It is still windy this morning, Friday, October 14th, as we leave the rest stop near Anaconda (Montana) and much worse as we head south at Butte. Driving is exhausting and the gas mileage is poor. When we pull into Dillon for gas, we decide to check out the KOA there. Even though it is the most we have ever paid to camp anywhere, in addition to getting out of the wind, we have electricity, free wifi, showers, and laundry facilities. Not only that, it is located right alongside the Beaverhead River and we are surrounded with lawns and trees. I am happy we are spending the night here.
Camped by the Beaverhead River
Surrounded by lawns and trees
Saturday morning, October 15th, while clothes wash and dry, we have showers and breakfast and get packed up. Of course, morning photos of the river are taken.
Morning photos of the Beaverhead River
Monida Pass between Montana and Idaho is barren and gradual – much easier on Blazer than the passes east of Butte, which was our route last year.
Entering southern Idaho
Much of the route across southern Idaho is flat and kind of boring, until we near the border between Idaho and Utah.
Southern Idaho landscape
We stop at the last rest stop in Idaho, a sweet spot with lots of trees, walking paths, picnic tables and benches tucked in here and there, and foot bridges over dry stream beds.
Walking paths at a rest stop in southern Idaho
Walking the paths, I discover a huge untended old apple tree; apples that have fallen blanket the ground beneath the tree. I fill my coat pockets with slightly bruised apples, which soon become applesauce.
Old apple tree
Sunday, October 16th, after a good solid rain in the night, the foot bridges now arch over small streams. I gather more apples. We leave the rest stop and soon are driving in heavy rain in Utah.
Rugged mountains of northern Utah
Driving in the rain
We take I-84 to the east near Ogden, bypassing Salt Lake City. It is a slow, but interesting drive through the canyon country.
Canyon Country
When we reach Price Canyon, we discover that the BLM campground where we had planned to spend the night is off-limits to us. So, on to Price and drive around a bit looking for an inconspicuous place to park a 19-foot camper. On the edge of town, a vacant baseball field parking lot is the perfect spot.
Being gone for six months requires a lot of planning and preparation, both as what to take and what to leave behind. Decisions based on last year’s experience: What to do with the houseplants, which I love and some of which I have had for many years? Although someone came to tend them, being left all last winter in a 50 degree apartment was too hard on them; I decided it would be better for them to go to homes where they will be warm and looked after. Gradually over the summer I gave them away, but it was sad to pack up the last of them. Many of them will be with my daughters and hopefully wood-heated cabins will stay warm all winter. Which cello to take? I find the most joy in playing the Snow cello, but fear that the camping venue will be too hard on it. I couldn’t get it insured, so I finally decided on the old stout German cello, but the good bow, and a wide selection of pieces to work on.
Journey from Wallace, Idaho, to the Rest Stop near Anaconda, Montana
We leave Friday, October 7th, more than a month earlier than last year.
The journey begins
Hopefully we’ll avoid the snow that accompanied us all the way to Arizona last winter. We spend the night in Alberton in the parking lot next to the park and walk up to Merri’s in the rain for dinner. Good conversation and good food; bed late.
The next day, Saturday, October 8th, we drive out to Ang’s place. I lend a helping hand with the greenhouse construction, a drop in the bucket compared to what they have done so far and have yet to do, but at least I can say I helped.
The greenhouse under construction – lots of veges in the future
Sunday, October 9th is bottle-cutting day – a demonstration that Ang is doing using wine bottles that will become “bricks” in a straw/clay-built wall, the tops becoming wind-chimes. Raining hard most of the day.
Monday October 10th, Rama and Luther, Ang’s property-mates, help us figure out some electrical issues we have with Terry (our 19’ Terry Resort camper); a new converter is ordered and will be shipped to Katie’s house in Missoula. We say our good-byes and head for Missoula.
Leaving Two Raven
As we are going down Reserve (a main thoroughfare across town), our winter travels come within an inch or two of a complete disastrous halt as a vehicle in the oncoming lane of traffic makes a left turn across traffic right in front of us. Clifford swerves sharply to avoid a collision, Terry fishtailing like crazy. We pull over as soon as we can to assess damage. Miraculously, we did not hit the car that cut in front of us, nor did the fishtailing camper sideswipe anyone. Clifford thought he may have hit the guy and as we look closely, we see a new scuff mark on the bumper that could have been caused by a fast brush against something. Literally an inch or two difference between a serious wreck and the continuation of the journey. On to Katie’s house and park in front of the vacant lot next door.
Tuesday, October 11th, I am invited to join Katie and Justice on an outing that includes a trip to Saddle Mountain to secure things on their property there. I had dressed to run errands with Clifford, so do a bit of tip-toeing through the snow to take photos in my street shoes.
Snowy road to Saddle Mountain
Katie on Saddle Mountain
Views from Saddle Mountain
Then we go on to Quinns’ Hotsprings to soak in the hot water and savor an adult beverage before driving back to Missoula.
Wednesday, October 12th is errand day. We take Terry to Les Schwab to have tires flipped, run errands, and then out to see Mom. She is doing much better. She shows us her current projects and then while Clifford naps, she and I visit and play cribbage, which she wins. The hardest part of being gone all winter is not being able to see her until spring. Then on back to Les Schwab to pick Terry up and back to Katie’s place.
Thursday, October 13th, Rollie comes and helps us put in the new converter in trade for a cup of fresh-made organic French press coffee. By 1:00 we are packed up and ready to roll. Very pretty autumn colors along the Clark Fork River as we drive I-90 east toward Deer Lodge, our first gas stop. From there onward, it is quite windy; we are glad to reach the junction of I-90 and hwy 1, as there is a rest stop near the junction where we will spend the night.
Thursday May 28:Here we are at Lee Creek Campground in western Montana after several days and hundreds of miles of travel. What a relief to stay put for a bit in our comfy little home.
Campfire, coffee, and journal writing.
I make a campfire first thing this morning and a cup of organic coffee in the French press to go along with journal writing. What a great start to the day! I keep the campfire going throughout the day as the weather alternates between showers, clouds, and sunshine.
Campfire to awning
We put out the awning in the afternoon to have a place to sit outside even when it is raining. I move frequently from campfire to awning.
Forest in the rain
In the afternoon there is a real downpour; luckily we have a tarp over the woodpile and another one over the table where Clifford has his books spread out. I write in my journal when I can, but with the moving about, fire-tending, meals and clean-up, I don’t get much done.
Trillium in the rain
In lulls between rain showers, I stroll about the campground taking photos of June berry and chokecherry shrubs in blossom, and droplet- covered trillium.
Lee Creek
It is so nice to have a non-driving day, especially in such a sweet place as this with the creek running beside our campsite and being surrounded by trees and shrubs for privacy if anyone else shows up. As it is, we are still the only people here other than the hosts at the other end of the loop.
Friday May 29: Mist this morning, but it doesn’t last long and looks like we will have a sunny day.
Morning mist at Lee Creek
No campfire this morning, as we are heading up to the Lolo Pass Visitors’ Center, six miles up the highway. At the visitors’ center, numerous kiosks with maps and information about the journey of the Lewis and Clark expedition are of interest to us. We are intrigued with the great explorers in history, Lewis and Clark among them. Being here, we will be able to see where they camped and find sections of their trail as they made their way into the Bitterroot Mountains. Inside, I browse while Clifford spends a long time looking at books before deciding what to buy.
Then we drive down the Idaho side of the pass to the DeVoto Cedar Grove. The grove is dedicated to Bernard DeVoto, conservationist, author, and historian, who loved to spend time here as he edited the Lewis and Clark journals.
Lochsa River at DeVoto Grove in Idaho
Clifford and I walk together through the grove on the Lochsa River side of the grove. I love seeing the ferns and other little plants that grow at the base of the great tall cedars.
Then Clifford settles in at a picnic table to read while I cross the highway and walk the trail on the hillside portion of the grove. It is entirely different in character being darker, more moist, and kind of spooky.
Although I wish Clifford had joined me for this part of the walk, I enjoy the beauty of the grove, pausing frequently for photos.
Back at camp, we can tell it rained here at the campground, but luckily, the woodpile and the picnic table are still tarp-covered. Left-over chicken along with Annie’s mac & cheese makes an easy dinner. As we eat, I download photos to my laptop and enjoy looking through the photos of the past couple of weeks, a pleasant end of the day. I am grateful and happy for my life!
As some of you may know, our planned road trip to central Oregon and the California coast has been delayed because of Clifford being too sick to drive. Today is a beautiful blue-sky and real-cloud kind of day, and it feels like we should be outside enjoying it. This is the first day that he feels well enough to go for a drive, so we decide to make a short road trip over Lookout Pass to the exit at Taft on the Montana side. We have been here before, planning to explore the road up the canyon in hopes of finding a place alongside a creek where we can park the Pony (our little pop-up) for shorter close-to-home camping outings, but the road has always been too snowy. Well, this time we are able to go about a quarter of a mile before we begin sinking too deep into the slushy snow. So, no more exploring here today, but at least it is a quarter mile further than we’ve been before.
As we are heading back out to the interstate, we see a forest road alongside a stream that somewhat parallels the highway. We decide to explore it a ways in case it pulls away from the interstate and provides a peaceful spot to pull over – today for a little picnic that I put together for us and as a potential place to camp in the future. A short way in, we stop so I can take photos of the colorful dogwood bushes and the lovely clear-water stream, but we are still on the lookout for a place to pull off the road.
Lovely clear stream alongside the forest road
The gravel road has lots of puddles from the melting snow, but it looks do-able…. and it is for awhile. But then we run into snow; Clifford says it is okay: the snow is hard-packed and in the shade, so we’ll be fine. To make a long story short, it is a hairy five miles of slipping and slushing and we are quite relieved when the forest road merges with the frontage road of the town at the next exit.
Instead of a picnic by the creek, which is what I had envisioned for us, we have our picnic at the rest stop up the road, sitting at a picnic table in the sun to enjoy our lunch.
Rest stop picnic
Although it was a bit more of an adventure than we bargained for, we are grateful that it ends well and that we had an outing on this lovely day.
Mostly sunny this morning, but a very damp 35 degrees after yesterday’s rain. The campfire is reluctant this morning, but after awhile a cheery blaze warms me as I sit with my cup of coffee and “A New Earth,” reading about the pain-body, the condition where one identifies with one’s pain so much as to lose touch with the real person.
Keeping my coffee warm
After breakfast I walk across the meadow, irresistibly drawn to the aspens on the hillside. This time I find a game trail that ascends at a comfortable angle and I am soon at the aspen grove. I take lots of photos even though the angle of the sun is not ideal. There is quite a breeze, causing the leaves to shimmer and sparkle as they dance about. It is really quite marvelous and I thoroughly enjoy being there.
Leaves shimmer and sparkle as they dance about
I walk with trees
Back at camp, I have a long cello session broken by wood gathering in the deep woods behind the camp. I realize there is so much more to explore. I did not have the energy for it earlier in our stay, but I feel like I’m missing out on something important. Well, next time…. The twigs and branches that I find are really quite wet, so I reluctantly leave the magical woods
Magical woods
and walk across the meadow to gather twigs and branches that have had more time to dry in the sun and the wind. Back at camp I continue with playing cello until Becka calls. Someone made her angry and she calls to talk about camping because it makes her feel better. We plan a camping date for next summer, perhaps right here. Clifford needs to use my cell phone for a business call, so I give him the phone and head on back to the aspens.
The sun shines low from the west
The sun is now low in the west, shining through the gap between mountain peaks. It is cloudier this afternoon, so I have to wait for sunnier and still moments to get shots with the glow of the leaves as the sun shines through them. Back-lit leaves of plants and shrubs also get my attention.
Back-lit
Even while I wait for these photo-opp moments, I am thrilled to be here on the mountain with these lovely trees.
Lovely aspens dance for me
Hard to say good-bye while the sun yet shines
Still saying good-bye
I can’t bear to leave until the sun has settled low enough that no more sunlight illumines the grove. Finally I say “good-bye” and head down the hill, picking up chunks of wood on my way. Back at camp, it is time for another campfire, hot tea, and journal writing. Bass Creek has been good for me. Every day I breathe in the fresh air; I am surrounded by mountains, tall ponderosa at the meadow’s parameters look down on me, dark mysterious woods invite me to explore, and golden aspen dance for me – they have all shared their strength with me. I am feeling healthier and more peaceful being here at Bass Creek. There are even moments of joy. I hope to carry this joy with me as I move forward to what lies ahead.
Thanks to the milder than normal January here in northern Idaho and western Montana, I decide to make a trip over Lookout Pass to visit my daughter, Ang, who lives off-grid and blogs as Modern Mountain Woman. I take it easy going over the pass as it is hard to tell melting snow runoff from black ice in the shady spots. Once down the other side, the highway is clear and I make good time.
Clark Fork River
It is tempting to stop and take photos of the Clark Fork River, but I am eager to get on up to the cabin. Once off the highway, road conditions deteriorate somewhat. The state highway out of the village is mostly clear, but a little icy in spots; the road up the mountain begins as snowpack and mud, but soon turns into a sheet of ice topped with a layer of water. Nice and easy does it right to the driveway, which is a steep upward turn. Ang and friends have not been able to get up to the cabin, even with chains, but I am not crazy about carrying all my stuff – clothes, food and books to share, and a cello – up the icy driveway, so I decide to see if I can make it up to the cabin. Well, you gotta love a Subaru with good tires!
From cabin looking down the driveway
The next few mornings are spent enjoying the first light of the day, sharing French press coffee, talking about books we are reading, the writing contests she is planning on entering, sacred geometry, and manifesting.
Morning sun beams
Sunlight on the trees
Over the next several days, numerous bonfires are built – no easy task with everything outdoors either still under snow or wet from the humidity and the rain that fell softly one night – and deadfall is burned to begin a clearing process to let light into the forest and to create an opening for terraced gardens, greenhouse, and chickens come summer.
Getting the bonfire going with damp and green wood
One morning while Ang is working for the neighbor down the road, James and I have a fire making contest. Each of us had a fire pit and worked to see who could get a good fire going first. Although I had some flames at one point, James didn’t fare any better, and it was only when Ang returned that we had a really good bonfire.
Fire building winner is the modern mountain woman
Wood is cut and other chores are attended to. James and I play cello together, the first time doing a duet for him.
Ang cuts wood for the cabin’s wood stove
James gets a haircut
We visit with friends and family. Sometimes we drive out in my car and sometimes brave folks drive up to the property, walking through the woods to join us at a bonfire.
Friends come for a visit
Most evenings we go down to the next door neighbor’s place, as he is not quite so off-grid and has internet, electricity, and running water. We take care of business involving the internet, take showers, and share a meal while we watch Stargate. Back at the cabin, peaceful evenings lead into quiet nights except for the puppy and the cat when they get restless.
Ang with Boots and Thor (naughty but oh-so-cute puppy)
The cabin is cozy; I sleep on the bench/bed that will one day be part of the rocket stove, which will be built before next fall. I can look out the window and see stars on the clear nights, little solar lights, and the embers of a recent bonfire. I am delighted to be surrounded by great tall trees in the daytime and complete darkness at night except for these small gentle sources of light .
Evening bonfire that will soon die to embers
Although I probably could not live totally off-grid by myself, I enjoy the opportunity to share a few days in the life of a modern mountain woman. Tomorrow I will head for home; the next day Clifford will return from his business trip to California, and soon we will be able to take the Pony (our pop-up tent trailer) on a camping trip, our own version of living off-grid.
With errands to run, Ang trucks on down the icy road to town
Tuesday October 21: We were going to put the big tarp over the Pony yesterday since there is a forecast of rain, but we were too tired and cold when we got back from hiking and figured we could do it this morning. Then it started raining in the night, so it is too late to put up the tarp. Too wet for a fire this morning – I could build a fire, but can’t read and edit in the rain, so it is an inside morning.
Rainy day at Charlie Waters Campground
Mossy tree trunks, all in a row
The rain emphasizes the moss on the tree trunks
Later, when the rain lets up a bit, I decide to go for a walk across the meadow,
Our campsite as seen from across the meadow
and once there, emboldened by my successful hiking yesterday, I hike on up the hillside to the grove of young aspen that I have admired from a distance.
Hiking to the aspen grove
Nearing the aspen grove
It is pretty here, even if there is no sunlight to bring a glow to the leaves. I walk amongst the trees, admiring their autumn colors and smooth cool bark. I could be an aspen tree.
Walking with the aspens
By time I get back to camp, my shoes, socks, feet, and sweats are wet; I change clothes and wear slippers the rest of the day as I only have the one pair of shoes with me. Another oversight in planning and packing – of course I know better, but sometimes things fall through the proverbial crack. I haven’t gotten all my ducks lined up properly this fall.
Rainy view from the Pony
I finish editing “Against All Odds” and then edit photos from our British Columbia trip until the battery on the laptop runs out. That is the drawback to camping without enough sunshine to inspire the solar panel to create electricity for us. Time now to write in the journal – real paper, real pen – no electricity required. Chilly outside all day, but the Pony is cozy, so we don’t mind.
Monday October 20, 2014 – It is going to be sunny today, but I make a small campfire for the warmth until the sun reaches the campsite, enjoying my morning ritual of fire, coffee, and journal. After breakfast we make a quick trip to Stevensville for ice and a few groceries. Back at camp, we decide to hike the Bass Creek Trail which leaves from a parking lot at the end of the campground. Based on the doctor’s recommendation, I’ve not been exerting myself, but every day that we are here, I feel better. There may not be another chance to hike the trail with a great blue sky and sunshine while we are here. We drive around to the parking area, although it wouldn’t have been terribly far just to hike to the trail head. I have a small thermos of tea, my hiking sticks, and the Canon G1X. I am going to mosey along taking photos while Clifford goes on ahead. I will only go as far as I feel totally comfortable with.
I am thrilled with the sunlight coming through the aspen trees, turning yellow to golden. The western larch are also a rich autumn color.
Although I can hear the creek below me, the dense growth often obscures the sight of it,
The creek below the trail
Colors of autumn
The further up the trail I go, the chillier it is. As we were getting ready to go, I discovered my day pack was left at home by mistake. It was warm enough at the camp that I didn’t think I would need more layers than what I am wearing, but now the windbreaker and gloves in the day pack would be most welcome. Reminder to self to have the extra layer just in case.
Patches of sunlight on the trail
So, I hike from one sunlit patch to another, stopping to take photos whenever autumn leaves catch my attention.
Several times I stop, thinking I will turn back, but after resting on a rock in the sunshine and drinking some of my hot tea, I go on, eager to see what is beyond the next bend in the trail.
Around the next bend in the trail
Eventually, it is the deepening shadows on the trail and the chilly wind that forces me to turn back. I am glad that my stamina was not the determining factor.
Trail in shadow
Deepening shadows on the trail
Down the trail toward the lingering sunlight
I hike briskly back down the trail, not stopping until I reach the trail head, where the last of the afternoon sunshine brings a bit of warmth.
Last light coming through the trees
Back at the campsite, I am too cold to play cello, so go on inside the Pony to warm up. Make a hot cup of tea and get on with editing. Clifford has hiked considerably further up the trail than I did, so it is a while later before he comes. Then we have dinner and I continue editing. I am nearly finished with the book I am working on. I download the photos taken today and am pleased with the beautiful autumn colors. I am looking forward to doing some photo editing soon. And off to bed with vision of golden trees dancing in my head.
Friday October 17, 2014 – Partly sunny and 32 degrees when I get up. No campfire this morning; I just find sunny spots and move my chair and table to keep pace with the warmer oasis of light. Make a cup of coffee and read “A New Earth” – thoughts on how thoughts/emotions come from the ego trying to strengthen itself, which is always at the expense of the “other.” Edit “Against All Odds,” play cello while the sun shines,
Wood, dense and mysterious
and explore the woods, gathering more branches and twigs. I love the woods, so dense and mysterious. Haven’t explored them nearly as much as I’d like.
When the campsite is in shade, I build a campfire and continue editing until it is too dark to see outside.
Saturday October 18, 2014 – Today is a town day and so off to Missoula first t hing. Run errands, visit my mom – a very bright 88 years young, and go to Barnes & Nobles for the bookstore fix. Home after dark and head to bed soon after unloading and putting away our purchases.
Sunday October 19. 2014 – Nice day, no need for a campfire this morning, and I’m saving wood for the cooler days that are forecast. Katie, Jeremy and the boys come out in the afternoon and we do a walkabout in the woods to the creek and to the little A-frame “fort” that some industrious kids built sometime this summer. The boys (my grandsons ages 2 and 4) have a great time playing in the water and exploring the fort.
Finley throwing rocks in the creek
Jude at the fort by the creek
Katie and Finley in the fort
Finley peeking out of the fort
Katie and Finley headed back to camp
Back at the camp Katie gets the campfire going and starts dinner while the Clifford, Jeremy, and I gathered more wood. After dinner we sit around the fire enjoying the time to relax and chat. I’m really glad that they were able to come out again,
Later, more editing. Hard to put it down. The Novels of Shannon series which I am editing takes the reader to another world where the characters become real while their adventuresome journey, fraught with peril, draws the reader in. Our lives may seem tame compared to theirs and yet we all face common questions about the intricacies of life: how to live with our weaknesses and our strengths, how to survive pain and loss, how to become fully alive.
Wednesday October 15: This is a day of changing weather.
Overcast, then the clouds begin to part
Cloudy when I get up to make my campfire and a cup of coffee. Read “A New Earth” resonating with the words, the meanings, going beyond ego to BEING. Well, I might not be getting there, yet, but it makes sense, anyway. Write in my journal and have breakfast by the campfire, enjoying the warmth.
Then the sky clears up enough that I get out the cello, glad to have enough sun to sit and play a bit. But by time I get the cello out and set up, and play through one piece, it clouds up and starts to rain. I scramble around getting the cello and music put away as quickly as I can. The little storm passes, the sun come outs, so I get the cello out again. Then the rain comes again and as I am putting the cello away, a big gust of wind knocks over the stand and music is blowing everywhere. I could have used some help, but Clifford is not is sight. This time the rain continues through the remainder of the afternoon.
Sometime during the afternoon the rain lets up enough to let the wonderful warm late afternoon light come through and a lovely rainbow appears arching over the trees at the end of the meadow. Sweet.
Cloud moving on, sunlight coming in
Rainbow arch at the end of the meadow
Dark clouds in the background, warm sunlight in the foreground
My homemade chicken soup has thawed out, so I simmer it an hour to be on the safe side. How much nutrition is left in a soup cooked that long, I don’t know, but I am not taking any chances.
Our battery is not charging, so light and power are an issue tonight. Too bad, as I can see to write blogs with the laptop, but once its little battery is dead, I am out of luck.
Thursday October 16: I light the stove to start warming up the Pony and get the tea water going. There is a pretty sunrise this morning.
Sunrise color
Take photos of the droplets on branches on my way to the restroom, nearly a block away. It has been good for me to do a morning walk, albeit out of necessity, and this morning it is especially pretty out after yesterday’s rain.
Delicate seed pods
After breakfast we go to Stevensville for ice and groceries, then explore the Chief Looking Glass State Park. It was too expensive for us, and I am really glad we didn’t go there, as it is much prettier where we are at Bass Creek.
Mountains of the Bitterroot Range
Later Merri and Ali come to visit. Merri and Clifford have a plant identification project going on, which is fun for Merri, as she loves plants and knows a LOT about plants and trees.
Looking at the trees
Ali is kind of bored and just pokes around at the fire. Maybe walking around looking at trees and moss and berries are not her thing. We all have a cup of tea before they go. I am glad they got to come out, even though Merri and I didn’t really get much time to visit. Just nice to have her here for awhile.
Decorating the pumpkin with gifts from the forest
We do the CI meeting from my cell phone. I’m not feeling great, but can’t distract myself with photo editing, as my laptop is dead, and it would be rude to distract myself with reading or writing. Finally I just crawl up on the bed and don’t even pretend to be actively involved. Wonder if it was eating a whole raw potato that caused my indigestion.
Yogurt and mint tea for my dinner and by bedtime, I feel better and sleep okay.
