Meanderings Of An Abject Fool

Drove most of day pretty exhausted. Stopped at BLM campground/ fishing hole best part nobody but me sleeping. Second best part free.

Raining and bout 33 when arrived. Definitely no tent setup today. After arriving instead of setting up tent I reorganized the back of Echosport moving stuff to one side and organizing stuff putting the extremely necessary next to hatch or a door.

I started very early still brisk as hell and here’s cool thing. Perhaps a Montana thing. I went from cold to snowy to rainy and back to perfect as I drove

I had read that the last bit of road to glacier had its challenges. Perhaps not for truckers used to it but for me? Let’s throw a big uh huh!! The last stretch was more than a challenge it could charitably be called a glorified logging road. No stops no place to pull over just occasional sand ramp in case trucks breaks go out.

Last 30 miles or so was the less than pristine logging road but I made it to glacier.

Woke early for a hike before people start arriving, they never did which I don’t understand. WiFi ain’t here, cell nonexistent, and to get satellite you’ve gotta do the chicken dance facing southwest between trees sometimes. But the cool part is most of those things. I have no idea what is happening in the world!!! That’s a + I didn’t think of.

Hiking early this is view of start.

Started hike not long bout 7 miles I stopped when I needed wellies and came back but beautiful the whole way.

At beginning

Got back hungry noticed a store on way to camp but apparently not just any store.

Problem going is ya gotta come back. It kinda like lomard street in San Francisco but longer, rockier, one car only fits so you watch corners and play dodge car.

Longer

Alas my journey complete for the day any way and routine developing. Clean rearrange luggage and start planning next leg of trip. Heard a podcast concerning a Dinosaur National Monument!!! Not on list but closer it’ll make for good next stop. That being said I can’t research or plan cause did I mention no connection to outside world. So very nice.

I know some asked me to post everyday but kinda impossible when 20 miles from Canada border in mountains where luxury of all luxuries they had a toilet.

Woke up ready to get day started with brief snack of Italian sub and night before shower I was more than ready. Got myself some gas I find if always at least close to full I should be groovy headed to my greatest disappointment of trip and that would be Yellowstone. Great views great geysers and the not so great everything else.

While Grand Teton was a national park this seemed more like national theme park. Tours of 30 or more no have nice day, thanks or anything resembling civility. Go go go and throw more people through the metaphorical turnstiles.

Got my but close to next stop which will be glacier national park. Almost there gonna sleep night free campground again in back of vehicle due to the obvious I mean ominous.

Campsite at Grand Teton as I said is GRAND. Hikes great also. That being said 10:50 I awoke to the sounds of giggles and yammering from several young women. Annoying yes echoing throughout camp. Since awake of course it became pee o’clock. Did my business with several kids in restroom for nothing nefarious all were in there texting following or whatever social media they are addicted too.

Confused I returned to camp still hearing the yammering and said matter of factly Ladies if gonna do that for everyone else’s sake learn to sign. It stopped and my sleeping bag hollered.

Woke up early to get good parking spot at trailhead oddly it worked.

I was going up to inspiration point It better be as quite long and arduous. We will see.

It kept going up lots of up. But each turn offered more to see. I found out day packs have little to do with anything but water and bear spray. The rest of empty space will be filled with all your layers. It started at 40 and got 80 by halfway point stuff that stuff in your pack or suffer the heat that be suffering.

Starting early only those not wanting to deal with crowds need apply. I’ve no evidence but hikers in general are the most civil folk I’ve met. Always a please, thank you, need some water, let me get out of way you’re faster , and the simple easy good morning. I dig these folk. My sister thinks it because they’re mostly from across the pond and in other countries people have manners. She is probably correct.

Time for turn around. Gravity is my enemy as I’ve stated before. There’s no where to fall but really down.

After that it was all easy(relatively), wide trails, easy navigation a walk in the woods perhaps and once at camp before a long hot shower I had probably the greatest cigarette ever.

Middle of night it started raining and getting blustery at campsite. My car camping/sleeping needed a test drive so packed up my tent and slept in ecosport turned out to be a great idea. While not looking closer at weather not so much.

And then 4am came I woke eagerly to get on to road and this is what awaited me.

I packed up at least got out of the rather primitive campsite and on the road…for a bit.

Google is a little behind in this weather and th directions they gave not a plus.

After waiting at a highway parking area not a rest stop with about seven big rigs and couple of emergency services trucks plows started coming through and was able to hit gas station bout 7 miles away. I’m now an expert at driving 2mph with hazards on.

After that I was on way again and it was better faster up so much when standing to get gas my head felt much lighter. great shots along way not so much on the quality but I’m alone so bring a friend to take em.

It seems counterintuitive but this was one of the great days so far. I felt like a child going on Xmas vacation looking at all the snow and getting more and more excited as dad tells me and my sister to shush so he can concentrate on the road. Problem being I’m not a child and I’m driving.

Finally at GT. After the day I’ve had I can call it that. Rangers are great asked important questions like did I have bear spray-check bearvault-check. Told me rules I’m to leave no food water trash personal hygiene accessories outside of car or bear vault. If I didn’t have one every site comes with a large one with padlock and a key.

Woke up with more of same as I got while sleeping.

Today was wake up get moving as camp real good and real cheap, 15 bucks cheap. It was 1st come. Not a hiking kinda place although I did get 5 miles in along the water.

Drive over groovy until not. Bout halfway through got ugly skies and an emergency winter storm warning.

Am the only one here with no rod or net it’s very quiet everybody is to busy fishing. From my limited understanding fly fishing is to fishing what sashimono(Japanese woodcraft )is to being a contractor. It’s an all encompassing lifestyle. A love of the artisan. Definitely in the cool pile.

While the other campers busy tying flys and wading into stream I was walking the short trail along its shore.

It’s little before 2 time to eat and get to bed so I can drive to Grand Teton. I’m told(thanks Pat) there’s a lovely restaurant with a great view on top of some sort of hill.

Visitors center opens at 8. I was advised to show up early and since I sleep poorly no problem. When I arrived approximately 7:10 four people in line by opening close to a couple hundred. Considering only 20 per tour chances are strong many going home empty. It’s only bout 3/4 kilometer but also has 300 stairs into cave per rangers extremely strenuous. Currently waiting with other tourists we leaving in 5.

No food no water no bags of any sort if you touch anything that’s not a handrail trouble is assured.

Not long but 300 or so steps down and down. I suggested an escalator but they weren’t interested. 😜

The reason for the exploration of cave was just that. One guy did it cause he was 16 and curious. No mining not even guano.

Great and only national park cave. After that a couple o hikes a coyote, no picture, I was driving and back home to get shuteye. Tomorrow Casper Wyoming and no reservations it’s on 1st come 1st serve basis. Huge trout fishing per both Steve’s Lauer and Butler. Good walking on shore not much hiking but I’ll deal. After on to Grand Teton.

It’s a moving day gotta get hike in early and hit the road. Great trail on way out of park perfect to stop and get 5 miles in.

Now the fun really begins. I didn’t expect one of the more humorous parts to be on the road but I know zilch.

It wasn’t a long drive to the next part problem was bout 35 miles of it were gravel and really sucked. 40 avg 50 max. Before that I got this unexpected strangeness.

I only saw couple cars of an hour and no bicycles.

Made it to Windy Cave no worse for wear excluding dust. First thing let’s pull a tour of cave. Only way to get that done is first come first blah blah. they open at 8 but it’s starts getting crowded for the line much earlier. Good thing my early is earlier than most.

Sticker on off to campground run by Army corps of engineers they we setting as I arrived early we said hellos and once finished with setup I started mine. I Asked bout good places to eat they gave Mexican and I can’t say no to that anywhere. Here’s the really nifty part on way to pick up what do I see shining like a beacon Phillips 66 with a casino!!!! No way was I gonna go through life saying I had this chance and didn’t take it. I had an extra dollar and slots took it.

I now no why it’s an army core of engineers campground. Flooding is a big option here. Luckily it’s protected by an alarm er horn.

Nighty night

Up early grabbed a gas station breakfast burrito this is 5 star and an absolute treat. Aftet it’s time to hit the trails. Here’s to the park folk cause without their signage I’m fairly certain many lost or at least me and that’s enough to worry about.

Much of the hiking was as before, not in bad way , other worldly with the feeling that at any moment you’ll look around and have no idea which way to go. Think of a roundabout with 100 exits.

Then I saw another hike looking as I’ve stated other worldly and then it happened bout 2 miles in and a right turn down and there it was my oasis. Actual trees and shade.

Driving down a park road and saw trailhead sign and not to many cars. Perfect I thought..I didn’t bother to question why no cars perhaps it’s because they dont feel comfortable with falling. The hike itself rather short perhaps a quarter mile(I should have known) but what’s not mentioned is it’s all stairs if the stairs were made out of loss gravel. Getting up horrible but doable. Down it was a water slide but with the aforementioned gravel. Thank goodness hiking pants durable and my butt thanks the durability as well.

After that short ridiculous hike itself rather back to camp to do something I haven’t done in, er a while a Shower, did I mention that it was for me the greatest shower in the history of showers. Not even close. Lourdes got nothing compared to the rejuvenation I received at a humble campsite public shower.

Sleep tomorrow a quick and definitely easy(easier anyway) couple miles and onto The Windy Cave, gosh I hope they were being ironic.