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Well, here we go on the epic adventure of a summer...being the transcribed diary of our holiday in the Mountain states...
1986 July 14th: Depart Prestwick for Washington via Shannon & Boston. During the 4-5 hour wait in Boston, we wandered the town centre and shopping mall (McDonald's), purchased sketchbooks (diary), then off to Washington National to be met by Mom & Gay & Don & Stephanie & another daughter). All looking well, and it's been a long time. My pack has gone missing, and we are delayed by the difficulty of explaining that folk actually live in places without street addresses. Don somehow exerts a calming influence without even trying, and it is all sorted out.
Mom drove to Red Acres, we are all tired, what with delays and it's late anyway, but the place looks great even in the dark. Crashed and awoke in the early morning to cool green light, birds chirping. Weather develops HOT, Ray driving his mini tractor with trailer takes real pride in the place and it shows. Mom wants to build a wall & gate for security when not in residence, while I argue that wouldn't help the look or feel of the place, nor would it deter professional thieves.
The hot days slip by - a trip to Charlottesville to get minor items of gear, in particular boots, tried a pair of Vasque Logans, but size not available - otherwise PERFECT, if a bit pricey ($115). Blue Ridge Mountain Sports have moved to a big mall, nice to see them doing well. When I walked into the old location, I found myself in the administrative offices!
Wednesday July 16th: Thunderstorms, big ones, knock out power and there are lots of branches down. Mom, going out to clear one from the lawn, slipped on wet steps and scraped her arm badly - old skin is thin and tears easily. Power is out till morning and many a tree is down in the area. Red Acres lost a locust tree, but not an especially well placed one.
Friday July 18th: Visited Aunt Judy at Gumbottom, crabmeat and salad - delicious. Still very hot, we spent the afternoon sitting on the porch looking out to the creek and watching planes fly overhead on the way to the airport. Lots of nice conversation, Judy very thin, but otherwise in good fettle. In a year or so she moves into a community of old folks, Gumbottom to be sold - sad, but no family can really use it, and Milt's children can probably use the 300 grand it will raise.
Sunday July 20th: Gay & Don visit with Stephanie in the afternoon - nice to see them and get to know Don. Lots of nice tips about places and people in Sun Valley and environs, a very nice place by the sound of it. Thunder in the late afternoon is followed by a spectacular lightning show as the storm moves in from the Blue Ridge. Sitting in the big darkened living room (after being driven in from the porch) and watching it come in around us. Sounds like there are some strikes on the hill directly behind - no apparent damage to Red Acres this time.
Monday July 21st: Mom to the doctor in the morning to check on her arm - nothing to worry about too much, thank God! Pack for flight to Seattle and drive up to Dulles for 5PM departure, all well, time for a haircut at airport to lighten the load. Flight 5 hours OK, I take the opportunity to try the new telephone system and give mom a ring. It works, but the sound quality is echoing, and as in transatlantic systems, they are too mean to give more than a single unidirectional line - needs more development. The film is 'Back to the Future' - have to tear myself away from it and slip the shade up a bit to see the plains turn into mountains and more plains, linear farming patterns giving way to gorgeous relief. In some places there are circular fields among the rectilinear madness.
I get the feeling that it's antisocial to have the shade up while folk are watching the movie. I can't believe the film is more important than the show below! I can see the mighty Columbia River and the dams at Grand Coulee, Dry Falls, and Coeur d'Alene in Northern Idaho, all very recognisable from the map. The Cascades rise into broken cloud and, there are the glaciers! I think I can pick out the big mountain, but probably not Mount Baker, then, as we swing around, Mt. Ranier, a perfect cone on the left and Puget Sound beneath, as we slide into Sea-Tac airport. The area is perhaps 50% water, and beautiful with forested hills mingling with town and water.
The airport is interesting, - outlying terminals feed in via subway trains to central one and baggage claim. We have reservations made through Boeing, but the time for confirmation passed while we were airborne and the motel have given us up and sold our room, but find another - Whew!
Tuesday July 22nd: We are collected at the motel by a Boeing van and whisked off VIP style to a tour of the Everett plant where they make the 747 and 767 in the largest building I've ever seen. Don has arranged it all for us through his boss' connections, and I feel a wee bit guilty, as the likelihood of me becoming a valued customer is remote to say the least! After the tour, our driver, who is very nice and outgoing, delivers us back to Hertz at Sea-Tac and we have our independent wheels, a Plymouth Reliant with Utah plates.
On the advice of our erstwhile chauffeur, we visit the old World's Fair site in Seattle centre. It is excellent, especially the science area which, even though twenty years old, is still a fine place with lots of activity and scope for visitor participation/learning. Then off to hunt for boots - we find Tom a pair at REI, a co-op offering good quality outdoor gear and rebates for members, naturally we are now members! I have to search out North Face near the University to find a pair for myself.
At this point it is about 6PM and I suggest a quick drive to Mt. Ranier - it turns out to be rather further away than anticipated and shrouded in clouds, but we circumnavigate it on winding roads and cross Cayuse Pass (nearly 5000ft) in the clouds. It looks a magnificent area. Back to the motel tired and late (1AM).
Wednesday July 23rd: Off to do a wee bit of shopping at REI (long johns & a good breathable rain jacket for Tom) then up to Everett for groceries and Granite only to find Pilchuk glass school ain't anywhere near Mt. Pilchuk, but down nearer the coast around Stanwood! We finally find it after wandering through nice countryside, and spend a nice while there chatting with Klaus Moje and (lo & behold!) Tchai Munch, who I had last seen in May in Denmark. Also have a discussion on salmon fishing with Joel Myers, who we kept near-missing in Sweden.
Pilchuk is as fine a place as I had expected, perhaps even finer. It is a certainty that I will come for a proper visit another year. There is an atmosphere of glass/creation/art and friendship, and the mountains are within easy reach for before or after the period of intensive glass experience.
We head north to Vancouver to see the fireworks at Expo! A good show, followed by a 30 minute drive and 8 mile climb up Mt. Seymour to camp - no agreeable sites to find in the dark, so we sleep in the car.
Thursday July 24th: Plenty of mosquitoes in the morning on early awakening, and on a small wander, I discover the ski lodge cafeteria - back to get Tom up, and a lumberjack's breakfast. The mountain overlooks Vancouver, and we stop several times on the way down, the only wildlife noted being a hummingbird.
Spend the day at Expo - nice but crowded - Disney does it better. Canadian Pacific's 'Rainbow Wars' was very good, and after more than an hour's queuing, General Motors comes up trumps with the Spirit Lodge, the best bit of illusion magic I've ever seen!
Off on Maple Leaf 1 to cross the border into the US on North side of Mt. Baker. The border guard is curious about two US citizens from Scotland in a car with Utah plates, but no real hassle. Baker appears an obvious snow-capped cone as we approach - spectacular! The evening light is fading when we find a campsite near Glacier at 'Douglas Fir'. A needle carpeted forest by a raging whitewater river of glacial melt - paradise! Hot dogs on sesame rolls and Miller High Life, the campsite host calls round for payment ($6.50 Canadian), a pleasant, friendly sort, and we retire to the soothing roar of the water.
Friday July 25th: A good night and a late(ish) rise, breakfast of sausages & eggs followed by a hike to the ranger station - two miles on blacktop and back to break camp and drive to the trailhead at the top of Glacier Creek Road. Three miles and 1800 feet up to the edge of the Coleman Glacier. It is fantastic, clambering around the edge of this maze of ice pinnacles and crevasses. The alpine meadows are full of flowers and we hear a repeated loud whistling, and eventually spot a marmot perched on a rock watching us.
On the way down through climax forest, we gather Boletus Edulis and Ramaria Flava - mountain landscapes, gorgeous trees, squirrels, AND edible fungus, what more could I ask for? Then we are off down the road and 75 miles to get round to the other side of Baker & Baker Lake, which turns out to be a very heavily used resort area. After driving all up and down we finally settle on a grubby site at Baker Lake Resort. The generator runs till midnight and starts up again at 6AM - not recommended! (I Finally realised it was the weekend, so that explains it a bit!)
Saturday July 26th: After an early rise (damn generator!), we drive up the Skagit Valley past Diablo & Ross lakes - spectacular scenery with peaks partially cloud-obscured, and hydro project bodies of water. A fine example of how, with attention to 'multiple use', engineering projects need not blight the landscape. The North Cascades National Park, one of the newest, has an excellent campground, including walk-in sites on the Skagit River, and had we not wanted to get further east, we would have stayed a night, though there were a lot of folk about.
Higher up we cross the main ridge, and, as predicted, the clouds clear and we are in a totally different climate. The peaks are jagged beyond belief, pinnacles and spires reminiscent of yesterday's glacier. Down a couple of miles to Cut-throat Creek for a gentle walk in search of a lake, turning back after three miles or so, (just too soon!) to check the map, which of course had been left in the car! The vegetation is totally different, still climax forest, but now it's semi-arid piney woods, and dusty underfoot.
Primitive camping at Cut-throat - this is more like it! A campfire at last. Cooked the Ramaria (gently sautéed in butter with generous salt) and both agreed they were delicious! I hope to find more somewhere, but the environment is so totally different the chances are slim for the present. The creek cascading down through the piney-woods from patches of snow near the jagged peaks looks tasty, but warnings of giardia temper our thirst. Damned unfair of the bug to hijack one of the great pleasures of the mountains, the joy of quenching well-earned dehydration, lying belly-down at the edge of some rushing water!
Supped later on the Boletus, also delicious. Today's wildlife: several large chipmunk-types and several species of birds - notably two red-headed woodpeckers and some jay-like black & whites showing more white in flight, also a shrike(?).
A chipmunk seems to have got into the boot and has shredded half the bog-roll and got into some of the dried mountain food. No sign of him now, so off we go. Early low cloud (~3000 ft) has cleared and it looks like being a sunny day! Chips has been into the rest of the car as well and has sampled most of the nuts! All day long we speculate if he has gotten out.
We pass through Mazama (Blink!) and along a detour: "Our hens cluck, our horses neigh, a great ride is what they say! to the Rocking Horse Ranch", into Winthrop with its board false fronted saloons and gift shoppes and wall to wall RVs. Coke, beer, gas, let's get outa here! Through Twisp and into very barren country - sagebrush and brown grass and a sign about the cattlemen Vs sheepmen wars. We pass a ranch with an 'S' lying on its side above 'OB'. My western lore takes a minute to translate it: lazy SOB! Apple trees and subdivisions form irrigated strips of green in a grey land of rocks and scrub with nicely up-thrust mountains.
On through Okanogan and Omak, north to Tonasket, east to Wauconda, Republic and up to 5600 ft for Sherman Creek Pass. Gather Boletus (Elegans, Badius, etc at trailhead for Kettle Ridge Trail, down on to empty campsite with firewood, nice sites, but no lake or stream...on we go... Down through nice wooded hills to Roosevelt Lake - campsites full of Sunday picnickers and beach folk...on again across bridge to nice site in pineywood 3rd growth near Boise Cascade mill...on again through Kettle Falls towards Colville - Big Mac attack - on to Lake Thomas - nice campsites on nice lake, weekenders all gone and we are alone by the lake with plenty of firewood and mosquitoes - Tom sets traps to detect Chips' presence or otherwise.
There are others on the other side of this lake, surrounded with second growth pine and cedar. We can hear their radios, but no matter. We are out of the rain shadow, but the sky is clear blue. Tom clears a space for the tent and we prepare to bathe in the lake - it will be cool and quick! Tom wonders if there will be chiggers in the lichen. The water is warmer than we had expected, a nice swim! Clean clothes (laundromat tomorrow) and towels hanging over the campfire. Lots of little fish (some larger ones too) leaping in the lake and a diving duck. Two girls in a motorboat troll by to check us out. I wonder if they know I'm naked? 9:30 PM and all is quiet bar the cricket singing nearby and the crackle of the fire.
Awakened by the loudest squirrels in the world - almost black, also black-headed tit-type of birds. A morning swim gets genital-deep and no more. Off at 10 for Tiger and Newport. Not sure of Chips is still with us (if he ever was!) down the valley of the Pen d'Oreille River - gorgeous wide water to Newport - shops, filling stations, laundromat and a real hamburger at Audrey's Restaurant (recommended by the lady at the laundry). Then we are off again to Priest River, searching for butane fuel for campstoves - rare as hen's teeth in these parts, finally ran some down in Sand Point (pop 4460), continuous traffic jam of a town - all 4460 must be individual members of the Chamber of Commerce! The town sits at the head of Pen d'Oreille Lake, a magnificent glacial work - ringed by lakeside dwellings and full-up campsites/recreation areas (Corps of Engineers). On, on, into Montana, past large birds nesting on broken treetops standing in the water (ospreys?).
Montana certainly is big sky country, with beautiful mountains, mostly forested, but some in the Cabinets too steep, and very jagged up top. We find a site in the Ross Creek area at Bad Medicine Campground by Bull Lake, very nice, the US Forest Service come up trumps again: $4 and only three sites occupied. Supper is Boletus Elegans and pork flavour super noodles. Tomorrow we visit the nearby giant cedars and have a hike and then off to Glacier!
Bad Medicine lives up to its name - in the middle of the night Tom and the Boletus agreed to disagree and parted ways. Morning dawned grey and windy and a local USFS volunteer tells me they have had a hell of a time getting their hay in. We have seen no rain or even cloud since crossing the Cascades. After breakfast of bacon & eggs the clouds begin to clear and the day looks more promising. The lake apparently has perch, bass, salmon and trout, according to my local friend, who sounds like a Hollywood sidekick, but slightly more profane.
Our walk through the giant cedars is very nice, if unspectacular - burnt-out old giants forming chimneys and 'fairy dens' - very good interpretive signs about forest ecology. On the way up we spotted a partridge and her family and a hare-like rabbit as well as what looked like a fat weasel. In the woods there were tracks of a deer or moose (quite large feet!) Magnificent vista of Cabinet Mountains.
Off to Libby, stopping to ogle Kootenai falls - impressive (at least 10mph) water flow and rock. Libby is proud of itself, painting a big white 'L' on the mountainside, boasts a supermarket, several drugstores and SE Plaza size shopping centre, 6 filling stations and not much more. Up the river we find Libby Dam - Corps of Engineers very proud of itself - lake very beautiful and our first stop, but full to the brim with RVs - on the road we pass a pickup with camper towing a caravan, towing a boat with a smaller boat inside, kitchen sink included, no doubt!
Back down east side of Koocanusa Lake and down to the ranger station - shut! It's only 4:30 - perhaps we're in Mountain time? Yup, ever since entering Montana! Back up west side of lake to McGillivray Recreation area: nice campsites, not too many RVs and we can walk into a picnic site overlooking the lake - outstanding! Tom fishes, I watch. Supper of hot dogs and back to the rocks to watch the sunset colours on the mountains opposite and watch the fish-eating hawks fly - IMPRESSIVE! Need I add that this is also a US Forest Service site? This time there are flush toilets, a urinal (flush) and basins for hand washing - this is going a bit too far!
Morning comes with sunrise over the opposite mountains and an early breakfast of bacon and eggs. I think I heard a Heron. Spotted a small bird with nuthatch habit and humanoid voice not ten feet from me. The 'fat weasel' of yesterday was probably one of the small, fat short-tailed squirrel types, one of which greeted us on arrival here. I sit squinting into the sun, scribbling and hoping to see more of the hawks, but no luck so far. Not a cloud in the sky, it promises to be a scorcher! Whoopee! Spent a bit of the morning sunbathing & sketching. A pair of geese go honking down the lake and back up, long necks extended. Squirrels chirr in the trees, and the boat ramp opposite spills the morning's fishing brigade onto the water. Grasshoppers click as they jump/half-fly.
We move on from McGillivray, heading for Glacier. Stop to ask forest ranger about squirrels - the noisy one is the American Red Squirrel, the short-tailed one is Colombian Ground Squirrel, and the large one with chipmunk markings is a Golden Crested Ground Squirrel. Off on the Wolf Creek road, the route eventually turns to a dusty gravel forestry road for 50 miles or so, over the Salish Mountains and down - a cow threatens to cross the road, and violent braking dumps the contents of the ice chest on my ass! Down past Tally Lake and campsite (OK) and into Whitefish (another touristy ski town), gas up and head for West Glacier. Lots of peripheral tourist trappery on the way in, and a bit of historical signposting as well. There is a large Indian area extending southward on this side of the mountains.
Into Glacier and straight to the information center - well set out with a huge relief map and lots of staff:
'What would you like?' 'We'd like to do some backcountry camping.' 'Well, we've got over a thousand kilometres of trails. There's the catalogue.' 'Wow! Too much! Where can we camp tonight to work out what we want?'
We ended up at Fish Creek site, typical Park Service site, lots of loos (flush!) and sites packed in close to each other (nice cedar screening on our bit, though). Tent space like concrete. Off for a short hike (3km) to start getting into shape for the backcountry - magnificent view of the 'Garden Wall' set of divide peaks up beyond far end of Lake McDonald, which lies at the base of the campsite.
In the morning we are back to the information centre to book a night at the Granite peak site - not on, too many longer hikes need to stop there, so no one-nighters. Eventually settle for a one-nighter at Cracker Lake tomorrow night. Today we will explore by car. Up slowly over 'Going to the Sun Road', stopping to snap photogenic peaks and waterfalls and at the top (6900 ft) taking a short (6 km) hike along the Highline Trail under the peaks of the 'Garden Wall' - indescribable.
The wildlife is totally unafraid. We saw goats (far off and higher up(we were at 7000 ft)) and endless Colombian ground squirrels, and at least five hoary marmots (we thought we were lucky to see one at Mount Baker!) The squirrels hung about while we had lunch, hoping for us to break the rules and feed them. Also a ptarmigan in the meadow clucking (Tom does a good imitation and had a wee chat with it!)
Back in the car and down the eastern side - more indescribable scenery - into Rising Sun to try and camp for the night, but full up, so on down the lake to St Mary. More open sites with a few broad-leafed trees (aspen, cottonwood). Claimed one and went on out and up to Many Glacier, stopping on the way for another 4-5km hike to see a nice wee waterfall and some pikas (like guinea pigs, but of the rabbit family). One had a bunch of leaves and ran short distances carrying it, then stopping, like a soldier in camouflage.
At Swiftcurrent we bought hot showers and put our laundry in the machines just in time for a power cut! (The clothes were OK in the morning, but we had some mild anxiety as they sat there doing nothing!) Back finally to St Mary for supernoodles in the dark.
Rise up and pack for the hike to Cracker Lake, calling at Swiftcurrent for our clothes. A nice hot day and the 10km +1200ft rise hike with 35lbs on my back really took it out of me. Worth it though, as the place has to be seen to be believed. Turquoise blue semi-opaque water surrounded by 3500ft cliffs and a nice wee glacier to feed it. Into the water we go - cold - but that's just what the doctor ordered. On returning to our gear, we discover a marmot has been licking everything for salt, and has eaten some of the leather off Tom's pack - Tom is not amused!
Before retiring we walked to the end of the lake to the glacial inlet and looked over the abandoned mining equipment. We climbed to a small waterfall to get a drink (we were incredibly de- hydrated!) There are masses of wonderful alpine flowers including alpine fireweed and low-habit subalpine spruce and pine (like our juniper, (which was also represented all over the park.))
Into the tent at last, watching spectacular sunset lighting effects on the cliffs and peaks surrounding us. Woke in the night to see stars like I've never seen, but too tired to really look and only managed to stay awake long enough to stir Tom and point to the sky before falling back to sleep. Of course, we were on the continental divide at the time of the new moon, so it ought to have been pretty good stargazing conditions.
Awoke to see the sunrise light the cliff-tops and the striking diorite stripe which is a feature of this section off the divide. Back to sleep until fairly late morning. Another cloudless day, developing hot. We have company in the form of a fisherman, who - small world - comes from Gainesville! After a late brunch of supernoodles and a swim, packed and set off down the trail. I saw a weasel and was buzzed by a hummingbird. It's not so hard downhill, but very hot and we're glad to reach the shade lower down and glad to get back to the car. Collapsed for a beer and then off for a cheeseburger and cheesecake - we were hungry!
We decided we should see what Two Medicine looks like, but after an hour's drive found it full-up and the RV crowd all watching two black bears on the hillside (supping on blueberries, no doubt!). We drove back to the main road and spent the night by Lower Two Medicine Lake in a private site (Red Eagle) Showered in the morning and drove to have a look at Cut Bank site in the park, a nice small site up a gravel road - very pleasant.
Off we go, over 'Going to the Sun' road again, this time westbound. Stop for foot cooling dawdle along the way and a swim in Lake McDonald as the thunderstorms move in. Decided to make for a Forest Service site at the south end of the park and got there, but it was still early and rainy, so we reasoned we would be better off over the divide and into the rain-shadow. Saw a mule deer as we checked out a site atop the divide and set off for Gibson Reservoir (ambitious?)
East Glacier, Browning (Blackfeet Reserve), Spectacular sight of the plains running flat right up to the mountains with thunderclouds and sunset. On down south over the prairie through thunderstorms. Dupuyer, Bynum (blink), Choteau must have the last working drive-in restaurant (good cheeseburgers). Off to find Gibson Reservoir, it looks like about thirty five miles of dirt road, and it is!
Missed a turn and ran up against a chainlink fence with signs saying "use of deadly force authorised" and decide a rapid U-turn is in order! Back on the right (?) road, past a road closed sign, found the first reservoir (Pishkun), and on, on, along the top of a levee, the road gets worse and worse, and we get more anxious and slower, and eventually across a bridge "5 ton limit", up a gravel slope and onto a paved road at last! There's a US Forestry Service sign saying, "Leaving Lewis & Clark National Forest," NO WAY! Turn around and back a way to find 'Home Gulch' campground. 12:30 AM, creep in, pitch tent and collapse. Gorgeous stars in the night, but not too much time spent in admiration.
We awake to discover paradise! We are back in an arid mountain area, but with a flowing river at the doorstep. Across the river is one of the most spectacularly sculpted peaks yet. It is one end of 'Castle Mountain', so named because of the erosion effects creating pillars and columns at the top. The campsite is the most generously spaced yet, and there are only three parties here, including ourselves.
We spend the day exploring the area on foot and by car, lunch at the Sun Canyon Lodge, surrounded by stags heads and stuffed big game and video games. Afternoon swim at the campsite and more exploring - another night here is fine with me! There are mosquitoes, though!
Next day early start, photograph of Castle Mountain, then back through Sun Canyon to take Willow Creek/Beaver Creek road out past a hidden valley (gorgeous!) and out towards Augusta(?). All gravel roads, past Willow Creek reservoir, then onto tarmac for the rest of the way to Great Falls. It is a nice town with its main street still alive, quiet residential areas, and a major STRIP. We get camping gear to accommodate the girls, reserve a room at the Ponderosa, and go to locate the Russell gallery and find out opening hours.
Drove up to see the upper falls, the 'great' ones being fifteen miles downstream, which is beyond Tom's patience at present. Back to the Ponderosa, TV and shower and off for a Big Mac on the way to collect the girls. The airport is on a plateau (mesa?) about a hundred feet or so above the main level of the town. The plane arrives about half an hour late, but safely - good to see the girls!
Squeak has a new boyfriend, Bill, a Montanan with lots of good tips - he agrees the Sun River Canyon and the area beyond (the Bob Marshall Wilderness) are among the best! Char is hungry, so a trip to see the colonel for a wee bit of nosh and then to the Ponderosa.
In the morning we are off to visit the C M Russell museum and gallery - great, not to be missed - then down the road through Russell type scenery towards Butte - Magnificent mountains and likely to be plenty of nice sites, Gates to the Mountains wilderness, etc., but we are short of time and must get on. Butte has 'world's richest hill', (what's left after digging what must be one of the world's biggest holes, right on the divide).
Good lunches at the Carousel, and on down the road towards Bozeman/Billings. We turn off to go through Virginia City, tourist trap with ghost town. On up through 'earthquake area', a lake formed by a slide after a quake in 1959. Good USFS campsite above 'Quake Lake', thirty minutes from West Yellowstone. Char finds the warnings about proper precautions in bear country a bit alarming. Nice walks, nice quiet, well appointed site, the lake, decorated with the skeletons of drowned trees from the trauma of its formation, presents a strangely quiet face.
After supper of hot dogs and supernoodlles and a sit by the campfire, we retire to our tents, Squeak with me & Tom with Char. Char, awakened in the night by snuffling noises, rouses Tom, "I think there's a bear sniffing around!" Dad's snoring didn't disturb Annabel, though!
In the morning we drive to West Yellowstone, tourist trap town. Ice, gas, coke, air mattress for Char, Tom seeking sports shops for compound bows. Into the park, two bucks, good for a week and includes the Tetons as well, not bad value! Bumper to bumper all the way, queues at campsites (10 AM!) to see Old Faithful in the company of thousands. A good walk around the lower geyser basin - all of us are impressed - very special sort of stuff - lots of brimstone in the air!
After Old Faithful we head for the lake, crossing the divide twice, hoping for a swim, getting worried about where we're sleeping the night, we take a site bare of trees and any sort of privacy (the worst face of the Park Service), and set out to explore the north end of the park, preparatory to heading south to the Tetons tomorrow (too crowded by far here!).
Circular tour leads to 'Canyon', where the Yellowstone has two falls and does a pretty good impression of the 'other' Grand Canyon. Up past the obsidian cliff to Giant Terrace, a masterpiece of hot mineral waters, round to Roosevelt/Tower area and the petrified tree ('Poor tree!' says Annabel) - good stuff, all of it, if we had more time or there were less population underfoot (I realise we are contributing to that pressure ourselves!)
Round we come over Dunraven pass (very high 8900ft+) and down again towards the lake and a quick last-minute snack at the lodge before retiring. Someone in an RV was in 'our' site, but moved on without much fuss. Stars as lovely as we've become used to in the night and frost on the table in the morning. Break camp, breakfast will be en route (at Flagg Ranch, long wait, slow service, but very good food.)
Down towards Tetons, check out USFS site (not too good/bad) and park service sites at Lizard Creek & main area by Teton Lake, not full, but not very private. On south to Jenny Lake for 'tents only' site, but full up. What the heck, we'll have a picnic amidst this spectacular scenery (best since Glacier!!) and a swim in String lake, worry about a campsite later. Very nice, very nice. Evening drive to Gros Ventre site, park service, but nice, river 200 - 300 yards away, but not very swimmable (too swift and gravelly).
Tom & I leave the girls sunning in the cottonwoods while we go to check out sites a few miles upriver. Past Kelly, past Kelly Warm Springs, up the valley and into a very nice area. Another slide lake, created by a big slide in 1929. A beautiful lake with spectacular red tones in the mountainsides further up the valley, and the USFS has a fine site on the side of it. We choose one with the best view and space for our tents and rush back to collect the girls.
We stop at Kelly for a quick call to Mom (better) and some provisions (firewood all gone), supernoodles & hot dogs at the site and into the lake for a swim (cold, but OK, bottom sharply stony). We retire with the stars coming out and a gorgeous view down the lake to the last vestige of sunset behind the Tetons and a crescent moon with Venus (perhaps also Mars in the southern sky?) A windy night reminds me that a view usually is accompanied by an 'exposed' position.
A fine morning, I am up early and off up-river for a nice walk. Spot a pair of eagles hunting and chatting with each other, eventually deciding to soar off down river towards the Tetons. Lots of firewood lying around, so we go a-collecting before setting off for a swim at the warm springs and a walk partway up Grand Teton. Squeak is none too keen on the uphill bits, but is impressed by the friendly greetings of hikers and on the way down is thrilled to have jays feeding out of our hands.
We stop at Jenny Lake for cokes, beer (no), bacon and ice. Beer and juice at the liquor store and back to the warm springs for another dip. Back to the site for a fine supper and a roaring fire. Tom & I are up late watching the indescribable stars.
Off in the morning to Jackson, a good quality tourist trap. New shoes for Squeak and a quilted shirt for me, then fill up and off to Idaho Falls for a cheeseburger and a non-existent baked potato. On past big nuclear testing area and miles of lava beds to fairly recent lava formations at Craters of the Moon National Monument. Lots to see, snow in summer down inside a 'spatter cone', ice in the bottom of 'Boy Scout' cave and a quarter mile trek through 'Indian tunnel', with the way back marked with cairns left by the very considerate Indians.
On through Carey (blink), Bellevue, Hailey and Ketchum and into Sun Valley. Find Gay's glorious condo (full kitchen with dishwasher, ice maker, s/c oven, garbage eater, etc.) Nice cool shower is my first order of business, then scout out the Pioneer Saloon - Don's pal not in evidence, but we brave the waiting and go downstairs for a meal. I have the prime rib full cut, as recommended. The waitress is garrulous, but OK, they don't have Char's rib and the chicken sandwich beats Squeak. My rib is massive and nice and rare, if not very warm on arrival - the muzak and chat are a bit loud and the wait is long, but the meat hits the spot deliciously!
In the morning we scout out the laundromat (with adjoining jacuzzi and swimming pool) and are set for the bulk of the day. Fried chicken, broccoli, corn, etc in the condo for supper and begin reading the Hobbit to Squeak. Tuesday morning spent around the pool/jacuzzi, and in the afternoon Tom & I head up to check out the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, stopping at the pass to climb Mount Galena (9225), whereupon we sit for more than an hour watching golden mantled squirrels and pikas.
Down to Stanley to check out the whitewater float trips. Word is that the water ain't too white and we decide to check out the portion of river used. It is beautiful, but looks pretty tame for sixty bucks a head. Back to Sun Valley, stopping at Louie's for a carry-out menu. Char has chicken, Squeak 'busgetti', and Tom & I big pizzas. Only Tom & Squeak have leftovers - all very good.
Wednesday a bit of shopping and several attempts to find a bike to fit Squeakie, a lot of hanging about the pool, then drinks with Bill & Patti Smallwood, friends of Gay & Don's and dinner at Jesse's in the Elkhorn center - excellent, if a bit pricey.
Thursday Tom & I collect mountain bikes from the Elephant's Perch and set off to see how they work. After a few miles and halfway up Adams Gulch we've got it pretty well sussed, so we decide to take a circular trip skirting Allen Mountain as shown on the USFS map. The trail is marked through to Warm Springs west fork at the bottom, and progresses well up the hill. After a while there is no more evidence of four wheel use, but the trail is clear and very uphill.
Eventually we reach the divide (after several false alarms), and the trail moves along the ridge and peters out. Back and forth we search, but cannot find the downward path. Do we go out the way we came? Not us! I conclude that if we go down, we are sure to find water and follow that down to warm springs creek. So off we go, crashing through the undergrowth, eventually finding a bit of green in the bottom of the gulch, but no water. Further down, the undergrowth and young conifers get too thick, so we are forced to make our way along loose slide material for a while, still no water, but nice going down at last.
Still further down we follow elk trails which lead a way before petering out and we are in a gulch composed of half a mile of scree slope on both sides. After a long, hard, painful, stumbling clamber down, we eventually reach the bottom, and lo and behold, the West Fork road. Grateful, downhill coasting but thirsty as we had the last water not far from the top. We need a phone to let Char know we'll be late for the horseback trip and we desperately need a coke. Phone found, coke found, labour home sore and very tired.
Spaghetti for supper on the gals' return and into bed. They had a nice time with the horses, Annabel was on the 'wee-est' horse in the stables, called Silver and was at the head of the line. Char was on Bonehead, a monster which had probably been got ready for me.
Next day we are off up Trail Creek Pass, so that Tom and I can have an easy ride (mostly downhill from 8000+) past the Hemingway memorial and round to the condo for a swim after convincing Tom that I didn't have any strength for Warm Springs road or anything involving an element of uphill. Girls return from gadding about and seeing some boxer work out. It seems to have impressed Char quite a bit. Small visitors from next door from Payette Idaho. Saturday dawns and Tom and I ride into town to return the bikes and get 20% off because the gears weren't working on the highest ratios. Recommend the Elephant's Perch! Walk back to Sun Valley Mall and have a few shots at archery. Char & Squeak eventually join us and we're back to the pool, Char off shopping, the rest of us to while away the rest of the afternoon (diary gets updated while lying in the sun...) Annabel has made fast friends with the younger Payette lot and we all have a good time sparring over various flotation devices. The girls mistakenly throw water on the sauna heater, but no ill effects bar a scolding from the gent who catches them at it. He informs me - should I be more ashamed than I appear? I apologise and thank him for intervening (interfering(?)).
To be continued............
And, eventually it is continued!
In the evening we are off to try and swim in Penny Lake (up Warm Springs Road) but it doesn't look too exciting, and Tom spots a snake (I say it sounds like a cottonmouth, but that would be rare indeed this far north.) We drive further up the road, enjoying the nice cabins, small ranches, etc., and turn round and back into town for a quick drink at Whiskey Jacques, reputed to be Hemingway's old haunt. I am brought the biggest shot of whisky I've ever seen (Thank God it's Glenlivet!) I have a Heineken to chase and Char a 'whisky sour', but it's whisky & ginger and very strong.
A drunk attempts to adopt us, but is offered coffee by the barman and staggers out. Another sits down, orders a beer and exclaims at the price, "One-FIFTY?!" I, having spent $9.50 on a round, reply that it's a "one drink bar," and we are off into a life story and protestations of his anglophilia including how he cry, cried, CRIED, when Lennon was shot. (Did I say 'one drink PUB?' )
He tried to bum a cigarette three times from us who had none and professed to be close to Hemingway's daughter and Hemingway himself. Spoke of the Sheriff scraping Hemingway off the screen door, etc. We eventually escaped, Char showing the effects of the mammoth measures.
Off to Warm Springs Ranch for supper. Table No. 1 is in the corridor, but the food is good and plentiful, and the 'honey scones' are delicious, a form of fat-fried quick biscuit. Char has another sour and some fancy cocktail and gets merrier. Tom asks if she is OK to drive home, and she insists she is. An interesting ride.
When we get back to the condo, the bushfire Tom had reported seeing the start of had spread, and I and Squeak fell asleep on the couch watching the edges blaze. In the morning there was a large blackened area, and some said that up a gulch hidden from our viewpoint, it had gotten into forest and was still burning. There was much less smoke, though.
We packed up and had a swim before going down to Ketchum for brunch, and set off up the road into the Sawtooth NRA, stopping at the Headquarters, where Squeak was given some USFS Smokie pictures, and we were assured it had probably been a watersnake at Penny Lake.
We drove on up over the pass at Galena, stopping at the overlook to watch a pika making hay in public and numerous chipmunks and Greater Colombian Ground Squirrels. Then down alongside the growing Salmon River to Stanley and left to take the Ponderosa Scenic Route to Boise, crossing broad upland flatlands with pines and livestock and on round the other side of the Sawtooth range. Into Rhyolitic rocks now, making for beautiful riverbeds and small gorges. later, after rising over another pass we go down into a gorge through obvious basaltic lava flows with the occasional area of hexagonal columns.
The gorge gets deeper, and is dammed. On the dam is writ, "Keep Idaho Green," in large friendly green letters. Road signs warn us not to be a GUBERIF, and an historical marker says across the river you can see the Oregon Trail as it comes down over the rimrock - I believe it!
(resumed transcription Dec 15th, 2010)
Sunday fishermen crowd the bridge and riverside as we drive towards the airport – no sign anywhere to indicate its location, so I just follow the planes and come in round the back. Everything is AOK and we have a farewell burger supper before parting, Char and Squeak to Frisco, Tom and I north towards Hell's Canyon after stopping for supplies in Boise.
North of Boise there is plenty of evidence of brush fires, but no film in camera so no pictures. It seems by the smell that the fires were last night, at least some of them. The irrigated areas don't burn and are spared, but the sage must go up like broom does!
Driving North we begin to climb with the Payette River (scenic route) which has mile after mile of the whitest water I've seen in a long time. Stop at a USFS site, “Swinging Bridge” with the river roaring across the road. There is some traffic, and the site is too near the road, but the water's sound predominates. Moonlit visit to see the waters tumbling and off to deep sleep.
Breakfast of hotcakes (Aunt Jemima's best) and a decision to get a non-stick frying pan. Off North/up beside the river of no rest. Eventually crossed by a bridge of notable design which was the symbol for the scenic route and up a minor fork to come out into a broad flat high valley in which the smoke (growing for the last fifty miles or so) makes it impossible to see the edges of the valley more than occasionally. At Cascade ranger station I am advised that there are fires all about in Boise NF and Payette NF, but that information on Hell's Canyon should be available at McCall or New Meadows ranger stations. We take the advised scenic route round the West side of the Cascade reservoir – very nice, probably nicer in really clear times, when the mountains across the way would be visible – still OK with alternating areas of private use (Summer cabins, etc.) and BLM public use, developed and less so. Some nice USFS sites in the middle too.
On to Donnelly, Lake Fork, and into McCall (elev 5020, Pop ~3500) a slightly resorty town with nice folk and a Burger Den! After refreshing the inner men, we move out towards New Meadows. The girl at the ranger station has hiked and camped in the Hell's Canyon area and is an enthusiast! She gives me lots of leaflets, etc. and first hand advice to visit Dry Diggins for the best hike and view of the canyon. It is seventeen miles in on a steep dirt road, so after a false start as far as the 45th parallel (“halfway between the Equator and the Pole”) we return to New Meadows to get the two slow leaks in the rear tires fixed – sure nuff, a big screw in one and a sizeable nail in the other – glad to pay!
Off again on the road to Hell's Canyon, we follow a stream that grows into the 'little salmon river', rushing over a lot of rock in its path. Just before Riggins we turn off up a narrow dirt road, only to find out after five miles that it's the Rapid River Road, and it's the next one we want. Still, it is a nice wee road. Back out and up the right road, Squaw Creek Road/Seven Devils Road. Steep, so I put car in low and plod upwards through nice country. Car is overheating, so we stop and look around before continuing in “D”, the car seems to like it better and we progress upwards.
The road deteriorates, but not too badly, and we can see smoke. I wonder if we will be shut out by fire. There are lots of raptors in the sky. After seventeen miles, we cross a cattle grid and round a bend to find a group of forest rangeresses, and it's obvious the fire is quite nearby. The chief assures me the campground is not being shut and there is space so we drive up a further two miles to the roadend below Heaven's Gate Lookout. Along the way the road overlooks the fire area and we can see trees bursting into flame like torches and the smoke rising. We climb the path to the lookout (elev 8400') and the view is spectacular, even with a degree of smoke to obscure some areas (for example, of the four states on the menu only Idaho is available, but a lot of it). We can see the mushroom clouds of a couple of other fires far off East and South, but no Oregon on the other side of the canyon, and Montana is too far off.
The lookout is Frank, retired from Bell Labs, doing a Summer's stint to recall the days of college Summers when he did lookout duties long ago. Very nice and friendly and a welcoming host, we are invited up to have a look around his wee world and the wide one that surrounds it. Apparently the large birds we have seen are Golden Eagles, so we set off down the road to try and get a better look – no bother, the sky is crawling with them! One flies right over me thirty feet up while I struggle to reload the camera. Watching them settle in treetops and soar and swoop while trying to spot squirrels smoked out by the fire.
Back at the crossroads ('Windy Saddle') we chat with the rangerettes. Water is not available at the campground, but there is a tap at the guard station. The eagles might be best seen in the early morning. We go down to get water and up, round to the site to find a place in the campsite, Tom shouts “Deer!” and sure nuff, there is a young doe wandering thirty feet from a roaring campfire with the man of the site taking no apparent notice. I ask, “Do you know you've got a visitor?” He replies that she comes in quite close, but won't let you touch her, perhaps she's working for Kodak.
We choose a site and this is the best campground yet, plenty of space, nice woods, a lake nearby (Seven Devils Lake) and as well as the doe there is a grouse who wanders about scratching and pecking like a barnyard chicken! The squirrels have a comfort distance, but they don't seem to expect to be fed. In fact, they largely ignore us.
In the morning I am up at seven and walk up the road almost to Heaven's Gate and sit on some rocks projecting from the mountainside to watch for eagles. I see no eagles, but as I sit I can see the smoke which has lain in the low areas during the night begin to rise as the fire reawakens. Every so often a tree can be heard crashing to the ground. After a while I decide to contour around the hill rather than follow the road back down. Eventually I strike a trail and follow it back to the horse corral and down from there to Windy Saddle. Sue the Rangeress is there with a multiplicity of radios and weather gear – must take hourly readings of wind speed/direction and humidity/temp. Yes, the bulk of the Wilderness Area is closed to hikers, but we can stay East of the main ridge of the Seven Devils mountains, which form the spectacular crown to this bit of the world, jagged, glaciated peaks surrounding maybe forty lakes.
Down to breakfast and chat with Tom. His imitations of the grouse have caused it to attack the tent! After brunch we decide to follow the horse trail up the ridge in search of eagles, etc. A nice leisurely stroll with many stops and a few eagle sightings brings us to the main ridge, and we can see the lookout a mile ahead and we begin to see eagles! We follow the ridge North and eventually manage to count five in the air at once. Another visit with Frank who has also been watching them at play, clashing talons in mid-air, etc., and we walk down by the road. More eagles, and of course, all along there have been at least two other types of raptor about – one a falcon with wings swept back much as a swallow's and another resembling a kestrel, but without hover behaviour. The eagles seem to be able to hover almost as well as our kestrels at home!
Back at the saddle, we chat with Sue and Dennis. They ask about the trail conditions, and it emerges a crew of twenty firefighters will be arriving tomorrow and will probably need to be kept busy clearing trails unless perchance they might go firefighting! We have noticed litter around the lake, so that could be a job for them as well.
Decide to drop down to Riggins for film and ice (and beer and coke). It takes two hours to make the round trip, but I reward us with a steak each for tomorrow night. Back on top it's supernoodles and hotdogs and into bed in the dark. We have more neighbours tonight, but plenty of room here!
In the morning we set off fairly early (8:30) to walk up the ridge from Windy Saddle and climb the peaks surrounding the campsite – a walk of about four miles in all perhaps, and a climb from 7300 to 8800 feet. It is a rewarding climb over broken land with ancient pines and lots of wildflowers, signs of elk and goat and many lichens and the view gets better all the while as we rise. The smoke has not really begun to rise until well after we are on the higher tops, and we can see all round.
From the top we watch planes circling Dry Diggins lookout (unmanned) and eventually dropping into the gulch beyond (part of the main Hell's Canyon) to drop fire retardant on the much larger fire that is burning over there (~8-9000 acres so far) We can hear the engines strain as the planes are banked round in what must be very dangerous conditions – low visibility from smoke, flying below the mountaintops, between the walls of the canyons.
Completely unconcerned, a yellow butterfly hang-glides past me, keeping an obvious bearing in the direction of Mount Baker, flying effortlessly at 8800 feet plus! Other species of butterfly seem to make these peaks a resting and sporting place and the place is alive with them. We are looking down at Sheep Lake which is at the foot of He-devil and off to he South is the Tower of Babel. To the West are at least three more lakes in view, and perhaps more would be as by now there is some smoke in the area to the west and below us.
To the East we watch the new fighter crew arrive, visit the guard station, reconnoitre the lake at the campsite, fill their tanker and then set off in their vehicles to view the fire from the road to Heaven's Gate, and presumably from the lookout as well. We eventually go down the way we came, stopping to chat at the saddle. It seems there is some jealousy between the resident crew and the itinerant firefighters – amusing – Dennis says, “They've gone up to have a look at the fire and have lunch, and that'll take care of the afternoon; then in the morning they'll have breakfast and take another look and that'll take care of the morning and hopefully then they'll go away.”
We go down to the campsite to discover our neighbours have been watching us on the peaks through the telescope at the lookout. They are impressed with our alpine abilities – nice folk – we decide to impress them with our Scotch hardiness by announcing that we're going for a swim in the lake. Off we go to find the lake occupied by two elderly fisher folk. We circle round to the back to cause minimum distress and change into suits. The water is cold, but nice, if a bit fishy in the nose. A few nice swims and dives from a cliff placed conveniently and the firefighters (two of them) are at the lake on litter-collection duty. A nice couple of college kids who, after doing the litter round, decide to have a dip as well. I judge from their conversation that they found it a bit cool (they are aware of the scrotum scale of water temperature).
Back to the camp to get a fire going so as to have some coals to cook the steaks (sirloin tips). The steaks sizzle over a lovely bed of coals. Knowing Tom's preference, I probably overcook his, and he is not too impressed – mine was delicious, spiced with pepper and salt before cooking and left pretty rare!
In the night I'm awakened by light rain on my face, but no no need to put on the fly sheet as in this place it ain't likely to really rain; why Dennis said the last time was July 17th, the time of the Big Rescue, and then it snowed. Anyway, it keeps on and Tom wakes and offers to help with the fly but I say, “No need, it'll stop.” It doesn't, and eventually gets a bit heavier. Finally I have to go out and do the obvious and fix up the watershed. We sleep until about ten, when the rain finally stops – there is a quarter inch in the end of the tent, but the polyester bags don't mind.
After a snack breakfast we head down to Riggins. I want to call the Tent at noon as it'll be 7PM on fireworks night. Down the road after checking the fire, which seems to be almost out – good! Phone calls to Tent (Tony, Tim, Dave K) Alice to arrange Prestwick connection, NWA for flight out of Spokane, Hertz to arrange dropoff. Then pizza at Riggins Saloon and a bit of shopping. We plan to hike to Dry Diggins tomorrow as the fires are out and all should be well.
Back at Windy Saddle we are told that the area has now finally been officially closed, fines of $5000, etc. (now that the fires are almost out!) but we can still hike on the eastern side of the Seven Devils. We give the steak leftovers to Tenzing, a nice crossbred doggie and are invited to the guard station to partake of fruit left over after the firefighters' departure. Good advice on the route for tomorrow's hike to Mirror Lake, which lies at the foot of the Tower of Babel.
Back to the camp for a steak for me and hotdogs for Tom and to bed for an early rise – gear dried out after hanging out since 4PM.
In the morning hotcakes – non-stick! We set off for Mirror Lake via the guard house, continuing round the spur of the peaks near the camp. We are advised to stay 'just inside the trees' and 'go where it's reasonable'. There is no real trail, and we end up rather too high. A couple of nice stags with good sets of antlers is seen in the wood about 75 yards away, but although we sit quietly, they decide after some discussion to go off away out of sight – pity! On we go, condemned to cross acres of scree by our folly of being too far up, but eventually we reach the outfall creek and the vestigial trail beside it. Up we go, and are truly rewarded by the sight of the beautiful lake with the Tower of Babel at its head.
We stop and lounge on dead trees at the lake outfall and have a lunch of granola bars and discuss how to reach the high ridge without too much scree. Eventually we set off round the northwest shore, passing through areas used occasionally as camps – very nice campsites indeed! And up we go, not too bad at first, though halfway up I am concerned about my ability to go down the same way. It is steep and we gain height fast, reaching the ridge at 8700 feet – below us is Sheep Lake, closer this time and the Tower is nearby to the south, though by now any ambition of climbing it is abandoned. The climb this far has been enough!
This is spectacular country – in the past few days we have become used to looking down on eagles and falcons as they soar below us, and today is no exception. The clouds form lovely cotton-wool patterns in serried ranks away to the east, and we look out over Mirror Lake, hanging in the sky below us. There is a wee glacier up on the face of the Tower and snowbanks as we approach that end for our descent. The down way proves easier and less frightening than the upward. And we are soon in the glacial “U” at the foot of the Tower. Wildflowers and bare rock abound and fine specimens of pine, probably very old ones as well.
Down to the lake through lush alpine meadow and round to the outfall and the trip back. The path down the creek is steep, but manageable, and we leave it as it enters a midge-ridden marsh area and before we lose too much elevation. We are going back over a 'pass' nearer to the camp. We find the pass at the top of a boulder scree (by far the nicest kind) and the other side is steep indeed! I use my gluteus maximus to good advantage and after an easy traverse we are home again by Seven Devils Lake. Too tired to walk to the guard station for water, we drive, say hello to rangeresses and back to eat endless hotdogs, mince with chili and sit looking into our last campfire till well after dark.
I am grateful to our friends for telling us about Mirror Lake – it is unspoilt, chiefly because there is no trail – long may it remain so!
Here endeth the diary entries, failing to detail the trip to Spokane and the return home...
Part II, being a fragmentary beginning of the adventures of Ed and Annabel on a Spring visit to Florida and migration to Virginia...
1989, Wed March 22nd:
Depart for Prestwick through heavy showers. Plane leaves on time, no problems, but arrival is a half hour late. Film is “Mystic Pizza”, about maturation of three girls in Mystic Connecticut – sound not necessary. Annabel has made a friend called Kyle from Stirling area (almost two years old). We catch a glimpse of mountainous snow-covered coast of Greenland, beautiful and crisp/clear from 30,000 feet or more. Into Logan airport after following the frozen coast of Labrador, Maine, etc., but above freezing and clear late afternoon here. Check through customs is trouble-free (look at the bottom of our shoes to check for foot and mouth) and change money at ripoff city. Delicious ham and swiss croissant, but an attempt to short-change me – welcome to America!
Up to check-in through security only to find our plane hasn't arrived and will be at least an hour late. It's very overbooked as well, and they are trying to get people to give up their seats. I spend an hour trying to get telecommunications technology to discover Scotland and finally get through. Can't reach Mom (no reply). Eventually we pre-board and Annabel zonks out in my lap. I sleep most of the way too, though the East Coast cities slide by on our left very picturesquely. Arrival in Orlando uneventful and Annabel needs shaking to arouse.
The Voice of Disney World fills a monorail shuttle to main terminal. A character straight from type-casting – grey temples, walkie-talkie site foreman in jeans, says, “We try and get them started early. Most people are going to hear a lot of that voice before they leave here.”
Mom is there in yellow at the end of a long corridor looking, well, unchanged! No problems with baggage and soon we are ensconced in her car and trying to find our way onto the right road. The car park has little glens between the sections with waterfalls, palms and other tropical stuff in polyester setting – Annabel is charmed. Homeward down the highway, arriving before midnight. Not in the house five minutes before Char rings. Soon crash out.
Annabel awake at six-ish and raring to go, pesters me out of bed eventually and after a lazy morning she and I go out to get sausages, bathing suit, socks, trainers, knickers, etc. Sears has incredible bargains and the quality seems OK. Mid-afternoon lunch of salad and chicken nuggets and then Mom and I chat about plans for the migration while Annabel tries to nap.
Plans determined, I arrange a delay in our return flights while Mom sees her eye doctor (he had done some laser work on her on the morning of our arrival!) She says the colours were fantastic while the work was being carried out – so they can fix your eyes and give you a light show in the bargain!
Off in the early evening to the Country Club for drinks and buffet with the Woopees/wrinklies: Uncle Bernard and Aunt Mary and two octogenarian couples, all very nice and the food is fantastic: oysters on the half-shell, prawns, crabmeat salad, main course of scallops, frog's legs, crab legs, roast beef, and hush-puppies, and of course you can go back and back... Key lime pie to finish. Annabel has charmed Uncle Bernard, who fills her up with so much food she can hardly walk. It seems I have impressed at least one of the old ladies, though I'm afraid I might have bored her with ravings about education. Home to bed, but I spend two hours re-typing the first section of the mountain diary.
Annabel gets me up again before seven, but I manage to get a back-rub out of it before breakfast of sausage eggs and toast. A walk around the area, touching the Otis shoreand then a bit of Elbert. Lakes are very far down from thirty years ago, I figure ten feet for Otis at least. The lake still has turtles and some sizeable fish. There are birds and lizards in plenty. It is now 9:30 and still very quiet – Mom is not up yet and Annabel and I plan to spend today at Disney World. Had hoped to take the wee girl from next door, but she is staying with friends in Lakeland.
Annabel and I off to Disney around eleven, arriving at noon – semi crowded but OK. We manage the people-mover (twice) CircleVision, Grand Prix cars and hot dogs after Pirate ride, the off to EPCOT (The roller-coaster queues are far too long). At Epcot we do the Spaceship Earth (Cronkite) and see the dinosaurs (Exxon) and Imagine (Kodak). The magic dancing waters are still tremendous, and one, which leaps a walkway, keeps catching unwary tall folk with resultant crowd amusement. Once more through Spaceship Earth and back on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, but Annabel falls while running for the train and scrapes knee and elbow. Nice nurse on Main Street fixes her up, but she is deflated and we head home. Annabel off to sleep, tired, but rises at seven again none the worse for wear.
She spends the morning playing with two wee girls, one from next door, the other from ?? Off to lunch at McDonald's and a bit of shopping for essentials (swimming trunks). Drive around and have drinks with Uncle Bernard and Aunt Mary.
Sunday quiet, a visit to Missouri in hospital; at 84 she still looks good. Coming out tomorrow, not clear what's wrong. A quiet drive around Lake Howard after seeing the new St Paul's church – the old one burned down because the minister let an itinerant lady sleep in the belfry – she got a sixpack and somehow set the church on fire – new one looks quite prosperous in beige brick. E decide to visit Andy's Igloo (Annabel perks up at the idea!) but find it closed for Easter, so it's McDonald's (again). Take it easy for the afternoon and in the evening Annabel and I spend an hour on the dock at the lakeside, listening to frogs, ducks, etc. and watching the stars – we also did the same the night before. It really is amazing how calm and quiet and how much life there is, considering the degree to which the area has been filled with houses.
In the morning, Annabel and I go for a spin in the Blairs' boat, a canoe-type, broad bottomed with motor, but I manage to foul the motor up. We still have a good time with just the paddles. Annabel goes over the side, but not really for a swim, more a splash or two. When we've returned, she complains of a rash and after a bath is cooled with lotion.
Lunch at McDonald's, a bit of shopping (trainers for Annabel), unable to find Char's 'sheet with valance'. Back to prepare for Mom's party. Plenty of booze, Missouri's daughter polishes the house, two gallons of Kool-Ade for the kids... Graham arrives in the nick of time with fabulous snacks – a beautiful asparagus flowert with mayonnaise centre, a refried bean/guacamole/etc. Dip, shrimps and cocktail sauce, etc., etc. Lots of folk and kids. Annabel a real hit and off to play baseball (“It's a bit like rounders!”) with the other kids. Lots of old friends, long chats with Jerry Griffiths, last to leave around midnight. A very successful party by any measure.
Still an early rise in the morning – Annabel wants me to explain the Spirograph given her by Lo Lo (also another game and a fairytale book) After akfast a swim in the lake (smells a bit), do a bit of clearing up while Mom catches up on some sleep. No need to do anything for lunch as there are wonderful leftovers from Graham's superb nibbles!
Here the narrative ends, (though we have every reason to believe we made it to Virginia in good order....)
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