The Bozone

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We are still in Bozeman (and more importantly, I will be caught up to present day life with this post!). Our plan is to head to Missoula this afternoon, to check out life and the breweries there. We’ve met so many great people while in Bozeman that it’s hard to leave, but I imagine we will be back someday.

Upon arrival here last Friday, Adam quickly began asking locals about good climbing and better beer. We were given great suggestions for both, so began our evening at one of the local breweries, the Bozeman Brewing Company. Conversations there quickly led to climbing, and Ryan, originally from Tennessee, was quick to make suggestions, even drawing us a map and offering his phone number in case we had questions. Saturday we went out to the farm where he works, Rocky Creek Farm, for a hay ride and pumpkins, and even got to pick some delicious cherry tomatoes. Thanks Pete and Nancy, for also letting us camp there that night!

Cow people once again!

Camping on the quiet farm was a nice change from our previous night in the WalMart parking lot where we woke up to EMTs and firemen helping an elderly woman out of her car and into an ambulance right next to us. Who needs an alarm at 8am when you have a few small barking dogs outside your door. The dogs were soon picked up by a relative of the woman, and we were finally able to get out of our van. [There is a culture of RV and van camping in WalMart parking lots, especially out west, where there are easily 10-15 RVs in one lot per evening.]

Sunday morning took us back to one of our favorite restaurants, Nova Cafe in downtown Bozeman. Our friends Jenn and Jason recommended it last year while we were in town, and we had to make a return visit for their “skillet-licking” good food. My only real request as we began this trip, especially as we try to eat very simply, was that we go out for brunch at least once a week. Nova was absolutely the first place I had in mind, and it didn’t disappoint, even with an hour wait. The Soup Shack on Main Street has also become a new favorite, with hearty soups and delicious corn bread for a reasonable price.

Exploring new places and meeting new people are certainly benefits of being on the road, and we’ve met some great people here, including the staff of both Northern Lights Trading Company locations who have provided expert advice, gear, and even a shower. Check them out if you’re ever in Bozeman.

The camping adventures, both at Rocky Creek Farm and in Hyalite Canyon, have been beautiful, although chilly. The hikes are fantastic, especially in this early fall with colors changing, and there are plenty of other outdoor adventures we could have found ourselves participating in easily. Ice climbing comes later in the year, however. The Hyalite Creek Trail, Palisades Falls, and the Sypes Canyon Trail have been among our favorites, complementing the easy-going culture of Bozeman. The full moon has made nights so beautiful and bright, you almost don’t need a headlamp at a campsite.

Part of the adventure of living on the road is figuring out where to do laundry. We found a great laundromat here and made the most of it, cooking noodles in the parking lot and eating them while our clothes spun, then making our bed with our freshly cleaned sheets as other people’s clothes spun too. We are also learning other effective habits of the road, like making the most of rest stops, and visiting hot springs to feel clean and fresh, even if it’s been a little while since your last shower. Norris Hot Springs was a cool stop for us, with live mandolin music as we lounged in the hot water.

Another part of the adventure is visiting with friends you haven’t seen in a while. We had the super fun opportunity to reconnect with a good friend of mine from college who happens to live in Bozeman. Visiting with Deia was definitely a highlight, catching up on they years since we’ve seen each other and hearing about the newest adventures. A wonderful treat, indeed. I’m glad I remembered she lived in Montana!

Cow people once again!

Snowed In in Bozeman

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There has actually been no snow since we arrived in Bozeman almost one week ago, we just like it here so have stayed around for a while. Rain has threatened a few times, but other than that the weather has been beautiful and sunny, with much of the haze from nearby forest fires moving on recently (apparently last week the smoke was thick enough to prevent seeing some of the nearby mountain ranges).

We arrived in Bozeman last Friday after our cow herding adventure at the end of the Montana State University homecoming pep rally downtown on Main Street. We have heard they like to shut Main Street down for whatever reason possible, so the homecoming parade on Saturday morning followed the Friday pep rally. My favorite part of the parade was the blue and yellow MSU fluffy headbands they were handing out. Adam enjoyed the high school marching band’s drumline. He swears they danced a bit as they played, although I missed that piece of entertainment.

Before the pep rally on Friday we walked into a coffee shop on Main Street with its doors open, although quickly found out they were still completing the finishing touches on the space before their soft opening the following Monday. They created a really inviting space with friendly owners (who are younger than we are) in a former shoe store, with local art on the wall and super tasty coffee (and I don’t love coffee). We have spent at least an hour at Zocalo Coffee House each morning since Monday, and I imagine will stop in again tomorrow before heading north to Missoula.

Opening day at Zocalo (via Facebook)

Also while in Bozeman we have visited all three local breweries to sample their wares, Bozeman Brewing, Madison River Brewing, and 406 Brewery. All have offered super tasty beer and insight into the local culture. Apparently in Montana there is a law that breweries can only serve 48 ounces of beer per day per person, so they keep track of what you have consumed on your very own little piece of paper. Our understanding is that this rule, plus the rule that they can only stay open until 8pm, is a result of the state tavern association’s dislike of local breweries. In my opinion, the taverns are missing out as these are some tasty local brews. A few breweries in Missoula have been highly recommended too, so we’ll be checking those out this weekend. This state knows how to make beer. They also know how to make fun pint glasses, so we have added a few to our collection, all with a story behind them.

This week we have also been exploring the areas just outside Bozeman including Bear Canyon and Hyalite Canyon. There’s a fair amount of rock climbing around here, so Adam has been excited to get outside and head to the cliffs. Monday we climbed at Practice Rock in Hyalite Canyon, an area swimming in the brilliant colors of fall. Beautiful views, friendly fellow climbers, and a good healthy challenge made this a great experience.

More from Bozeman tomorrow, including pictures! My cameraman has been slacking here, just enjoying the atmosphere. I really can’t blame him, though…

Why Wyoming, You Ask?

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Why not, is really what we have found. Wyoming is beautiful in its rugged nature, with fiercely independent yet friendly residents and plenty to see. Being the least populated state it offers long stretches of driving where all you see is the big sky, rolling hills, mountains, and perhaps some cattle.

But before we headed to Wyoming we had to wrap up our time in South Dakota. After our Mt. Rushmore evening, we camped in the highly recommended Roubaix Lake site. Arriving in the dark we knew there was more to see, and the morning didn’t disappoint with a beautiful wooded site with a peaceful lake. We then continued north to the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, an area aglow with the splendid colors of fall. A short hike to a waterfall got us out into the South Dakota air one more time before crossing into Wyoming.

A long stop at the Wyoming Visitor’s Center gave us information about the northeast corner of the state and allowed Adam to make his signature dark, fresh coffee. After driving by a buffalo jump and the Aladdin General Store, we made our way west to the Devils Tower National Monument, a site visible for miles as you approach, rising straight up out of the mostly flat ground over 1200 feet. This most interesting geologic formation is thought to be the result of an igneous intrusion, magma forcing itself up through other rock formations, which then hardened and was eventually exposed by erosion. The site is revered by the people of Wyoming and many American Indian tribes of the area.

We did the short hike around the base of the formation, examining its structure, thinking about the history and the celebrations that took place there over the centuries, the people that wintered at its base, and the first to climb the tower in 1893 (the first woman reached the top in 1895!). There were several groups climbing as we watched and one that had just reached the summit as we arrived. Pretty impressive as it basically goes straight up over 900 feet.

We stayed that night in Sheridan, Wyoming and made our way into the Bighorn National Forest the next morning, a diverse landscape located in the Bighorn Mountains. We drove and walked some through the beautiful alpine meadows, with lakes and views everywhere you looked.

Our most interesting experience came as we made our way down out of the mountains. A handwritten sign on the side of the road said “Cows on road.” Sure, we thought, a stray cow or two that we should be mindful of if they crossed our path. Rounding a corner, however, quickly corrected our thoughts as ranchers on horses and in F350s were herding probably well over 1000 cattle down the very road we were driving on! (We then understood what the random dirt-like patterns on the road were…) Down the paved road they went, mooing and stalling, getting on the far side of the guard rail and needing to be directed back. They definitely went around the cattle guards though, forming a decent single file line to get off the road and into the ditch to avoid that pitfall.

We weren’t sure whether we would be able to get through, but a car coming the opposite direction seemed to just be moving slowly and the cows were moving out of the way, so we headed on, into the herd! Cow-people we were for about a half hour, in our Odyssey (hey, those cowboys were using F350s). Various cows expressed their exasperation by standing and mooing in our direction, but not being the smartest of creatures they moved out of the way when a bigger being came towards them. It was quite exhilarating!

Beautiful fall in South Dakota

Spearfish Canyon waterfall

Spearfish Canyon really was a scenic byway

Devils Tower as we approached

Devils Tower National Monument

They were on the move

See the crescent moon?

Cows on the road!

Adam, the cowboy

Cows everywhere!

The rest of our Wyoming drive was beautiful, and filled with less bovines, as we exited the Bighorn range and made our way north to Montana!

South Dakota Badlands & Mt. Rushmore

Not quite toes on the beach…

After driving north along the Iowa/Nebraska border, we arrived in Souix Falls, South Dakota, birthplace of my grandpa. It would have been wonderful to visit Murphy relatives (yes, Adam, I’m Irish) in Watertown, but instead we headed west on I-90 to the western side of South Dakota and Badlands National Park. We arrived just in time for Adam to catch a few pictures of a beautiful sunset, then headed to our remote campsite on 12 miles of gravel roads as the sun set, coyotes howled, and bison roamed around.

Adam barely missed stepping in a huge bison pie as we got dinner ready in the dark.

The beautiful next morning brought dozens more bison on the move, some stopping to check out our van as we made our way to Wall Drug in Wall, SD for 5cent coffee, free ice water, and a jackalope ride (see below). Heading back into Badlands NP we checked out the most interesting terrain, where the park gets its name. Slight rolling fields quickly turn into canyons with sharp peaks, looking much like I would imagine mountains on the moon. We did a hike up a steep cliff to the large, dry terrace above, then explored to find cacti, brisk wind, and luckily no rattlesnakes. At the visitors center we saw a photography exhibit by students in the Northwest Passage program out of Wisconsin, which aims to introduce potentially troublesome kids to nature photography which might capture their attention. Absolutely beautiful photographs and interesting perspectives to read from the kids.

Heading further into the Black Hills, we drove a loop that included plenty of time in Custer State Park, one of the most interesting and diverse state parks we’ve ever seen. Unusual rock formations captured Adam’s attention, and I think he photographed them til his fingers hurt, trying to distract himself from his impulse to climb them. We saw wildlife including mountain goats by the road, a reminder of the moment we got engaged in Glacier NP and a family of 3 mountain goats made their way down the path just behind us.

One of the loops in Custer has an archway that perfectly frames Mt. Rushmore. We had stopped to take a few pictures of the national monument earlier in the day, but then headed back that evening for the lighting ceremony, a program that features inspiring information about the 4 presidents and why the sculptor chose them for the monument. The end of the evening had all current US service members and veterans present on stage to lower the flag and tell their name and division of service.

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And… We’re Off! First Stop: St. Louis, MO

(Excuse the delay in these posts… we’ve been busy taking in the scenery)

Finally, we are really ready to hit the road – Friday, September 14! After a somewhat anti-climactic day of finishing touches on the platform bed and packing everything in, we headed west on I-64 to Tina’s house in Belleville, IL, a suburb of St. Louis. Tina is a super welcoming and hospitable friend to stay with, and a great place to start our journey.

Friday evening we headed into St. Louis for dinner and met up with a surprise guest, Cathy aka Queenie! What a wonderful treat, to have 2 of our favorite people usher us into this journey over delicious burgers and beer at Seamus McDaniels, a must if you’re in St. Louis and like a fabulous burger and fries “extra crispy.” After dinner the 4 of us took a cruise through Forest Park, found the fountain, and continued to catch up. A wonderful night, indeed.

Say Seamus!

Saturday brought a low-key day in Belleville, then Sunday we checked out the St. Louis Zoo (free!) and the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (also free!), and made a stop at Adam’s browsing store of choice, REI. Dinner at Schafly’s Bottleworks with Tina continued the beer theme with some bluegrass music to boot.

Up close with a hippo at the St. Louis Zoo

The always entertaining elephants

One of the famous Budweiser Clydesdales

Say Seamus!

And then it was Monday, and time to continue west to… Iowa and South Dakota!

Getting Ready to Go

The days of preparation followed our visit to Cincinnati. We spent another day or so packing up and cleaning our apartment, running errands, hanging out with Louisville friends, and getting the van ready to to head out on the road long term. Adam and Ray built a fabulous bed with storage options below, a friend (thanks, Kevin!) lent us a car fridge, and we packed the belongings and clothes we thought we might use. It was a busy, exciting week, with noticeable progress yet hurdles we didn’t expect to encounter. Getting through those brief, stressful moments made us all the more appreciative once we were ready to head out on the road. Hanging around Louisville an extra day gave us more time to prepare, and that ended up being really helpful.

We thought through construction of the bed platform, adding hinges to make the storage more accessible and making sure it would fit our items best. Thanks to Ray & Susan and Mariah & Eric for putting us up as we prepared to leave. We have wonderful friends and family!

(After a little delay) We are on the road!

We started with a weekend in Cincinnati, visiting family and friends, taking in an exciting Reds game, and celebrating my grandma’s 93rd birthday. It was a relaxing calm before the storm of moving out of our apartment and packing the van. We were able to relax while also getting some items accomplished. A big thanks to Julia who helped Adam remove the pesky rear seats from the van, and to my parents for letting us borrow their futon mattress (those fit great in the back of a Honda Odyssey, by the way).

Julia and Adam hard at work

The Reds game was definitely exciting as baseball games go… lots of stolen bases, Reds home runs (which means fireworks), a beautiful night on the river in Cincinnati, and a Reds win. Shaun, you’re the best for taking a few unemployed friends out to the game. Your family is always super generous!

Celebrating Gram-cracker’s 93rd birthday was also certainly a highlight. Azzie celebrations are always a good time, with tequila to sip, fabulous gin and tonics (check out Watershed gin from Columbus, OH if looking for a tasty gin that can even be sipped on the rocks – good find, Danny), corn hole, good conversation, really delicious food, and even a Green Egg grill lesson from Nathan and Danny. NM&O, you were missed!

A wonderful weekend in Cincinnati, then back to Louisville to pack, clean, say more goodbyes for a while, and watch the almost-finale of So You Think You Can Dance!