever get back to civilization. Today was interesting. We left Salt Lake City about 8:30 AM and hit the road for Bigfork, Montana. For a while we ran parallel to the Great Salt Lake that is one more large body of water. We had a beautiful day for our journey the sky was blue, man I want to say azure blue but that would be so pretentious. What the hell, the sky was an azure blue that particular shade which only happens in the great American west. I feel better already, just reading it back aloud I know the author hasn’t a clue. I love it.
Leaving Utah we crossed into Idaho, almost immediately the terrain got much greener. There is a lot of agriculture and unlike Utah; you do not see evidence of widespread irrigation machinery. Every place we have stopped in Utah, Idaho and Montana we have found the people to be unfailingly polite and friendly. Another noticeable characteristic is cleanliness. Quick stop market, service stations and rest areas are all spotless and their bathrooms are likewise. The use of please, thank you and you are welcome are common and no one seems reluctant or resentful when you ask a question. There also a hell of a lot of blondes. If I had one piece of advice for this part of our country it would be this; secede now.
We drove through Idaho and Southwestern Montana, throughout the drive Jeannie kept repeating gorgeous just gorgeous. She is right the scenery takes one’s breath away. There was a stretch of road lined with blue spruce trees all were eight feet high and for more than twenty miles we felt as if we were driving through a giant Christmas tree lane. From central Montana Northward the area grew increasingly mountainous, and below the tree line it is very heavily forested. It seems there is a mountain lake around every corner and rushing mountain streams along side all of the roadways.
After nine days and 4,097 miles we finally reached our destination. We arrived around 6:30 PM. Our lodging is a one bedroom log cabin. We have a refrigerator, microwave and gas BBQ grill. According to Jeannie the most important thing though is outside the cabin. A porch swing, and in the year a fire pit for wieners and marshmallows. I quickly looked around and verified there was a nice pile of chopped wood. It is not that I am lazy, okay I am lazy but I am also not the very best person with an ax.
No internet access for a few days. We are sitting in a coffee shop in Kalispell, Montana, they have wireless, I am going to try and send this and some pictures. Hope are well, we will be back on line when we are back on the road until then, see ya!
Leaving Utah we crossed into Idaho, almost immediately the terrain got much greener. There is a lot of agriculture and unlike Utah; you do not see evidence of widespread irrigation machinery. Every place we have stopped in Utah, Idaho and Montana we have found the people to be unfailingly polite and friendly. Another noticeable characteristic is cleanliness. Quick stop market, service stations and rest areas are all spotless and their bathrooms are likewise. The use of please, thank you and you are welcome are common and no one seems reluctant or resentful when you ask a question. There also a hell of a lot of blondes. If I had one piece of advice for this part of our country it would be this; secede now.
We drove through Idaho and Southwestern Montana, throughout the drive Jeannie kept repeating gorgeous just gorgeous. She is right the scenery takes one’s breath away. There was a stretch of road lined with blue spruce trees all were eight feet high and for more than twenty miles we felt as if we were driving through a giant Christmas tree lane. From central Montana Northward the area grew increasingly mountainous, and below the tree line it is very heavily forested. It seems there is a mountain lake around every corner and rushing mountain streams along side all of the roadways.
After nine days and 4,097 miles we finally reached our destination. We arrived around 6:30 PM. Our lodging is a one bedroom log cabin. We have a refrigerator, microwave and gas BBQ grill. According to Jeannie the most important thing though is outside the cabin. A porch swing, and in the year a fire pit for wieners and marshmallows. I quickly looked around and verified there was a nice pile of chopped wood. It is not that I am lazy, okay I am lazy but I am also not the very best person with an ax.
No internet access for a few days. We are sitting in a coffee shop in Kalispell, Montana, they have wireless, I am going to try and send this and some pictures. Hope are well, we will be back on line when we are back on the road until then, see ya!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
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