The Weary Traveler

Hubby and I were asked a question just the other day. "Are you two ever at home?"

For the past couple of weeks, the answer has been no. Hubby and I have been gallivanting about…fulfilling our immediate purpose in life. To see, experience and explore.

And I'm tired.

Hubby's parents embarked on a cross-country trip and dropped in for a visit. This has been a year in the planning, and I've been looking forward to it for the entire time. In the nine years that Hubby and I have cohabitated (eight of them as a married couple), his parents have never come to visit us. Geography has not been very cooperative. And when it has, there has always been some unfortunate twist of fate that prevented a visit from happening.

His father assisted in the initial move-in for the two of us, driving a trailer-load of Hubby's belongings across the state to our new abode…the cute little two bedroom apartment on Davis Islands. After that, the fates never aligned for another visit. We drove north to visit them at least once a month while we were in the same state. When we moved a couple of states away and they planned a visit to our little military home, Hubby found himself in circumstances that were not conducive to a weekend-long visit from his parents. The planned visit fell through.

We moved across the ocean. His parents planned a visit - excited to visit us and see a foreign land and experience a new culture. Alas, before they purchased their passports the tragedy of 9-11 happened and suddenly flying was a no-go. So another visit was canned.

So now here we are. Across the country and a few days drive away. And finally they come to visit. Of course, I prepped like a mad-woman. This was the first time they have come to visit, after all! The house was what I call "mother-in-law" clean. I cleaned for days in advance and did everything I could to ensure that they would be comfortable in our little nest. Hubby did his best to stay out of my way. And when the reviews came in, I passed muster! Insert warm fuzzies here. J

Dadoo and Momoo spent a few days here in our home and we did our best to show them the sights around us. Even though Hubby is suffering the after-effects of a recently broken foot and has to hobble around on crutches (perhaps the fates most recent attempt at foiling a visit - but we would not give in this time!) The day after their arrival, we took them up to the deepest canyon in the United States. The following day, it was a scenic drive to the coast for lunch. We spent a day relaxing around the house and then we were off on our grand drive - a week touring the region around us and seeing as much as we could.

We started with Yosemite National Park on day one. As many times as Dadoo had been there, he had never ventured up to the most amazing overlook - Glacier Point. We wanted him to experience this amazing sight, so we directed him onward. Hubby had to sit back and wait - once the drive was over, it was a quarter-mile hike uphill to the vantage point. But it wasn't a big deal after all, Hubby and I had been up there many times. So I escorted the 'rents on up while Hubby stayed back and sat at the lower overlook.

After that amazing experience, it was on into the park - through the scenic portal into the park (the most photographed spot in any National Park) and across the granite encrusted Tioga Pass. This is a favorite spot for the Hubby and myself. Absolutely amazing scenery - overlooking the Ansel Adams wilderness leaves you in awe of the creations of Mother Nature.

Once across the pass, we made a brief stop at Mono Lake and ventured forth to Reno for a night's stay. I have to say that I was disappointed in Reno - I would have liked to see the "big lights" and was anticipating something like the strip in Vegas. Sadly, Reno failed to deliver. Sure, there were casinos with lights, but not all together in a strip. Very disappointing indeed.

We awoke bright and early the next day to begin our next adventure - a drive into the Pacific Northwest. And this did not disappoint! We skirted around lake Tahoe and ventured back into California. But northern California differs from the area we live in quite a bit. It became quite obvious that we were in different terrain as soon as we saw the tall trees. Conifers galore!

Before we ventured outside the Golden State, we had one more stop on our list. Mount Shasta - the first on a list of great mountains that we hoped to see on this journey. We made it to the town of Shasta and found the road that lead to the top of the mountain. A short drive found us at the end of the road, on the wind-whipped top at 7,900 feet - looking up at the south end of the peak of the second-highest mountain (14,179 feet) in the Cascade Mountain Range. The view from the top of the road was amazing. The panoramic view down from the mountain was breath-taking. Looking up at the back of the glacial carvings on the back of the mountain left you stunned at the course of nature. We stayed for just a bit, amazed at the scenery around us. Then the cold started creeping past the protective barriers of our jackets and it was time to go.

We journeyed further north, crossing into the great state of Oregon. We made an overnight stay at Klamath Falls and started out bright and early the following morning to venture forth on our great adventure. Our next stop was Crater Lake. This amazing volcanic formation is the result of a mountain pretty much imploding on itself and the result, I'm told, is absolutely breathtaking. America's deepest and clearest lake, nestled in the crater of a former volcanic mountain. I say that I'm told this lake is absolutely breathtaking because we didn't actually get to see it.

We made it to Crater Lake National Park, and as we climbed up the mountain to get to the lake Mother Nature reminded us of her great powers and the weather began to turn. We climbed up, up, up and found rain. And as we kept climbing, the rain became snow. First little flurries dancing on the windshield, and then caking on the side of the road. We found ourselves at the base of the rim drive around the lake and unable to actually see the lake. Of course, the road that leads around the lake was closed - the snow clouds created a fog that was so thick that you couldn't see more than a hundred feet or so. We were at the visitor's center and unable to see past the edge of the parking lot.

So we began our descent down. On the way, we found ourselves immersed in a winter wonderland. Snow on the ground, snow resting in the tall trees. Very few vehicles were venturing up the mountain on this day, so the park was filled with a peaceful quiet that seemed to go on forever. We made a few stops here and there - to admire the river that created the gorge lining the park and see and hear the crashing of Annie Falls. To venture off the road just a little bit and listen to snow crunch beneath our feet, find animal tracks in the snow and enjoy the wonderland around us.

Undaunted by this minor setback, we ventured on. Pressing north, we found ourselves in a very small town at lunchtime and settled in at a very small-town-like gas station/diner for some of the best burgers we had ever tasted.

The further north we traveled, the worse the weather seemed to get. As we closed in on Mount Hood (at 11,249 feet in elevation, the fourth-highest peak in the Cascade Mountain Range), we drove through rain, rain and rain. With a sprinkling of snow, depending on our elevation. Fog was a constant - so much so that we couldn't even see this great mountain as we skirted around it on our detoured route. (Detoured because our desired route was closed due to snow.) So we crossed this desired location off our list and pressed forward - on to out next night's stay at The Dalles.

Day four saw us awake bright and early and ahead of the weather. We embarked on a scenic drive through the Columbia River Gorge along the Oregon/Washington state lines. Seeing the early morning sun color the sky and the canyon was just beautiful. We drove along the gorge, admiring the Columbia River's work (carving a canyon 4,000 feet deep and settling in at sea level) and took a drive along some of the waterfalls that feed into the river.

Alas, as we moved on, the weather caught up with us. As we pressed on to the next major destination on our agenda, Mount St. Helens, the rain found us and pressed on with a vengeance. We ventured into Washington and into the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument with the best of hopes. We stopped at the visitor's center and found that the road was open and we were told where to stop to look for elk. "They're always there," the ranger assured us. As we journeyed into the park, climbing up the mountain, the rain and fog found us. Certainly, we were afforded stunning peeks into the valley below. We could make out lava flows, rivers of ash covering broken trees and the replanting of the forest around us. But the elk had more sense than we did, apparently, and were nowhere to be seen at the scenic overlook. Undaunted, we pressed on and soon found ourselves at the top of the road - the observation deck overlooking the caldera.

Unfortunately, in addition to the observation station we also found freezing rain, wind and fog. We tried, we really did. Hubby crutched all the way up the hill with us and we sought refuge in the station. We viewed the exhibit housed in the station and learned all about the eruption and resulting lava and ash flows. We oohed and aahed over the fiber optic display showing the area and what happened where. Eventually we conceded defeat and headed back down the pathway to the parking lot. We had made it to the top, but the weather won out and denied us the opportunity to view this magnificent beast of a volcano.

Working our way back down the mountain, the weather improved only marginally and we stopped for lunch while still in the park. Feeding the local economy while feeding ourselves, we rested in the warmth of the gift shop/restaurant and planned the next stage of the trip. We had a few days left of travel to do, and the last major stop on our list awaited - Yellowstone National Park. So we tweaked our plans slightly - eliminating a sojourn to Maple Valley to see the changing of the leaves (we had so far seen plenty of trees, after all, both of the changing variety as well as the evergreens) and ventured on.

Driving as far as Dadoo dared in the weather, we settled in for the night in a quaint hotel out in the middle of nowhere. Packwood, Washington. Dinner consisted of take-out pizza and our attention focused on the Weather Channel, where we learned that this weather would be our travel companion for the next few days.

Day five - we awoke, packed up and moved on. Breakfast was served continental style at the hotel and we were in Yakima for lunch. And for a failed attempt to locate a Starbucks. We're all quite acquainted with Yakima now, but still couldn't tell you where to find a good cup of coffee there. Venturing East we found ourselves surprised with a day of mostly clear driving conditions and scenery we never expected to find in Washington. We found ourselves leaving the familiar trees of the Pacific Northwest and moving into "Big Sky" country. High desert, canyons and gullies greeted us as we pressed on towards the Rockies. It was a very brown landscape, yet it did not disappoint.

As we approached the white caps of the Rocky Mountains, the weather found us again. Climbing into the Rockies, and passing through Idaho into Montana, the rain again turned into snow the higher we climbed. Climbing over Lookout Pass (elevation 4,680 feet) from Idaho into Montana, we passed the worst of the weather for the day and began our controlled descent down into slightly lower ground and journeyed on to our next night's stay in Missoula.

Day six was set as a short day for driving. We awoke in Missoula and ventured a couple of hundred miles into Gardiner, the gateway to Yellowstone. It was an easy drive - we stopped for photos and found ourselves headed into a picturesque valley leading into the Yellowstone area, surrounded on either side by snow-capped peaks.

Arriving in Gardiner, we quickly discovered how much of a presence wildlife plays in this area. As I was unloading the van, I found myself surprised by a deer or elk just on the other side of the parking lot, grazing on shrubs outside the building! He seemed tame enough not to be bothered by a group of gawkers and even stayed around long enough for Dadoo, Momoo and Hubby to join me outside to marvel over him. He wasn't even disturbed by a hotel employee opening a door and passing right next to him on her way back into the building!

We settled into our lodging in Gardiner and decided that it was early enough to check out a little bit of Yellowstone. We drove through the picturesque town and found the stone gate to Yellowstone on the very edge of town. A few miles into the park is Mammoth Hot Springs and another elk sighting. We were so excited to spot an elk Buck lounging in the brush on the side of the road on out way in. Little did we know…

As soon as we got into Mammoth Hot Springs and stopped at the visitor's center for information, we found ourselves surrounded by elk. There was a buck resting in the middle of the village with his harem all around him. They were lounging in the courtyards and lawns between the buildings, grazing on the grass and resting. It was amazing…they were so close to us that we had to watch where we stepped! As people gathered around to observe the elk, a ranger was giving a talk about the buck and his harem.

Flush with the excitement of this sighting, we worked our way down the road and stopped at the springs. Hubby stayed back in the van - the boardwalk through the springs was wet from the rain and just looked too slippery. Momoo, Dadoo and I ventured out onto the short path that lead to the base of the springs and marveled over the colorations in the rocks, the steam emitting from the pools and the stench of sulfur emitting from the entire area. Truly amazing.

Back in the van, we decided to see how far we could get into the park before dark and found some side roads that lead us up and overlooking the Mammoth Hot Springs - a perfect vantage point for Hubby to get out and see what he missed down below. Deciding against venturing out into the springs on the boardwalks we stood at the overlook and took in the sights from the top.

Further down the road, we found ourselves surrounded by evidence of the fires that swept through the area in 1988 and the new growth generated since. Seeing new life flourish amidst such devastation was humbling - Mother Nature's spectrum can range from relentless to gentle all in one season. Her ability to heal after such a disaster is astounding.

Wildlife reigns supreme in this national park. As we journeyed on the roads, we saw a wolf venturing through the trees, and elk and bison in the meadows, woods and right alongside the road. We could have reached out the window and touched the bison, if that were a wise idea. Venturing further into the caldera of the park, we witnessed dense forests, open meadows, hot springs along the roadside, and geysers and their steam plumes in the distance. Yellowstone is truly alive with activity at every turn.

After a quick stop for souvenirs and another stop just off the road to see Norris Geyser Basin, we decided to head back to the hotel for the night. The thought of driving on the roads after dark, amongst the bison and elk roaming through the park, was disconcerting to say the least.

The following morning, we were met with a surprise. Snow! We ate breakfast at the hotel and debated whether or not to try going into the park. Before long, we decided to try to get in as far as we could and were off, with the back-up plan being that we could spend the day resting at the hotel and do a little souvenir shopping in the town.

We ventured into Mammoth Hot Springs again and found that the inside of the park was blanketed with snow. It was beautiful. We stopped at the hotel there for a little bit of shopping and attempted to venture a little bit further into the park. We went as far as we felt comfortable going and wound up turning around in defeat a couple of miles down the road, when we found slush on the street.

Back in the town, we found lunch and a nap. In the early afternoon, Dadoo looked outside and decided that it looked like the weather had cleared up some and we should try for another trip into the park. It turned out to be an excellent idea. The snow had let up and the roads had cleared up enough to let us get all the way to Old Faithful. We toured the historic Old Faithful Inn and witnessed the famous geyser going off, right on time. Another round of gift shopping and we were on our way back out of the park, with enough time on our hands to take a couple of the scenic loops leading past waterfalls, hot springs and geyser basins.

The remainder of this trip was spent driving to our departure point, Billings, Montana. We spent the night there and Hubby and I departed the next day from the airport on our way home. We flew over the Rockies and into Salt Lake City. From Salt Lake City, it was on to Fresno. The sights on the ground below from the vantage point of an airplane were stunning. The Great Salt Lake stretched on forever. Mono Lake and the Sierras from above were gorgeous. It was so neat to see the giant trees in miniature, against the grey granite of the mountain range and blue of the lakes below.

We finished up the weekend unpacking and lounging around our house. It was so good to be home!! The dogs and the cats were happy to greet us upon our return and our clan was reunited again. I had a few days of the return-to-the-work grind ahead of me and then it was off to the next great adventure.

Unfortunately, I spent two days fighting off a migraine headache. Taking Hubby to the hospital for his follow-up visit post-surgery, and my almost passing out right there in the cast-making room was enough. I spent all day Tuesday in bed, doped up on Hubby's prescription strength Ibuprophen. By Wednesday, I felt better but was now stressed out. A million things to do, not enough time to get it all done! Work is high-stress as it is, but then I had all the unpacking from our previous trip and the preparation for our upcoming trip thrown into the mix!

Thursday morning saw me kenneling the dogs, arranging for the cats, and working. At the end of the work day, I came home, finished up laundry and packed the car. Getting Hubby settled in, we ventured off in his Nissan 300Z and headed north.

As I was driving up the freeway, I came to the conclusion that I am far too conservative of a driver for this car. I could feel the car beneath me, begging for more than I was willing to give it. The twin turbos rumble in this thing, and when I pressed on the gas to accelerate and pass another vehicle, I could feel the Black Beast saying to me, "Oh yeah…that's it…let's go faster!"

An overnight in Stockton, and we were off on Friday morning to meet in Manteca. In the rain. I'm sensing a pattern here - and in this car, the rain is not my friend. :/

Rising and shining well before my desired wake up time, we made it out of the hotel by 6:30 am Friday morning to make it to the drivers meet in Manteca. It was an opportunity to meet with old friends and catch up before beginning our long weekend of driving these monster machines through the amazing scenery of this golden state.

Getting everything squared away over morning cups of coffee, we were off and running - one of seven Zs touring the state. A drive through some winding country roads and into Yosemite National Park and our second run over the Tioga Pass in two weeks. The scenery was no less amazing this time, even with the newly falling snow swirling around the windshield.

Lunchtime saw us on the border of Mono Lake and in a favored diner in Lee Vining. Thirteen people gathered around the table and fun times and stories were shared. Lots of catching up to do, as it had been some time since some of us had seen each other. And some of us were meeting for the first time…it's amazing how a love for these cars bring people together like that.

After lunch, we drove south and skirted around Mono Lake, taking in beautiful scenery and preparing ourselves for the drive ahead…winding and dipping roads at high speeds. No oncoming vehicles to worry about, no other traffic on the roads. We had managed to shed the wet weather after descending the Sierras before lunch and were ready to go! We accelerated and enjoyed - surrounded by the beauty of nature and feeling the amazing sensation of speed on clean roads. How amazing it was to ascend a hill in the road and see the car before you drop over the crest…like it is falling off the face of the earth! And feeling the floating sensation in your stomach as you crest and dip, just like a roller coaster!

Before long, we found ourselves in Bishop for the night. Arising the next morning, we found that rain had passed through the town, but the storm had quieted. Leaving a soft blanket on the mountain tops around us, the storm left us a breathtaking sunrise…seeing the crisp white on the peaks over the city and the changing blues of the sky as we looked westward. More of Mother Nature's artistic creativity.

After breakfast it was off again - climbing up to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest to overlook the valley below - we found a little bit of snow on the ground this year, but nothing compared to the slushy roads that we found last year. This time, the roads were clean and dry, allowing us to rip up the mountain and take the curves of the road as we saw fit. We were earlier than any other morning traffic, so the roads were our own as we climbed and climbed - reaching the scenic overlook for a quick break and an opportunity to take in the stunning panorama of the Sierra Mountains and the valley below.

The late morning saw us driving into Nevada on one of the smoothest stretches of road around. Here, in the empty desert and the glass-smooth highway, speed creeps up on you and you find yourself soaring down the road, thoroughly enjoying the sensations of the machinery at your fingertips and the adrenaline that only speed can provide.

Venturing back into California and the north-eastern gate of Death Valley National Park, we were greeted with the stunning array of desert colors provided by this magnificent area. Rustic reds meld and intertwine with pinks, golds, sunset-tinted oranges and foamy greens, all set against the crystal blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. Stunning scenery worthy of any artist's pallet indeed.

Lunch was had at Scotty's Castle, and it turned out well that Hubby and I had already been there twice before - embarking on both tours offered by the National Park Service of this manse in the middle of the desert. Hubby's broken foot would not allow us to embark on any tours this year, so we rested under the trees for a picnic lunch and enjoyed the company of friends.

After lunch, it was a quick jaunt over to Ubehebe Crater. In some infinite lack of foresight, two motor homes full of German tourists pulled out in the midst of our convoy through the desert. Most fortunately, we were all communicating via two-way radios and those in the front passed on news of clear lanes ahead…allowing the three of us in the back the call of safety for passing these behemoths on roads that did not allow you a clear view of what was ahead. As I pulled over into the oncoming lanes and opened up the throttle of the machinery beneath me, I felt the car purr with satisfaction as I pushed the accelerator and pulled ahead of the vehicles impeding our progress. I'm pretty sure that we probably scared the living daylights out of the Germans in the lumbering behemoths as three little sports cars roared by!

Stopping to take in the scenery at Ubehebe Crater, if but for a brief time, we found ourselves awed by the endless ability of Mother Nature to create and change her landscapes. The sky was a brilliant blue, the clouds were in such formations as to not even appear to be real…and the giant volcanic formation before us was truly stunning. Colors layered through the landscape in a perfect pattern - like it was all placed just so deliberately!

After moments of reflection and photo-snapping, we were off again. This time seeking panoramic views of Death Valley at Dante's View and Zabrinsky Point. Climbing and climbing, twisting and turning hairpin curves found us at the viewpoint that allows you to overlook Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the United States. Dante's View affords you a truly panoramic view of the valley - from the famous and much photographed mountain range to the saltwater below.

Descending the overlook, taking the same tight curves that we traversed on the way up, we soon found ourselves at Zabrinsky Point - incredibly famous dunes that have been photographed and featured in television and movies time and time again. Alas, this viewpoint required a steep climb on foot, so Hubby and I passed this time. We parted with the group and ventured on back to the hotel for check-in and rest before dinner.

A relaxing evening group dinner in the Furnace Creek steakhouse was an opportunity for more group time and getting to know each other and catch up on missed time. We whiled away the evening over steak and wine and enjoyed each others company.

Arising early on Sunday morning, it was time to head home. Leaving Death Valley, a favored spot of mine, is always difficult for me. As we drove westward and climbed out of the valley, taking in the volcanic formations around us, we took our last opportunity for adrenaline-laced driving and climbed, descended and twisted and turned with the roads, the engines of our vehicles roaring along the way. I was able to work out my technique for controlled engine braking on mountainous terrains as we climbed and climbed, then descended and coasted through the mountains and out of the valley.

And then it was time to return to the reality of the freeways. Traffic, congestion and big trucks. Yes, given the choice, I would take the wide open stretches of desert road any day. Whether in the cockpit of a speed demon sports car, or the comfortable cabin of my soon-to-be SUV.

Arriving home relatively early on Sunday, we found time to rest and relax before the weekend crept away from us.

And so now I find myself back in the grind of the work week…anxiously looking forward to the upcoming weekend that bookends the days in-between. But this time, not for the adventures that lie ahead, but for the time off to truly rest and relax.

Time to recharge.  I really need that right now.