Eugene, Yosemite, Sequoia & on through the desert

Eugene, OR was our next stop and we hit up Ninkasi Brewery and another McMenamin’s property and got to stretch our legs! We found a Voodoo Doughnut on the walk back to the van and couldn’t resist.

We drove as far as we could handle and then stopped at a rest area with the goal of getting closer to Yosemite National Park. It was crazy how much of CA is burning. We drove through an active fire and saw the helicopters working to stop the fire’s growth. Leo wasn’t a huge fan – he hates the smell of fire.

What a site! Yosemite is beautiful but crowded! We got to see El Capitan and the Ansel Adams Museum.

We took a walk around the Valley Village and drove the entire park! The views are breathtaking. Of course, the camping spots were full for the night so we headed out to Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park.

We got up early and found a site at Azalea Campground and immediately went out to explore the park. We walked to the General Grant Tree, drove through the canyon. We had a wonderful time exploring this area with 2,000 year old trees!

The next couple of days were not that exciting. We drove a lot through the desert as quickly and safely as we could as it was HOT! and we were climbing. The most difficult part for us was the heat at night. We have two fans in the van but there really isn’t anything you can do to beat the heat when it is that hot. We made a be-line for Denver, knowing that we had tons of places to hang out and we would sleep much cooler. We made it as far as St. George, UT before we crashed for the night. The next morning we wanted to hike a bit before we started the drive, so we found Pioneer Park just outside of town that had some trails. We found it also had an area called the Red Rocks Desert Garden that had native plants and water features flowing through it that was like an oasis among the red rocks that made up most of the park.

Portlandia

Portland was amazing!  The food there is incredible and the scenery is spectacular.  Dinner that night was at Luc Lac for Vietnamese food – out of this world!  We also stopped by the tiniest park according to Guiness Book of World Records.  We happen to be in town the same time as Libby’s cousins Anne Rene and Kim and their friends Jeanne and Scott.  They were there for the Waterfront Blues Festival.  We spent lots of time visiting and they were great enough to let us use their hotel as our homebase while in Portland.

Everybody who knows us and has been to Portland has recommeneded the Kennedy School as a stop along our way.  It is a McMenamin’s location.  This local brewery has purchased tons of unique buildings in and around Portland and turned them into desitnations for fun.  This one happens to be an old school that they converted to a brewery and hotel.  It was great fun to tour this location.  While we were up in that neighborhood we found some great BBQ, amazing donuts and ice cream.  Our evening ended with The Mavericks at the music festival.

The next day was a special experience for us.  We were able to walk through a bunch of Portland neighborhoods on our way to Sister’s of the Road Café where we had lunch at one of the original non-profits working on food justice. They have been providing nourishing meals in a safe dignified space since 1979.  It has been on our bucket list for as long as we dreamed about opening SAME. Two social workers started it after they asked unhoused people in Portland what they needed most.  It is based on the Catholic Worker Movement and they have evolved over the years to provide phone, mail, and hygiene services.  We ordered from their menu which has two meal choices – so we got one of each.  They charge $1.25 per meal but you can earn meal tickets if you work in the kitchen.  Leo and Gemi were allowed to come in with us – which was a nice but challenging since they had never been in a restaurant before and they wanted to clean the floors!  It was moving to be in the space and see it in action.

We continued to explore Portland and found the Smokey Bear birthday party and celebrated with homemade s’mores and cocktails!

We had a bit of housekeeping to do so we spent the rest of the afternoon in the laundry room at the hotel but we did eat a Luc Lac one more time since the food was so amazing! On our way home, Brad finally got a McMenamin’s beer (We didn’t drink one at the Kennedy School – crazy!)

Seattle and Tacoma

For our Seattle adventure, we contacted our friend Katie who loves Seattle and frequents it often. She listed off coffee shops, bars, and restaurants we had to try. We drove to Volunteer Park and explored the park itself, climbing the water tower to see the look-out of the entire city. From the park, we had a great view of the Space Needle.

After a good long walk, we got on our bikes and road down to Pike’s Place Market. And by down, I mean DOWN! We knew the ride back up was probably going to kill us. We never peddled once. Upon arriving at the market, we realized that it was closing early, probably due to the holiday, so we explored quickly and marveled at all the fresh fish. We did get to see the guys who throw the fish and admired the beautiful flowers. Even though it was closing up, the place was still packed with people. We made our way outside and ventured up to Pine Box – a bar on Katie’s list. It was an old mortuary! We tasted some great local brews and it was good break in the climb back to the park. Libby almost made it the whole way peddling on her bike but had to give up at the last street because it was just too steep! Brad peddled the whole way up! We found a laundromat and made an evening out of it. Our parking spot for the night was right outside the park.

Fourth of July was a bit chilly. We started the morning by having coffee at one of Katie’s suggestions, Espresso Vivace. Then we walked down to Olympic Sculpture Garden via the loop path and got some great glimpses of the Space Needle. We had lunch at Lunchbox Laboratory, where they claimed to serve the best burgers in the country. They were pretty damned delicious and even had a black bean patty for Libby. Our next stop was Cloudburst Brewing right down by the market. We had to hit the market up one last time to see it in full swing. It was even more crowded than the day before with many more vendors open and people shopping. We were glad we went the day before because the fish throwing vendors were closed for the holiday. Our plan was to drive to Gas Works Park for fireworks, but we couldn’t even get near the place to park. After driving around the neighborhood scouring for a park place, and only finding the Freemont Troll under a bridge, we decided to head back to Volunteer Park and hoped we could see some fireworks from there.

The locals said we would have limited view of fireworks from the park but it was a beautiful evening, so we just hung out and played Uno and enjoyed meeting people. We eventually heard some fireworks starting and knew we weren’t going to get a great view so we braved the streets once again and tried to get a local vantage point. After following the crowds, we found an alleyway to stop in and see the fireworks up close. It was pretty spectacular, even if we were looking through someone’s backyard gate!

Our sleeping spot for the night was once again outside of Volunteer Park. On awaking we went to Katie’s favorite street and tried some coffee from Laddro. We stopped by a cute store Libby wanted to shop at and headed towards Tacoma.

We were getting the oil changed in the van so we went exploring Tacoma. Our favorite spots were the farmer’s market, the river front and the glass blowing museum. We found a brewery and the university and headed out back on the road this time to Portland.

Vancouver!

The next day we spent driving through the Canadian Rockies which is like driving through a postcard.  Every view was breathtaking and impressive.  The road meandered along rivers, lakes and streams that were so green with minerals they almost glowed.  We saw very little wildlife on this stretch but there were tons of signs alerting us to be on watch for big horned sheep and elk.  Our stop for the night was a Costco parking lot in Kamloops after some grocery shopping and games in the camper van because of course – it was raining!

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We stopped at Tim Horton’s again the next morning because what can you do – it is Canada.  If you haven’t been to a Tim Horton’s it’s kinda like a Dunkin’ Donuts but better.  The coffee is fabulous!

After using the free wifi (which isn’t that reliable  – it wouldn’t load pictures or send photos in texts), we were able to map out our next adventure and headed into Vancouver.  We stopped at another park and saw beautiful huge cedar trees.  We walked along a boardwalk to stretch our legs.    

Next, we drove straight to Stanley Park in Vancouver.  We explored the park on foot with the dogs, following the seawall trail.  The scenery was beautiful – ocean and city skyline together.  We walked through the Totem Pole area of the park and by the aquarium.  Although the park was very busy, we found a nice spot to play Kube – the lawn game that is so fun that Ben G. introduced us to at a SAME Café board picnic.  We drove around downtown neighborhoods and just explored.  There was a beautiful waterfront restaurant that caught our eye that we were excited to try named Carderos.  We got to sit by the marina and watch the boats dock and go out for the evening.  We took a long walk by the sea shore after dinner because we were so full!  The next morning, we walked some more and then ventured on to Seattle.

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Customs was an interesting experience.  There were tons of signs listing how long the wait would be prior to approaching the boarder.  The route we chose claimed to be a 20 minute wait.  After about 35 minutes, we got a little impatient and began to wonder what was happening because no traffic was moving at all.  We had been a little nervous crossing into Canada with the dogs but that was a breeze compared to this.  Although, once it was our turn with a customs agent – it went smoothly, and we were on our way.  We never did discover what was the hold-up.

Glacier & Banff

The next destination was Glacier National Park. We knew that this was a popular place to be in the summer, especially right before the 4^th, but we hoped we could get a first-come, first-serve camping spot in the park when we arrived. We had been keeping an eye on the website and most campsites had space in them most days, so we were hopeful. Upon arriving at Glacier we found that we were out of luck that day. We were disappointed but knew that there were many camping areas outside of the park as well and found one not too far away. It’s name was a bit of a turn off but we adventured anyway into Chewing Blackbones RV Park. We pulled into the office and picked a site unseen. Once driving away from the office we realized we probably should have done a drive through before selecting our spot because the campsite itself was a barren field hidden perfectly by a beautiful tree line.

We expected the campsites to be wooded and scenic but they left a lot to be desired. We did get a site with electricity and water and near the showers which was a bonus. As we settled in for the night, Libby took the dogs for a spin around the driving path. Once she got just out of earshot, she and our pups were attacked by an off-leash dog (against the clearly stated rules of the RV park!) that came out from behind a camper on the nearby lake’s edge. Poor Leo and Gem were traumatized but didn’t appear injured. It wasn’t until morning that we realized the other dog broke skin on Leo’s back leg. Leo didn’t seemed too bothered by this neither did the dogs owner when we approached him to inform him of the injury. After much google searching about dog wounds and local vets at the office where WiFi was less than stellar, we decided we had enough of this campground and left for the National Park.

At this point both of us were discouraged and didn’t have high hopes for Glacier. Libby almost threw in the towel entirely and asked to go home but then realized we don’t really have a home to go to. After a few deep breaths, we both realized that life on the road isn’t always going to be easy and that we are so lucky to be in this beautiful place. We re-centered and refocused and began with a new sense of curiosity. Luckily, upon entering the park this day, we found a campsite and secured our space for the night before we went exploring the park.

We drove through the park on the Going-to-the-Sun road to find big horned sheep, white tailed deer, beautiful and terrifying views from extreme heights and the highlight of the day, a grizzly bear!

This evening’s campsite was beautiful and serene surrounded by high mountains and lush vegetation. Our neighbors were kind enough to follow the rules and all dogs were on leashes so we walked around with confidence. A huge rocky hillside bordered the campground. There were a few tents around us that were nestled so neatly among bushes that we didn’t even realize there were people that close to us. It rained again, and we spent the chilly evening snuggled in our campervan with hot mugs full of coffee and all seemed right with the world.

Our plan was to head to Banff National Park in Canada but both of us were a bit nervous about crossing the border. We had read that we needed Vaccine Certificates for the dogs and we weren’t going to be allowed to bring certain types of bear spray into the country. We wondered what the whole process was going to be as we approached border patrol. Hilariously, they didn’t ask about our dogs or bear spray. We weren’t sure if we got lucky or if all of our research made us worry for nothing. Either way, we made it in to Canada with no problems. We stopped at a Tim Hortons for lunch and got donuts for the morning and made our way to the park through Calgary.

The National Park system here is interesting. Highway 1, the road we traveled on, leads right to the park. It’s hard to explain. If you have ever been to Disneyworld, you might understand. All lanes of traffic on this road must pass through the gates of the park, even though the actual park is about 20 km beyond the gates. Everyone on this road is heading somewhere in the park. Granted, the park is huge but there are entire towns inside the park. It would be like if Estes Park were actually behind gates to Rocky Mountain National Park. It is interesting. Like Glacier, we arrived too late to secure a park spot for camping, so we were told to try the overflow area outside of Lake Louise. We found a spot there and tried to take the shuttle into the town but discovered it stopped running right before we got there. After talking with a friendly guide, he suggested that Dewey and Orange Crush (our trusty bicycles) could get us there. We road along Highway 1, the same road we drove to get here, into town just in time for a storm to roll through.

We returned to the campervan right before the downpour began and ate dinner and hung out.

The next morning we went immediately to a nearby campground to secure a site for that night. Luckily we did as there were only a couple available. Next we drove to the town of Banff to see what all it had to offer. We parked at the Cave and Basin area and explored the boardwalk path through the wetlands before hiking along the trail to go see the Bow River Falls.

After lunch and a nap (hey, it’s vacation!) we rode our bikes downtown to find some wifi. Immediately after we got there it started to pour once again, so we ducked into the Park Distillery & Restaurant to wait it out. We had amazing beer and cocktails with the gin and rye they distill on site. At the suggestion of another customer, one of the cocktails we ordered was a smoked Manhattan – Brad loved it.

This is Mo at our campsite at Protection Mountain. We had an elk visit the site right next to ours!

The next day was Canada Day! We toured the park and spent time watching the sunrise at Moraine Lake and hiked from Lake Louise to Mirror Lake. This park is full of beauty.

Rapid City, Bozeman & Butte

We met up with Rhonda in Old Story Book Island Park in Rapid City where Fork Real was serving lunch to Rural American Initiative – a group that mentors young people through Head Start programs and continues through school years. Most of the students and mentors participating were from native tribes. We helped prepare some salads and serve the meal. A beautiful honoring celebration was held following the lunch that included special dances and tribal songs accompanied by drumming. It was great to be with Rhonda and hear about Fork Real and all that is happening in Rapid City.

From there we drove to Billings, MT and took a hike next to the Yellowstone River. We tromped through some tall weeds to get a better look at the fast-flowing current. We found a paved bike path and decided to get some more steps in for the day since most of our day had been sitting in the car. We encountered some local kids killing a rattle snake just off the trail in the tall weeds. That’s when we realized how naïve we are about our natural surroundings. No more tromping through weeds to experience nature. Nature could have bitten us right in the behind! After being attacked by mosquitos, we headed to find a place to sleep. We found another Cabela’s and loaded up on bear spray and bug spray, two things that are apparently necessary in this part of the world. Another evening in the parking lot and we were on our way to explore Billings. This town was voted best town in the U.S. by Outdoor Magazine and we were excited to see it. We found a nice park that had a swimming pool to hang out in the spend the day. We met lots of nice local folks and learned that although there are nice parks in Billings, there isn’t much else to do. After taking a dip in the pool, we moved along to Bozeman.

Bozeman’s community café, Fork and Spoon, had a guest chef this evening so we knew it would be busy. The café is on a main street and had plenty of parking. It is nestled into a space that is surrounded by a quaint little motel. We entered the café and found them serving a special meal of roasted pork, black lentil, panzanella, and cheesecake. It was delish! We chatted with a staff member who told us about another community café not yet on the map or list online in Butte, MT and he recommended a local brewery to visit.

We found the brewery with little problems and discovered that Bozeman knows how to live right. The brewery backed up to the most pristine vista. A mountain ridge with a lake were right in the back yard of the brewery and although they didn’t allow dogs in the brewery, you were welcome to spill out in the yard and enjoy the view while you enjoyed a tasty beverage. If it weren’t for the many off leash dogs there (Leo and Gem don’t do well with friends that don’t follow the rules) we probably would have stayed all night.

Instead, we toured the town and found a very friendly Walmart to hang out in and use their WiFi. Libby hasn’t had cell service since we entered the mountain time zone so we have had to be creative with our phone and internetting. Luckily, we don’t have the same carrier which means that sometimes when Libby doesn’t have service, I do. Other times, we have to rely on our good old-fashioned atlas for directions. Thankfully, we both can read a map pretty well.

Driving to Butte was beautiful. The town is so iconically Western. There are old buildings with mining references and names, pick-up trucks everywhere, people in cowboy hats and boots walking down the street and run-down saloons. After a walking tour of the town, we found the café and settled in for lunch at Heart of Butte. The menu consisted mostly of burgers and sandwiches with a suggested price of $10 for a combo. Every night from 4-7 they do a free buffet in the same space. The entire place is run by volunteers from various churches in the community. We ordered a cowboy burger and tater tots and a veggie burger with fries. The lunches came with a huge cookie too. All of the food was fast, extremely hot, and tasty. We were some of the only people in there when we first arrived but by the time we left they had a full dining room. There were three volunteers that day who were trying hard to answer all our questions. They were all still figuring things out, as we learned that they had only been serving for about 8 weeks.

Walking the Mississippi

We got up and drove to the Mississippi Headwaters – another great suggestion of our friend Suzy. We got to walk across the Mississippi River! Itasca State Park has beautiful paved biking trails that we explored – thanks to Libby’s dad and Katie and Rich we were able to bring our bikes along again. Katie and Rich gave mom and dad their old bike rack and we borrowed it for this stretch. Dad and Brad installed a hitch on the back of the van before leaving Bloomington and got the bike rack installed safely. It was totally worth all that work! We ended our time at the park enjoying a beautiful rainstorm with the van door open underneath a great pine tree.

The next three hours were spent dreaming of pizza! It’s amazing how much we love pizza. You’d think after eating it everyday for 11 years we’d get tired of it, but we don’t! We found a great pizza place in Fargo, ND – Rhombus Guys – and had a unique pizza that we hadn’t ever thought of at SAME – which is hard to believe because we’ve pretty much tried everything on pizza. It was a Reuben and it was delish! Brad also added another brewery to the list as this place brewed their own beer.

After a good night sleep, a trip to the laundromat and some more rain (it rains so much in these parts – we forget how much rain the rest of the world gets- Denver is so dry!) we headed downtown Fargo to find Heart & Soul Café. They were doing a pop-up in a café on Broadway St. Broadway just happened to be closed today for Streets Alive, which is where the roads are closed to cars and open to bikes and pedestrians. There was a lot of foot traffic and many people passing by. We had the dogs with us, so we had to take turns going inside to check things out. Leola and her volunteer staff were waiting on tables and serving a menu of white bean soup, spinach pesto pasta salad, and a rhubarb strawberry crisp for $7. When you went into the café you were seated and served by a volunteer and were serenaded by a guitarist. Because only one meal is served, you don’t have to make any choices but what you’d like to drink. At the end of your meal you are given a card explaining the concept in a restaurant style bill holder. There were 4 ways to contribute – Pay $7, pay what you can for today’s meal, Pay it forward to cover someone else’s meal, Volunteer for a meal. We took our meal to-go and ate it at a bench just outside the hosting café.

The bikers and walkers seemed to be having a great time in the streets, so we decided to stretch our legs and join them. Leo gave us a really hard time about walking in the street. Each time we tried to join in the fun, he would drag us over to the sidewalk because he knows he is not supposed to be in the street. It was fun to see Fargo enjoying the great outdoors in such a unique way and we got to see a lot of downtown while walking. We even tried our hands at hula hooping. We also had some of the greatest ice cream ever! We found Silver Linings Creamery just a few blocks into our walk and had to try it. We did a medley of small scoops – Dill pickle, Spicy Havana Palm Tree (with candied jalapeno), cookies and cream, and salted caramel. To be honest – dill pickle was the favorite! We might have to go back to Fargo just for that ice cream! Leo and Gemi found a spot to have a photo shoot.

As we were heading out of town, we started to examine the map to figure out which direction to head next. Ultimately, we wanted to hit Vancouver by way of Banff National Park in Canada. It dawned on us that we weren’t that far away from two other cafes, one in South Dakota and one in Montana. We plotted the course and decided to head that way after doing some research on google to see what days they were open and sending some quick emails. Turns out, Fork Real Café wasn’t going to be serving on Monday like their website said but they were catering a special outing in a park and we were welcome to join them. So we headed through Standing Rock Reservation and on to Rapid City. We pulled into Cabela’s parking lot late in the night and hit the hay.

Technical Difficulties

Hey there!  We haven’t been eaten by bears – we are just having trouble connecting and uploading over the free wifi networks in Canada.  We will connect and post lots of pictures and stories once we get back to the States.  Just for your info, we have been to 4 states and 2 provinces, several community cafes, national parks in USA and Canada, seen some great wildlife and have been rained on EVERYDAY!