Friday September 1 – We finish packing the Suburban this morning for our rather impromptu trip to Utah. This is a business trip related to Clifford’s non-profit, Carnicom Institute. Since it is not meant to be a camping trip as such, we are not taking the camper; in fact, we are not even taking a tent. I have packed camping pads, sleeping bags, and pillows, a couple coolers, some canned and dried food, the picnic bag, and a bag of cooking gear – pans, spatula, and so on, and one suitcase of clothing. Hopefully it is enough.
It is a bit hazy from forest fire smoke as we leave Wallace, Idaho, about noon, but increasingly smokey as we head east. Smoke from the Lolo Peak fire in Montana nearly obliterates the mountains the closer we get to Missoula, but even beyond that, heavy smoke continues to dominate the landscape.
A bit hazy as we leave Wallace, Idaho, around noonSt. Regis River near St. Regis, Montana. Hazy mountains in the backgroundMountain valleys are hazy as we head eastThe smoke is heavier as we reach Alberton, MontanaThe mountains near Missoula, Montana – smoke from the Lolo Peak fireThe Clarkfork River beyond Missoula; we have hopes of leaving smoke behindBut no such luck, as mountain valleys are deeply entrenched with smokeSmoke continues to dominate the landscape as we head more southerly into the hill and butte country of southwest MontanaSouthwest MontanaSouthwest MontanaApproaching Divide, Montana
We arrive at the Divide Bridge Campground north of Dillon, Montana, in the early evening, happy to find that it has not been closed due to the fires. Although the sites by the river are taken, we consider ourselves to be very fortunate to get a nice spot on the Friday evening of Labor Day weekend. We unpack food and cooking utensils, making vege quesadillas for dinner. Then I make the back of the Suburban into a comfy bed, the coolers and such are loaded onto the front seats, and we are set for the night.
Campsite at Divide Bridge CampgroundBighole River, so much lower than when we were here in May, and all the snow is gone from the mountains and hillsEvening light reflecting off the river before sundown
We watch the sun go down, forest fire smoke coloring the sky.
Forest fire sky
We made 250 miles today, a good start on our journey.
