tag:openmictour.net,2005:/blogs/omt-30?p=3OMT 20182018-08-02T22:39:18-04:00Oh, sure, you can just read what's on my blog, but you can also listen. Probably a better choice if you're driving. There's a world of surprises out there and I expect to find a few. i'll tell you about them. Some items are related to my travel, others are random thoughts on the road.
OMT - 2018 Open Mic TourGary Goldsmithfalsetag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/53189402018-06-26T22:48:08-04:002018-07-01T18:33:41-04:002018-6-11 – The Badlands, SD<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4bb1c5f4c295e67e5186b29b7500f82eaa84b7f7/original/dsc-0119.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>I was anxious as I drove eastward towards The Badlands. I had dutifully noted the address of my next destination, 20055 Hwy 44, Scenic, SD 57780, but as I proceeded down Route 44 I realized that (1) no place had a “house number”; (2) in fact, there no houses; (3) I had no actual name or phone number for the place; (4) I had no phone service at all; and (5) I was in the middle of nowhere in a freaking desert. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0c6f0d1be7b0c60467cef81bf8fb58b8cb728429/original/dsc-0129.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3312485bd7729f098170e2bc2d9448e410fedecd/original/dsc-0132.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>No matter, I’d find a place to clarify this all in Scenic. Well, no; these pictures show all of Scenic: </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1dbbf6f2ee2d349976a30736803316e19507eb20/original/dsc-0125.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e5961ff964c040db3ef6d04f81fd2d02c7c1d6ea/original/dsc-0126.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8e7eae7de7c10df929bcbc46328ed28ee213a58b/original/dsc-0121.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0b9f0beaf1aef623de612991a1dcc87e4363e987/original/dsc-0122.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/26ccce71e52e63a594c268e4a6106470bb451e43/original/dsc-0124.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/67d7692c57ceb536f75a2efd19c2d80779aafe68/original/dsc-0123.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f4d9f4e20707097febd4673114e095fb0dc53849/original/dsc-0128.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>Okie dokie, I’ll just have to drive on to the park itself and then backtrack. Suddenly, my phone was ressurected from the dead – I had service and skidded to a stop in that tiny plot of electronic access. I was able to check my old mail and find where I was going: the Circle View Guest Ranch. I was staying in a homestead cabin from 1880 not far from the park. Although it had no heat, water or electricity, it was an upgrade from the park campground and was not going to be that different from a tent and it seemed like a good exclamation point to my long and varied trip. That’s it down by the river and here’s a picture of the campground at the park; what do you think? </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7c730e40085adcc773e4b7ff68cbdccf59cd87da/original/dsc-0142.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7b32565df38e8558f8ec0d49abd8dd9bf87da9e7/original/dsc-0168.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>It’s a working ranch – 150 head of Angus cattle – plus they added a separate solo house and a nice multiunit guest house 19 years ago. It was occupied the night I was there by a group doing a biking vacation trip. Was that giking (like glamping), I wondered. Hmmm. </p>
<p>It worked out fine, although the night was incredibly windy – the owners commented on how unusually blowy it had been – so it was noisy, but exciting in its own way and kind of cool. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c8d0cf3ab9d7b49a383f6493a75e748562c048f5/original/dsc-0135.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fd011e4b22bbfb93d29f0b4651d800524313f45a/original/dsc-0134.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/582d1ee2d289b34a2c9102b0838954e3199583c6/original/img-3698.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/512fa8123cfbec4f2bd10bf963898bd6969fcbca/original/img-3699.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ecd990b9bdd8ab887268a3bcc5226239cd1c676e/original/dsc-0136.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1ade41137f9a8e2d4aaefdc35dde065559f86e4e/original/dsc-0143.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2b0ed5700da4f2a0665c0a5de66e672008b8d617/original/dsc-0146.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/13257eddd478c1ab6f634e0d06cffea84af169a4/original/dsc-0159.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fc4b88fd79245b613344c18db7e4e7a1d9206a2e/original/dsc-0161.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ec8d4ef49bcf24dc0a763ee6bdc1297b3551f79e/original/img-3695.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>After a delicious and filling breakfast at the ranch and headed back to the park. I had spent some time there the afternoon before once I had gotten organized at the cabin. It’s a remarkable and fantastic place, otherworldly and stark.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c6a631ae42c21a7b6a03366fa67ef63d6e0d7f96/original/dsc-0167.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/70542e7b0f2b32b35d86333d18d6ff09ce170cd6/original/dsc-0152.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0b2eea26f751897d408a1145b8590f39f5935d05/original/dsc-0169.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4f88c09d375feca3f7794f033ff3896a9655d6c5/original/dsc-0170.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4157724ff93e9066ae114c97113fa1aa1beb851f/original/dsc-0171.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6f2841edf42313dec0ea62f6e096beb0add8c0bf/original/img-3693.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/beb5dbd739cfc25a708e6fb24dc717f9be71bc59/original/img-3709.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>Undeterred by the fact that it was 100 degrees and that the trail was labelled “strenuous,” I headed up the Saddle Pass Trail for an amazing view of the prairie beyond the cliffs. In fact, the Badlands itself is an interface between two different levels of prairie that has been eroding and moving backwards over the past half million years. Apparently in another half million years it will be gone altogether. I won’t be around to see it. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/56120025aeff9272b88017c11a7fde121df2a45c/original/img-3682.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f3f2b2ae53320f8400e1716c0198983e01b45fdf/original/img-3672.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1935075b0b081aad8aa691a29506ea2d9627a49f/original/img-3686.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/334f0af97c40be0e281f5bd9cc6a99bba363c5c4/original/img-3689.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e39ae65bd17bb0b078c9e30536d327c440f5bfa3/original/img-3677.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/38634357e63535210d87c6d3e1c57b4d20a5fc4d/original/img-3674.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>I had been in contact with Ron and he again invited me to his cabin on Lake Okoboji. Actually, it’s on Spirit Lake, which is part of the larger Okoboji Lake, connected by a narrow isthmus. I definitely took him up on it and was looking forward to some low-key R&R. </p>
<p>I was chatting with Amy, the Circle View proprietor and happened to mention that when I got back to Boston I was planning to focus on doing voiceover. “Oh,” she said. “You should go over to the other house and knock on the door. There’s a crew there from the BBC filming at the park.” The lead photographer, she told me, was Martyn Colbeck. “I’ll do that,” I said nonchalantly, and headed off to my car to consult Google and confirm what I thought I knew. </p>
<p>Yes, indeed, that Martyn Colbeck, the award-winning filmmaker for the BBC’s Planet Earth series. You betcha I’m going over there, and I did. He and the people with him were charming and unpretentious and we had a nice chat. I explained that I did voiceover and though they had that Richard Attenborough guy working for them, I would be happy to offer my services as well. After all, he’s 92 and I’m only 75. </p>
<p>Funny how things sometimes come up randomly. So now I’m waiting for the BBC to call, as well as Stephen Spielberg, who, as I think I’ve mentioned, will need a whale some day and I can be a whale.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c11638717949d05c76b7d4e24602f24fac43ec51/original/dsc-0166.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9719f96e5ed56ac65ee5f38c4fc6cb035398c7f0/original/dsc-0165.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f2e34364bc0a40b4da743612274a58c7465fb0ce/original/dsc-0172.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/39f5bb47d23f9006fd243527beb250ad4b9a751e/original/dsc-0175.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cf4c3bb752466fbd08dc972e14d36a0546b6befc/original/dsc-0173.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/35402d352aa1d8abe94a94b1659e9ae3afcd15b7/original/dsc-0180.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8c7f6f06aab17f50965945f328bc7b764644a9ac/original/img-3673.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d9d84b6d6022adfc50c284adcef54c5c7c5cc574/original/dsc-0179.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p> </p>5:14Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/53154872018-06-10T17:35:00-04:002018-07-01T18:44:38-04:002018-6-10 – The Black Hills, South Dakota<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9567ddb2315c547b0e561742f55c9d3118de2dd7/original/dsc-0111.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/15700cd69b82cb9870544193aeab26802e0aecc6/original/dsc-0108.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/132812847cb54ac305cad36f7e532a594d42c355/original/img-3638.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The next morning I was off to the Black Hills, again a little nervous about the first come, first serve campsites. </p>
<p>I drove through Rapid City, South Dakota, Hilary’s hometown (yay!) and bought some groceries and cold cuts for my ice chest. I don’t think I’ve described my ice chest experiment – maybe I did at the very beginning of this blog, but if so I’ll repeat it here. I’ve got three Coleman (or similar brand) ice chests. They’ve just accumulated over the years – you know, one July 4th party after another. The are adequate for that type of application, but barely keep things cold for more than a day. </p>
<p>As part of my pre-trip research, I looked into alternatives and came upon Yeti, a fairly new brand of coolers. They are also available in a variety of soft-sided models, but one feature which seemed relevant for this trip was bear-resistance and these guys have a simple, but clever arrangement of two matching holes on the heavy-duty molded base and lid through which you can slip a standard-issue long-shackle padlock. Bears apparently have difficulty handling keys and this makes it secure. </p>
<p>They’ve got extra-thick insulated walls, an interlocking lid with a rubber gasket, heavy-duty latches and a bunch of other features. Pretty cool. Plus, it’s super-sturdy and you can sit on it – that may sound trivial, but trust me, you never have enough chairs when you’re camping. </p>
<p>So on the positive side, they seem to be the current cutting edge of portable cooler technologies. The downside is that they are expensive, as in $250 for the size comparable to my assortment of Colemans. Thinking creatively, I rummaged through my post-apocalypse collection of Styrofoam coolers, found one the right size and bought a roll of Reflectix. That’s a thin, foil-coated insulation that looks like bubble wrap and is used in attics, around heating ducts and less traditionally as a thermal barrier under a sleeping pad or wrapping around frost-sensitive plants at night. It’s a close cousin to those sunshades you see under car windshields. </p>
<p>My inspiration came from an off-campus house that Bill and Sandy and I lived in at Antioch. It had a coal-burning potbellied stove which got red hot and threw out megatherms of heat when you fired that puppy up. Unfortunately it was fairly close to a wall, which became worryingly hot and even though we didn’t have a lot of real-world experience, our limited amount of common sense indicated that this could be a real fire hazard. </p>
<p>I knew that shiny surfaces reflected heat (duh), so I experimented with taping aluminum foil on the wall. To my surprise, that completely protected the surface underneath – it remained cool and unheated even when the stove was red hot. We had some other clever ideas, but those didn’t work out as well and I’m not at liberty to divulge that embarrassing information at this time. </p>
<p>So, back to my current project. I found a cardboard box which fitted nicely and wrapped several panels of Reflectix around the Styrofoam cooler inside. It looked clunky, but I was pretty sure it would keep things cooler longer. As a rough-and-ready experiment I placed equal amounts of ice in my device and the two least-beat-up Colemans when I went to bed one night. In the morning they only held cool water, but my contraption still contained a fair amount of ice. As soon as I write it up you will be able to read details in the Journal of Irrelevant and Ridiculous Science. </p>
<p>So now I had a cooler. Besides, it just fit into my congested car, whereas the Colemans didn’t. However, there turned out to be two minor flaws in my plan. First of all, it was a real pain in the butt to put items in or take them out – you had to work your way through several layers of cardboard and Reflectix every time. Secondly, it leaked. Andrew politely suggested that he didn’t want to insult my ingenuity, but perhaps it wasn’t the perfect solution. I had to admit that he was right – it seemed worth trying, but failed in its real-world implementation. </p>
<p>So now I needed to look for a Yeti. We stopped somewhere in Idaho and while Andrew shopped for groceries I checked out Ace Hardware. Lo and behold, there was exactly the model we needed … and it was $50 off! I found Andrew and told him the good news, but with the caveat that the cooler was a pale blue – not quite a pastel, but … was it manly enough? We decided it was and now had a cooler. I addressed the problem later by pasting Mike’s Ray Wylie Hubbard “Screw You We’re From Texas” sticker on it. That should do it. </p>
<p>Guys worry about these things, or at least some guys, and perhaps mostly from my generation. I once made the mistake of questioning whether the pinks and pallid colors of a macramé Trish’s sister made for us were bold enough. She took it back and made us a new one with a dark blue background on which there was a large brown circle in the middle. It’s called “Buffalo Chip.” I still have it. It keeps me humble.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9a69833613a9e497505e7ce7d21640f7d812c548/original/img-3895.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Some national parks have reservable campsites, but many – and most state parks – don’t, so it’s a bit of a gamble. Still, it was fairly early in the season, so I was willing to take a risk. After a drive through the breathtaking Spearfish Canyon I drove four miles up the gravel Route 223 and scored one of the last two sites at Timon Campground. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/273f6196e147142c14b70b5d3c2cd22215bd9474/original/dsc-0113.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c2f405a65c72e9b667bc1ad4ecf28bb1a25471bd/original/dsc-0114.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d67161df7f0fb8b86b6ff623cb540a0e8d64f2f6/original/dsc-0115.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/23846e61f273c60249c0e5459023ee4e30dbd819/original/dsc-0117.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>The night was clear and the area fairly open, so since I wasn’t in a forest and it wasn’t overcast, I was finally able to see the canopy of stars and the full extent of the Milky Way. Nice. I was also finally able to hang my AirChair, which I had thought would be a pleasant adjunct when I set up camp. All I would need was a sturdy horizontal branch and sure enough, there had been plenty of them everywhere I had camped. Unfortunately, I’ve been in pine forests so they were all 50 to 70 feet off the ground, which made it an impractical enterprise. I felt very self-satisfied that I had been able to make use of it … at least once. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2254434770b8afabfff7d1f710cf7a309702033a/original/img-3647.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /> </p>
<p>I would have camped and hiked more in the Black Hills, had I the time, but I needed to push on. I’ll have to come back. I did make a point of stopping in Lead, SD (spelled l-e-a-d, but pronounced “leed” and so-named because it was here around 1875 that prospectors found the first lead to a vein of gold ore). The town is on the National Register of Historic Places and has many attractive buildings, though a shortage of businesses to populate them. Lead is the location of the Homestake mine, the largest and deepest gold mine in the western hemisphere until it closed in 2002. Over 126 years, miners pulled out more than 41 million ounces of gold. It also included a large open pit site, which I was eager to investigate. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6a6c9e78f95f75686b8bf95aa2c3b3932edb3c6c/original/dsc-0118.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a4ed5c30fb72730258b35227ae348ffb95ffd1ad/original/img-3654.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I couldn’t explore the vast network (370 miles!) of underground tunnels, some as deep as a mile and a half, but there is an excellent museum there, run by the Sanford Underground Research Facility. I knew of Sanford Lab because it was the site of a landmark neutrino detector, work which earned Ray Davis the Nobel Prize in physics in 2002. Nearly a mile of rock provided enough protection from interference by cosmic rays to detect them. They have established the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory and are now conducting experiments to help understand dark matter. Yes, I confess. I’m a science geek. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3e169575e03a0125aefdcf9c56bb792f09f09a96/original/img-3658.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4cb5d154a31c15f40a6b39b93d62f6789b469cec/original/img-3650.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5fdd9d969dfff8d9b175d63168fe90da60678edf/original/img-3661.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9f1744ee2b3f82c93512a5aec01b2e196ce6fc15/original/img-3649.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>The Black Hills Mining Museum is also in Lead and though it wasn’t open when I passed through, there were lots of outdoor exhibits. I was particularly taken by this description of an underground transportation car at the Holy Terror Mine. According to the posted explanation, </p>
<p>“The Holy Terror Mine is rumored to be named after one of the original owners, who would refer to his wife as ‘Ain’t she a holy terror’ when she would find him in one of the local watering holes. His partner suggested that he name his new mine after her. He chose Holy Terror, instead of Jennie.” </p>
<p>I like a man with a twisted sense of humor. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/606fa5137531179ea9ac1d5d59b62db0ed57e178/original/img-3648.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>10:38Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/53154812018-06-09T00:45:00-04:002018-07-01T18:48:03-04:002018-6-9 – Glasgow and Miles City, Montana<p>Montana, as I’ve said before, is big. Seriously big: 559 miles wide by 321 miles tall. Just for reference, Massachusetts is 190 by 50. So it’s not impossible to drive across it in a day, just arduous and exhausting. I’m on vacation and saw no reason for either, so my plan was to first make the big push from Glacier to Glasgow (366 miles); I wasn’t looking forward to 6½ hours on the road, but that would knock off a big chunk of the driving. Then I’d go on to Miles City (200 miles) and the Black Hills (217 miles). </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/145ba70decfe9909c7b9b9b028161188f424a5d3/original/dsc-0075.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bf07be31d486a2a2e794082aac97e1a170a66c97/original/dsc-0072.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>On the way to Glasgow I stopped at the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning, Montana, which had a terrific collection of historic clothing, horse gear, weapons and household implements, as well as exhibitions about Plains Indian culture. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/dea0f8765761962ec0d0b5224eaf5d8798718cef/original/dsc-0070.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1a61405dcb330f4228f552a3cc5c32aeb860c573/original/dsc-0062.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e5e8c85c7dda093d71bc54503005c404cce12cdb/original/dsc-0064.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>The terrain is mostly the gently rolling hills and hummocks I’ve become familiar with. Wherever a stream or river had cut into the land there were bluffs which exposed the many layers of sandstone beneath. Lots of trains; big sky. As I approached Glasgow I encountered a dramatic thunderhead which fortunately dumped its rain to the north of me and a double rainbow urged me onward. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0dd37b83c2135975265f6159610672810f736799/original/img-3600.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/05298cb6283680fcf6ecb349c575fc8a9c1154b4/original/dsc-0084.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>Glasgow (population 3500), by the way, is the county seat of Valley County, Montana and according to Wikipedia was named after the Scottish city when a man spun the globe and it landed on Glasgow, Scotland. </p>
<p>Surveying places on Airbnb can be tricky. You read the descriptions and look at the pictures to at least get a start. The reviews are helpful, but people are more likely to post a positive review than a negative one, so they don’t always tell the whole story. Places fall into two categories: a room in someone’s house/apartment/condo or an entire private space. Some of the former are fine, others even remarkable, though a few are barely adequate and unexceptional. There was at least one that Trish would not have abided, although, as she often observed with a raised eyebrow, my tastes are less demanding, perhaps even questionable … except for choosing her. Some of the private spaces – such as the cabin in Irwin – are spectacular. </p>
<p>Price isn’t always a reliable guide to quality. There were a bunch of listings which referenced the eclipse and clearly were a one-off way to make a bundle. I could do that with my house in Boston at college graduation times and pay one or two month’s mortgage. Fancy-pants towns – Sun Valley, Jackson Hole – generally command big money; there are exceptions, but you have to search carefully for them. </p>
<p>Rural areas run to the lower end of the cost scale, but can be very high in quality. The “Historic Log Cabin” in Glasgow was not inexpensive ($98/night), but captivating and charming. It was built as a hunting lodge in the 1930’s and is chock full of interesting antique and vintage items – like the red fridge used for storage (the real one was stocked with bread, eggs, strawberries, grapes and all manner of tasty stuff. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/69e54d90b1b86cceb3acbca2cd09fed53308b116/original/img-3631.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/eb18ec3539531e098917d038efecfe22daaaab26/original/img-3611.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6f2e8ea98767731db4ce31eda4fb26f0abc4e6ba/original/img-3618.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6f895cb6c7fd16db383cfdb8582567dabd451f6c/original/img-3613.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/21a636bc54fcc6c032c9fcf5e8ad8ee22d3e249f/original/img-3620.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a66b9ef1aa94c8f49c754e50b2dc5bd3015cd64d/original/img-3629.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/78d6d6ef962a6571015a2277da136074c5de5721/original/img-3617.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4c8c6d7380cccce5e3691d0611b0fdb0afbab2c8/original/img-3614.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f9ae733aa9d7021b350355cb9f871ab7c1cf0a57/original/img-3630.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>Pretty exhausted from my drive, I slept like a log (sorry) and awoke rested. I spent some time in a coffee house (The Loaded Toad), luxuriating in the Internet, blog writing, catching up on email, drinking a latte and eating a pecan scone. </p>
<p>I visited the Valley County Pioneer Museum, which had an extensive and wide-ranging collection of items relating to the Indians, cowboys and history of the region. As a historical aside, note the horizontal green metal contraption behind the nurse. That is an “iron lung,” something you may have heard of, but never seen. These were the respirators widely used as part of the treatment for polio since many patients were unable to breathe on their own. While in medical school, I spent the summer of 1970 at the Howard Rusk Rehabilitation Institute on Roosevelt Island in New York City, which had a roomful of these – one of the last two “iron lung wards” on the east coast. It was chilling. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e8132645ee36024e894458516d53f6a07c4377f4/original/img-3636.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/016b6f71cfbddee686af8da8aeb66aec828f55fb/original/img-3634.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/729ba406c23a8b5760ff3be884f7a29288fcebb5/original/dsc-0104.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/404b3f22a46e200890f1862be4b260452b0ede5a/original/dsc-0103.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2d591f5bc2eaa0086fbd430e3f33b77fa04c55d9/original/dsc-0102.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fed822ae7c00b5cf269241ed671811cca1887f44/original/dsc-0100.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6b0dba0c2c2820b961e36950753944b98ca0d19a/original/dsc-0099.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/51a68a84e64e9afa410470eb89731374d19504dd/original/dsc-0097.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>I could have spent half a day here, but needed to be off to Miles City, further south in Montana and then to the Black Hills. On the way out of town I was able to document further evidence that dinosaurs were cotemporaneous with current mammals. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2bbd153fc9cd7cd646cc65d412ea456356beab32/original/dsc-0091.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>My Airbnb in Miles City was in category 1 – just a bedroom, but I slept well and Kamala was lovely. We had a long, interesting talk. She and her husband are from Nepal – he’s a hospitalist at the regional referral center for complex medical cases, but was on call during the time I was there so I didn’t get to meet him. I don’t know where he went to medical school, but he did his residency at Baltimore’s University of Maryland Medical Center. I spent a year at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the same city and know that that’s an excellent facility. She told me how welcoming the community had been and how pleased they were that he was practicing here since there had been no in-house coverage before. </p>
<p>Bear with me for a political digression. It put me in mind of one of the idiocies of the Trump immigration fiasco. We don’t have enough medical school graduates to fill residency slots on many hospitals around the country. A 2015 study found that almost a quarter of residents across all fields, and more than a third in subspecialty programs, were foreign medical graduates. Many residency positions at Mount Auburn Hospital, where I practiced, are filled by foreign medical school graduates. We are a Harvard teaching hospital and attract really smart, dedicated people. The uncertainties and racism of recent policies have made it much more challenging to fill these slots, even in desirable situations such as ours. Programs have suffered. </p>
<p>More than 40% of primary care doctors in America trained in other countries and more than half of those who focus on caring for older patients have as well. Not only that, but they are more likely to practice in areas of the country where there are shortages – typically rural, red-state areas. Yet another way in which the plan to make America great again involves screwing its citizens. I found it interesting that in all my travels on this journey I only saw three Trump stickers or posters – and I was in dozens of states. Even his supporters know that he’s an embarrassment. </p>
<p>End of rant. It’s been a pleasure to get away from politics for a while, though.</p>8:22Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/53154302018-06-07T00:15:00-04:002018-07-01T19:08:27-04:002018-6-7 – Glacier National Park<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e0422752768f3e6c2a9d89ccf3774002ab21fe36/original/img-3578.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d92e61092d61c563f8ed408fee67924f762d7050/original/dsc-0054.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/639b35e6bae34eb7413f374dbc973b6dcd1bc89f/original/img-3507.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: justify;" />Morning comes early when you’re camping and though I dozed on and off till 7:00, I was ready for the new day. I popped out of bed, dressed and unzipped my tent flap only to find a woman on the path nearby shushing me and pointing to the other side of my car. Sure enough, there was a big momma moose with a calf grazing on a small patch of greenery. Cool way to start the day. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/211ce931bee13e6307eaea9ed052d9f659c6d582/original/dsc-0965.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9a56bd85f22d5fc2123c27e0d422d50bbc2347e3/original/dsc-0957.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A little later they returned and settled down not far away. A group of campers had gathered on the adjacent dirt road and we all were taking photos of the endearing maternal scene when a ranger came by. She was experienced and pleasant with us, but basically asked that we all disperse – now if possible. A crowd, she explained, just drew more people and although it was a special moment of communion with nature, there was a problem. </p>
<p>The rangers knew this moose, who had figured out, she explained, that bears tended to avoid crowds and campgrounds, which therefore were a somewhat safer place for her calf. Yes, that meant that she was more comfortable with people, but she was still a wild and somewhat unpredictable animal and a risk to injudicious campers and their children. They had previously moved her out of a similar situation and would be returning to “haze” her and encourage her to move elsewhere. It was an interesting insight into the challenges of negotiating the interface between civilization and nature. </p>
<p>Neither Andrew nor I had seen a bear in our travels, but this was definitely bear country and there were grizzlies in the area, in addition to black bears. One of the campers was pretty sure a bear had shuffled through his campsite the night before, huffing and snuffling; he had peeked out of the tent, spied a snout and closed things up again. There were lots of warnings about food and any items with an odor – toothpaste, suntan lotion, scented lip balm – and admonitions not to keep these kinds of things in your tent. Seemed like good advice to me. I like my bears to be elsewhere. </p>
<p>I was on my own here, but still a little embarrassed by Andrew’s prior commitment to exercise vs. my sloth, so I went on a hike to Grinnell Lake and Glacier. It was still pretty early, so I was alone, which was pleasant, but made me especially alert to the possibility of running into wildlife. It was a great walk amidst awesome scenery and I was relieved not to find myself face to face with a grizzly. Then I rounded a curve in the trail and realized that the brown mass on the trail 20 feet in front of me was the rear end of an enormous bull moose. Good thing I was looking up! </p>
<p>I recalled the ranger’s description of a moose: an 1100 pound creature with a brain the size of a walnut. I quietly backed up to a safe distance and waited for him to graze elsewhere. How far away does he need to be for me to resume walking down the trail, I wondered. I gave him the benefit of the doubt before proceeding. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d37945d4efa76a82528732b03de4075ac1185a26/original/dsc-0978.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/df3d39d678b76aba1abdcc7a6628a78dd2251ecc/original/img-3511.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/31de734dfceaa332e377905842765f0873f06833/original/img-3515.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1520b74a44945d3126c0a2166f786b2546274600/original/img-3517.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/da7b36d841d9ff6919196009f759f759c1f78601/original/img-3524.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/24420697da6cd6c869f01db221fa14d5519ba8c4/original/img-3521.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bdc4d105253668461d9c1cefa1892a9c127fd5d8/original/dsc-0984.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/297f84777cd683ca0572df27782d4d2fe30b5fd5/original/img-3522.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>When I returned from my walk I noticed several of the park’s iconic Red Buses in the parking lot. These date back to the 1930’s – the oldest fleet of touring buses in the world – and have roll-back canvas tops for unobstructed views. Chatting with one of the drivers, I learned that for now they were only running tours from the west side of the park. Since we were on the east side, I pointed out that they were apparently lost and offered to guide them back. He thanked me politely, but explained that this was only a training run for new employees. </p>
<p>The buses were built by the White Motor Company, but I noticed that there was also a Ford decal on the hoods. He told me that when a major overhaul was needed in 1938, Ford offered to forgo the $10 million charge in exchange for getting their name on the vehicles. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5733b3fb4542bb07385b7aaabedf3a9c7150c196/original/img-3536.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/974d7f8144a5c5de6e73b5e3518d4b606a0fd531/original/img-3538.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1a42001f237fc0d79b8a585342a450c58c64a161/original/img-3539.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bc1331d9ecf5affcf026870ab283d0b02359ac3a/original/dsc-0990.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>Later in the day I drove down to the visitor center at St. Mary. The campground there was also full, I was informed, but I drove around it just to look. It was not in a pine forest like Many Glacier and was more open to the sky, but there were dense bushes between campsites – chokecherry, serviceberry and others – so they actually were more private. Still, I thought I had made a better choice. I asked the young ranger why the aspen in the campground were so low – all only five or six feet tall – was this the result of fire? She was pleasant, but confounded by my question. “Well, we have a lot of wind here,” she replied. Okay. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e5d388495c8012ee5b1deeb1789b2c63e58d937a/original/dsc-0987.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e8ba36322e0222f66fb763f672287e01967f0fbb/original/dsc-0988.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c9f62880418a57e92abcd8ccebe54fb2cfc3ed19/original/dsc-0989.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>The visitor center was interesting and quite well done. I had a long chat with ranger David Bensen, who has been studying the white-tailed ptarmigan in the park for 24 years. Over this time period they have decreased from 35 to about 10 breeding pairs. You may not care, but we biologists get off on this stuff. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f15898d149b7e70e4ed3d45140e4fa45614f336d/original/dsc-0007.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1ac0731f4b230691cd12f2de374a806f7c19836a/original/img-3575.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9e2bec733cd81610e3e153b51932e29c16104b00/original/dsc-0040.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/99884a39d644a7d51cc6e665ae8088093b37385e/original/dsc-0041.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/76edece66a297dfcd7c9435ae304d020c4d785a5/original/dsc-0042.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>The park was created in part because of its commercial potential as a destination for wealthy easterners. The Great Northern Railway provided transportation and owned concessions within the park. Since Glacier’s mountains resembled the Swiss Alps, a number of Swiss-style chalets were built in and around the park. </p>
<p>Here, as at Yellowstone and Grand Teton, there was ready acknowledgement that the land had been taken from local Indians, tribes lied to, treaties broken, people massacred and Native Americans generally poorly treated. It was a degree of realism rarely seen in government these days. </p>
<p>Evidence of human use of the area dates back more than 10,000 years. The vast prairies to the east of the mountains were controlled by the Blackfoot Indians, while the western valleys were the home and hunting grounds of the Salish and Kootenai. Trappers began exploring the area in the 1700’s and rumors about the possibility of gold in the 1800s dictated that Native Americans be expelled from the area. </p>
<p>It was clearly described that when Glacier National Park was created in 1920, half of the new park was formed by the “mineral strip” which the Blackfoot had been pressured to sell to the US in 1895. However, the enabling legislation for the park contained no reference to them, nor did it “… acknowledge their hunting, fishing, and timber rights to the area, rights which they had reserved in their treaty with the government.” The tribe was not invited to the congressional hearing about the park. </p>
<p>Non-Indians were allowed to hunt in the park and government hunters sought to exterminate coyotes, wolves and mountain lions. The Blackfoot felt that the 1895 treaty had reserved their right to hunt in the park, but the government simply ignored this. Until recently, Indians were charged admission fees to visit the park and conduct religious ceremonies. A large section of the displays at the visitor center is devoted to the Indian view of things and their concerns and exasperation are clearly presented. </p>
<p>Not only that, but there were photos and explanations about the retreat of the glaciers in the park and explicit recognition that they would all be gone before 2030. In fact, there were a number of displays which used the term “climate change,” which we know from our fearless national leader is actually a Chinese hoax. Apparently the mountains are the last refuge of sanity; let’s hear it for the National Park Service! </p>
<p>I spent two pleasant nights at Many Glacier, but it was time to move on. I bade farewell to my campsite neighbor, Mike, who – as far as I could tell – took hold of decades of unused vacation time and headed off from San Antonio, Texas, in his Ford truck. He was an interesting and generous dude and gave me a beer bottle cozy, some Texas hardwood oak for my fire and a sticker commemorating Ray Wylie Hubbard’s iconic song, “Screw You, We’re From Texas.” Yee-haw.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/acc747f588f4b9c7486b32823073f9a9e3b4c1ac/original/img-3574.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: justify;" /></p>9:51Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52798782018-06-06T19:15:06-04:002018-06-06T19:15:06-04:002018-6-6 -- Limiting factor: internet access<p>Hi - still here! Now at the Visitor Center at Glacier National Park and taking advantage of their wifi access. It's slow, but better than none. Can't post anything of note because it would take days and I can't sit here that long - wolves and bears and all that. Next several days will be spent traveling across Montana (500 miles wide!), heading to the Black Hills and the Badlands. Internet access seems questionable at best, so ... I'll send an email when I've got connection again. Until then ... greetings from the road. Gary</p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/53153792018-06-05T23:20:00-04:002018-07-01T18:55:12-04:002018-6-5 – Columbia Falls, MT, near Glacier National Park<p>We finally got to Glacier, or more accurately, to Columbia Falls, a town just outside of the park. I wasn’t thrilled by the campgrounds on the west side of the park, so I booked an Airbnb in Whitefish, figuring that I’d find somewhere to play there. When Andrew was able to join me for part of the trip, we needed to find a place with two bedrooms and the closest one I could find was here. It was a great layover, though and it turned out that we were their very first guests through Airbnb. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6dface7fda0e6ce4e3091d5381bfeaf4029b9648/original/img-3495.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d2b7950ca8aef2a03c68cbe5581c6797103b4034/original/img-3491.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>We arrived early enough to head for the park and drive up the Going-To-The-Sun Road, which goes across the center of the park via Logan Pass. Once Spring arrives, they start plowing from both sides, often having to redo portions which get blocked again by avalanches or additional snow. The pass is open when they reliably meet in the middle. We had been warned that the pass might not be open and I had researched this online, finding data going back to the 40’s. It has varied from mid-May to mid-July and was not yet open when we got there. </p>
<p>I slept well and woke up around 7:30. Andrew returned in a while, having risen hours before, driven to the park and up Going-To-The-Sun as far as you could go and hiked the five miles of the Avalanche Creek trail and back. We packed up the car and I drove him to nearby Kalispell, where he was staying the night in a hostel and grabbing a bargain Alaska Airlines ($150!) flight the next day to Seattle and then back to Boston. </p>
<p>I first drove around Kalispell, stopping at all the thrift stores. Not for bargains – why then? Well, I had planned to download a bunch of interesting podcasts and TED talks for the trip, but never got to that part of the to do list before I left and forgot to do so during the few times I had fast Internet service on the road. It was okay – I listened to music and discovered that you can get NPR almost anywhere in the country. Still, I was facing some very long drives soon and regretted not having something to listen to which would make the time go faster. </p>
<p>During the night I suddenly woke up and gave myself a dope slap as I thought of the solution: audiobooks on CDs. My Outback has a CD player – possibly the last model that ever will – and where would I find audiobooks? Thrift stores, of course. I went to Kalispell Community Thrift, Second Helpings and several Flathead Industries Thrift Stores with no luck. Then I remembered that on the way into town I passed a big Goodwill store and would go by it again as I traveled up Route 2. Sure enough, they came through with a Clive Cussler mystery, a series of BBC Sherlock Holmes shows, Plan of Attack (by Bob Woodward) and some Dr. Who stories. Problem solved. </p>
<p>I decided to save the audiobooks for the long drive across Montana and listened instead to 98.5 – “Flathead’s Best Rock” – whose Dead Guy Of The Day (I kid you not) was Clarence Clemons, the legendary saxophonist of the E Street Band. </p>
<p>Logan Pass still being closed, I opted for Route 2, which circumnavigated the park, but would take me to the same place: St. Mary, on the east side. It was 100 miles while Going-To-The-Sun Road was only 50, but drive time was the same. I was actually going north of there – to the Many Glacier campground, which was universally agreed upon as being the most desirable place to settle down. I knew I was taking a risk since campsites there were first come, first serve. That didn’t prevent me from indulging in the requisite pull-overs and side trips – for rushing rivers, horses by the road, and the world’s largest purple spoon – I arrived. Fortunately, it worked out and I got one of the last three vacant spots. </p>
<p>I set up camp, played guitar while supper cooked and hit the sack early, tired, but happy.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4c10ba1ad7d11fc7153d2e9be2b0b210ebed75ff/original/img-3561.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/73c750204964a7c3a680d101cd8181039a58ea0e/original/dsc-0004.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9ca78143e1f4e56b3e75464b42948164ed79a898/original/dsc-0003.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a01e84a01a6eaeb0d4b61403b4ce7d29dd37c9de/original/img-3489.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ac8b67c2d4aefc9e6d8a82e96f36c35fb24674f1/original/dsc-0010.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/aa40804d84a8e3969c6ff33a67b69ec07056f0b6/original/dsc-0011.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ac8b67c2d4aefc9e6d8a82e96f36c35fb24674f1/original/dsc-0010.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/621e6a0cb23c56501565494c35e28c58037847c0/original/dsc-0029.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3b687d993776cf94281e4ac986fb355decbcb41f/original/dsc-0033.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0a401660b3d8393cf9727eabae46f84f24165bac/original/img-3490.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0464c21e086d5fcf7ca397bdde11bf2143e8d71d/original/dsc-0942.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/30654b18c686da2ccdfeae7cd22a1db1aeb44a64/original/dsc-0943.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4b4cb70be2a52aa71ed0138283e2af99ce4a1b55/original/img-3502.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/37b2ecf6c40f7587edf52c567db500d3923f4413/original/dsc-0023.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bf14a68db317ca0f499e149830ac55185a206c5d/original/img-3569.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bfeac6ea91d627122aa80909e3cc5dff278dc4e7/original/img-3549.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="puvGUtlfQEo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/puvGUtlfQEo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/puvGUtlfQEo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>5:12Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/53149002018-06-04T14:55:00-04:002018-07-01T19:07:17-04:002018-6-4 – Bad Medicine<p>It’s no surprise to me that I’ve only played a few open mics and coffee houses. First of all, most places book acts for the weekend so at best we’re talking about 57% of the week available for potential gigs. Furthermore, although some open mics are weekly, many, if not most, are monthly and the odds of my being in town on that particular day are pretty small. I’ve missed by a day or two several times. Finally, many “coffee houses” these days just offer coffee, not music. You may have noticed that it’s not the 60’s any more. Restaurants are usually a no-go and bars are uncertain at best – noisy, often best suited to a band. </p>
<p>I’ve played for the wildlife (and because I need the practice) when I’ve camped, but the prolonged run of heavy rain and thunderstorms we’ve encountered has changed this trip from an open mic tour to an Airbnb tour. C’est la vie, or, to quote the Goldsmith family motto, Est Quod Est (It Is What It Is.) </p>
<p>We left Missoula and headed up to the northwest corner of Montana, where we camped at Bad Medicine Campground. I had chosen it both for the drive and the name. The Airbnbs have been fine, but it was nice to finally get outdoors. It wasn’t crowded and we settled in comfortably. If I were a fisherman, I would have been in heaven. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4bae244d4664de7dfcad8eca97729da68c6a41db/original/img-3408-arrow.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/dbfc706fd76e9d07e086e77fc5b1f387b32b2583/original/dsc-0882.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/abcfd7e9b61b0ceb57ba0f8e6ca19980cc9d124e/original/img-3456.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f8e44737a6e25d3e7d2c7ce8ceb7ae79efc6d3ec/original/img-3459.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ef83ae826321395949dc6151787691b1160e66e9/original/img-3462.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5d3533acbc6b3a55c09201ad8c6ee2ab78057b38/original/img-3467.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b050e373fbcba09b383b453b7a75763ad81aba30/original/img-3407.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>The next morning we broke camp and stopped in Troy – “Where Montana Begins” – for coffee and breakfast before heading for Glacier. Andrew had gone off for a run and I was drawn to the Home Bar, which specializes in bikes, babes and beer. Too early in the day – they weren’t open yet. Regrettably, we were also a few weeks too early for the 11th Annual Salmon River Testicle Festival. </p>
<p>When I travelled around the country with Susan, whom Trish referred to as my “practice wife,” we were on the road for six or seven weeks. By the end, having seen no end of amazing places, we would say, only half jokingly, “Ho hum, another magnificent vista, another spectacular mountain ….” Scenery overload. </p>
<p>Nonetheless, some of the best experiences of travel are unplanned and unexpected. We headed east on Route 2, which I suppose I could just follow until I got to Arlington, if I were so inclined. We were winding our way through a deep gorge when we spotted our first “Historical Marker Ahead” sign. These and “Scenic View” indicators are the reason any two-hour trip takes three or four, so we tried to resist. That lasted until we saw the “Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge” sign. We had to investigate. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/49eb44eaf28a0c686dfc08bd0875b855d75c719a/original/img-3476.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2fbeda3c187587492aa40ed483b00b38b35fd13d/original/img-3477.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a784e5b57abd9df016555be41f26bc09cfc648cd/original/dsc-0890.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d84d122802c4e248fc80f4bee9b6f598a6b03b6c/original/dsc-0898.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0938c333707cc4ec5c4520a18d5ffc50b1e73b05/original/dsc-0887.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2b7d077b2b7cb5ff29b0da0a79bc7408bba9752f/original/dsc-0888.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/716c85690dbe0a7975a295a3217bbf386d087b8b/original/dsc-0906.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b0baacb88dc34eafbccce76ef301b7723202d757/original/dsc-0920.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3fbd4b95d4c3ed5eaa4a32470bca0ef8600ad989/original/img-3482.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/45e56950ff9f50509a9456521a6db8d86c57104f/original/dsc-0892.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>The bridge turned out to be uneasily mobile, if not swinging, though I suppose you could get it to swing with some effort and a serious death wish. The Kootenai River (named after a local Indian tribe) was wild and wonderful and the falls even more so. I came upon lots of flowers during a walk in the woods. It reminded me of Glen Helen, a thousand-acre forest adjacent to Antioch College – a place in which I probably spent more time than in class. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/597a14a04474afabbb93a0155cfbb68477ead029/original/dsc-0934.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/33043701602f59c0654bd11c2955e6269d1d44ab/original/dsc-0903.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0975288b34bcecf0d96012045138d29f27af4335/original/dsc-0925.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a777786aa180829b1a59fd2c820f17c1626361d1/original/dsc-0904.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3a562215dcdc8e10b215397b4970992816008a43/original/dsc-0927.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You get to the water by crossing the railroad tracks – no trains, unfortunately – and descending a couple of flights of stairs. Andrew was ahead of me on the way back and felt the need to run up and down them a few times. I suppose that’s not entirely mad since he’s doing a triathlon shortly after returning, but really … was it necessary to carry a boulder as part of the walk? </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d3b69d28b2a5a3b7c1bf2d82b5f71d6cac430c9b/original/dsc-0930.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/eb68b5d6180c429bdaf623caebecaf79fd05293a/original/dsc-0933.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d3b69d28b2a5a3b7c1bf2d82b5f71d6cac430c9b/original/dsc-0930.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d77a91f8230da0c7084e6920a437f6c218f5e51b/original/img-3472.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>On the way I had to pull over to document the 5,000 mile mark, as well as some neat streams, rocky outcroppings, overhanging crags. Needless to say, it was a longer trip than one might reasonably expect.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="P1DhHM0UUY0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/P1DhHM0UUY0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P1DhHM0UUY0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hOgiLdtudiY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/hOgiLdtudiY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hOgiLdtudiY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="WhZq-01YrNM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/WhZq-01YrNM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WhZq-01YrNM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="711YMm9Z8hA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/711YMm9Z8hA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/711YMm9Z8hA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="5l-cjgkrnqM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/5l-cjgkrnqM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5l-cjgkrnqM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="_RdKMephsb4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/_RdKMephsb4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_RdKMephsb4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2a9bbea5c31f9cef496e31bdb142c671a6ad6d96/original/dsc-0875.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0661c6fc888ed7f40eb5809481f990a7d222e5bf/original/dsc-0877.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ffbefcc9745b5532d85a4e5f4cd31c9049e1d77a/original/dsc-0880.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/54b7c23ed39a56a2d27b773942f0fd1d963bd88e/original/dsc-0895.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/91fc703437e4eda9f844af1eb7aec37c87393b2e/original/img-3378.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e76a472568b63ea37a98115824170cc8133b823c/original/img-3406.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/86745e39eb64450ca836cc00db3795d28d2f2b4e/original/img-3411.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d604abebd22c9ca260797955189f12a6cd5b35e8/original/img-3455.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7b8952bd0f892a1d8208a52725f5e62781cfd32a/original/img-3456.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7f0667cf0b4e1037b64fc08ece75d68fb6861acc/original/img-3488.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>4:49Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52945572018-06-03T11:10:00-04:002018-07-01T19:20:24-04:002018-6-3 – Mixing it up in Missoula<p>We had ended up in Hailey even though simply continuing up 93 would have been a more straightforward route. Both had dotted lines on AAA maps, indicating scenic routes, but by cutting a day off of Arco we had some time to meander and we had heard that Hailey was an interesting town, which it proved to be. </p>
<p>Andrew and I have seen some pretty outstanding scenery, but northern Idaho really knocked our socks off – it’s not just potatoes here. As I said about Yellowstone, it’s hard to put the visual experiences into words, so the best I can do is post some photos and caution that they hardly do justice to the reality. Sheer cliffs crowd you against rushing rivers bordered only yards beyond by vertical walls that tower out of sight. It’s amazing how many forms and configurations rock can present in – they seem endless, each one as breathtaking as the one before. </p>
<p>We headed up north in the morning, following the Salmon river alongside the Bitterroot Mountains. That turned our two-hour trip into a much longer one because every place demanded photographs and exploration. I’ll post a few photos and let you insert your own favorite superlatives here. </p>
<p>After a while we crossed into Montana and turned into the Lost Trail Pass Ski area, hoping to drive up the mountain, but the road ended in the parking lot. It wasn’t a total loss, though – I got a photo of the “Welcome to Montana” sign. Approaching Missoula, we ate lunch and walked around the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge, not letting a little thing like a road closing stop us. A particularly brash ground squirrel searched around our picnic table looking for scraps, finally finding a bit of tomato. Happy squirrel. </p>
<p>I had booked here for a couple of nights and it turned out to be the most organized place we stayed at – someone had a field day with a labeler – and perhaps the best equipped. We got a chance to do laundry and it even had a small gym, which we were both enthusiastic about, though in the end we decided that it was mostly exciting to have, rather than to use. </p>
<p>We had been told that Missoula was a happening town. Indeed it was. We had a great Brazilian dinner at Five on Black and ate the next night at The Notorious P.I.G. Pizza at Pie Hole a couple of times. June 1st was the First Friday Gallery Night and we wandered in and out of a bunch of galleries showing interesting and cool art. </p>
<p>There was live outdoor music at one place – good band, too: The Dodgy Mountain Boys. I was able to make a good contact at the local Democratic headquarters and offered to do voiceovers for local videos and campaign ads. I went off and visited the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation while Andrew rented a bike and went on several exhausting rides into the mountains – he was a happy man.</p>
<p><a contents="Pictures are here" data-link-label="Photos" data-link-type="page" href="/photos" target="_self">Pictures are here (on the PHOTOS tab)</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fd876d5d3743dd6de6837cf0d1df811233f489ac/original/img-3422.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>3:23Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52945032018-05-29T11:10:00-04:002018-06-14T12:06:14-04:002018-5-29 – Atomic Arco, Cinder Cones and Hot Hailey<p>We left the ski chalet in Irwin reluctantly – it was a truly special place, one of the most remarkable either of us has ever stayed in. Our next stop was Arco, Idaho, which I had chosen because I had expected to be camping for the previous five days and it was just too far to get to Twin Creek Campground in a single drive. However, staying on Shady Lane cut two hours off the drive, so we cancelled the second night, figuring to push onward instead. </p>
<p>We stopped at Idaho Falls to visit the Museum of Idaho, which had an interesting exhibit of Steampunk art as well as excellent presentations of Native American and local history. We explored the historic downtown district and ate our sandwiches at a beautiful friendship garden next to the river. After an admittedly unnecessary, but really tasty stop at an ice cream shop we were back on the road. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b94a9fe7a02c656de655c32f4c0edad1d020f586/original/img-3301.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />The drive across the Idaho plains was long and unremarkable until we reached a group of three buttes (I believe the song goes ), followed soon after by the ERB-1 Atomic Museum not far from Arco (population 972). The facility is a National Historic Landmark and is where usable electricity was first generated from nuclear energy in 1951. At the time nuclear power was an unknown and completely experimental technology. ERB-1 produced electricity and was an important research site until 1964. This corner of Idaho is remote and sparsely populated – just the place for new and untested technologies. </p>
<p>Although there are legitimate concerns about nuclear power, this particular design had the potential to become a model for a safer nuclear power. It was not to be and the industry went in a different direction. France currently derives about 75% of its electricity from nuclear power, using smaller, safer design, though there is movement today towards renewable sources. </p>
<p>Arco has some striking nearby topography plus a mountainside decorated with decades worth of the last two digits of the local high school classes. The Arco Inn Motel was our overnight stop, complimented by an excellent and inexpensive Mexican dinner at El Mirador. </p>
<p>We were up early and on the road to the nearby Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, three major lava fields totaling over 1000 square miles. Rather than a volcano, the source of this lava was a series of deep cracks in the earth, resulting in almost every form of lava, lava tubes and craters. The most recent eruption was only 2,000 years ago. We drove through the park, hiked some of the trails and explored craters and cinder cones. It was an unexpected and awesome place. </p>
<p>With yet another night of crummy weather ahead of us, we bailed on camping and headed for Hailey, a small, but vibrant town in the midst of the majestic Central Idaho Rockies, adjacent to the Sawtooth and Challis National Forest. We both agreed that we could live there. It’s got theater, arts and interesting shops, without feeling particularly touristy, and an interesting bit of local history. Apparently Bruce Willis discovered the town, bought and restored some buildings, but eventually moved on, leaving some ambivalent opinions and hard feelings behind. </p>
<p>Andrew rented a bike and headed off down the bike trail while I explored the town. Turns out that Sandra Acker bought one of those Bruce buildings and opened Flight Archery. Now, I’ve got a nice recurved bow at home and absolutely no knowledge of how to use it – this seemed like an ideal spot to learn … and it was. She told me that there’s a shortage of music venues in town, though Bruce had sold the building next to hers and it’s being set up as a restaurant on the ground floor and a club upstairs. A little online research cast some uncertainty about that, but I’ll have to come back to confirm and play here. </p>
<p>Our abode for the night was a former schoolhouse. Good burgers in town for dinner and we crashed early, aiming for a timely start. </p>
<p>[NOTE: Pictures are in the PHOTO tab]</p>5:21Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52945022018-05-29T11:05:00-04:002018-07-01T19:13:01-04:002018-5-28 – High in Irwin, Idaho<p>Having grown up in the African bush, Andrew still sort of stays on bush time: up very early, take a nap in the afternoon. Since we were moving south to Grand Teton the next day he rose at 5:00 a.m. to see the sights, thus avoiding the masses of tourists to come later in the day. That seemed like a good idea. He also went for a run. Having grown up in New York City, that seemed like a less good idea. I slept in. </p>
<p>When he returned, we broke down camp, loaded up the car and headed down the Yellowstone loop road. We hadn’t gotten far when we found ourselves in standstill traffic on the two-lane road. Nothing seemed to be coming through in the other direction either. This will pass, we thought, but it became clear that it was not the case and for all we knew things were not going to change all the way to the Old Faithful service area 13 miles away and perhaps beyond. </p>
<p>We ingeniously decided to backtrack past Madison Campground towards Mammoth Hot Springs and go around the other side of the loop. Clever us. It was longer, but obviously traffic would be better. Not so. We were halted and not moving. Okay, time to move on to Plan C: leave the park to the west and drive south through Idaho and get to Teton the back way. We had already learned that my original plan of camping at Lizard Creek Campground wasn’t going to work – it was still closed. However, Colter Bay was open and even if there weren’t any sites available, I had been tipped off by two different rangers about Gros Ventre Campground (pronounced gro-vaunt), which was, they said, a great place to stay, had 300 sites and was massively underutilized. </p>
<p>As we drove through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the flaw in our plans became clearer, unlike the weather, which evolved into heavy rain and thunderstorms destined to continue throughout the rest of the day and the night and the next day. It’s entirely possible to camp in the rain – people do it all the time in Europe – but as we made our way through repeated downpours it seemed like a remarkably unattractive alternative. </p>
<p>I drove while Andrew searched for accommodations. Unfortunately, we were heading towards Jackson Hole, where big money is only small change. There were plenty of cottages available for $500 or $1000 a night, but a serious shortage of places within our budget. Finally, though, he located Valley Village for $120 a night. It sounded … interesting … but we were getting pretty anxious. We booked. </p>
<p>It turned out to be a small property with a couple of existing apartments plus a “tiny house” and four places under construction for glamping (Google it if you’re not familiar with the term.) The owner was enthusiastic and helpful and we could have tolerated the décor (it was … interesting), but we were overwhelmed by the pervasive eau-de-car-air-freshener scent. It was like being in a world of Yankee Candle rejects. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/838e43061d3ff34484ae42e75418df3772c5553f/original/img-3234.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/51ab1f3e14c36f969935a4f1b7a5e2deda8a3e98/original/img-3225.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/571a8eb4649bdc84d434f012aa0f378e35fdbabc/original/img-3228.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once again we scoured the Internet without much success until Andrew said, “This sounds like it might be okay.” It didn’t show up on my searches and the listing had a troubling note that “I meet people at the entry to Shady Lane to take people to the cabin,” but we were driven by desperation and getting light-headed from the intense … bouquet. We decided to go ahead, even if we forfeited our payment for the place we weren’t going to stay in, but the people were very nice and wanted us to be happy and satisfied, so that worked out. </p>
<p>We drove another seven miles down Route 26, passing a substantial dam with a large lake behind it and pulled off onto Shady Lane. There was one bar of phone service and after three calls we reached Vinnie, who said to drive up the road till we reached the place where his Outback was parked. We did that, noticing how steep and winding the gravel road was. When we reached him he asked, “We were just getting together with some friends – want to join us?” Though we were pretty bushed from the long drive, we accepted, not knowing quite what to expect – a frat beer blast? a hippie commune? a smoke-filled opium den? </p>
<p>All wrong – it turned out to be Buz and Kelley, two of the loveliest people you might wish to meet. He’s a judge and she’s an assistant professor at the University of Idaho and their place was perched high on the hillside overlooking the lake. They were about to eat and invited us to join them, so instead of franks and beans we had craft beer and broiled salmon – delicious! Vinnie’s girlfriend, Yie, completed the group. </p>
<p>After a walk up the hillside and lots of interesting conversation, Vinnie led us to our place – up and up the gravel road to what must qualify as the greatest upgrade in the history of Airbnb. The alpine A-frame ski chalet was cozy and comfortable and the view was just jaw-dropping … and remained so for the two days we stayed. OMG! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ab3b7804ca2ab41c586f6ebbcc71ce2e7ba8805d/original/img-3242.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cd5ceed1555544054902c1a7aef2a037bfe4790d/original/dsc-0757.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2663a0ec0368c7b902ff13dec051c743147ee4df/original/img-3251.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ed850945ef115f2693255375734b0eba4871ade9/original/img-3252.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0112cea649201df0b3fdca5c9e9263a01bcd8a99/original/img-3243.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fb64d50f58ee075085578856cac0667fdd7731b5/original/img-3237.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/04ae85b9d1b4df68f525c6e9bbccc9ff9db735c0/original/img-3258.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/39928f1a1148b9cfd582094ec9256793db11a0c0/original/dsc-0735.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e84782d79247bedb547fda04ad007cd9d4df14ac/original/dsc-0738.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/01d3c31790ab66a147f822bf991c940aeaab488e/original/an-evening-at-the-cliff.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>We considered taking a day trip around the mountains to the Teton park itself, but it was so nice to stay and sit on the deck that we limited our activities to a Monday expedition to the Grand Targhee Resort, a ski center on the west side of the Grand Tetons. It apparently is known for deep powder, the kind of snow that caused my right knee to insist that I quit skiing. But it was Memorial Day and the resort itself proved to be closed up tight. </p>
<p>The road there passed through Victor and Driggs in Idaho and Alta, just over the line in Wyoming, creeping up the mountain, hairpin turn by hairpin turn. We stopped at the Teton Canyon Overview Observation Site, which gave us a full view of all three Grand Tetons as well as the valley below, stretching off to another, far mountain range. We decided to hike up one of the ski slopes and I got to try out my nice hi-tech hiking poles. It took a bit of trial and error to get the right rhythm, but I found them helpful both for balance and to shift some of the work to my upper body. They were especially good for descending, which is hard on your calves. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d8a6378cab1aae2bd8ba2b64512873743e2f6a97/original/dsc-0743.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/88d0039287479beea249d9ecdf665b27462a6f01/original/dsc-0746.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /> </p>
<p>Halfway up the mountain I saw the perfect rock for sitting and admiring the vista. I decided that it was a good stopping point for me, trying to let wisdom outweigh bravado. I checked my pulse, which was 110. I couldn’t remember the calculation for the heart rate you’re supposed to aim for (age minus 100 divided by shoe size or something like that), but we were close to 10,000 feet and that seemed about right. Andrew, on the other hand, checked his: 58. Sheesh! I ate lunch while he went up the rest of the mountain into the snow field above. </p>
<p>We returned to our aerie and sat on the deck, watching the weather move across the lake, still stunned by our good fortune. </p>8:31Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52609052018-05-28T00:09:03-04:002018-05-28T00:09:03-04:002018-5-27 -- Got Internet again!<p>Currently in Irwin, Wyoming, southwest of Grand Tetons. Details forthcoming. ;-)</p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52911562018-05-27T23:25:00-04:002018-06-14T11:04:01-04:002018-5-27 – Yellowstone 1<p>Weather.com proved to be reliable – reliably wrong, that is. I arrived around 5:00, in the rain. I guess it’s beyond the scope of current weather prediction to know just when the mountains and clouds will decide to offer a deluge. By the time I got to my campsite it had stopped and the sky above was less dark, though there were plenty of rain clouds not far away. </p>
<p>Because of the layout of the site I couldn’t do the tent-to-car thing, but the tent works fine as a free-standing entity. I leaped out of the car and set it up in record time, though the rain caught up with me towards the end. Still, once I toweled out my tent I was pretty comfortable … once I got out of my wet jeans. I was pleased to find that my new boots were, as advertised, waterproof. After a bit, I went outside to find that the rains had passed, the sun was shining and I could have had a dryer experience had I waited, but that was not certain when I arrived and after a lot of driving I didn’t want to sit in the car for another, uncertain half hour. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a0c99adcd551bd18dff56fda010d72eb1fe58f53/original/img-3019.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4a76616afb52b38182f6973373b77434c6334293/original/img-3034.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b67d3f3f00043f9f04c9c840f6e38170b4b57762/original/img-3037.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/04e104f8c780b1b97ef2273335f53117f10d9a47/original/img-3039.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s lots of wildlife in the park. It’s unfenced and free – it lives there, you’re just visiting. I walked down to the meadow where a herd of buffalo grazed. Dances With Wolves aside, I gave them a wide berth. I slept well, comfortably ensconced in my cozy new sleeping bag, although I was a little annoyed by the quiet chuffing of a nearby generator – I thought they weren’t supposed to be used after 10:00 and planned to track down the user in the morning. Halfway through the night, I sidled out of my tent to answer nature’s call and discovered that the “generator” was actually a buffalo who had decided to slumber near my tent. You are repeatedly warned that although they appear tame, they are wild, unpredictable and potentially dangerous, so I took pains not to disturb him. </p>
<p>After dinner the next evening I made a nice campfire and sat comfortably watching it as the dusk shaded towards night. At some point in the gathering darkness I glanced to my right and noticed someone standing nearby on the road looking at me, just staring. He was hard to make out clearly in the subdued light and it was odd and more than a little weird. Finally it all popped into focus and I realized that it was a buffalo, studying me and my campsite. </p>
<p>He shook his head and began to clomp forward while I did a quick maneuver behind the picnic table. Unperturbed by my presence he stolidly marched ten feet away through my campsite, between the campfire and my tent, towards a grassy hill beyond. “Now that’s something you don’t see every day,” I thought to myself, but then realized that he was only the leader and was followed by four more! </p>
<p>I spent a couple of days exploring Yellowstone, though it could have been more. I did the lower area first with its geysers, mudpots, and steaming pools brilliantly colored by thermophiles – microorganisms which thrive and flourish in the impossibly hostile, acidic environment at up to 250 degrees. Some are classified as Archaea, among the earliest bacteria on earth and a focus of the search for life on other planets and the moons of Jupiter. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/aabc00a38aa66468816d0dc5788572718496f6ee/original/img-3022.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1b5fecc1c13ac576c8800ac3ef596a55d8225f2f/original/img-3134.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/19c5aa4914beea664e4c54abc49b330f8f33e47a/original/dsc-0605.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b457772407ec95bffecba57c68883e9edde7d291/original/dsc-0614.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9094c4888c11e8d15081009499f7c15222a92c89/original/dsc-0613.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8ae77f0b08137df9fadbd069a23ed058bff67720/original/dsc-0610.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/27bebb0780c6fbe21556ad7878a157ca8ba49150/original/dsc-0607.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e80b88d3ac160696e38ec7b62eb95865cc457cb7/original/dsc-0609.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b18b0f473509bcf71a25e84028584d023ea93905/original/dsc-0616.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b3ac022074bca47ee224dbbd7cf3f03768363f30/original/dsc-0631.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b285f788498c81576a386731c6cd2b9260d29235/original/dsc-0620.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/22813662ecca18e39ecde714e7eff68395a42c14/original/dsc-0625.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b5a85ba2b63d614b592cf880f19e8bcd40e3d379/original/dsc-0617.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b2ae6ca7acca875e0a707553ae13fa62ef9d71a9/original/dsc-0654.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/dfbc691fa01096f590a075e30dc20362e949858c/original/dsc-0634.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I checked out the remarkable Old Faithful inn, built in 1903-1904 and considered the largest log structure in the world. I climbed the trail to an overlook which gave a terrific view of the valley. </p>
<p>The next day I drove north to Mammoth Hot Springs. They’re doing serious construction on that portion of the park loop – rebuilding the road from scratch, it seemed – which I thought might discourage the less intrepid and keep the traffic down a bit. The springs feed terraces of calcium carbonate, layered in colorful arrays which build up year after year. Although there are warnings everywhere about the risk of burns and scalding from the water, there are some birds that wade around in it. I watched one tread about, picking at bits of something and named him Hotfoot. </p>
<p>Rather than traverse the four miles of road construction again at 15 mph, I returned to Madison Campground via the snow-covered Dunraven Pass. On the way there I noticed a group of people with binoculars looking out over a many-miles-wide meadow. “What are we looking for?” I asked. “Well, there’s elk and buffalo, of course, but we think there’s a wolf with pups.” I nodded knowledgeably, but sure didn’t see any elk or buffalo until I got my own binocs and realized that those were the tiny dots amidst a sea of green and brown. It’s hard to get an accurate sense of scale in Yellowstone. </p>
<p>I made a stop at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, another breathtaking sight, and did a little walking on the trail, but I needed to get the town of West Yellowstone to pick up Andrew, who was coming in by bus. He was right on time and we picked up some groceries. The town is at one of the primary entrances to the park and has perks you wouldn’t expect – papayas in the small super market and an IMAX theater! </p>
<p>Traffic was exceptionally heavy in the other direction as we headed back to camp, with long pileups of cars leaving the park. Some of it was no doubt because people would inexplicably halt whenever they spied an animal of any sort. A buffalo near the road guaranteed a traffic jam. However, it concerned us as we thought about our strategy for the next day. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/935e887fb6eb975bf75af34ce2bba8931bfb16ae/original/img-3201.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />Andrew’s an experienced outdoors cook and we had steak, baked potatoes, salad and wine for dinner. It was all good except that the wine seemed … off. It was cheap, but even so, it seemed sort of … weird. Closer examination revealed all: whoever heard of “alcohol-removed wine?” That’s otherwise known as grape juice. We moved on to the other bottle of real wine; much better.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/13ed3fe9aed089bfcd4860e92521a3d9d5954226/original/img-3209.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/dc9f584d84444b94a8f56cbd59db5848da1cd12d/original/img-3139.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f815d9eef42734325f86be00913a7ff5ec63af3a/original/img-3142.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/dcc6544eb0ade136988c4a6d15fb0e18e7d88caf/original/img-3042.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8bb1ecb7f45ade620dc8ecc6fa81bd8ec4f02a8f/original/img-3149.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/345a4170ad88298fe10ae3633203ae73be2f1ceb/original/img-3169.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d32eb283cd4096766fc660688299dbc7441736fb/original/img-3161.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8ac982284faa8b117333ff73a3f2d5a8c71905f6/original/dsc-0672.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b269c75a02dd0963168666fb18bcf60cbdcf73b2/original/dsc-0675.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ee87a7d850a45ef0bc46f562e95c8e40aa50565f/original/dsc-0676.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8e9e8e01de37014447e13729fc5a413eb09b74de/original/dsc-0680.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3d5b289e5381e8a2582f900ef7536572306da3a8/original/dsc-0693.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3883298780f6b991aa65bdfb73bdae613eba3010/original/dsc-0684.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>7:48Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52912052018-05-27T10:30:00-04:002018-06-14T11:30:42-04:002018-5-27 – Yellowstone 2<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b61f932e982dfc6ea76e0425675764ea6d8d442c/original/img-3158.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5a71de545d8b4107c7aa61e164e4a43056e8f025/original/img-3159.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />It’s hard to know what to say about Yellowstone – it’s a classic example of the inadequacy of language. How many times can you say “spectacular” or “remarkable” before it loses its meaning, if it really had any to begin with. </p>
<p>Just one example: I got on the road this morning heading towards Mammoth Hot Springs. Within minutes I was at the turnoff for Gibbon Falls. I hesitated momentarily because, well, you can’t stop everywhere, even though you want to and perhaps you should. A second’s consideration, though, and it was obvious that this was worth pulling over for. After all, I love waterfalls and the road clung to the very edge of the mountain with a deep gorge just a few feet away on the other side. </p>
<p>Endless eons of rushing water and several glaciers had carved out this gigantic crack in the earth. Spectacular – dare I use that word? The road itself was a wonder – just barely on the mountainside, with massive stone walls holding back the hillside and high concrete buttresses supporting the cantilevered roadway. The hillside above had car-sized and house-sized boulders protruding from the sheer walls. They’re not kidding when they say watch for fallen rocks. I suspect there have been some nasty events here. </p>
<p>What kind of engineering and construction and human labor went into creating this marvel? The first bridge here, I later learned, was built in 1885, using 1300 pounds of explosives and the dump trucks of the day – horses and wagons. The road itself was a muddy track for the few brave travelers on horseback or horsecart, irregular and often impassable. It was rebuilt in 1928, at which time about 700 cars a day traversed the road; now it’s six or seven thousand, so they built a new one, cut higher into the mountain. </p>
<p>As the canyon narrowed it become, if possible, even more dramatic. The river roared, deep in a sheer-sided chasm, then tumbled over a precipice into the valley below in a wide, churning froth. It then formed a broad, sinuous river meandering across a huge green meadow stretching to the far-distant mountains, deep-green with lodgepole pine. It was, if I may say, spectacular. </p>
<p>The road followed the river upstream, the raging torrent on its way to the waterfall churning wide and full with spring snowmelt over a rocky riverbed. Every turn would have been worth pulling over to study and wonder at, but who has that kind of time? </p>
<p>The turbulence diminished as I got upstream and reached its source, another vast, lush mountain meadow, rimmed by mountains and dense forest. All those hillsides fed the meadow, feeding the river. At various places across that vista, plumes of magma-heated steam rose and dissipated in the morning sun. </p>
<p>So those were just a few minutes out of days of experiences, each one more amazing than the one before. Unbelievable landscapes within the vast caldera and snow-capped peaks beyond. Geysers, fumeroles, mudpots, steam vents. Unworldly, ethereal. Deep, clear azure pools of boiling water, ribbons of bright orange and yellow created by tiny organisms that thrive in the boiling water, steaming vents and deep searing pools. </p>
<p>So, how many times and ways can you say “spectacular?” Really, all I can do is post a lot of pictures, knowing that they only give a glimpse into the scope and scale of the reality. Look in the PHOTO tab under Yellowstone.</p>4:34Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52911332018-05-24T22:50:00-04:002018-06-13T23:55:47-04:002018-5-24 – On to Yellowstone<p>Wyoming favors the dramatic – vast open spaces and unusual landscapes with huge masses of rock, cracked and riven by time and water, reshaped by millennia of unimaginable pressure and stress, sunken under vast seas, lifted by tectonic forces. The panorama is sweeping and vast, with craggy outcroppings visible from far away, crumbling plates of sandstone, abrupt mesas, snow-covered mountains, tiny dots of buildings on vast ranches, roads unfolding to the horizon. </p>
<p>The sky is no less partial to spectacle, with rapidly changing weather, cloudbanks stretching from one horizon to the other, massive formations towering over the ridges – puffy cumulonimbus, peculiar mammatus, dark masses dropping rain. </p>
<p>I was driving over the 10,000 foot pass in the Bridger-Teton National Forest and there were some serious pyramidal mountains on either side of me – were these the Tetons? They were pretty awesome, though not heart-stopping. The forest was a mix of dark tree skeletons and shorter healthy green growth. I remember that there had been serious forest fires here and suspected this was the result. Forests recover, but it’s a slow process. </p>
<p>Then I was heading down the far side of the pass, the road winding back and forth between the mountains. There were white clouds ahead and above, with a distant haze toward the end of the long pass. Some clouds were lighter, others darker, and in the far distance I could see a very high layer of pure bright white clouds. I was dictating into my phone as I rounded a turn and it all came into focus. Here’s a transcript: “… forests recover, but it’s a slow … OH MY GOD!” I suddenly realized that the intensely white clouds were actually the snow caps of the Tetons, impossibly high in the sky. They were haloed in fog and mist, creating an unreal, mystical quality, simply floating in the air. Whew! </p>
<p>Once in the Grand Teton National Park, driving on the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway, I noticed the signs warning “Be alert next six miles – bears with cubs crossing.” I entered another area of forest fire with large, patchy areas of blackened and charred trees. Some had fallen, others were still upright. There were often burnt areas adjacent to recovering areas. As I knew from my college ecology and environmental courses, fire is actually a necessary and important part of forest health, especially with lodgepole pines. Logging, livestock grazing and forestry management practices over the last century have reduced the incidence of smaller, more localized fires and greatly increased the risk of severe ones. </p>
<p>For much of the drive the snow was in drifts three or four feet high on either side of the road. I passed deep gorges with rivers boiling over the rocks deep below; it was easy to imagine a couple of hundred thousand years of erosion at work here. There were also vast meadows with wide, shallow streams and broad lakes fed by snow melt from the surrounding mountains. They were rimmed with ice and it was darned cold. Swimming didn’t seem a viable option. </p>
<p>I crossed the continental divide and thought that from there on, the melting snow was flowing toward the Pacific. Then I crossed it again – back to feeding the Mississippi – and then a third time. It was hard to resist the urge to stop at every turn to photograph one dramatic scene after another, each grand view followed by an even grander view. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e1e5c031a7d824076914ca91c3c6cf90b781f51e/original/img-3018.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />However, I was racing the weather. According to weather.com – yes, the same weather.com that assured me that there would be no rain in Wildcat Hills – that there had been rain through here around 3:00. That was confirmed by the wet road, but I was promised that the next rain won’t be coming through until after 7 o’clock. </p>
<p>The car in front of me was from Texas, the driver obviously not familiar with the concept of “curves in the road.” Every time the road deviated from dead straight, he had his brakes on. Come on, buddy, there’s dark clouds above and I don’t want to be setting up my tent in the rain! Eventually I saw steam rising in the distance and knew I must be near Yellowstone and Madison Campground.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cfa2ef97336b14979a036c7afb0470505f5b6d69/original/img-2994.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/310de6da39488ff493490d81301766f451eb46be/original/dsc-0709.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a9d18e1b2d803be37b459fbce2e52ad645289a97/original/img-3001.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/213fb0ff5f7b914a34968a7ccfa2ce5809ea8612/original/img-3008.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/24202a39889f38980c5864da5440d42bda3fb740/original/img-3021.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>5:50Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52758242018-05-23T22:40:00-04:002018-06-13T23:40:04-04:002018-5-23 – Wildcat Hills, NE, to Lander, Wyoming<p>I had to park in Wildcat Hills with the tail of the car higher than the hood, even though I had set up my car bed to work in the other direction. It turned out to function fine both ways, although I had to experiment a bit to figure out how to get in feet-first rather than headfirst. </p>
<p>I had checked the weather as I approached Scott’s Bluff: sunny, zero chance of rain. I confirmed that later: sunny, zero chance of rain. Once I got settled I looked at the evening weather for the nearest town, <gerin>: clear, zero chance of rain. While I was setting up, however, I did notice that the southwestern sky seemed darker and had the look of a potential storm. I decided that although it reduced airflow in the tent a bit, it would be wise to set up the fly, an extra layer of tarp that covers the tent. </gerin></p>
<p>By the time I finished setting up, having supper, and reading a bit, it was past 8:30, but that was mountain time, and I figured that my internal clock still registered 9:30, so I should crawl into bed and go to sleep. That southwestern area had begun producing thunder and lightning and my thoughts turned to the car windows. I had opened them widely since I had bug screens over them, but I thought about closing them a bit since I was not looking forward to the idea of travelling in a soggy vehicle the next day. Nah … if there was a storm, I’d hear it. But I checked the local nighttime weather anyway just to be sure: clear, no chance of rain. I clambered myself into my backwards bed and drifted off into a peaceful sleep. </p>
<p>In the midst of a particularly serene dream I was awakened by an blinding flash of lightning all around me and followed by a stupendous, unending roar of thunder which started at loud and became louder still, shaking the car. Yes, indeed, I should get those windows closed. Electric windows – no cranks – got to start the car to do this. </p>
<p>I awkwardly maneuvered my way backwards out of the car, popped on my shoes, didn’t bother putting on pants, and raced up front to start the car and close the windows. I dashed back into the tent, making a brief pit stop at a tree, and contorted myself back into my cozy little cocoon. At just that moment a high wind blew through the campground, there was a tremendous burst of lightning and a robust clap of thunder and the skies opened up with a torrential downpour. </p>
<p>I fell back asleep seeing an image of my phone’s weather app: clear, no chance of rain. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/92f254e77b490844a2f5821b53bf120653ae2651/original/img-2912.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9ca54cfb423ef32cef852611e49c83f0b690b79a/original/img-2921.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6380174c6395937ca1982a9e21f3a9d3c3ce3338/original/img-2929-cecrpia.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cc526a1b1564c9e5c3b938825c1aca007c959705/original/img-2923.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e1cbfa89abc03528a1cc32f381508157c45f0e9a/original/img-2931.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Setting up camp the night before had been challenging because of gusty winds that kept blowing the tarp and the tent around. I remember reading that it wasn’t the long trek that drove the pioneers crazy out here – it was the persistent wind. </p>
<p>I got up early, had some oatmeal and coffee and went for a walk. I had planned to get on the road early since it was a long drive from Wildcat Hills in Nebraska to Lander, Wyoming the next day – 5 ½ hours –doable, but not much fun. But the rainfly was still wet and the sun would be out soon, so I made more coffee, moved my camp chair outside to a comfortable spot and read for a couple of hours. </p>
<p>Eventually things had mostly dried, so I took my ibuprofen – the car is reasonably comfortable, but hours of driving make you stiff and achy – and prepared to leave. I’ve gotten pretty fast with taking down the tent, breaking camp and packing up the car, now having had some experience and worked out a system. </p>
<p>Soon after I crossed the state line I began to notice changes. Although the land was still pretty flat, there were mesas and hillocks here and there – seemingly random – with lines of ridges in the distance in one direction or another. years ago a vast sea ran through America from the Rockies to , resulting in the striated limestone you see everywhere. Different eras must have fostered different organisms so layers are different colors and there are regional differences - <br> I try to imagine that I’m driving on the seabed of a large body of water with a few islands peeking above the surface. </p>
<p>After a while, things got more hilly and the bluffs were more dramatic, with colorful layers interspersed between yellowish sandstone. When I passed closer to some I could see that chunks of rock the size of my car had broken off at some point and tumbled to the base. Most warning signs got it right – Watch for Fallen Rock – although a few advised keeping an eye out for falling rock, which sounded not only distracting, but likely to make you miss the rock which had already landed on the road. Former copy editors are bothered by this kind of thing. Gullies cut deeply into the matrix of the hills. There were occasional farms, mostly raising livestock rather than crops and the structures were mostly low and often a bit ramshackle. </p>
<p>As I got further west I started seeing snow fences set back from the road near the high points, testament to the blowing snow of winter. It’s definitely big sky country and if you think of the atmosphere as a very thin liquid, then what you’re seeing is like a gigantic 60’s light show or maybe a lava lamp. Cool, man. You’ve got to take it seriously, though – big electronic signs on the road warned of 40+ mph gusts. </p>
<p>I passed through Medicine Bow National Forest, with the Snowy Range Mountains in the distance, and turned north towards Rawlins – 96 miles away – and finally towards Lander, Wyoming. From 30 miles away I could see big, dark clouds and heavy rain right where I was heading and decided that it was not going to be a good night for camping. A quick Internet search led me to the Holiday Lodge, an undistinguished, but serviceable place to spend the night and hope for better weather the next day. </p>
<p>Next stop, Yellowstone.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3da7174b6ded1a195a1260e48edc6049d55f018f/original/img-2943.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0d76ae235735d99354baab6d878a82b05143c8bf/original/img-2940.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/266d15612bbfdbd7230a98d5628f52bf8abcaaeb/original/img-2952.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/16ff99d603fe956971990e46198261ac74dbe320/original/img-2936.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0e166b69ac42655761581cfd912e9f3f6d06e524/original/img-2957.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f4361edfca9339f5591709bef0a78465819899f2/original/img-2963.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/64ec9f2daee1d877fe0b2aea159225d351b1fe79/original/img-2971.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/31e67562c7ead6b05f8ead5e08b402de26fb174a/original/img-2967.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/caf278efa1573039d12ed2931438c44f1dae5235/original/img-2955.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f42995584a87dfd1986a5b7e69bbaac6703b97b5/original/img-2977.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c38a06284e1f03d5a634e7029f59dfa8ee45e5fa/original/img-2981.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/895e9874b02de98f20ffcf96b479c906948a7644/original/img-2987.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>7:37Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52624642018-05-22T21:10:00-04:002018-05-28T23:10:44-04:002018-5-22 – Uncle Buck’s to Wildcat Hills <p>I spent the night at Uncle Buck’s Lodge, based on a tip from Dean Settle via Kevin’s Facebook page. Good call - thanks! Nice people, good lodging and some cool horseplay. Walt runs the ranch and Marilyn tends to the lodge. She offered (and I enthusiastically accepted) dinner – a tasty chicken stew, mashed potatoes, salad, blueberry muffins – and a hearty breakfast. She was very well-read and we had an interesting conversation about healthcare, the ACA and the drug addiction problem. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4245ff164494a4b3e5e003a71236ae4dded9ba2b/original/img-2834.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f247785b2072f5a10900769aec8c98a5007ea71e/original/img-2833.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d71aed24b9aac94825933bf15f307e5b62dad0c3/original/img-2791.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/01409bcef8c17a7091a7e6517c1b22a9478ee99d/original/img-2783.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f1ce572d669c5905dc697df5e96aec3a36730237/original/img-2778.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ea3a0edb350f42cb86fe4190b6b1058cbdec1dd0/original/img-2830.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sometimes</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As I drove further along route 2 into western Nebraska, I entered Mountain Time and gained an hour. That was a good thing because I had a lot of ground to cover. The rolling sand hills became taller and although not quite mountainous, they acquired some grandeur and prominence. The valleys between the hills were flat and some contained a broad lake or a marsh. They were often bordered by a few farm buildings, a barn, a small silo, a house or two. The roads, too, changed and rather than being straight, they became arcing, with broad sweeping curves around the lakes. The railroad tracks, on the other hand, were on trestles and went straight across the water. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7f92168b4e0403066b9ecde7cb9fff9b66efc7fd/original/img-2841.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Although the hills were clearly made of sand, confirmed both visually and by a bit of exploration, they must rest on an impermeable material in order to retain water – sandstone seems most likely, given the nature of the terrain. The Sandhills are an important resource to recharge the Ogallala Aquifer, which is increasingly being relied upon and drained both for drinking water and irrigation. It’s a serious ecological and economic issue for this region and was one of the concerns regarding the Keystone XL pipeline, since an oil spill would be potentially catastrophic. </p>
<p>I noticed that the train tracks were in tip-top shape, actively maintained and in regular use. BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad network in North America, with over 32,000 miles of rail across the western two thirds of the US, resulting from the merger or acquisition of nearly 400 different railroad lines over the course of 160 years. It transports grain, industrial products, building materials and consumer goods, and enough coal to generate around ten per cent of the electricity produced in the United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, which is controlled by investor Warren Buffett, affectionately known as the Oracle of Omaha. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/614b900548380605957de3bb37d0361701178d14/original/img-2845.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Every other train seemed to be hauling coal and they are huge. I counted them then at over 135 cars and over a mile long when I passed one travelling in the opposite direction. (SAT question: if you’re going 70 mph in one direction and a train passes at 30 mph in the other and you drive a mile to pass it, how long is the train? My SATs are long in the past, so I’m not even going to tackle this one.) </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/38298c8033654d78d9ad9e148a3585c6e3776fb7/original/img-2851.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Here's a train from one side of the horizon to the other:<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/eb7167b91cff28d74f2d9ecceda881344b094157/original/img-2862.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Powder River basin in Wyoming and Montana produce 40% of US coal production because that coal is relatively low-sulfur and close to the surface so strip mining is economically viable. Even though the trains are cool, the eco-concern side of me is winning. It occurred to me that if one of these trains also carried portapotties it could be called a john coal train. Sorry … bad jazz joke. </p>
<p>The hills become more massive as you drive west. I tried to visualize the region as an enormous sea and to think about the currents that would have deposited sand and silt so as to create these hills. There must have been huge currents funneling through to create the relatively smooth valleys between these seamounts. </p>
<p>Things changed with time and continental drift – which, by the way, is still going on. For example, the tectonic plates below Australia continue to move the country a few inches north each year, resulting a shift of 5 feet since the last GPS adjustments were made in 1994. The upshot is that Australia’s GPS data is increasingly out of sync with accurate positioning devices. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3750ab867965cd5d5165e8ed8913b1f518363689/original/img-2898.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ecc558726bb7978c94e4f2b343b8b72a92cb8dcc/original/img-2895.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />My first stop was to be Alliance, Nebraska, the location of a particularly clever geothermal heating system that I wanted to see. Unfortunately, no one was home when I arrived. I won’t bore the non-geeks reading this with details about Greenhouse in the Snow, but only point out that they grow lemons and oranges and flowers throughout the harsh Nebraska winters without any other heat source. Text me if that sort of thing interests you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5438b459ef928c5e9a029987088d5dda9b9f38ca/original/img-2893.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a19306618eb1d5fd98ed3c12b736efa2f994071c/original/img-2884.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2f4fa3d297b9517c6f19a38a34e0038f6f10bac1/original/img-2886.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fd5d6e68f9e1636425e838b17c5731229746bcd5/original/img-2887.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That side trip also offered an opportunity to visit Carhenge, not your usual roadside attraction. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9ea551a72f7964d6e131aff0a46b9fb49606beec/original/img-2874.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2b4d3032b5ae88b035fa1bb743c85e6cadd2e8b7/original/img-2878.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/29f678ebc8178d80f948201854aabefba81ba775/original/img-2868.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b2a4fc50ee5077937d2106f908b80039e1bd5231/original/img-2876.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I turned south towards Scott’s Bluff, heading to Wildcat Hills State Park. The landscape took a dramatic turn as I got closer, with remarkable rocky outcroppings on many hills. I asked at the visitors center how many people were camping there, but they didn’t know – it’s self-check-in. Having previously called and asked the ranger which campsite was the best, I headed to #6 and found myself the only person in the park. I made camp, took a walk and lounged about, drinking wine and thinking about my travels, secure in the knowledge that multiple checks of weather.com had assured me that there was zero chance of rain. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/11f142b3b77518d20bf8d7c2d4cd878ff477a97c/original/img-2908.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f3da4f559d73d2fe76934a744a127632ffb37b14/original/img-2909.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9a30830bec4e5289b1e9a959c2773e32b54da850/original/img-2934.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>6:20Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52625392018-05-21T21:25:00-04:002018-06-01T19:36:20-04:002018-5-21 – To the Sandhills<p>Wow! That was awesome. </p>
<p>I had been driving along the Interstate, eating Meltaways, a unique Nebraska confection. Kevin reminded me that he brought Trish a giant bag of them one time when he visited. The next morning he spied her shuffling oddly to the trash can, her bathrobe held up before her, filled with Meltaway wrappers and an empty cellophane bag. </p>
<p>The huge, endless, irrigated fields faded off to the horizon of the flat-as-a-pancake Nebraska plains. Kevin had told me that I should turn north rather than continuing due west on I-80. “It will take you into the Sandhills, which are more about ranching than farming. And they’re really pretty.” It sounded like good advice. </p>
<p>I exited onto US 34 and cruised into Grand Island. I was flanked on both sides by a mile or two of shopping mall. All the familiar brands were there – it was like being in New Jersey or exit 3 in Paducah. Nothing struck my fancy until I passed a Dick’s Sporting Goods. I left the main road and drove back to the entrance of that little mall because there’s been something I’ve wanted on this trip since the beginning, but didn’t find it before I left and haven’t been somewhere I could purchase it since then. But Dick’s Sporting Goods would be ideal! </p>
<p>So what was I looking for? A portable marine klaxon, of course, one of those devices that attach to a can of air and are designed for safety on the water. You may have seen one at a sporting event and, if you were unfortunate enough to be sitting close, heard it, too, at least until your eardrums exploded like a kernel of popcorn. And why would I want one, since I’m not planning on boating anywhere? </p>
<p>Well, they say that if you come into close contact with a bear or if one decides he wants to share your tent with you, you should yell as loud as you can, wave your arms, clap your hands, make noise, bang on pots. While all that sounded like good advice, it seemed to me that the ideal thing to have resting next to my head in my tent would be a marine air horn. Lots of noise close at hand, should the need arise. I might even want to call it a bear horn instead of an air horn (sorry.) </p>
<p>So I pulled up to Dick’s Sporting Goods, all self-satisfied at having dealt with an unresolved problem, but it turned out that Dick had gone elsewhere. There was just an empty shell of a store with a For Lease sign in the window. The huge, highly visible Dick’s Sporting Goods marquee remained above. Only kidding – we’re not here, but we got your attention anyway! </p>
<p>Undeterred, I saw a Harbor Freight store just a little further down the row. Although this didn’t seem the kind of thing they would carry, I figured since I was already in the vicinity, it was worth a shot. For the uninitiated, I have to point out that there is a significant risk in entering Harbor Freight. They sell a vast array of hardware, tools, shop equipment and related paraphernalia. Guys – and some gals – have been known to be lost for hours, roaming the aisles, staring longingly at things they have always desired. </p>
<p>Now, it is a wise axiom that thou should not covet thy neighbor’s table saw or air compressor or his heavy-duty rolling tool cart with multiple drawers and neatly labelled parts containers. Nor should thou envy his complete set of socket wrenches, including all sizes, both English and metric, arranged in ranked order, none missing. </p>
<p>Harbor Freight sells that kind of stuff and for some of us, it causes our hearts to beat faster, our adrenaline to surge, dopamine to ooze out of every vesicle in our body. “Ooh … that’s so cool.” It’s a rush to the head … and to the heart. It’s like mechanical mescaline. It is generally considered good advice to lock your wallet in your car before entering so you’re not overcome with irrational workshop lust. But I digress. </p>
<p>As I anticipated, they did not have what I needed, but all was not lost for on the other side of the highway I spied a Walmart. It required about a quarter mile of side roads to get there, but they had come to my rescue when I needed an iPhone charging cable, a splitter for my car’s cigarette lighter, a can opener and some sheets for my air mattress. Surely they would not fail me now. </p>
<p>Indeed, they had my air horn, plus aluminum tent stakes, a decal for my guitar case and a long, flexible lighter – the kind you can use to get your campfire going without incinerating your fingers. Score! As a bonus, there was a Starbucks nearby, so I got a big iced coffee and left Grand Island a happy man. </p>
<p>I was heading for Uncle Buck’s Lodge , a ten thousand acre working cattle ranch, family owned and operated since 1881. They started developing the lodge in 1994, Walt later told me, as a way of diversifying operations. </p>
<p>There are eight rooms and a bunkhouse, a dining room, a bar and a great room with a fireplace and two-story windows overlooking the river. I was only going to be there for a day, but you can stay longer and get involved with the operations of the ranch: ride with the cowboys, be part of the cattle roundups, roping, branding and calving. They do eco tours, group meetings, hunting trips, etc. </p>
<p>So there I was on Route 2 going northwest to Brewster and what parallels the road? Railroad tracks! I know about these things, so I keep an eye on the far distance, looking for the bright triple headlight of an oncoming train … and there it was, rolling steadily towards me. I’ve already confessed to being a railroad geek, so it won’t surprise you – and I’m not even embarrassed at this point – that I pulled over to grab a video. </p>
<p>Be still my heart – a double locomotive pulling 100 cars of … coal? Why yes, coal, enough to warm even the cockles of Donald’s twisted little heart. Now I felt sort of ambivalent, my ecological commitments wrestling with the tug of railroadiana. Nonetheless, I can’t deny that it was exciting. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/eda7ae644edaf8640ec39651c99df113a6437284/original/img-2752.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e2b9eb284ecd61c0c8f41318b8cb42d9857ba613/original/img-2755.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I drove onward across the smooth horizontal plane of farmland and was happily gliding along when I noticed to my right … a small hill! It was entirely out of character. The road sloped up it and as I crested that unfamiliar smidgeon of elevation, what I saw before me were rolling hills, smooth and sinuous, soft and inviting, stretching off into the distance, dotted – as promised – with black cows. </p>
<p>Wow! It was awesome. I had reached the Sandhills.</p>8:57Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52550482018-05-20T11:45:00-04:002018-05-25T16:55:36-04:002018-5-20 – Lincoln, Nebraska<p>I plotted out three days in Lincoln so I could hang with Kevin and Val and especially Rachel, whom I haven’t had a chance to spend time with in the last three years while she’s been in Japan and Bulgaria. Now she’s back in Nebraska, working a job and studying for tests. </p>
<p>I drove straight through from Lawrence, which wasn’t a bad drive. Once in Lincoln, I searched out a Supercuts, since I was beginning to get that Grizzly Adams look. It looked okay on Dan Haggerty, less so on me. I went armed with photos I had taken after the last haircut I liked. “Just a trim,” I said and that’s all that happened. I get real nervous about haircuts – I don’t know – maybe some childhood trauma. You can take more off, but you can’t put it back on if they create the Marine recruit look, but I suppose I shouldn’t care – it will grow back … eventually. </p>
<p>It was great spending time with Kevin and Val – fun, relaxing, lots of laughter, and an opportunity to catch up on things. I officiated at their wedding and they’re still married – must mean I did a good job. Getting married? Call the Reverend Doctor Dr. Goldsmith. </p>
<p>Saturday I slept in and spent some time working on the blog, organizing photos, and taking full advantage of Internet access, something I haven’t had consistently on this trip. That evening I played at a local bike shop/coffee house – an interesting, but apparently successful combo. Got to try out my new amp – it’s small, but handled guitar and vocals just fine – and to chat a bit with Beth, whom I haven’t seen in years. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b41a82427116666ec5f8a4d515ba2b0ca118f0a5/original/img-2988.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> Two bonuses at K&V’s – there’s always coffee and the food is great. Kev has become a really good chef and he got the smoker started early Sunday morning; we had North Carolina pulled pork and beans with pineapple cooked in brown sugar and butter, topped off by blueberry pie with vanilla gelato. Yum. There’s a screened breezeway which is the perfect place to sit and sip the beverage of your choice and solve the world’s problems. We got most of them worked out; just a few left that the world will have to solve on its own. Another bonus: I got to do laundry, so that odd noxious smell they were worried about in Nebraska seems to have dissipated. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/66052d2474f59df66a3710766981b72c7fd8e438/original/img-2680.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f5bd6788f86a255a1e1556963c2400bc4f2fcc4e/original/img-2681.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/49cd21550acdedac4d6004d9cdc87cec1efd7b85/original/img-2676.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/27319b09c8f1651785db6d763dcc246f3041130f/original/img-2667.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chester, a big orange fluffball who adds up t o two or three cat’s worth of my own feline, Buster, is a remarkably social animal and likes to hang out with folks. I took a nap one day and he snuggled up with me. Cozy. Val has been doing flower arranging and has the perfect-sized workshop from which to turn out elegant and beautiful arrangements, so the house is just full of stunning little surprises. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7998d9b2f13366481b81e2ed2885a0e19657b9f9/original/img-2692.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3a4759c9227b206a39a0051483fc8bf09048a895/original/img-2691.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I spent a day with Rachel checking out her new apartment – bright, sunny, nicer than most places I’ve lived. We had brunch at the Engine House Café – “Best Eggs Benedict in the world or possibly the universe (unless there is life on other planets and they make an Eggs Benedict.)” Biscuits and gravy! Then to Bodhi Imports – the hippie store – to experience incense sticks, tie-died clothing, crystals and minerals. Just down the street is Grateful Bread and the Violin Shop, which gets my vote for the best car art. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/086d1227b165e706cb6b726e47e7fdfff6e6a4ac/original/img-2695.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4cc3978d1e75e503878b0bc1e91dc7b9737e71c0/original/img-2694.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/98ec042ded621f1ac44f21f71726dfe7e55368d1/original/img-2696.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/045b7ed49c716ce656208505a809f51985656025/original/img-2697.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a7a1c641e376b3e6ac5c908d1a38bdd3b35d30ce/original/img-2687.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0ffed1e139f0046ef082b81b3ed20738c7535d25/original/img-2689.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>We visited the Goodwill Store that specializes in electronics – I was sure they would have a cheap wah-wah pedal and the exact guitar distortion stomp box I’ve been searching for. Unfortunately, they had none of the above. I’m certain I would have scored if I had only gone the day before, just as I’m certain I would have won big if I had stopped at one of the Indian casinos. Also, it’s pretty clear that a clerical error is why my Kentucky Powerball ticket wasn’t a winner. </p>
<p>We next hung out for a while at Exposed Audio, a small recording studio where Rachel has laid down some cool tracks – bombogenic beats with echos of Amy Winehouse. A keyboard player himself, Dylan has an assortment of pianos, organs and electronic keyboards. Back in the day you needed a quarter-million dollars worth of recording equipment to do anything serious. I remember the effort it took to edit things with tape. Today’s electronics let you do very sophisticated work with much less than that and he’s got a nice setup with a great console. He’s serious about making a go of the studio and has a background in business, which will be a valuable perspective. Art is great, but you’ve got to pay the rent. </p>
<p>Lincoln (population 280,000) is a right-sized city, with enough population to support a thriving music and arts community. Like many American cities, it has experienced a revitalization and the Haymarket district, which was dark and unappealing when I first visited many years ago, is now a hot and happening place. Dylan’s studio, a couple of doors down from Method Cycle, is on 11th street, on the very edge of Haymarket, but the city has plans in the works to develop the street as a major corridor so I think things will go well for them. No slight to Boston, but the fact that it’s built on a grid makes it really easy to negotiate getting from one place to another … go to 17th, make a left on L and there you are. </p>
<p>It is the capitol of Nebraska and has a remarkable state capitol building, filled with grand murals, dramatic hallways, coffered arches and a spectacular law library. It’s not that often that you find mosaics of trilobites, ichthyosaurs and brontosaurs in the state capitol. You can look out over the whole city from the top of the tower, as well as see it from miles away. It is referred to fondly by many locals as, ahem, “the penis of the plains.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/35041f0e12be09295797491297d67711ffbcec07/original/img-2700.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cd2dd963add4f2cd640f5e0de4af376574d3e11d/original/img-2705.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/92e8dd90193cd7e0b03b94f03f853bc397e97c89/original/img-2703.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/93435219150568de258acb3f034902e8c75ef03b/original/img-2704.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b44c628173b2549d046efbb754633140b6a969cd/original/img-2710.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/238223a2bb269c5e87261672259ea6ecb6274ea5/original/img-2712.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/536bff75d06caa527ffac155cc6151fd7e7dc2cb/original/img-2708.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cb1e20a60fe08e09079c92f5ff18c26c704760ca/original/img-2714.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d50e00770fe83828618f7226b7f1fc4d90d3e634/original/img-2719.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/45a1754ef01bc7485cf255d102eaf811c9f216c1/original/img-2725.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7e0b299f85a6b999abb6ceb81cfbbae22766c62c/original/img-2724.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9a19ba2d16a4bb2921377de46e07f6546ef44c7c/original/img-2717.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5fa354a40f387f9a5d76af90a2c41b5775318cf8/original/img-2741.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/119340089d07ddfd73cfec7c651b3afe53b6c375/original/img-2735.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/80eec18388b1909cd41b9cde66f13f6de2d0ae2b/original/img-2744.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/98c455def77bf7ac2ccb7f3611c5ccef2a6253af/original/img-2743.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8c41abe5ae9823927d8abe2a87d2426c7fc34924/original/img-2739.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1b9a3f8aefd59ab18a1837d525a7de76b8748bd6/original/img-2726.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9fcd5e53bf95d6dab3055839cde8a7435aa563f5/original/img-2734.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>7:32Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52465482018-05-18T22:20:00-04:002018-05-21T10:20:56-04:002018-5-18 – Observations on the way to Lincoln<ul> <li>I took I-70 out of Lawrence and discovered that Kansas doesn’t recognize Easy Pass, although 15 other states do. Speed limits going up – 75 here. Now on US 75, which is only two lanes, but they are wide and the speed limit is 65. No sharp curves. It’s all good. </li> <li>Going through Topeka I passed by an enormous industrial building which apparently is the home of Hallmark Cards. Heartfelt thoughts from the heartland. </li> <li>Much of the technology for self-driving cars already exists. I’ve mentioned my Outback’s lane departure function – if you drift over a lane marking it beeps at you and a warning appears on the dash. You can also set it to gently steer you back into your lane, which is a little unnerving the first time it happens spontaneously. I experimented a bit on a clear stretch of road and this self-correction results in a sequential drifting back and forth, followed by a stern warning to “Keep Hands on Wheel While Driving!” I wonder if this will disappear with full autonomy, when you can drive somewhere while knitting or playing solitaire or editing your blog. </li> <li>Passed through the Potawatomy and Kickapoo Indian Reservations and a couple of casinos. Do I feel lucky? Huh? D o I? </li> <li>The northern Kansas landscape consists of farms covering gently rolling hills with patches of trees here and there. Saw a cluster of 20 or 25 wind turbines in the distance. I’ve read that these are fertile grounds for harvesting energy as well as crops. <br> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ca357432526a036a8ede81f1cfba8420669dbc51/original/img-2660.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />
</li> <li>Another self-driving technology in play: traveling at the speed limit, my adaptive cruise control has locked itself to the vehicle in front, which seems like an appropriate target, so to speak. <br> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9e4be9760494cf588c21f76a77aef0addcb3e25b/original/img-2657.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />
</li> <li>My passenger-side mirror said “Objects are closer than they appear,” which was not reassuring since the car behind me looks to be just inches away. Fortunately, he couldn’t resist passing me, putting him behind the Target truck, but unable to pass. Calmly touring with my cruise control set for a greater distance from the car in front of me, I took a perverse pleasure in watching him dart in and out, brake and accelerate for the next half hour, thinking about how frustrating that must have been for him. Rough justice on the plains.</li>
</ul>3:12Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52459592018-05-18T10:40:00-04:002018-05-21T10:21:18-04:002018-5-18 – Lawrence, Kansas<p>Leftover pictures from Jefferson City: the state capitol, a wall mural on a deserted site I passed, and Dunklin Street (home of Dunklin Donuts?) </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5dc73a033ca40eac735bbaa2f9a2d88977c8fae7/original/img-2619.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fcee2a1bdb5c147784ce4997a3fb91de9abe7c92/original/img-2621.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2c53d817cf4b74bcc071237c61e6f63ac2720ae6/original/img-2620.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Woke up in Lawrence feeling much better. Nice breakfast from Lisa and Bob – comfortable room, too. Weather’s warm, but not too hot. Once I was properly caffeinated I went out exploring. I was immediately faced with a mystery: Why is the main drag named Massachusetts Street? And why are the adjacent streets named for various states, but in no particular order? </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d06037411101c838ef887dbcc859ccaa1d5da378/original/img-2641.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d15291984a25f069d30e439e29dbe6a3f180cb49/original/img-2638.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8e44a961aa1d3adcbf2c4b9d2a5dbe771047e82a/original/img-2637.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I found the answer at the Watkins Museum of History – a terrific small museum with excellent displays. Turns out that the origin of Lawrence was related to the issue of slavery in the United States. The territories of Kansas and Nebraska were created by the Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854, which made it a local decision whether to allow slavery. Outrage motivated anti-slavery forces into action and before long settlers were flocking to Kansas with the intention of banning the practice. The most active of these movements to colonize Kansas was from New England and one of the first was from Boston. </p>
<p>Violent clashes between free-staters and pro-slavery settlers marked the next year. John Brown, later to lead the unsuccessful raid on the armory at Harpers Ferry, was one of the participants. This period of tumult and internecine warfare led to the appellation “Bleeding Kansas.” During the Civil War, William Quantrill and hundreds of Confederate guerillas attacked Lawrence, burning most houses and businesses and murdering 200 men and boys. Retribution upon Missouri, a pro-slavery state followed and vengeance and retribution continued for the duration of the war, falling “… as usual in this border warfare, upon the innocent and helpless rather than the guilty ones.” (Wikipedia.com) </p>
<p>I mention this much detail because the visit helped tie together a bunch of historical loose ends rattling around in my brain and gave context to things I had learned in Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry and elsewhere. I’m not a dedicated history buff, but I like to know why things are the way they are and these places and events helped shape the America of today. </p>
<p>Getting back to street names, after Massachusetts Street became the city’s heart, the streets east of it were named after the 13 colonies. However, even there, abolition was in play and southern states such as Georgia and South Carolina are missing. West of the main thoroughfare, streets were named in the order they joined the union, but that process faded after a while. So it remains an odd set of street names, reflective of history and politics. I drove around many of them, admiring the many handsome homes and lush, treed streets. The white house is one of the only ones which survived Quantrill’s Raid.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2c0f3df8ce988373dcd010c552ebe1819681f16b/original/img-2625.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b80f1e9a29609c5a2a6540af4ce5be90ea053f78/original/img-2631.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d9a759c9e4581ab2d4d8da8953ee59ae72ec8278/original/img-2646.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ed10b66c3f91601b688199f35573d98403ce39ee/original/img-2627.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c7a1aa163f26cdc07007bee776ad8e732af1cc22/original/img-2628.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/875869cecaf417292dcbb2acd6707ca98432dc34/original/img-2650.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2180479189fe824ed35c598d7e4775277877cb47/original/img-2654.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e6b8ef239cc2d69f3af7464a52d65e0453afd367/original/img-2645.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9df4143b6749f4c2a84ded39f22fecc5959e18cd/original/img-2629.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2abbf98c4c795757b76a7d6e76ae7e0e56606b28/original/img-2626.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8a97cc86ebe0ae2de5adfb9ea6228bf5969c6996/original/img-2635.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/45f0731971530158cdc457acd042292f98d1f48c/original/img-2643.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />All in all, my stay here was very satisfying. The Burches were gracious hosts and their home was a lovely place to stay. Ate some good food – gumbo, tacos, and a slice of pizza much bigger than my hand at Papa Keno’s. I went to the Spencer Museum of Art at Kansas University, which had an interesting and engaging show called Big Botany and a first-rate and diverse primary collection. I missed going to the Natural History Museum, which ostensibly has a remarkable collection of fossils. Didn’t have any opportunity to play music, though. Next time.</p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52444162018-05-17T14:05:00-04:002018-05-19T14:03:21-04:002018-5-17 – Hermann, Lawrence and the vagaries of computing<p>Yesterday was a long day. I didn’t sleep well, but I roused myself at 7:30, aiming for the full breakfast being offered at Hermann Crown. I roused myself again at 8:00 and once more at 8:30. I had slept a lot, but still didn’t feel that well-rested. Too much railroad, I think. No matter – there was coffee and it did its magic. </p>
<p>Having arrived somewhat late the day before, I hadn’t really had time to explore the town except to go to Sharps Tavern for a double cheeseburger and lemonade and Sugar Mama’s to restock my jelly bean supply. Hilary had sent me off with a shopping bag of Kind power bars, which, in truth, I had thought to be a vast excess, but they’ve turned out to be a useful and reliable asset when cheeseburgers, lemonade and jelly beans are not enough. </p>
<p>Based on the region’s resemblance to the Rhine Valley, the city was founded in the 1830s by the Deutsche Ansiedlungs-Gesellschaft zu Pennsylvania – say that five times fast! – (German Settlement Society of Philadelphia) with the goal of perpetuating traditional German culture. I thought this was interesting: according to hermannmissouri.com, </p>
<p><em>... the town is named after Hermann der Cherusker, a Germanic leader who defeated the Romans in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in the year 9. In 2009, the City of Hermann celebrated the 2000th anniversary of the battle, in which the Germanic warrior Hermann defeated three Roman legions and changed the course of history. </em></p>
<p>Very little in America references the year 9. I also found this amusing and proof that some things about selling real estate haven’t changed over the years. Visithermann.com notes </p>
<p><em>In 1837 school teacher George Bayer, who was appointed to serve as the society’s agent, traveled to Missouri and purchased 11,000 acres of the steepest, most rugged terrain to be found anywhere on the Missouri River. It was a beautiful, if highly impractical, site for a town. </em></p>
<p><em>Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia city planners were mapping out a grand new city, undeterred by their total ignorance of the actual terrain. On paper, Hermann was flat, with spacious market squares and sweeping boulevards. Thinking big, they made their city’s main street 10 feet wider than Philadelphia’s. </em></p>
<p><em>When the first 17 settlers stepped off the last steamboat of the season into what one writer described as “a howling wilderness,” their starry-eyed idealism died on the spot. Some were furious to discover that the Hermann lots they had purchased back in Philadelphia were what today’s residents jokingly refer to as “vertical acreage.” </em></p>
<p>The town of about 2500 people is known for its many small wineries, some of which date back to the original settlement, and the Katy trail, a 225-mile-long bike trail that passes by on the other side of the Missouri River. Walking around the town confirmed its German heritage. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/651c58042418ff38af7bef153a8e7225395aaf81/original/img-2589.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7fe0d1799ac9859f04be65e1f6173035ffc98b09/original/img-2595.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/12ed4d81de08641847c301a8537188739ff639a8/original/img-2591-2.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4d9e098466ef2fb3f31ebbde743180b49a18540a/original/img-2594.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6987e9dfbec3fb8b47c25f87cd5a891a077a05c4/original/img-2592.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a8527c1e89e12aa463abbfbcaf9a54db8a8a75ad/original/img-2607.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/04549237eb10ec2e1ed16f5f93c8837ab6780269/original/img-2613.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I’m not much of a collector of tchotchkes – Trish was more of a memorabilia accumulator. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c2b734d163374b1c639c8891e49d83ab1dec5169/original/img-2666.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_right border_" /><br>I’m a skeptical New Yorker and view tourist-related stuff as overpriced paraphernalia designed to extract money from gullible visitors. I refer to the process as Gullible’s Travels. Thus it was that when we visited Aruba and Trish insisted on purchasing an old license plate with the tag line “Aruba – One Happy Island” I rolled my eyes, but based on a deep understanding of the futility of resistance, forked over $15. It has sat at the base of one of our hibiscus plants since then and despite myself I’ve become rather fond of it. </p>
<p>With that in mind, I wrestled with my inner grouch and picked up a 1977 Oklahoma license plate, rationalizing that like Aruba’s, the tag line “Oklahoma – is OK” was sort of positive and that in the future I would only pick up upbeat license plates. For example, I’ll avoid Delaware’s, which I think says “At least it’s not New Jersey.” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3beadb7f1e943f0736515168490e2a63584e6803/original/img-2616.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0ce84245b8bdc1c5b0efa0318d4e852513fb23f7/original/img-2615.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cba8a22328e05c1003b9dbe8abe511082305fd7b/original/img-2614.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/43c95bdfbe67048f9b8fd20f325b044985b8efb6/original/img-2611.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/61ee8b7bda473c3df9ba94f9413033cb669e3556/original/img-2610.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5b5a057305f27412f585c28e49e029b673255748/original/img-2597.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d9b0b0e7fdd565ad160e04e9ea305cc2592997d8/original/img-2612.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0659d1a468883990a2ddbb093698a5c7d7374d41/original/img-2600.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fe0fcd80fc73b03f6021c35da7d95b8ab5ccd5c8/original/img-2604.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></p>
<p>Even though Hermann isn’t large, I walked all around it and didn’t get on my way until after noon. I decided to avoid Interstate 70; instead, I stuck to Missouri 94, which meandered through the wide, flat countryside adjacent to the river. In New England, this would have been much slower, but here in the Midwest, where there is virtually no traffic and one can drive 60 mph, travel time is the same (according to Google Maps.) </p>
<p>This got me to Jefferson City, the state capitol where I sought out Central Dairy, recommended by Road Trip USA. Their tag line is: “As Fresh As A Missouri Morning.” Buoyed by a tasty double scoop waffle cone of Jamocha Almond Fudge and Cinnamon ($3 – Toto, I don’t think we’re in Boston any more) plus a bucket of coffee from a nearby coffee shop, I set out for Lawrence. I was dismayed to find that it was still 3½ hours away. </p>
<p>It felt longer than that when, stiff and a bit groggy, I arrived at 640 Indiana Street and lumbered up the walk. “You must be Lisa,” I said to the woman who answered the door bell. “I’m Gary … for the Airbnb.” “Oh, nice to meet you,” she replied, “but we’ve got you down as arriving tomorrow.” Thud. </p>
<p>Long story short I had inserted an extra line into my Excel-spreadsheet-based itinerary and had, indeed, booked for the next day. Fortunately, the room was available and ready, so it all worked out. No harm, no foul. Still, it was disconcerting and the first thing I did was plug in my computer and check out all the subsequent dates, reservations, campsites and destinations. Turns out this was the only error. Whew! </p>
<p>I was pretty bushed, but I resisted the inclination to just go to sleep (at 7:30!), went for some supper downtown, forced myself to walk around a bit, then came back and was down for the count by 9:30, a personal record. </p>7:37Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52442682018-05-16T11:45:00-04:002018-05-19T11:41:12-04:002018-5-16 – Hermann, Missouri<p>I’m in Hermann, Missouri, a place I never would have visited if not for a book that Chris and Hilary gave me, Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways. I’ve looked at a number of travel books and this has been the best – interesting locations off the Interstates and just enough detail to give a feel for a place. In this case I was looking for somewhere to stay between the Trail of Tears Campground in Illinois and Lawrence, Kansas, which would have been a six and a half hour drive, more than I prefer to do at a time. </p>
<p>I broke camp and got an early start, stopping at a Love’s truck stop for coffee and a premade breakfast burrito. I was tempted by the corndogs, but corndogs before 10 just seemed wrong. Truck stop bonus - something you don’t hear that often: “Customer 16 … your shower is ready.” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8adec9f9414a4f9e5891156232f6eea0b2c2dce3/original/img-2546.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b9105fb9f2fbbcadc701ce9a70a75533fd7c41b8/original/img-2538.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f89a3ec11b2b306a1be1f0e856eae9b42be12d92/original/img-2542-2.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/799f5999164d23c7998b49410eee53273db3bca6/original/img-2544-2.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I got to St. Louis before noon and headed straight to Eero Saarinen’s Gateway Arch. It’s located right on the Mississippi River and is a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I saw it from a distance as I drove past in the 60’s, but even close up it’s hard to wrap your head around. For the gearheads in the crowd, it’s a 630-foot-tall, upside-down modified catenary curve (the shape that would be formed by a heavy chain hanging freely between two supports, if you really wanted to know.) It’s actually triangular in cross section, with a unique internal tram system that takes visitors to the top. For the rest of us, I can only say that it is one of the most elegant structures I’ve seen in my life. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c0ac74a6a4af09f6b281f80e6d79760e2a244c7b/original/img-2550.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b8a96d6fbd65c9bf120a56219c435ddce43de633/original/img-2560.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e76e68b69853ec1d717aa583310c0a524a61bb4f/original/img-2561.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/30be5e2594f745743f46f8021f0554569ae63f47/original/img-2573.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/43715a58d4ca79772e2014f7e87b1b42cf633f02/original/img-2563.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e5be8c80ec76f414d7bd975a25277a965e3f063f/original/img-2554.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/35b8d95e2433aa17cae2048a96bbd16e0a81a084/original/img-2571.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s a museum – said to be terrific, but unfortunately under renovation currently and in a temporary location I didn’t have time to visit. Instead I pushed on to Hermann, the heart of the Missouri wine country. </p>
<p>My destination was Herman Crown Suites – another Internet/Airbnb find. It’s in the historic district, a Victorian structure that Steven V. (don’t know his last name) has renovated into an elegant, yet casual hotel. I’m in the Railroad Suite, with lots of RR-related paraphernalia – perfect for a closet railroad enthusiast. Full disclaimer: I still gets excited by trains and will sometimes pull over to watch one go by. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/35d50c23e7b63c58230a7b0b0867c2abc86db7a3/original/img-2579.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/789bc5fbb5fced6a12b7426f3c375f03a57339b6/original/img-2580.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/36e8b2784595b750e8eb6f2434bd3e065cedfc51/original/img-2584.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/dff7a4097dbde5d04907b3fc1d787d59456aa21b/original/img-2585.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9f953f1b16a9d39dbee211b4b3168cd2839e765e/original/img-2586.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p>[Personal note: I once did an eight-month clinical fellowship in Baltimore and commuted to New Haven, Connecticut, where Trish and Chris were, every other weekend by train. It was an 8-hour trip, but I could read, think, catch up on sleep and … it was on a train! … and sometimes in meticulously restored cars from the 20’s and 30’s. But I digress.] </p>
<p>This place has also been meticulously and tastefully restored, with imagination and attention to detail. Not expensive and an excellent value. As far as I can tell, this not Steve’s main occupation – he seems to be a serial entrepreneur with lots of enthusiasm and commitment. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fbd32c89a7c26698fb87a82fd68aad78e7e0e68e/original/img-2588.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s a wine bar downstairs – the Hermann1837 Wine Bar – with many local wines and craft beers. They’ve got live music Friday and Saturday, but not on Tuesday, so I played for an hour or so. Chatted with a group of local young guys who appreciated my music. Brian is also a musician (The Douglas County Deadshots) and we talked about guitars and Hermann and Steven’s renovation of the Crown. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4d830160c1cd53f520d81cb0635e7cee96662e26/original/img-2578.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d6cb3074fe77cc628bae138cf8874e962ba63962/original/img-2583.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p>Jennifer ran the bar (as well as the smaller wine bar upstairs, the country store and the hotel check-in.) She was efficient and enthusiastic and comped me another glass of wine because she liked my music, too. We talked for a long time as she washed glasses and cleaned up the bar. </p>
<p>Finally, I headed off to my Railroad Suite, read for a bit and went to bed, dreaming of the Capitol Limited, the Empire Builder and the California Zephyr.</p>4:56Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52442422018-05-15T10:50:00-04:002021-08-09T22:11:41-04:002019-5-15 – Trail of Tears State Forest and the NPISR<p>I know that I’m in the Midwest because I just crossed the Mississippi River and I saw my first Menards. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4890f858f68794a9afbd4772ae371c965e125712/original/img-2502.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/099337f07163555af6d2fc82700b9221923df260/original/img-2499.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1ab71cc259cabbca4d6fadca64d54de3d74b4fe6/original/img-2509.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/39b74c56fcb0a468e71a73d6ea9a888d60720e9a/original/img-2508.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Last night was another example of hidden treasures of America. I camped in the Trail of Tears State Forest in Illinois, where I was essentially the only person in a vast wilderness. That’s not quite accurate – there were fewer than a dozen campsites, none close to any other, and I was already sitting around my campfire in the dusk, drinking wine, as a couple of late arrivals passed by on the narrow, winding gravel road. They disappeared into the woods and I never heard a sound from them again. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0ec9f089f423a80bb9aeea7f00ba1b273031894f/original/img-2525.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In fact, the only sounds I heard at all were of birds and some crickets and some distant thunder. Otherwise, a peaceful silence. I moved my air mattress out of the car and into the tent and opened the screen covers. During the night there were a couple of soothing, far-off train whistles. </p>
<p>The Weather Channel had suggested the possibility of some thunderstorms after midnight and indeed I was awakened by the roar of the wind in the treetops, the crackle of lightning and overlapping rumbles of thunder. For all the sturm und drang there wasn’t a lot of rain – I didn’t even need to zip up the screen covers. I stretched out in my little oasis, warm, secure and happy and just enjoyed the exciting show. </p>
<p>There were no mosquitoes and no bears, but there was one hazard that kept me from walking in the woods. You know, of course, about Fort Knox with its 150 million ounces of gold as a bulwark against financial chaos. You may be aware that there exists a Strategic Petroleum Reserve – 700 million barrels of crude oil stashed away in caves along the Gulf Cost as a safeguard against catastrophic shortage, natural disaster, trade conflict, war, or any number of other calamities. You might know that there is a similar Federal Helium Program, a Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility and a Northeast Home Heating Oil reserve. You probably don’t know about the Strategic National Stockpile because its size, locations, and exact contents are kept secret. It holds the federal tools for dealing with Armageddon scenarios: anthrax vaccines, botulism antitoxins, and the like. </p>
<p>What I discovered was that the Trail of Tears State Forest is the location of the NPISR –<br>the National Poison Ivy Strategic Reserve. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6660fc5bfd8a8b47da5f053a925f1611f6bea7bc/original/img-2510.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />Should some misfortune cause the eradication of poison ivy everywhere else in the United States, this important national resource is available to repopulate rest of the country. I felt patriotic, but didn’t go hiking. Poison ivy covered the hillsides, the valleys, the rocks, the gorges. It grew up the tall oak trees with vines as thick as my arm. With this in mind, though, the campsites had been meticulously cleared of any trace of the pestilent plant so the only real risk was forgetting its presence, should nature call during the night. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/59b0350fb809e328cca50a387df1eb441695b432/original/img-2506.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/db5c563d30debb7cf33eb710001ce25095845975/original/img-2514.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p>For the uninformed, here is a PSA, a public service announcement: </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em>Poison ivy is easily recognized by its characteristic trifoliate arrangement of shiny dark green leaves – leaflets of three, let it be. Contact with the plant or clothes or pets exposed to it can cause an itchy, blistering rash. Immediate washing with soap and cold water or rubbing alcohol may prevent a reaction. Never burn the plant as the smoke can cause serious, sometimes fatal lung inflammation. There are no known industrial or medical uses of poison ivy, though it is said to produce satisfying result when applied to the socks and underwear of unfaithful paramours. Don’t let this happen to you. </em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em>This message has been brought to you by the Department of Forestry and the National Association of Advice Columnists.</em></span></p>5:03Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52442132018-05-15T10:05:00-04:002021-08-09T22:11:46-04:002018-5-14 – The Palooka from Paducah<p>I’m a big fan of Paducah. When I describe it to people I sound like I work for the Chamber of Commerce. Joe has started referring to me as The Palooka from Paducah. I don’t mind – I’ve got a lot to say about it. First, let’s address the elephant in the room: Why Paducah? Short answer: Dan and I came here a couple of years ago to help a hospital with an Epic install and it was a fascinating and appealing place. </p>
<p>Well, not around I-24, exit 3, which is where you stay if you’re a business person. No matter where you call home, exit 3 is full of familiar names: Best Buy, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Lowes, Kohls, Panera, IHOP, Olive Garden, Chick-fil-A, Chuck E. Cheese, and so forth. Lots of hotels are clustered around exit 3 and the vast acreage of retail surrounding it. If that was all you saw of Paducah, you’d probably not be back unless you needed something at Walmart – which I did and readily found last night. </p>
<p>But then there’s the 20 blocks of the historic downtown and LowerTown Arts District and that’s another story. Let me start out by saying that if you’re an artist looking for a location to relocate to, have I got a place for you! There are three historic districts with a variety of buildings of all different sorts, in various degrees of preservation. There is a nationally recognized Artist Relocation Program and lots of cool buildings that sell for silly (if you’re from Boston) money and a $44 million dollar performing arts center. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f7349bb443d1bd9614b4079db2299edba36d9e10/original/img-2476.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/641ed776a5a374d7bb42cdd5efe87314dc5fe3ec/original/img-2477.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/27972211d105491aa0fb0948dbbe50e2b23e9b36/original/img-2491.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/032e4fc535de56a4b4951ed3811133b504dcfe29/original/img-2492.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p><br>It is a UNESCO Creative City (only three in the US) and the world’s seventh City of Crafts and Folk Art. It has got the National Quilt Museum, which may elicit a big ho-hum from you, but trust me, these ain’t your grandma’s quilts. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6bcf454e18d19042138e81186e67eee1b1f7bcc5/original/img-2490.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />I’m no quilter, but my mind was blown – several times. Tracey, a friend from Mount Auburn (who is a quilter) mentioned it, but I wasn’t able to go there when Dan and I were in town. They prohibit photos, so I’ll play fair and not post the ones I surreptitiously took (my bad), but there were some jaw-droppers. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Located in western Kentucky halfway between St. Louis and Nashville, the town was founded in 1827 by William Clark (yes, the Lewis and Clark guy) because of its strategic position at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers. It was a thriving port, and the site of the largest railroad locomotive workshop in the country and a uranium enrichment plant, all of which have disappeared as the national economy changed over the last 50 years. The record-breaking, historic flood of 1937 led to the replacement of earthen levees with a flood wall, now painted with murals. Current population is about 25,000. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3a2ce619846cf4448536bb75049199e8d920d9b3/original/img-2472.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a3d54d8cb2e9b754b99f3cf5b0831af79f55d1c9/original/img-2473.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/56cd18f60cca8780911ebc1aa746f8f2d5b6c41c/original/img-2469.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a6b4b9a4d396a2335a4f32e93cbb9dcf86a36408/original/img-2475.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4a79733ffc8a6111b418369fc56a2438fc67e269/original/img-2484.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bc129728566f22324ff40239bbf8d338303219b7/original/img-2487.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fb2b06e9c093ce91e57cf2c1e1d41f47fd023db6/original/img-2486.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e0635b8131621e8c149b1c457b6bbd086e63b439/original/img-2498.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ac11f306386f9f8ab6c6c0160d2ae5387c621f93/original/img-2481.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3ead8c8c178cc591423cab638e43471f1c0d62c7/original/img-2497.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I stayed at the Dixie Rose, which Patty has been running as an Airbnb since last August. It’s a complete apartment – airy, quiet, quaint and definitely unique. The house is a 125 year old Queen Anne Victorian with a vintage patina. It’s close to restaurants, craft breweries and coffee shops. I’d recommend it highly if you come to town. Patty’s husband, Phillip Phillips has been doing leather work for 40 years and the main floor houses his workshop and studio. There are all kinds of neat things there – I bought a new and unusual guitar strap. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b676560b5dccadc3d2c7acda6626cb0f5c34b55c/original/img-2466.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/87437db053738ca5df35fbd15d9f629cd2ea18c9/original/img-2467.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/93e36941f9fba36267382a9f5ad570d63d2065da/original/img-2465.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/abaf0018611599ccf598207906bc4334d1f1af07/original/img-2464.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5b993e4d0c3c5aff2795c698aa37ccc50479c5ba/original/img-2462.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fd8f9e2e74601e54d7c1d1e97a65ce05a8ef4dc1/original/img-2460.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/237bbda50f2fa0404792eca10962599598864e1e/original/img-2458.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The only downside to my stay was when I went to Paducah Beer Werks, intending to play some music. I had my approach worked out: “Do you have live music here? Do you have any tonight? No? Do you want some?” But they were closed. So I went to Doh’s. Closed. PJ’s? Closed. The Freight House? Yup. In fact, every place in LowerTown was closed. Sunday in the South – I should have known. So I went to a locally-owned Caribbean place in the Exit 3 area … and it was mobbed! … every seat was taken and there was a waiting list. And then, as they say, light dawned on Marblehead: it was Mother’s Day! I ate at the bar, which was fine by me and had a tasty jambalaya. Gumbo for the Palooka from Paducah. </p>5:34Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52332112018-05-13T12:55:00-04:002018-05-14T12:59:51-04:002018-5-13 – Nashville<p>Nashville is a happening city – two days really didn’t do it justice, but I did pack a lot in. Stayed in an Airbnb in the 12 South area. According to locals, the only reason you’d go here 15 years ago was for hookers or dope. Now it’s trendy and gentrified, with strollers, bicycles, and a ton of restaurants, coffee bars and other hipster/millennial accoutrements. </p>
<p>I had a delicious raspberry-with-lemon-cream-filling 100 layer doughnut at Five Daughters Bakery – a cross between a croissant and a doughnut. Picked up a cinnamon bagel with raisin-walnut cream cheese at Proper Bagel – they also had real lox as well as smoked sable and whitefish (flown in from Brooklyn). I didn’t need it, but couldn’t resist also getting a flagel – a bagel flattened out to about 10 inches wide and half an inch thick – more surface area for all those seeds and delicious things. </p>
<p>A little online research reveals another benefit to flagels: a better crust to interior ratio; many people feel that bagels have become too big and soft and doughy – like eating half a loaf of bread. Those flat pretzel crackers (Pretzel Crisps) have moved in the same direction. As you can see, my gastronomic expertise tends towards carbs. And sugar. </p>
<p>Trish and I achieved the perfect balance regarding sweets: she craved chocolate – a bag of chocolate chips theoretically purchased for cookies didn’t stand a chance on overnight survival. I, on the other hand, like my sugar straight: gummy bears, Hot Tamales, and the ultimate in consumable glucose: Jelly Belly jelly beans, which also have achieved the perfect crust-to-interior balance. [Factoid: most jelly beans only have flavor in the coating, while Jelly Bellies flavor both the outside and the inside.] Now I’ve done it … I wonder if there’s a candy store in town … I’ll distract myself … um, pasta … doh! (dough?) … I feel like Homer Simpson. </p>
<p>I was there on the weekend, when venues have booked acts, so missed out on open mics. It would have been cool to play in Nashville. Touched base with some folks from the consulting group that worked with Mount Auburn Hospital on our Epic electronic medical record implementation. Went with Sam and Ryan to Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern – described by them <em>and </em>my Lyft driver as a gritty shack of a bar – on Friday. Good local music, up close and personal, just the way I like it. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/88d4f73070f308da2eff2d2c55b678fd66fea689/original/img-2436.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Met them and Layna and Thomas the next night for dinner, after which I headed over to Lower Broadway to experience the Saturday night scene – dozens of bars and cover bands, thousands of raucous tourists, noisy, tacky, probably a lot of fun if you’re stinking drunk (when everything seems awesome and cool until you puke). A weird sociological phenomenon if you’re not. Ryan had advised walking the strip during the afternoon before the human deluge, but I hadn’t gotten to that (working on the blog!) However, I went again the next day when there were fewer people and better music. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bd793f3dc06db5d460d44a033c446c2c60d40f3c/original/img-2446.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c64fdfdf935ab6445a40f7c33cb81acd7b39cadd/original/img-2445.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I spent a little time exploring Music Row, which was kind of neat. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c06075c1dd0f7989b92b5074cf272a3e5fb32e14/original/img-2437.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bfe8395deff4d8662101e81bb29963893dabbcdc/original/img-2438.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2a5f64d5d7091793f63ae19c3965243140e3d546/original/img-2440.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/98d7be4b14a614cafce49420d323826094cf9c1c/original/img-2439.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a8180c16bd4fa7cd07b0f00ae977083ba228f4ab/original/img-2444.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/eadd514696de8c2b1a8729afe1cfa466b24f4f4d/original/img-2441.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I did have two unanswered questions: Where was this party? And why wasn't I invited?</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5c3508c76e616fcbd5261dcdbf45b3ece029b60a/original/img-2443.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>My original itinerary also included Memphis – I’m more inclined towards blues than country – especially because the 39th annual Blues Music Awards were last week. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t make the timing work out, so I missed seeing a friend, Michael “Mudcat” Ward, win in the Instrumentalist-Bass category. Go, Mudcat!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/771a476e3ebbb7b091b706a210b5ba0ca926bdd9/original/mudcat-ward-800.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>5:01Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52325942018-05-11T23:55:00-04:002018-05-13T23:56:25-04:002018-5-11 – Big South Fork<p>Fifty years ago I traveled around the country with what was referred to in our house as my practice wife. (Trish had a practice husband, too.) It was a simpler time and we were simpler people, but some things were the same. A car was our mode of transportation, in that case her dad’s Nash Rambler. We mostly camped, with rare motel stays. </p>
<p>One thing we discovered was that if you stopped by an un-fancy motel at around 10 in the morning, they would let you shower for way less than the room rate. Guests had checked out, the cleaning crew was already on site and you didn’t make much of a mess. It generated a small bit of extra revenue. I haven’t had the need to try that on this trip, but I’ll bet it’s still true. </p>
<p>Camping was less complicated – some left-over boy scout cooking gear, none of this back-of-the-Outback tent business, just a simple 2-man tent that was easy to set up and break down, a couple of sleeping bags and a pair of air mattresses. </p>
<p>The air mattresses turned out to be a mixed blessing. I decided to go all the way with them and splurged on thicker, extra-sized ones. Indeed, they were more comfortable, but remember, this was 50 years ago. No plug-into-the-cigarette-lighter air compressors. I brought a bicycle tire pump, but it was a long and sweaty process to inflate those mothers. The most effective method, I discovered, was to simply blow directly into the valves. </p>
<p>That had a liability, too. Each one took 50 deep breaths, 15 of which produced hyperventilation. First you got dizzy, then you passed out … three times for each air mattress! You weren’t out for long, but if you didn’t keep a thumb on the valve during those episodes you’d lose air. It’s surprising what you can train yourself to do even if you’re unconscious; over time I got really good at it. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I don’t think I did any lasting physiologic damage, but it was an ongoing chore. </p>
<p>One thing I learned, though: The big, high-profile national parks are unquestionably outstanding, but there are plenty of smaller state and national parks that are amazing and marvelous. We pulled into a campground when it was already getting dark – I think it was on the Snake River, in Utah or Colorado. When we woke up in the morning we found that we were at the base of an awesome thousand-foot sheer cliff. </p>
<p>Same was true on this trip when I discovered Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. I never knew that we had National Rivers; you probably didn’t either. In fact, most of the people I mentioned it to in Tennessee hadn’t heard of Big South Fork. I needed someplace to camp when my Knoxville Airbnb couldn’t add a second night and I found it through the magic of the Internet. It sounded impressive – extensive woodlands, deep gorges, few roads or development – and lived up to that description. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0b32852c3f03f1f21264e384735839f66db2aa5f/original/img-2418.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ac382c94867e905318b28fd081a5aa1c1ed7ebd3/original/img-2413.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The mountains in the Smokies are at much higher elevations, so the ridgetops are edged with bare trees. They give the impression of a giant head just emerging from the ground, wearing a Mohawk haircut. Very Tolkeinesque. The mountains I’ve been passing through here in Tennessee are not as rugged or as high, so they are fully tree-covered and mostly leafed out. Some trees are still in the process and their colors are intense, an almost fluorescent emerald green. The overall effect of the hillsides is like a fluffy shag rug or a super plush Restoration Hardware bath towel. It makes you want to somehow just rub your cheeks on them. </p>
<p>I stayed at the Bandy Creek Campground, where maybe five of the 50 or so campsites were occupied. Talked a bit with a semi-retired guy from somewhere in Tennessee who had worked for 30 years as a counselor, taking inner-city kids with drug and legal problems into the woods for camping, rock-climbing, rappelling, canoeing and other wilderness experiences. He poured me some Kentucky bourbon, I played some music and we sat by our campfires in the woods taking in the grandeur of it all. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6e1ee8c20c6e14f51674490647512ca5e6035d0d/original/img-2415.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bc7c614cf7311484aa957ceac73d76621b43a5d9/original/img-2416.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /> .......................Swamp cooler for the tent:<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d225a3f9f240b257c1c5ec0af086eb3a18db823c/original/img-2420.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<hr><p>Had to stop and photograph this place. When I first moved to Boston my commute car was a 1948 Chrysler Windsor. Tried to figure out if I could get all my stuff into this baby and trade in the Outback. Nah, but it was tempting. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4d64955f6d0740bbd8c844841e4126be021f48d8/original/img-2428.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2ed672fff1f2a67e39edc788898ce2d899707ad8/original/img-2430.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr><p>I like a barn that looks older than me. And I got to spend time with Barky Beaver on the way to Nashville.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b575011e040d3c0fcad058e4258e53953c6c957f/original/img-2424.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c197ead7dae910c89daa05f6636a78ae5d233971/original/img-2434.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52309392018-05-10T16:00:00-04:002018-05-12T16:00:10-04:002018-5-10 – Knoxville<p>I was pretty bushed by the time I got to my room in Atha’s modest, unpretentious house not far from downtown. It was convenient and inexpensive – just what I needed for the night. I crashed for an hour or two, but woke up in time to go to Market Square for dinner. </p>
<p>Like many US cities, Knoxville has undergone a revitalization in recent decades. The University of Tennessee grew from 3,000 students to about 30,000 between 1945 and 1975 and the large Market House (which photos suggest was a pretty neat building) was demolished and replaced by a pedestrian mall. The city was home to a World’s Fair in 1982, built on the site of some railroad yards and a rough neighborhood known locally as “Scuffletown.” This involved Interstate road-building and construction of new hotels and was apparently reasonably successful, drawing 11 million visitors. In the following decades areas of downtown were renovated, historic structures were preserved, and residents have been lured back to the city center. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0b893099baeea6f87882a5ac8564a09579c8a0ac/original/img-2409.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/73df98f1c1383ec71c7c3172df59ae0ac52a2f08/original/img-2408.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Market Square has become a hub of activity with a large, inviting pedestrian mall and lots of restaurants. I ate supper at Stock & Barrel and had a remarkably good gourmet burger (locally sourced), probably the best onion rings I’ve ever had, and a tasty craft beer. I investigated the opportunities for playing music at one of the restaurants, but it was pretty late so that wasn’t going to work out. Instead, I grabbed my guitar and set up on one of the benches. </p>
<p>Meet Gary the Busker.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8c9ca0857270ff484150e0b0ac0528e537f7ac4e/original/img-2403.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52309032018-05-09T19:25:00-04:002018-05-12T15:25:41-04:002018-5-9 – Dollywood?<p>As I left the winding roads of the Smoky Mountain National Park I decided I would take the Gatlinburg Bypass Road since I felt I could survive without experiencing Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Odditorium, Mysterious Mansion, and the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum. </p>
<p>That took me to Pigeon Forge and a truly remarkable stretch of Americana along US 441. I readily acknowledge that it’s probably a personal failing that I wasn’t captured by the opportunities presented by Kryptology Escape Rooms, Totjump Trampolines, Speedzone Fun Park, Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf, Pigeon Forge Gold Mine, Alcatraz East Museum, Trapped Escape Game, Hollywood Wax Museum, Castle Of Chaos, Bluff Mountain Adventures, Smoky Mountain Knifeworks, Titanic Museum, Wonderworks, Old MacDonalds Farm Minigolf, NASCAR Speedpark or The Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show, just to name a few. </p>
<p>I also chose not to dally at Dollywood, but to head straight for I-40 instead. I know, I know, a better person would have spent at least a few days, if not weeks there. Mea culpa.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b5d7520ec7c20b6aad5ab139db303d625c8e61fe/original/img-2401.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52309022018-05-09T15:25:00-04:002018-05-20T05:48:05-04:002018-5-9 – Clingman’s Dome<p>Instead of taking the faster Interstate route I meandered my way along the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As I had been told, it was dramatic and beautiful and definitely worth the longer drive. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0042608b2c761cecf0baa8c2b5bb68d3d7d9b685/original/us-441-smoky-mt.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It’s been interesting to experience the different permutations of mountains I’ve traveled through. Those in the north were rolling and seemed more worn down; each mountain led naturally to the next, with soft valleys between. These were rugged and stark, darker and more mysterious, with sheer raw rock faces and deep ravines. The roads wound around the edges, twisting sharply to match the steep terrain, going steadily up, higher and higher. </p>
<p>Halfway through the park I saw a turnoff for Clingman’s Dome and its observation platform. The name intrigued me and echoed with some long-forgotten bit of geological memory. On an impulse, I turned onto the drive to the visitor center. Based on no information, I anticipated a short drive, but the road coiled up and up, each curve leading to yet more road. Surprisingly, there was quite a bit of traffic. After a good bit of this, I began to question my choice, but I figured, “it can’t be much farther” and kept on. </p>
<p>I offer this as a prime example of escalation of commitment – a human behavior pattern in which, despite increasingly negative outcomes of a decision, the same behavior is continued. I slipped into a series of almosts – I must be almost there - I’ll reach the ranger station around this next curve. Well, no, but likely just beyond that next one. Nope, but it will have to be very soon. Should I turn around at one of the lookouts? After all, it’s still a good drive to Knoxville. Nah, it’ll probably be just ahead. Well, no, not there either. </p>
<p>Before long, I had invested more time and effort than I was willing to waste on a trip to nowhere. The adage about when you find yourself in a hole you should stopped digging crossed my mind, but hope and stubbornness drove me on. </p>
<p>In fact it was only seven miles – but 35 miles an hour was pretty much top speed, so it took longer than I expected. Eventually I arrived at the visitor station and a very full parking area. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who had made their way there and the breathtaking view of the the mountains and valleys fading off into the distance made it worth the journey. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/74db5280a5d3f862b862d3e79a39906f347cb5ef/original/img-2379-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Okay, I’m here, I thought. Where’s this observation platform? Ach, it’s only a half-mile walk and the path is wide and paved and everyone else is going there, so I will, too. There were signs pointing out that we were at 6,000 feet, on the highest peak of the Smokies, in Tennessee, along the 2,174 mile-long Appalachian Trail and, in fact this was the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi (the others only beating it by about 50 feet.) The suggestion was made that the air was thin, so one should use one’s judgment before embarking. Lacking good judgment, I figured that half a mile was not that far, so how strenuous could it be? </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d49cd5e0a81d26c805d5540f7809fdff630898a9/original/img-2398.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In retrospect, I might have decided otherwise, but at the time I wasn’t aware that this involved another 330 foot rise, essentially scaling a 33 story building at a gradient of 13%. Plus another 45 feet to the top of the tower. Knowledge, it has been said, can be a dangerous thing, but ignorance is no protection, so off I went, noting that though quite walkable, the path was steep and was analogous to the road: winding and seemingly interminable. I’ll just go around that bend and see if I’m any closer. Well, all I can see is another bend, but I’ve come this far already, might as well keep going. Sure seems longer than half a mile. Before long the term “sunk costs” popped into my head, unbidden. What did that mean? Oh, yes … an investment already made and unrecoverable which therefore shouldn’t be part of the decision-making process. Damn, I should have been an economist. </p>
<p>I also noted that it was a bright, sunny day … and there was little shade along the path … and a mile less atmosphere between me and the sun … and I hadn’t thought to bring a hat or sun block. Just proves that you don’t necessarily get smarter as you get older. I remembered a long walk around Hong Kong under similar circumstances which resulting in a wicked sunburn – first I was red as a tomato and soon was peeling like a bad coat of paint. Was I being tenacious or obstinate? Was it really worth it? I should do a risk/benefit analysis. Well, maybe just a little farther. </p>
<p>Mindful of the hazards, I decided to gamble, but more cautiously and took advantage of the occasional patch of shade. I eventually reached the observation deck. Yay, me. I rested and took in the amazing panoramic view of the Smokies in all directions, said to be up to 100 miles on a clear day … and it was pretty clear. Yeah, it was worth it. After a while I hotfooted it down the path to my air-conditioned car and drove on to Knoxville, arriving in the late afternoon. I felt a little warm, but had managed to not get toasted. Well, maybe except for just a little bit on the back of my neck – uncomfortable for the evening, but essentially resolved by the next day. I slept well that night.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c8dde567ed1b74a58610298919d4d25e274c83fc/original/img-2383.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/62f36c96100582dd554989ff10575d5359d4fe3d/original/img-2386.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6fcf6bfa7fa3a3f214531b226aa597a7d98be3bd/original/img-2387.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/076ca71203412d2b05ad91faebe3622e539a2858/original/img-2381.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5bd27cbe352dd4aa90f4823f3187cfe7b1a5d593/original/img-2384.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b4d98b78a42ffa774c4c2224ffefb764b8c2f5e5/original/img-2380.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c4a38406e111cb660ddb8d5ae9e276a7ac511f52/original/img-2385.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr><p>Some sad notes: </p>
<p>The paved path and trails were apparently well-shaded at one time, but by the 60’s the high level of acid rain had taken a heavy toll on the higher forest. Also, once on the observation platform it is easy to see that there are scattered skeletons of tall, once-dramatic trees throughout the high-mountain spruce-fir forest. It turns out that these are the remains of Fraser fir, which occur naturally only in the southern Appalachians and used to be the dominant tree at the highest elevations. The villain? The nasty little wooly adelgid, well known to those of us with hemlocks on our property. They continue to spread north and are a threat to both the beauty of our own forests and the forestry industry in all of New England. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fc9ba9747d2d6ba5c9522c2322562fc5466bcd0f/original/img-2396.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b6e8b6effbf259311e47179adf25bd8498dd31a8/original/img-2397.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a1b4f2a541101a0040177ee7b6c4a635cfe946d9/original/img-2399.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52309372018-05-08T15:55:00-04:002018-05-12T15:52:14-04:002018-5-8 – Asheville<p>Having spent an extra day in Floyd, I needed to make up some time on my way to Asheville. Interstate 81 was fast and unremarkable, but things changed once I was on I-26, rightly designated as a Scenic Highway. It goes straight through the heart of the Appalachian Mountains and the views were dramatic and stunning. </p>
<p>I stayed two nights in an Airbnb on Hazzard Street, a short walk to the city center. It was simple, modern, quite comfortable and nicely fitted out. The only potential drawback was that it involved a climb up a serious set of stairs; on the other hand, the house itself was perched high on a wooded hill and was a nice spot for sitting on the porch and reading. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c9df631a58d61c0d20db5a543d900946c4cc3ffd/original/img-2335.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/08f7fffb0c9e6f9c99c12f79df5a5b597a7e0cc3/original/img-2356.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was able to tie up a couple of loose ends here. I had purchased a dash cam, but delivery was delayed and I had Amazon reroute it here. There were also a few things I neglected to pack and Chris sent them to me. Both arrived on time. </p>
<p>I had supper at Limone’s, a fine dining establishment – good food, though expensive. Some Internet research led me to an open mic that night which went really well. “Captured the house,” as they say. Once again, the wireless headset mic was a real asset. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c222971d3a9223eaf6cafb6f1135ccb203596ba8/original/img-2338.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The next day I walked all over town trying to get a feel for the place. Definitely artsy and alternative-friendly, but with a wide mix of population. Lots of young people with a variety of body art and facial jewelry, but also lots of “just folks” and tourists. Many restaurants, galleries, gift and clothing shops, craft stores. As at other places in the South, people smile a lot, chat readily and spontaneously ask “how y’doin?” as you pass by. In Boston you’d be suspicious, but it feels genuine and warm here. </p>
<p>I found a nifty crafts store and thought to pick up a loom for Hilary, but it was just a bit too large for the car. I also stopped at a candy store, lured by the prospect of Jelly Belly sizzling cinnamon jelly beans, and ran into Zoltar. I thought to drop in a quarter and ask to be “big” but decided I was already big enough. No sign of Tom Hanks. Lunch at an excellent Indian buffet (Mela). </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d57d8b984d5a6fe9880396a0d8e3c941d1e648f8/original/img-2354.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4f262327c13202a135d2d0103f499cbd9063af45/original/img-2345.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e7654dabff866c5d0394e1e54fca31c8a9a56344/original/img-2351.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b27ecbd434af3a9d966e444480f39ffeb2477b47/original/img-2342.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ae6866f4b6c65a9038e67378ce29cd97646efa81/original/img-2341.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4f4689361fad7af7f4a33536f8e084e7069eb576/original/img-2352.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/5cef8503907583df8294e61f67352cb4bae752bb/original/img-2344.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3b5fb682bbebf6edffc7b7582995f579bd46f3ec/original/img-2343.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ended my second night with dinner at Nine Mile – Caribbean inspired cuisine that totally wowed me and made me consider moving to Asheville just so I could eat here regularly. Went to bed early so I could get a timely start in the morning for Knoxville. </p>
<p>All in all, I found Asheville to be inviting and interesting – as many people have told me. It’s a hip and very livable city.</p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52228222018-05-08T12:33:24-04:002018-05-12T18:36:09-04:002018-5-8 – The first thousand miles<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/152e4aef8c068a7d560b8c6e6812b1197bfdf987/original/img-2320.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>So far, so good. The Outback has been a pleasure to drive and the camping setup works admirably. The Skyline Drive did not disappoint – spectacular scenery. I’ve been to some beautiful and remarkable places and met some interesting people, with lots more to come. I’m psyched! </p>
<p>A few things along the way: </p>
<ul> <li>Stopped at Monticello and gained a new appreciation of Thomas Jefferson. The buildings and grounds are beautiful and interesting. Good tour of the house.<br> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/b16a8d7525e09d22406b0a8bf1d21b76af623619/original/img-2268.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/cff822fae3db10481c7aaa14a3e988639a61321d/original/img-2266.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />
</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>Visited Luray Caverns, which I’ve always wanted to do. The overall setup is seriously touristy, but the cave is vast, fascinating and remarkable. <br> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/035e608a1e12bcadef481b36b951dfd112e8480d/original/img-2221.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />
</li> <li>Had planned to go down the last part of the Skyline Drive on the way to Graham Ordinary, but opted for the Interstate because I was running a bit late. Turned out to be a good thing – I don’t think these fires were in the park, but I would have been driving through a lot of smoke.<br> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ba24259701ef52d6c0b163a9822660ee317b9b24/original/img-2272.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />
</li>
</ul>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52226842018-05-07T11:15:00-04:002018-05-08T11:42:05-04:002018-5-7 – Dogtown<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/61d7c2cb24703c06f2edb995e82e1371f619d42c/original/img-2329.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I had gotten used to having No Service. I figured that phone and Internet access were luxuries I didn’t need in the forest anyway, but when I stopped at the visitor center along the Blue Ridge Parkway and mentioned this to the Ranger, he looked at me knowingly and said, “AT&T?” Apparently other providers do just fine, communication-wise. </p>
<p>He checked the weather and it sounded grim – rain on and off, showers to thunderstorms for the next couple of days. That didn’t sound like a lot of fun, especially since I planned to stay at two different campgrounds on the way to Asheville, North Carolina. “Any suggestions for where to stay down near Rocky Knob,” I asked. He gave me a couple of flyers. </p>
<p>I got off at Route 8 and checked out the Tuggles Gap Motel and Restaurant. From a distance it looked really cute – a classic ‘50’s motel. Up close, though, it didn’t feel right. The two women who ran it seemed unfriendly and sour, the food tasted “off” and wifi seemed questionable at best. I drove a few miles in the other direction to Floyd. The town, though small, was interesting, artsy and welcoming. </p>
<p>I checked out the Hotel Floyd, but it was seriously expensive and they suggested that I try the Pine Tavern Lodge. Good call! It was a charming place and I scored a small, but perfectly serviceable room for $77. I later learned that when the proprietors – a retired couple - had purchased the place four years ago it was in terrible shape. They’ve done a terrific restoration and you should stay there if you ever visit the area. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/2095c3acff7ed6cfa6cd89c2b444e545e1258c0a/original/img-2322.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Floyd has two first-rate music venues. I missed the Saturday afternoon show at The Floyd Country Store, which tends towards folk and country music (real country music, not slick and glossy and highly produced). Virginia makes a serious effort to support its musicians and has a well-marked and Heritage Music Trail (“The Crooked Road.”) I had a nice chat with the folks there and learned that there is now a Ralph Stanley Museum in Clintwood, Virginia. <a contents="https://ralphstanleymuseum.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ralphstanleymuseum.com/" target="_self">https://ralphstanleymuseum.com/</a></p>
<p>Ralph Stanley and his brother played with The Clinch Mountain Boys and then as The Stanley Brothers in the 50’s and 60’s. My only claim to traditional mountain bluegrass music fame is that I got The Stanley Brothers their first college gig around 1962 when I was at Antioch. This was completely different from their usual audiences and they were a little nervous, but we were enthusiastic and appreciative and I like to think that it opened up new possibilities for them in the burgeoning folk music world. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/84a6023447db2a21e3b80f707c584b3e26c1c6f5/original/img-2333.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d316f8ecf35e11f756aea66a1a72a025c4012e90/original/img-2326.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I went to Dogtown that evening for a reggae/roots/r&b cover band and heard that they had an open mic Sunday night. I had planned to drive further south the next day so I stayed and played. Good sound system, appreciative audience, nice people. It was an experiment for me in a couple of ways. I used my looper for one tune, but that didn't work out as well as I hoped - I have to be able to hear it clearly to make the timing work. Lesson learned. On the other hand, my wireless mic setup was a success and allowed me to move around as I sang. Chris (correctly) points out that with a mic on a stand I fade in and out like a radio station with spotty reception. </p>
<p>So Floyd turned out to be the first music stop (other than my campsites) on the Open Mic Tour. Dave Fason, one of the guys who runs it grabbed some video:</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="wgdc8CYH85s" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/wgdc8CYH85s/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wgdc8CYH85s?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52198222018-05-06T15:40:10-04:002018-05-12T18:11:19-04:002018-5-6 – Camping on the way to Floyd<p>I’m seeing progress. The first day of camping it took me an hour to set up and 45 minutes to break down. Of course, I had to figure out how the tent got assembled and remember where I had put everything. I spent some time reorganizing and by the second day it was down to 40 and 30 minutes, respectively. </p>
<p>The tent has worked out splendidly – it attaches to the car and has created a bug-free environment – as long as I remember to zip up the flaps promptly. This is not a trivial matter – if there’s no breeze and you stand still for a minute or two you acquire a cloud of little insects flying around you. The tent has got big screened windows and is almost like being outside. </p>
<p>The camp setup has also worked well. I borrowed Chris’ Biolite cooking stove – a miracle of modern technology. You’ve got to see it in action to believe it (there’s a picture below). You first set a few twigs on fire in the barrel. Before long a bellows begins blowing forcefully and you add a few slightly larger ones. After a little while you drop in several pinky-diameter twigs and pop your coffee pot on top. Wait a few minutes and you’ve got hot water. </p>
<p>Oh, and you can plug your phone into the USB port to charge. The secret to it all is an internal apparatus which converts heat into electricity. When you’re done you dump out the little pile of ashes, pack it up and go on your way. Wild, eh? </p>
<p>There are squirrels out on the road sometimes; I would imagine that only the smart ones survive the tourist season. </p>
<p>There are distinct differences between the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, though both are wonderful and neither has much Internet or phone access. The Skyline Drive is part of the Shenandoah National Park. It is 105 miles of beautiful scenery with many places to pull over and look at spectacular vistas. The speed limit is 35 miles an hour, which is well suited to the twisty, winding nature of the road. The lane-departure alarm on my Subaru got a thorough workout. There is a charge of $15 or $20 for a week of access, but being an old fart I have a senior national park pass so it’s free for me </p>
<p>The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches more than 450 miles from Virginia to North Carolina. The speed limit here is 45 miles an hour, though many stretches are fairly straight and invite a higher speed. It’s also wider, though still only 2 lanes, and seems much less precipitous, at least the sections I’ve been on. </p>
<p>The Skyline Drive feels quite isolated from civilization, but interestingly to me as a gardener, the Blue Ridge Parkway right of way only extends for 500 to 1000 feet on either side of the roadway. Though the planners paid attention to the fore-, mid- and background plantings, it is much more a part of its surroundings. I did pass through vast glens of huge rhododendrons on the Blue Ridge, but they were not in bloom yet. Neither road had much traffic during my pre-Memorial Day travels and campsites were mostly empty. </p>
<p>One other horticultural observation: Skyline is at a much higher elevation and further north, so there was only a little bit of leafing out vs. further south. A funny story came to mind as I drove: Trish had done some work with a group that focuses on South Sudanese refugees. Apparently some of them had arrived in the US in the early winter and were deeply distressed to see that all the trees seemed to have died. Thinking of their fruit trees at home, they worried, “How sad! What will people eat?” </p>
<p>Speaking of eating, The Skyline Drive has two visitor centers, each with full restaurants and lodges. At Jon’s suggestion I stopped at Skyland for lunch and had the best soup (Charleston she-crab chowder) I’ve had in years. I’d go back just for that. </p>
<p>I made it to Floyd, Virginia, where I’m staying in the really cute Pine Lodge Inn, unit 3B. If I were a more committed outdoorsman, I’d have stuck to my original plan of setting up camp at Rocky Knob. In the rain. Well, there you have it – an environmental wuss. You go get wet and let me know how that turns out for you.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/7182356734bae52f3382350d088e05ce81d5b00b/original/img-2207-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0d40df4cb8674ca350fd572873d5783d8f8b8255/original/img-2325.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d4b5fe6540219cb6ad9a322020908fa0054c385d/original/img-2225.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0236c05d749044d7a835aa6e227a9bac8c4b2b0e/original/img-2260.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/534b372d8bc215d723b565e57ac420d14ea2214b/original/img-2273.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/95f7897319d816f11b21027668a897df0584fac8/original/img-2217.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>5:35Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52198552018-05-05T16:10:00-04:002018-05-06T16:07:02-04:002018-5-5 – Graham Ordinary<p>I’m up early, as has become my habit on the road since I go to bed early and the sun wakens one while camping. In this case it’s also because of Frederick, the name I’ve given to the multi-colored rooster who was impelled by the first slight decrease in the dark country night at five AM to take responsibility for rousing everyone and everything within auditory range. </p>
<p>As luck would have it, I had kept the earplugs we wore at the Martin guitar factory. Those and a thick pillow turned crowing into an incidental part of a strange dream in which I was being driven around an unnamed, but oddly familiar city in someone’s car. Take that, Frederick. </p>
<p>Now I’m up, though, looking out over the misty, rolling Virginia lowland from my bedroom at Graham Ordinary, high on the slopes just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. In Puritan Massachusetts during the early American colony days, a tavern was referred to as an “ordinary.” John and his son Jim have taken on this term for their Airbnb, which seems appropriate since the earliest part of the structure dates from the 1700’s. Other sections are from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. </p>
<p>It is modest, welcoming and extensively hand-crafted, obviously a labor of love. The walls, the bathroom, the bed have all been carefully constructed – sturdy, but with polished attention to detail; sophisticated rustic, not some fancy Victorian place. It is also a small hillside working farm, with a pair of pigs, some goats and many chickens, including Frederick. All in all, it’s an interesting and charming place to stay, should you find yourself needing accommodations near the Peaks of Otter.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4de4c20af70d0adaf67133f0cae7a8223252f859/original/img-2294.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8681838e924b3bd97ad453cbb5b023ed24020a31/original/img-2282.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f6f5be41c97f7213087a1c4f19e866b74caaba8b/original/img-2284.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/479a7da7fc1b417e17d4405755e1350df3301cd3/original/img-2283.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/168a6cbcf4ec9a4c1be1614e10bc4278cc635ed3/original/img-2279.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/c851737afdfb7843787546913a9927fb5431631d/original/img-2293.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52197452018-05-04T14:10:00-04:002018-05-06T14:08:09-04:002018-5-4 – The camper from hell<p>Last evening I met Jim at Lewis Mountain Campground on the Skyline Drive. He’s a throughhiker just starting out on a 400 mile trek over the next 40 days on the Appalachian Trail. He recently retired from a long career at Electrolux and some other manufacturing firms. Like the many throughhikers I’ve seen so far, he travels light – every ounce counts when you’ve got to carry it on your back. Pleasant fellow – we chatted while he set up his small, but efficient tent. </p>
<p>On one side of my own campsite were three folks in their 70’s – a woman with her husband and sister. Nice folks, too. Their accommodations were a good-sized tow-behind trailer which opened out into a large tent. It looked pretty comfortable. </p>
<p>On the opposite side was the RV from hell. Part of the Shenandoah National Park, Lewis Mountain Campground is fairly small – only 32 sites – plus a number of small cabins, which looked like they would be a fun place to stay, particularly for a family. My options were limited. Although there were other more isolated sites available, I chose that particular one because it had a bear box, an important adjunct here in the woods. </p>
<p>The day was unusually warm for early May. In fact, it was hot – or, as the Ranger described it, “hurtin’ hot.” I swapped my jeans for shorts, but was dripping wet and exhausted by the time I finished setting up camp. I pulled my air mattress from the car, set it out in the tent and lay down for a nap. Before long I was startled awake by the industrial roar of a steel fabrication plant. </p>
<p>There hadn’t been one nearby when I went to sleep and indeed, there still wasn’t one. The source was my next-door neighbor’s turdmobile. Turns out that RV’s have really big batteries that need charging, not only for lights and TV’s, but for refrigerators, because really, how could one enjoy the wilderness without all the comforts of home, which require industrial-sized generators. </p>
<p>“Does this go on all night?” I asked the Ranger. “Oh no,” he explained, “they’re only allowed to run them from 4 to 7 o’clock.” Okay, I suppose that’s a relief. “And in the morning, but not until 8 o’clock.” Great. I determined to be on the road real early. </p>
<p>Although it was steamy, I went for a walk in the woods. I suspect that the folks who passed me were wary of the sweaty dude stomping along, muttering to himself and swearing under his breath. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a2c506067b903d7c197f7ae235df67ef66429547/original/no-camper.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>3:15Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52197722018-05-03T15:00:00-04:002018-05-14T11:22:37-04:002018-5-3 -- Logistics <p><em>Logistics: the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation.</em> (Wikipedia) </p>
<p>Thus far my logistics have worked out reasonably well, although I see room for improvement. I was surprisingly tired last night and went to bed not long after sunset, which must have been 8:30 or perhaps 9. It seemed reasonable to try out my bed in the car. I had a built a platform in order to have a flat surface on which to sleep. On this I laid a yoga mat topped by an REI camping mattress finished off by a 3 inch memory foam for which I sewed a cover from an old sheet. I don’t know that I could create anything elaborate, but years of watching my mom at her sewing machine paid off. </p>
<p>The final product – my ”bed” – is only 26 inches wide, but that has proved adequate. It’s the width of a cot and I’m not a sprawler. It doesn’t give me a lot of head room though and could be a little claustrophobic. Fortunately, I was too tired to care so that wasn’t a problem. Getting into it was a bit of a challenge, though and took some creative slipping and sliding. More of an issue was that it got hot during the night even though I had 2 screen-covered windows half open. </p>
<p>Maybe it’s the memory foam and I can also open the front windows, but I have another alternative yet to be tested. I had thought to bring him an extra battery – maybe a car or marine battery. Fortunately, technology has leaped ahead of me yet again and there are smaller, self-contained power packs which charge from a car’s cigarette lighter and provide AC power as well as USB ports and other functions. Mine can be used to jump start a car and has already proven its worth. Not only are these batteries smaller, but they are more efficient so I bought myself a small fan which doesn’t draw much current and I can probably run it all night. </p>
<p>And other untested piece of equipment was my tent. The one I purchased is a perfectly serviceable 9 x 9’ camping tent but it has a secret. There’s an extra sleeve which connects to my Subaru Outback. So, if my car is my bedroom, then my tent is my living room, dining room and study. That’s where I am right now, sitting comfortably with my computer on a multi function desk/table that my clever son made for me. I’m looking out the big screened windows at the Virginia woods along the Skyline Drive, watching birds and chipmunks. Last night a deer strode through just a few feet away from me. So far, things seem to have worked out pretty well. </p>
<p>Logistics.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/6e64cf6661f053e0cd6435979a3a8167787dd75d/original/img-2244.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/ca78fa8e410780278328d45037efadb18e2a9a6c/original/img-2213.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/931d60f23124d6ffcb30dae69d7fdafc44d97ad5/original/img-2228.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0009e2c190048b92d96e3aad7cfff6cb340d5ed9/original/img-2237.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4fd418df726401bbfce0f608ecb0c7e8a1224882/original/img-2229.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e530ce76dfd1ef5d72c086c43c9cd55ae7a02a5f/original/img-2249.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/bb2391bb75bda09313885fe3a9b2175b64edb1bd/original/img-2256.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52135022018-05-02T13:25:48-04:002018-05-02T13:25:48-04:002018-5-2 – Off to the Skyline Drive<p>It is said that amateurs talk about strategy, professionals study logistics. I’m about to find out whether I’ve done enough of both as I head off to the Skyline Drive … and out of touch with electricity and the Internet. Adios for a while. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e2446824e63dadc1d82bca334eb19d759a849819/original/img-2192.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52135002018-05-02T13:22:52-04:002018-05-02T13:26:27-04:002018-5-1 – The Olde White House Inn<p>The following morning I returned and spent a couple of hours with Eric Lindblade, a Licensed Battlefield Guide. We travelled around by car, stopping at various places – Seminary Ridge, Little Round Top - to get an understanding of the terrain, the military strategies and the three day’s action. He was terrific and I’d highly recommend doing this (with him) should you visit. </p>
<p>That afternoon I headed down to Harper’s Ferry. Along the way I made a pit stop at Fredericksburg Subaru because the passenger-side window control next to the driver wasn’t working. A young woman at the desk took a look, asked whether I had recently jump-started the car (yes), and fiddled for a moment with the buttons. Now they worked. “Needed to be reprogrammed,” she said. So it turns out I’m travelling in a computer on wheels. </p>
<p>Route 340 took a turn to the west and after a dramatic drive through the mountains along the Potomac River I arrived in Harper’s Ferry, where I stayed at a charming and fascinating Airbnb. Originally the Olde White House Inn, it is full of interesting quirks and features which John has tastefully restored and expanded upon. He works at a nonprofit in Washington (a very reasonable train-commute away) and has had a long career which included interactions with many political notables. The several rooms are named after various Presidents (The Roosevelt Room, The Kennedy Room) and fitted with art work and memorabilia of that person and time. You should stay here if you visit this Harper’s Ferry.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/f51d2131c3451a53e4e2e9143cb32355840386a5/original/img-2162.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/8bd80b0c8c3d4f1bd3cba3d00f6937ec8d3a7d60/original/img-2194.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/01b29bfcc49d04927d1dc4bb60827ec7d3ac7b9a/original/img-2197.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/decdc9e7e63115eb83816710ce6493fecf3bb909/original/img-2196.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/73b0c895a2b5946e474b46ca7094a4f2c68fc438/original/img-2198.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/4ad586f1222114cdb5a0a4e54a4d2fd738550da8/original/img-2201.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/91e87a0da5f269c095301d00460bb2173e4a5227/original/img-2195.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/119d4ab9e7f618a587b5d5b4bc2afeaba1a8b26d/original/img-2190.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52134772018-05-02T13:12:06-04:002018-05-02T13:12:06-04:002018-4-30 – Guitar heaven<p>I just left Port Jervis and crossed the Delaware River. It puts me in mind of George Washington, but I don’t think anyone’s going to create a famous painting of Goldsmith Crossing the Delaware. It’s 7:45 in the morning and I’m on the road again, early! That’s an unusual thing for me, who was known to the partners in my medical group as “The Late Dr. Goldsmith.” By having left a little bit early, I think I’m going to arrive in time for the special 2-hour “behind the scenes tour. </p>
<p>Now I’m in Pennsylvania, heading again for interstate 84, which will start me on my way to Nazareth. No, I’m crossing the Delaware, not the Mediterranean, though in a way it is a religious experience. I’m on my way to the Martin guitar factory. My first “real” guitar, following the $20 Silvertone, was a Martin 000-28G, a nylon string instrument which I still have and sometimes use for folk and classical music. </p>
<p>The tour was terrific – got to see everything from raw wood arriving on pallets, walk-in kilns for drying it to the proper moisture content, sanding belts five feet wide, 16-armed clamping jigs, industrial robots for shaping guitar necks, and other cool stuff. Well, cool if you’re a guitarist or a woodworker. Guitar manufacture is a big business, a mix of automation and individuals. For example, the kerfed ribbon of wood which attaches the face to the body is put in place by hand and held there with a series of clothes pins! </p>
<p>I stopped by the factory store on my way out, but didn’t buy a guitar – I’ve got no room for one in my car anyway. However, I did purchase another sticker for my guitar case. On my way out of town, I grabbed lunch at Pott’s, celebrating, as their sign says, 40 years! At this tiny place you have your choice of chips, soda, ice cream bars and hot dogs. That’s it. Hot dogs. A guy grilling 100 hot dogs, which you can top with ketchup, mustard, onions and other condiments. I got one of those and it was pretty good so I also got the house special: bacon and cheese. It was good, too, though we’re talking Cheese Whiz, not camembert, provolone, gouda or one of those fancy pants foodie cheeses. Pott’s is located on a residential street, so I guess one could call this local home cooking! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/dc2efaa4cc34b0cb90256882c404b5e5186a01c9/original/img-2153.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/1b1b052182e1eec60e01fc17982f9e7780207e12/original/img-2133.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/514a32c1cd03fd2adf5e087dfae6ba161a3a31db/original/img-2140.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/fad377c0829ac781634e4f465ce102e6904a7a7b/original/img-2150.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d4f0d95d3f78bb735a403c1725b469edb56fc874/original/img-2155.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/18d409ca5b761758f7bbb3b6c67675b81b78fb5a/original/img-2158.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />Northern Pennsylvania seemed to have a profusion of churches of unusual denominations and sects I had never heard of. The billboards, other than exhortations to be saved, seemed to predominantly reflect health care – competing hospital systems, specialty doctors and such. There were also lots of PSA’s – public service announcements – relating to drug use, recycling, encouraging civility, watching your blood pressure and especially to not texting while driving. As I move into more rural areas there are fewer billboards. </p>
<p>Lots of big trucks on the road – this presages an employment problem when autonomous vehicles take over. I’m struck by the number of towns named, presumably, after and by their founders: Trexlertown, Annville, Bullville, Rehersburg, Klumburg, Fredricksburg, Gettysburg. </p>
<p>I stayed in an Airbnb in Gettysburg – a functional, but undistinguished apartment in the historic town center. Arriving late in the afternoon, I didn’t have much time to explore the Gettysburg National Park, but I got to see the introductory film, narrated by Morgan Freeman, one of my voiceover idols, and to experience the cyclorama. </p>
<p>Cycloramas were the IMAX of the 1800’s – a panoramic image which gave the viewer standing in the middle a 360-degree view of an event or location and a feeling of actually being there. Apparently the most popular travelled from city to city to provide local entertainment, but the most spectacular ones were inside cylindrical buildings, with dioramas in the foreground to provide realism, often including music and a narrator. Most depicted religious epics, scenes of great works of literature and famous battles. </p>
<p>Those of you who live in Boston may be familiar with the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. It was built in 1884 with a stunning copper dome and skylight and housed a depiction of the Battle of Gettysburg. The French artist, Paul Phillippoteaux spent weeks on the battlefield, observing details of the terrain and speaking with veterans of the battle. The painting he created over the next year and a half included incredible detail of soldiers, muskets, cannons, trees, crops, fences and stone walls. </p>
<p>The Boston cyclorama was built to house the second version of the painting, which eventually was purchased by the National Park Service and moved to the Gettysburg visitor center in the late 1940’s. A new visitors center was constructed in 2008 and included a cyclorama to house the restored painting. I had expected an interesting historical experience, but was surprised to find it highly emotional as I envisioned myself among the wounded and dying soldiers on the battlefield and thinking of the those who survived and their families. It was unanticipated and deeply moving.</p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52116122018-05-01T12:32:05-04:002018-05-01T12:32:05-04:002018-4-29 – Cornwall to Port Jervis <p>2018-4-29 – Cornwall to Port Jervis </p>
<p>It’s Sunday morning and I’m driving down Route 7 just a few feet from the Housatonic River. As promised by AAA this is a fantastic road – windy, twisty and nicely banked. It’s paralleled by steep hills on both sides. Makes me wish I had my motorcycle again. The trees haven’t leafed out yet so the ridgeline looks like the fringe on some enormous rolling fabric. </p>
<p>I pass a group of intrepid hikers, staunchly marching uphill in the rain. I’m driving, so I find that it’s a very long hill. I admire their spirit and tenacity, but I’m glad I’m in the car. I continue driving and realize that it’s a very, very long hill and it’s raining more heavily as I get higher up. It makes me very, very glad that I’m in the car. </p>
<p>I just crossed Cemetery Hill Road, the second road I’ve passed already in my travels with that name. I suspect that every small town has a Cemetery Hill Road. I’ve also passed a number of roads that start with “Old” – Old Sharon Road, Old Cornwell Road. It makes me think that although the road I’m on is only two lanes and somewhat worn, Route 4 is the new road in local history, or at least it was in the 30’s. </p>
<p>I’m on my way to Poughkeepsie. “Do you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?” That’s a line from The French Connection – Gene Hackman was a narcotics cop and used that line as part of his interrogation technique. “Do you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie? Do you?” Subjects were confused, discombobulated, disarmed, and more likely to reveal information. I’ll keep it in mind if I ever have to conduct an interrogation. </p>
<p>Nope, changed my mind. There has been, as my GPS keeps telling me, a recalculation. It appears that I will have to pick my feet somewhere other than in Poughkeepsie. I came upon the Taconic State Parkway, which I remember from my days of living in New York as being a particularly attractive motorway. Another good motorcycle route. It was constructed in the 30’s to the standards of those days which means the lanes are narrow and the curves are meant to be traversed at a slower speed then that at which traffic moves these days. No matter. It still a pleasant way to get from one place to another. The two directions are separated by wide swales and thickets of mature trees. Very pretty. </p>
<p>I’m on my way to Port Jervis, where friends from Staten Island now live. Bill is a retired New York City firefighter who became a lawyer. Interstate 84 is one source of business for him – it’s wide and sweeps over the hills with relatively little traffic, tempting out-of-staters to push their speed to 80, 85 miles an hour. However, it’s a locally known speed trap and the staties hang out in their cruisers, munching doughnuts, glancing at their radar guns when they hear the unmistakable whine of coinage on the hoof approaching. Bill represents the offenders in court when they don’t want to drive all the way back to defend themselves, as most don’t. It’s good to know these things and to attend to the speed limit.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/e9805fb1cda80be4509ff21eb29767e9915aaeb1/original/img-2128-1.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>3:56Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52107562018-04-28T21:05:00-04:002018-05-02T19:07:14-04:002018-4-28 -- Dinner at Pearly's<p>2018-4-28 -- I’m sitting at Pearly’s Farmhouse Café in West Cornwall, Connecticut, waiting for my pulled chicken BBQ pizza with carmelized onions and roasted corn, drinking a blessed cup of coffee after my drive down from Boston. The trip wasn’t bad, though it was a little slow on Route 44 through Hartford. </p>
<p>Lots of tall buildings downtown – Hartford is home to many insurance companies. There was a disagreement between my GPS’s on the best route. I’m running two or them - my phone and the car –for just this reason. Also, I’m an old school kind of guy so I had previously consulted my trusty AAA maps and knew that Route 44 was what I wanted. The car won this time. </p>
<p>Pretty rapidly I was passing through a shopworn, predominantly black area with a smattering of taquerias, which gave way to a series of suburban mini-malls. As soon as I entered West Hartford things changed – attractive houses on wooded, nicely landscape yards. Clearly this was the high-end place to live near Hartford. </p>
<p>After a while I turned onto Route 202 and I was immediately in scenic western Connecticut. Winding roads swept up and down between sharp hills. Rocky streams beside them began as little rills, grew to active brooks part way down and finally became substantial creeks. Eventually they all flow into the Housatonic River which was in full flood after a series of heavy rains. To get to Pearly’s I crossed the river on a sturdy 1 one-lane bridge. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/9ceb5dfcab2a3212b3b3149c16344022c9ca26db/original/img-2113-1.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/aff8e3d15f04a611acddbedad74f86686fae134b/original/img-2115-1.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p>My Airbnb is cozy and comfortable and when I return after dinner I’m planning to go through the containers and boxes I tossed into the car in my last–minute effort to actually get on the road. I had told Chris I was aiming for 9 which I knew was probably at least 10. Eventually it turned out to be closer to 2:00, but that didn’t surprise me. It was one reason I had planned a shorter first day’s drive, ending with a bed and a shower rather than a tent and a campfire. Time enough later for that. </p>
<p>Ah – here’s my pizza – it looks yummy.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/74ebea9e5060695c63fea08c639e0de1ad80282d/original/img-2104-1.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>2:46Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/52083762018-04-28T13:45:00-04:002018-06-26T23:24:50-04:002018-4-28 -- And so it begins ...<p>The car's packed, well, more like stuffed, and I've reached that point in a journey where if it's not in the luggage, it's not going. That's not <em>actually</em> true - I'm not flying to Morocco. There are Walmarts everywhere, so if I don't have it I can buy it. Still, I <em>think</em> I've got everything and I'll soon find out what's missing. My first destination is the Litchfield Hills of western Connecticut, which I've always heard are really beautiful. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen apparently thought so, as did a variety of other artsy and successful types. I'll soon find out. Got my parachute on and I'm out of the plane. Geronimo!!!</p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/51611552018-04-03T09:25:00-04:002018-04-03T09:25:00-04:002018-3-30 -- The Little Yellow Notepad Method <p>Everybody’s got a “system” for dealing with “stuff.” You’ve got to have one, even if it’s just “I’m only going to take care of serious issues” – like bills, cleanliness, social appropriateness – everything else is on a need-to-address basis. That leaves a lot of flexibility for the rest of the “stuff.” </p>
<p>But most people have something a little more organized – a calendar, a to do list, Google Drive. I use those, but the physical pedestal upon which mine rests is a sizeable reservoir of five-by-eight inch narrow-lined notepads. Yes, I know it’s low-tech. But I keep them everywhere so they’re available for jutting down ideas, tasks, songs, quotes, suggestions people offer for destinations and contacts. </p>
<p> It’s true that the process undermines my progress on beating down the to do list, but it does help move things along. I make sure they’re easily accessible in all sorts of places – at the desk, in the kitchen, next to my bed. I harvest them to my desk every week or two and organize whatever I sow from them. Go ahead, laugh if you want. It works for me and I’m sticking to it! </p>
<p>So, I’m getting ready to go and I made a countdown out of Post-It notes and put it on the fridge. The top one said “32” – and yesterday I uncovered the one that says “31.” That meant thirty one days till departure. Well, maybe 32 – Fretbox Trio has the potential of a gig at Slumbrew, the open air Somerville Brewing beer garden at Assembly Row. We’ve played there several times and they’ve asked us to return … and play twice this spring and summer. The first date might be April 27th, in which case I’ll leave on the 28th, and that gives me 32 days. Otherwise both gigs will be in July. </p>
<p>I realized, however, that if we play on the 27th I would have to load the Subaru with the sound equipment and then unload it afterwards, followed by loading all the tour gear and transforming the car into a travel vehicle. Fortunately, Joe has kindly offered his Honda Pilot to haul equipment so I can prep the Outback and keep it travel-ready. Thanks, Joe. One more problem solved. </p>
<p>Though the Post-It countdown said “31”, I felt as though I’ve got 62 days of work to do to get this together. Well at least the trip tasks are getting accomplished in a timely fashion, thanks to the yellow notepads. </p>
<p>It occurred to me that I would be leaving them behind – a stack of little yellow notepads in the Grand Tetons is an oxymoron of some sort. What else am I leaving? The house, the garden and the Boston Globe, which I have been reading daily for decades. I suppose I could access it via the Internet, which will come with me, but I suspect that won’t happen. It takes a lot of time to keep up with the news and then to let off steam out afterwards. </p>
<p>However, I’m taking a laptop computer, WiFi hotspot, independent physical and cloud-based hard drive backups and other technological wizardry. It’s odd: I’m going to be camping in the middle of a Black Hills forest and I’ll be using a batch of 21st century equipment, though in reality there probably won’t be any Internet service. </p>
<p>Listen, don’t worry, I will be looking up. My last stop before the big slog back to Boston is in a homesteader cabin from the 1880’s near The Badlands in South Dakota. For real – I’ll post a photo here. It’s on a ranch just outside of The Badlands National Park <more from="" info="" ranch="" re:="" website="">. <span style="display: none;"> </span></more><span style="display: none;"> </span></p>
<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/3c98df87ca251edf8453d3fba9d6d23880d0792d/original/badlands-1880-homestead-cabin.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>And as luck would have it, there is a Night Sky Observing session that night at the park and for sure I plan to be there. According to their website, “Summer night sky viewing is offered at the Cedar Pass Campground Amphitheater on Friday through Monday nights. After the evening ranger program, stay to enjoy the spectacular night sky. The ranger will point out constellations, stars, and planets.“ - https://www.nps.gov/badl/planyourvisit/night-sky-program.htm </p>
<p>They provide telescopes and I’ll have my binocs and my camera for that. Ooh: note to self: bring tripod. Wait – I just checked the Take list and sure enough, it’s already there. Cross that off my to do list. Okay so now it’s only 61½ days of work, not 62. </p>
<p>Also on the positive side, I think I’ve solved a really big problem – who’s watching the house? Plans A though F fell through, but I think I’ve found a housesitter. That, too, is a topic for another day. </p>
<p>Right now, the fact that that bottleneck, logjam, rock in the road has been resolved breaks through a big wall of stress and angst. It’s like one of those advertisements for vitamins or testosterone supplements where a guy runs, arms spread wide through a wall covered with the words “stress” and “angst”. It shatters, but he is uninjured! He’s free! You can see that reflected in the joy on his face – well, actually, you see that because he’s an actor and he knows how to look joyful, even though his bunions are killing him. </p>
<p>So let’s see – where am I? My Take List is mostly done. My detailed itinerary – check. Airbnb’s booked – yup. I use what’s called a mind map to keep track of things, with sub-maps of Destinations, Take, Do, and Listening on the Road. I use free software called FreeMind, which I have found incredibly useful for dealing with really complicated projects. Here’s the current version. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/a3134eddfc63e95f2415f2ee4ae0ed92e7f523ec/original/mindmap.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Also, my mailing list is just about ready to roll. In fact, some of you have gotten here from it. If not, and you’d like to be on the mailing list, click on the CONTACT link above. The sign-up is just under the message “Your data will never be abused or monetized.” I thought I ought to add that. I know that Google also said something like it, and they’ve been pretty good so far. Facebook – not so much. In part, as a result of their misbehavior I do believe we’re coming to the end of the Wild West era of the Internet. I suspect we’re at an Internet inflection point, but you know, that’s also a topic for another time. I’ve got too much work to do now to think about it. </p>
<p>I suppose that when you take into account the things that are essentially finished there are only 47 days of work needed to get this together. Maybe 46, but no less than 45. My trusty yellow notepads will be the catalyst to make this happen. Onward!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/d15deb9162822b02b1a2a5b5709095bd03195862/original/yellow-notepads.jpg/!!/b:W1sidCIsMjcwXV0=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>8:18Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/51513002018-04-03T09:13:48-04:002018-04-03T09:32:06-04:002018-3-27 -- T minus 32<p>What? I’m leaving in 32 days? Time to enter panic mode. So much to do, so little time. Big things, small things, a few roadblocks to resolve. However, I’ve finished one massive task: my detailed itinerary is now worked out. This is great because lots of other things depend on it. It looks like this: </p><!-- more -->
<ul> <li>Arlington, MA </li> <li>West Cornwall, CT </li> <li>Port Jervis, NY </li> <li>Nazareth, PA </li> <li>Gettysburg, PA </li> <li>Harper's Ferry, WV </li> <li>Skyline Drive, VA </li> <li>Matthews Arm Campground, VA </li> <li>Lewis Mountain Campground, VA </li> <li>Monticello, VA </li> <li>Blue Ridge Pkwy, VA </li> <li>Bedford, VA </li> <li>Peaks of Otter Visitor Center, VA </li> <li>Rocky Knob Campground, VA </li> <li>Julian Price Campground, VA </li> <li>Asheville, NC </li> <li>Greeneville, TN </li> <li>Nashville, TN </li> <li>Paducah, KY </li> <li>Trail of Tears State Forest, IL </li> <li>St. Louis, MO </li> <li>Hermann, MO </li> <li>Lawrence, KS </li> <li>Lincoln, NE </li> <li>Brewster, NE </li> <li>Scottsbluff, NE </li> <li>Lander, WY </li> <li>Yellowstone National Park, WY </li> <li>Grand Teton National Park, WY </li> <li>Craters of the Moon National Park, ID </li> <li>Twin Creek Campground, ID </li> <li>Missoula, MT </li> <li>Bad Medicine Campground, MT </li> <li>Whitefish, MT </li> <li>Glacier National Park, MT </li> <li>Glasgow, MT </li> <li>Miles City, MT </li> <li>Black Hills National Park, SD </li> <li>Badlands National Park, SD</li>
</ul>
<p>And then the 1800 miles back home ….</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/0942ea6d013bf7fcd49a364652a9523272073614/large/goldsmith-dscf3571-office-jonlane.jpg" class="size_l justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/98f415bcbf7b7b4588c0fe191450337e2fe0e709/medium/32-postits.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/af83c693290852bdcd5ec67d213a9e9dad044728/medium/books-and-maps.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>Gary Goldsmithtag:openmictour.net,2005:Post/50377652018-03-01T09:35:00-05:002018-04-03T10:59:27-04:002018-3-1 -- What comes after the to do list?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/284200/246546e6470fbb540741cfc43c4f4302d00ed363/medium/imgp4459.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It's traditional for a guy for tackle his to do list when he retires. To do lists are like a bank account; unfortunately, they're debits, not assets - they are tasks you owe, time you borrowed to do something else instead of what you were supposed to do. </p>
<p>In reality, you can only address the top few things on the list, so items accumulate faster than you can deal with them. Things gets worse as your life gets more complicated. The list keeps getting longer and longer, filled with issues you won’t get around to, tasks you’ll never have time to complete, goals you wish you had achieved. </p>
<p>Until you retire. </p>
<p>Beating those tasks into submission – crossing them off the list – it’s tremendously satisfying. Repeated little dopamine surges of satisfaction. Also it moves you out of the past and into real time – well, the tasks of the present. </p>
<p>Hidden amidst all that rosy aura of completion is a different question lurking. At some point, the list of things you've put off grows shorter and shorter and eventually most everything is done. What then? How many times can you sort the sock drawer? What comes next? </p>
<p>For me, one of those things is to go traveling. See places unseen, find new experiences, challenge myself, do something audacious. When young, if I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was likely to be "be an explorer." </p>
<p>So here I am - about to explore and to embark on an adventure. Thanks for joining me.</p>2:40Gary Goldsmith