Global Wandering

We are almost a week into our vacation with no itinerary. We have found a travel rhythm that seems to accommodate both those who hate to be in the van too long and those that get restless staying in one spot. After a night in Salmon, Idaho, we spent two nights in Missoula, Montana, two nights in Kalispell, Montana and we just finished our first of two nights in Sandpoint, Idaho. The weather to date has been perfect. Sunny and in the sixties to low seventies.

What have we learned after a week on the road?

The Moon Travel Guide series is inferior to the Lonely Planet Series. I recognize travel guidebooks are heavily influenced by the author. I just find with Moon’s Montana and Idaho guidebooks I disagree with the author eight out of ten times. Plus they tend to leave out important details. For example, we stopped at Kootenai Falls west of Libby, Montana yesterday. The guidebook said the waterfall was just off the road. What it neglected to mention was it was a least a mile hike down steep, rocky paths to the falls. The hike didn’t bother us, but we saw an elderly couple struggling to keep their balance while clutching walking sticks and a family of five forced to carry their infant and a stroller along the boulder strewn path. Then again, the signage at the outset of the trail was equally as bad with no map showing where we were heading.

Me climbing up from Kootenai Falls (the short way)

Missoula is the most attractive town in Montana. Not too small and not too large. The homes, particularly around the university are gorgeous, the weather is milder than where we live in Idaho, even though it is further North, the people are friendly and the mountains are beautiful.

Deer in Glacier

The best time to visit National Parks is in May, right after the roads are opened for the season, but before most of the country knows they are. We spent a day in Glacier National Park. I rode my bike from the Apgar Visitors Center up to Avalanche Creek and had the road nearly to myself. We had a deer walk right up to us as if it wanted to be petted.

Glacier Squirrel

Camden is turning into quite the photographer. Except for the top photo, all of the pictures on this post were taken by him.

We learned the real meaning of Cinco de Mayo. We stopped at a restaurant in Bonners Ferry and the Mexican owner told us the story of the holiday’s origin. Somehow even though I spent a Cinco de Mayo in Chiapas a number of years back, the details of this holiday alluded me. This woman spoke with such passion about the French invading Mexico after the two countries couldn’t come to an agreement on settling Mexico’s debts, and how the Mexicans had fought with such tenacity to overpower the French on Cinco de Mayo. She said Cinco de Mayo signifies what matters more than anything, even more than money or talent, is the desire and strength inside each of us.

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