|  What a fine little country we have here. The picture at left is of a hydrothermal pool just off the road at Yellowstone National Park, one of a couple dozen like it in all kinds of colors--particularly sapphire blue. The springs are hot and acidic, and somewhat spookily the Park giftshops feature "Death in Yellowstone" books, but they are one of untold suprises and treats within the borders of the park.
I saw some of the best the West has to offer on a two week trip by RV to Chicago, finishing up late this week in a fit of rental return cleaning and fatigue from 14-hour driving days on the way back from Second City. By far the best in the Joes' humble view is Yellowstone, America's first national park and rightly so. It's like entering another world, and being transported to almost a different existence that most parks can't create. We saw so little of it and yet were transfixed. I'm a little puzzled by the apparent new habit of the NPS to hire foreign national teens and young people on summer visas to work as busboys and cashiers in their parks, but everyone seems happy with the deal I guess. I certainly would have loved the opportunity.
{more traveloguey stuff below} |
The Black Hills were also a favorite, even with/sometimes because of the Sturgis motorcycle rally, now infamous for where John McCain offered his wife up for a tit-flashing, banana-sucking contest held annually at the rally. We steered clear of Buffalo Chip and Sturgis, but they dominated the rest of the hills as well--and despite the engine noise that generally can't be helped that we soon tired of, the participants themselves were mostly friendly and existed peacefully alongside non-rally visitors.  The best single thing we saw all trip was the Crazy Horse Memorial. I can't say I've ever been moved to tears by a five-minute museum video before, but the ongoing story of this monument's creation and the family that has kept it going, is stirring indeed. The head is completed, the massive, 200ft horse's head is next, and maybe in 20-25 years it will be completed. It's the labor of love and the feeling that pervades the area that makes it special, these lands that Crazy Horse referred to when asked derisively in defeat where his lands were: "My lands are where my dead lie buried." In the 1/34th foreground model, he points them out, and you can see the 88ft head of Crazy Horse in the dying sunlight behind it for comparison. We'll be back.
From there we had to hump it to Wisconsin in a night to get in some promised Waterpark Nirvana time, which the Dells amply provided. (A side shout out to Rockstar beverages and any truckstop or minimart that stocks the fruit kinds and/or the coffee versions. Yes, I know the bastard who makes them, but they are hands down the best tasting, they WORK for a good couple hours and without the HFCS the crash isn't as bad). It was in the middle of doing 740 miles, taking the midnight-to-530 shift, that I realized the value of the RV...you don't have to stop except for gas (which we did, endlessly and at various points along the $4 continuum). Partner driving works, at least if the other person can get sufficient rest. Kudos to Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin and especially North Dakota for keeping a majority of their roads in smooth condition, under admittedly trying winter and remote circumstances. Serious boos to Illinois and to a lesser extent Montana but especially Minnesota for some particularly crapass highway conditions. (Oregon's are definitely among the better roads in the system, I've found, even out Hermiston/Baker way). Chicago is a pretty sweet town; Mrs. Joe was particularly enthralled. In summer it's certainly easier to take, and a record cool wave that put temps in the low 80s with sensible humidity made it a rare delight.  I was able to cross Wrigley Field off my list, at the cost of just $110 a ticket in the top of the 2nd inning! OK, it was Cardinals weekend, the Cubs are actually pretty solid this year, and and some seats were fetching easily $400. We were in literally the last row of the stadium, higher than the new bleachers on top of the houses on Wayland and Sheffield, but because the place is so old, every seat is close enough to see. It was worth the ridiculous outlay...I even drank a Pepsi, eccch.
This past Sunday we did a family picnic in Evanston, a town protective enough of "their" beach to Lake Michigan that they charged $7 a head--in closed water, no less--to sit on. Forgive me if I smell not so subtle attempts to keep people from Chicago away from their white, ahem, sands. After reclaiming the RV that had been safely parked in a grocery lot (try that in urban areas before you pay scads downtown), we did 2140 miles in about 76 hours, a blur of gas stations and chain food stops or selfmade stuff. We did stop at Mall of America, again at child request, which was kind of what you'd expect from a Mall with amusement parks in it. Pass.
Our last official event on vacation (other than washing and cleaning out the RV) was a stop for lunch at Full Sail Brewery in Hood River. It's a rare place that makes excellent pub food to go with great beer, but FS does the job, and their dining room can't be beat with the view of the Columbia and her kitesurfers. Sure felt like home.
So it's time to get back on the ball and start reporting stuff. The elections will be heating up by Labor Day for sure, and already the airwaves have been sparkling and court cases on the docket. Stick around. |
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