I started this a few weeks back, been a hard one to complete because I’ve come to the end of my yearlong retirement dream journey – not done with travel and adventure, but at the point I’m making a transition back to a more home-based life. I have a blog or two left in me – as I write this, I am sitting in an RV Park in my home area/State of Oregon. My offer on a new home has been accepted and I’m knee deep in what one does when buying a home. The transition into a home without wheels has begun – but I’ll save that for later. For now, here is the story of the final weeks of my second cross-country trip in one year:
There was something sad about a national park closing down for the season. Sat in my camp in Colter Bay in Teton National Forest where the store, gift shop, restaurant and campgrounds all closed at 11 one morning. I think my decision to speed up my trip was a wise one not only for the closures, but because snow was predicted for the Yellowstone/Teton area a few days after I left. And in the week after I got back, a little over 2 weeks ago, snow fell in the Oregon pass I had traveled on my final day.
So, let’s catch up on where I’ve been recently – and another first in my life!
Jackson/Jackson Hole, Wyoming
After the long drive across Wyoming, where I met a very nice, small-town cop, I arrived in Jackson Hole. I got a great, but spendy, RV Park within an easy walking mile of downtown. It had the resort feel too it, could have used the pool and hot tub on the property at the hotel, but never got around to it. I spent the first day walking into and around the town square with antler arches at all 4 entrances (landmark). Jackson Hole was a celebrity hot spot for a while; the ski hill is at the edge of downtown – stars came to buy cowboy boots and rent the luxurious houses at one time (may still have a few who still do)
The following day, I went solo into downtown to browse shops and have a drink. Yes, it was an expensive place to shop but found a $15 rack in one shop and bought a long sleeve t-shirt. Since the “beautiful tariffs” have been put in place, I’ve seen prices for souvenirs double in most cases. Most of these items are made in Indonesian, Mexico or China. For instance, when I started my journey, a t-shirt or sale was $9.99, now $15 the cheapest I found. And then when I got to the Tetons, where the average price for a national park logo “T” was over $35 in this park.
But back to Jackson Hole where I visited the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and had a Huckleberry Vodka Mule (or two). Was a good drink, and the décor was interesting – all the bar seats were saddles. Fun, but I chose a table as I watched the action – which was pretty minimal, mostly older tourist like me doing late season travelling. At least I can say I was there. I have memories from a trip here years ago, when my daughter and my niece, both 15 and doing our laundry in town. Think I’ve got photos of us under the arches – I’ll have to look for them when I get home – and compare them to pics of Audy and I poising under the antlers too. Was a relaxing 2 days/3 nights – one of those “done that, been there” experiences.
The Tetons National Park
It was warm and sunny when I pulled in on September 27 and progressed to high clouds the next day. Since most of the park has closed down, I took walks around the deserted park. I left for a nice stroll through the large tent campground adjacent to the RV park, but it was a ghost town, eerie without people. After doing one of the loops, I realized without the hustle and bustle of happy campers, it would soon be a target for scavenging bears. I walked with a little bell and tapped my walking stick , talking to Audy frequently but just decided I didn’t want to be the first to spot a bear in that campground. We then followed the road over to the picnic ground which had beach access, but no dogs allowed. I’d noticed that most of the park’s rangers and staff were involved in putting things away, so I took Audy down to put his feet in Jackson Lake. I also picked up a couple of rocks for my collection. (I took the one path that didn’t have a no dog posting – just to keep my transgression honest – wink, wink.)
While on the beach I had visions of my daughter and my niece, as goofy 15-year-olds, playing in the extremely cold water. Young ladies in their teenage prime, cute in their cut-offs and bikini tops. I could see it as if it was in front of me. How I miss those days as their mother/aunt! And I remember the storm that caused us to abandon camp a day early when I was here that time – extreme thunder, lightning and large hail that had me running to prepare the back of my Forerunner, The Silver Bullet, and then yelling for them to grab their pillows and sleeping bags and run like hell to the car. It was simultaneous flashes and boom overhead, and the tent was already soaked. The next day, in the continued deluge, we packed up very wet belongings and headed south to find a drier spot. We were already on our way south to Colorado and did find a sunnier spot to camp.
There is a drought here, snow on the peaks is limited to relatively small glaciers. I think in my prior trips here, mid-summer, the peaks have always been covered with snow. And the lake is low, very low. The boat slips were empty and the island sat high on rings of sculptured dirt. Signs of fall, park closing and lack of rainfall. Transitioning seasons, I can relate.
I remember another trip here, been trying to place it perhaps 15-17 years ago? One where I brought my oldest grandson for a family reunion with my beloved family from Wisconsin. As many of us as could make it gathered over a long weekend and enjoyed meals, happy hour and music for a few days. This was Mom’s family, who I just visited in Wisconsin on this trip. Some of us tent camped, others stayed in the cabins here. Walked through the now closed for the season cabin area, thinking about the family who stayed there. It all looked the same, just void of life.
I thought I’d try to find the campsites where we gathered – can you say futile effort? I did a loop the night before it closed with no luck. It looks like the sites have been mostly reconfigured with changes to parking. I looked for the collection of stacked wood, that became a fort for my grandson, nephews and grand nephews. These logs became their major attraction, so much so that when we returned to camp one afternoon they were dismayed to find other children had confiscated their territory – and they excitedly told us we’d been evaded by the Chinese! (the language they thought the other children were speaking). Well, it turns out they were French and speaking French (we got a laugh out of it). And my cousin Mike, ever the peace maker, went with the boys and negotiated a peace treaty. The boys and their “Chinese” equivalents played happily together using signals and gestures with their new friends for the rest of the day (plus the French speaking children also spoke some English) It shows how accepting children can be once they lose the taught mental models of “different” that society instills in them.
What I also remember is all of those, Mom and Dad, uncles and aunts, cousins, siblings and their children, grandchildren, who gathered for a few days to celebrate our connection. I miss many of them who have now passed, especially Mom and Dad, and can only hope that in my future, there will be more camping and celebrations of US with my loved ones.
Yellowstone – Geysers, Buffalo and End of Season Shopping
Once you leave the Tetons, unless you head south, you travel through Yellowstone. I hoped that this portion of the trip would be where I finally saw a moose. Here’s what I figured out. There are probably only a handful of moose left in the USA, which they move around a lot – they probably have their own jet – and those moose make guest appearances in the Tetons, Yellowstone, Adirondacks and Maine. They put up road signs to warn you about moose, but none seem to be around. I came upon perhaps a staged event in the Tetons, cars parked wonky, the rangers practicing crowd management skills and gesturing aggressively to keep my big rig moving, but I never got to see the alleged moose in the little swampy area. May have been a cardboard cutout, if the moose where in Maine where I last saw the road signs? Driving a larger vehicle through people being stupid takes your full attention. So, end result, never saw a moose – which means I absolutely have to continue my adventures until I do. (Okay, had a close encounter with a moose and her calf years ago, while visiting Denali National Park in Alaska, but don’t have the coffee cup or t-shirt to prove it.)
So back to Yellowstone – well, Old Faithful is showing his age. Forgetting to be reliable mostly, or at least really slow at responding and the eruptions not quite where they used to be (the first and second things to go…) First, I walked with Audy and sat for 20 minutes with a bunch of other people just staring at a steam vent. Nothing. After walking a little more, fairly restricted since dogs are no longer allowed on the paths, I put Audy back in the rig and went to get something to eat, get my National Park passport stamped and generally walk around that area of the park some more. It was in the Visitor Center where a next possible eruption was posted, so got a burger and headed back to sit and wait. And it actually happened! Not as grand, high or wonderous as I remembered, but still got that thrill of seeing Mother Nature blowing off some steam. When I visited this park as a teenager in the 1970s, Old Faithful was going off every 10 minutes or so – shows how long ago that was.
After spending most of the day in the park, I drove out to find, as I remembered, it was impossible to stop at any of the sights on the way through the park because one 1) there was no RV parking available or 2) there was no RV parking allowed. This basically made up my mind that there would be little reason to return the following day. I’d been to Yellowstone a number of times and as I had felt in the Tetons, this was a park full of ghosts and memories, and it felt like I should have family and friends with me.
The next day was chilly, dug out my lightweight coat, sweatshirts, hat and gloves, unplugged Wandering Spirit from her water, electric and sewage restraints and drove into the nearby town of West Yellowstone. Had a great breakfast and found some fantastic deals at the tourist shops along the main drag, including a great buy on a warmer winter jacket with a Yellowstone emblem. Sweet. My wardrobe is now complete with souvenir clothing for all seasons.
Since I also hadn’t seen any bears, I went to the Bear and Wolf Center attraction and was able to see both in their domestic situation. Got a little bear yoga action with one of the grizzlies and saw a few pacing wolves. Wasn’t how I’d like to see them, but my admission fee helps with the center’s efforts.
When I left West Yellowstone KOA the next morning, the entrance gate was closed. The cabins and rec room were already boarded up when I arrived. Snow was predicted in a few days. It was time to head home. I hit an overnight stop in Idaho and spent my first Oregon reentry night at Farewell Bend State Park. Another memory, this park on the Snake River was also part of my family’s travel back in 1968. It was here that my older sister and I, who were primping in the tent, were joined by a bat. This time, my camping experience was shared with seasonal fisherman and other overnighters. Yes, maybe picked up a few flies in the rig, but nothing as drama causing as a bat in our hair.
I spent my first weekend in Bend, Oregon and suddenly felt weary, in need of decompression. Both from working through the emotions of endings and from driving across the country. This layover was fairly low key, with the highlight of spending one afternoon with a good friend from work. Drinking wine, lemon drops and catching up on life in general. Those are the moments I carry with me into my transition, my next chapter.
Home In Progress and Small-Town Cops
And so, I am home – almost. I’m in a good place, for in less than 2 weeks I finalize my pre-approval, looked at homes in the forested community where I want to live, selected a great investment and initiated an offer and had it accepted on a great home. Yes, I’m ready to move out of my cozy home and start the next phase. I paid off the Wandering Spirit and will decide how much longer I will hold onto her after I’ve settled into my new home.
I had a dream. I planned and saved for it. And over this first year of “Sandy’s Retirement Adventures” I drove 23,193 miles. I stayed at 124 RV parks, state parks, national parks and with Harvest Hosts. I visited 34 national parks or monuments. I discovered places I didn’t know existed and I met people I wouldn’t have otherwise known. And a black goldendoodle named Audy-wee and a 14-year-old black cat named Spirit were with me every step of the way.
I saw the east coast from as far south as Key Largo and as far north as Arcadia National Park. I saw deserts, oceans, bayous, waterfalls, hills called mountains back east, causeways, and crossed the continental divide multiple times. There is so much more, that I’ve forgotten some of it already – only to have an image flash in my mind to which I respond “oh yeah” with a smile on my face. I did that. Been there. And gonna do some more of it as long as I can. Oh yeah. 😊
Oh, and that lifetime “first” and my meeting a small-town cop? Got my first speeding ticket ever! 71 years old, 55 years of driving and never having a ticket. For what? Going 6 miles over the speed limit on the outskirts of town (36 in a 30). I had pulled out of gas station, and just paced the car in front of me, for maybe a mile, and suddenly lights behind me. Nice officer who said it was a “public safety issue” but admitted that many people tend to pick up speed in that area (no visible speed signs that I saw) but in reality, this was a warning situation, but I guess if that $139 helps them with this year’s Christmas party, then so be it. (not) Yep, Grandma driving an RV going a little over the speed limit is right up there with being a convicted felon I guess. Anyway, it was a predictable scenario, small town, speed trap, one car has local plates, the other is out of state – so offer a “reduced ticket” that could be paid online, rather than coming back for a court hearing. Classic – I would say Barney Fife from the Andy Griffin show, but the trooper was actually kind of cute, and friendly. Such are adventures – experiencing new things! 😊
