I planned to go to bed early on June 29th so that I could wake up and drive away wide eyed and bushy tailed, but Narwhal opened up 2 nights before. For those of you who I don't talk to on a regular basis, or who don't live in Seattle, Narwhal is the most amazing place on earth, located directly beneath the other most Amazing place on earth Unicorn. If I were to recommend anything in Seattle it would be these two places! So I stayed out too late playing Baby Pacman, Ms Pacman, pinball, and drinking whiskey. I didn't pack my car or anything, so when I woke up at 6 I was not happy with myself. I quickly packed my car way to full, and threw what I couldn't fit in my car into a couple boxes that I had to leave for Erin to pack away for me. I said my quick goodbyes and then drove away. About 35 minutes into my drive I realized I left me Bamboo plant that my Uncle Ronnie had given me right before he died. I contemplated leaving it and asking Erin to water him for me, but I couldn't do it. The last time I left him somewhere he went from a healthy bamboo plant to a shriveled little thing that I am still nursing back to health. So anyway I drove back to pick him up, and my $7 dollar camping chair from QFC, which I am very glad I remembered the second time around. I left again at 9 o clock this time caring even less than I did the first time. The last month, especially the last week in Seattle where the best times I had there in my 3 years of residency, but I am very happy to finally leave for good. Part of me doubted that I could stay away, since I have moved back twice, but I can't go back there! Honestly, when I left I wasn't all that excited, I wasn't sad, I just felt kind of blank. I also felt ridiculously exhausted. I didn't make it far before I had to pull over for fear my eyes would close for more than a second and I'd fall asleep. I stopped at a rest stop right outside of Ellensburg, it was beautiful out! Kids were playing frisbee and laying in the grass, you could see the Cascades perfectly. I walked to the bathroom and they were giving out free coffee and cookies. I grabbed a cup and went back to my car. I was just going to sit for a minute and drink my coffee and then drive on. The next thing I knew I woke up from a 2 hour nap. I drank my cold coffee and got out of my car to stretch my legs for a few seconds. This adorable little girl came up to me and said "OH HELLO" kind of in the same way I always so "OOOH HEEEY" I laughed and said hi to her and she asked where I was going. I said Montana, and she said "Me too! I am visiting Uncle Jerry, I'll see you there." I told her I would keep my eye out for her, and with a huge smile I got back into my car and drove towards Uncle Jerry's house, I guess. I drove through Vantage, which is always beautiful, I drove through the deserty east, which quickly became forested again right outside of Spokane. I have only ever heard bad things about Spokane. I remember a lady I met on the Greyhound back when I lived in San Francisco who told me her husband had made her move there, but he had just died so she was getting the hell out. I didn't expect it to look so cool. I wanted to stop, but I also kind of didn't care. I was listening to a really cheesy mix cd that Alex and I made for our friend back in High School, and I would rather sing along to god awful music from the early 2000's than walk around. Not a good sign for a 17 day camping and hiking adventure. I popped an allergy pill, because my head was so fuzzy and I was starting to sneeze a lot. I passed through spokane and BOOM I was in Idaho. Since Idaho would be a hard state to back track to and my goal is to stay the night in every state in the US over the next year, I looked for a camping spot in Coeur D'alene.
Idaho:
I don't think I like Idaho at all. It reminds me a bigger, prettier, less ghetto Sacramento... I hate it! I was only really in Coeur D'alene so I guess I can't judge all of Idaho, but it sucks. This could also be the allergies talking I don't know. The lake I drove by was beautiful and huge, I think I forgot how big lakes can be! I was looking for a place to camp for free, and I drove all around the lake only to see signs that said NO CAMPING. I pulled over and googled campsites and found one called Wolf Lodge Bay. Ok fine. It was really expensive and when I got there the campground was more of a hotel with some spots for tents. There was a game room, a pool, a hot tub, a fake lake right next to the real lake, really? It wasn't really my thing. I ate some wheat thins and decided to take a nap. When I woke up it was raining, so I sat in my tent and texted people, I really should have gone and explored, but I already decided no on Idaho, and my allergy medicine was not working!!!!!!!
NOW TO THE GOOD PART MONTANA <3 <3 <3 a million <3's
I woke up at 6 ready to get the hell outta Idaho. I packed up my soaking wet tent, and got on the road. For some reason I was still extremely tired, even though I slept over 12 hours. Driving through the forest was pretty and I wished I had just camped in the woods for free, but no regrets. The fog was lingering in pretty amazing patches that made me feel like my hazy allergy induced brain was displayed out in front of me. I stopped at another rest area about an hour after leaving Coeur D'alene after just entering Montana. I couldn't even get up to get coffee I was so tired. I PASSED OUT!!!!! I woke up at 9 after dreaming that my car battery died and I was stuck in Idaho, chased by a pack of wolves. I had to bribe people with my Desaparecidos ticket to get them to jump my car. I woke up and my car started! I got free coffee and cookies this time. I don't know what happened but the second I realized I was in Montana (MY FUTURE HOME) everything was more beautiful. I drove through some crazy plaines with awesome fog that hovered just above the ground, when I passed all the horses, they looked like they were floating. I turned this corner around a mountain and Holy Hell the most beautiful lake, it went on forever, and ever. Oh Montana you really are the Treasure State. I drove through a ton of small towns, all the while thinking I could totally live here when I get older, and have a farm, and a horse, and just enjoy the shit out of life! For the first time this year (which has been one of the best years ever) I hoped the 2012 wasn't the end of the world!
Then I got to Kalispell, which is just too awesome. It's a bigger town, but with a small feel. There was Costco, Banks, Antique Stores (where I picked p a few more license plates for my collection), Gas Stations, Liquor Stores, Post Offices, even fast food, but then you turn the corner Boom theres a lake, oh god there are the Rocky Mountains, and what's this your only 32 miles from Glacier National Park. I haven't even been to the park yet, and I'm ready to settle down here.
I stopped at the bank, making a fool of myself trying to get in, because it was Sunday. I settled for the drive through ATM and withdrew $40 all I can spend in The Park. I went into an Antique store just to look (DON'T EVER DO THIS WHEN YOU ARE ON A BUDGET.) I bought myself a Washington, Montana, and Indiana license plate, a magnet, my mom something for her kitchen nook and some postcards, there goes $20. I really had to go pee so I walked into Norms News, which is this cute little 1/2 news stand 1/2 candy store 1/2 Diner 1/2 toy store. It was connected to a store that claimed to have OVER 3,000 Boots and 2,500 Cowboy hats. I felt guilty using the bathroom without buying anything, which is something I have to get over on this trip. So I bought french fries and a chocolate shake. I justified it by saying that It was my last "real meal" for days. Well there goes 13 more dollars. My Allergies were still bothering me, so I was half eavesdropping on peoples conversations, half asleep. I left Kalispell at 1:30 and drove to my campground in Fish Creek.
The Rangers at my campground were so nice, the guy asked where I was moving to, since my car was so packed. I told him temporarily Indy, but I would kind of rather stay here. He told me he just moved from Seattle. I want to be him! I want to work here and live here! I got to my campsite c126 and set up my tent. The weather was beautiful. The Camp supervisor this adorably cute old man came walking up and asked me how I was doing, and if I needed anything. We talked about the hikes around lake McDonald, and when he left I headed straight to the lake. I was still feeling ridiculously tired, but my love for Montana made it easier for me to see through the haze. I decided to walk the shorter .7 mile Rocky Mountain Loop. The lake was so beautiful I could probably only see an 1/8 of it, but it looked soo huge! There were a few families out there picnicking and fishing. I sat down and dipped my feet in the lake! My feet were frozen immediately, but it felt amazing. The lake was so crystal clear!
I sat there for a while writing and looking at the mountains and then I finished the short hike through an area of the forest that was burnt down in 2003. Turns out in National Parks they don't try to put out the fires, because ya know, it's natural, so this particular fire started in June and didn't put itself out until the end of September.
I thought it was awesome that the trees that had grown back since then were already taller than me!
After my hike I laid down for a little bit, cause my "allergies" were severely affecting my ears and head! I woke up to the most amazing thunder ever! It started pretty quiet, and then turned tremendously loud!!!! Loudest thunder ever, and it lasted forever, then in a second it just started to pour! I hid under a tree watching it all go down. I saw a few lightening strikes, and I was kind of freaked out because the trees where creaking so much and my grandpa had just told me a story about two boys were killed when a tree fell on their campsite. I filmed a little bit of the storm and then hid out in my tent reading "Wild" the book Helen gave me for my journey. Just as quickly as the Thunderstorm came it left :(It was about 7 at this point and the sun came back out, and everything was pretty again! I decided to walk around the campsite and check out the Amphitheater, since there are daily campground events that happen at 8pm. I walked around McDonald Creek, which was beautiful. It was only 7:15 when I got to the amphitheater so I kept exploring! I ran into this girl. I think her name was Natalie. She was looking for the Rocky Mountain Loop so I explained how to get there as best I could, but I left out the part where you cross the road barricade. By 7:30 I had explored the whole campground, and I didn't want to sit at the wet amphitheater seats, so I headed back to my tent. I ran into the girl again, and she hadn't found the trail, so I decided to walk her there. She was in the Navy and Moving from New York to Bremerton. I told her to go to UNICORN! I told her about myself, and she said that in 7 months she would be stationed in San Diego. I felt like the little rest stop girl from the other day, OK SEE YOU THERE. Once we got to the trailhead we said goodbye and I went back to my tent to read some more. It started raining again at around 8 and I wondered if Natalie had made it back yet. I decided it was time for bed and I passed out fairly quickly!
ok you deserve a break to be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment