Melting in Kalispell

We hit West Shores State Park about 8pm, where we discovered exactly how efficient our new 'fridge', a Yeti cooler is. Frozen beer coulda made it a bad day, but who can complain about a cooler that works well??  It was a beautiful site on Flathead Lake, close enough that Reese could skip rocks across crystal clear glassy water. We all jumped in for a quick, surreptitious family skinny dip before eating dinner at 9:30.  Still light. It gave me a glimpse of what was to come, and I regretted not working on some sort of black out curtains for the van. How is Alaska going to work?  They finally fell asleep around 11 to be woken up at 8. 

Kalispell is a sweet little town suffering from global warming as is all of the world. 95 degrees at 4:30 this afternoon as we wait for the van to be finished. We amused (and tortured) ourselves today by riding through Woodland Park.  We fed fowl, cried because it was too hot, cried because we weren't first, climbed trees and finally went to town to be soothed by air conditioning and ice cream. Not sure I did a great job of disguisiing who 'we' is. Rich and I tried to hide in our phones when we could, but battery life only lasts so long. As anyone who knows me well knows, heat is not my happy place. Apparently it not someone else's as well.

So here we are, no more complaining at the La Quinta, with a highly chlorinated indoor pool, air conditioning and a TV. We arrived as homeless folks on foot, dragging suitcases and large bags as it was down the road from the Auto Haus, where we left the rest of our life.  Guess we'll hit Glacier tomorrow. 

West Shore State Park

You can still drink a frappé beer!

The Palouse and Beyond

We stayed at Twin Bridges just before Whitebird Hill sandwiched between Highway 95 and the Salmon River. The kids, never to being subdued immediately asked for baseball mitts and a ball, but exploring soon took precedence. It was a nondescript campsite, and I forgot to take a picture. I didn't sleep well this first night, the bed seemed harder than usual. I hope this isn't an indication of age or how the rest of the trip will be. We forgot a means to light the stove, so no coffee until we hit Moscow. As we cross the Palouse we imagine we are in a boat at sea, at least I did. The rolling hills dwarf our van and Reese states he hates imagination.  Explains his lack of enthusiasm for Legos.

We headed out of Coeur d'Alene today later than expected, some stress alleviated. Yesterday we had stopped in Plummer, ID and needed a jump to get back on the road. Rich spent most of yesterday pulling the alternator, having it checked, charging the battery and having it checked before deciding the issue was out of our hands. Our dear friends the McHughs hosted with love and generosity; Barry accompanying Rich and Teresa introducing the kids and I to the neighbors who shared their pool. The kids swam all day in the 90 degree weather while I visited with some warm, wonderful people. I truly believe that people by nature are generous and yesterday it was exemplified. 

Rich took the van in first thing today--explained the problem and the mechanic turned to his buddies 'remember I said a Westfalia with a Subaru conversion would be coming in with an electrical problem?  Well here it is!' Probably pulling Rich's leg, but he was enthralled none the less. Turned out we needed a new battery. 'O'Reilly's couldn't test a balloon to see if it held air' and after a few modifications and repacking we are on the road. 

We have managed to stay on schedule, more or less, despite Ruby not wanting to leave 'Barry is sweet' but we have discovered the next issue to address. The cooling system. Despite having AC that works we are currently abstaining due to high temperature reads on the gauge. We have already been in touch with a mechanic in Kalispell who knows Vanagons, and I am convincing Rich to leave us in the park while he takes it in. We do have friends in Kalispell we can prevail upon if needed. 

While we were preparing to leave, the worth of the van and notion of selling and getting a Sprinter came up (more head room and more seating). We just passed one on I90--on the back of a flatbed tow truck. I guess we are sticking---for now!

Teresa and Rich modifying

The McHughs

Teresa's art installation for Ketchum!

Outta here!!!!

We have never been a part of the Alpine Start Club. Despite getting up early-ish and aiming for noon, we are just heading west on State St. It is 4:44. PM. The hours were marked by the change in programming on KRBX. Started with Liam's Playground and Wayne is now ushering us out of town with sonic Saturday. Hopefully Wendy will keep us company for a bit into the canyon. At least we are leaving on our original departure date, considering the van wasn't in the driveway ready for prep until a mere two days ago. We are three miles from home and Runy is already asleep. And the AC is still working. Can't get much better than this!  And no drop down drag-out fight to kick it off either, although moving three or four bikes three times evoked a number of unmentionable expletives and sent Grandma and the kids to the Roosevelt for ice cream. Rich and I shaved each other down just before leaving, his beard and my hair. Watch out Alaska, here we come!!!

Ruby's cut

 Reese's cut

Hilary's hair 

Loaded!

Getting Ready is the Hardest Part

T - 5 days and we are to be pulling out of Boise, house and chickens tended and headed for the wilds of Alaska.  The van is having minor body work done which has taken much longer than expected and the air conditioning needs to be recharged, yet again.

Not having the van here makes packing difficult to visualize, and I had hoped to do a deep clean before heading out. I suppose it doesn't make much sense as it will just get filthy anyway.  The fridge which never worked well is to come out and more storage will be available. A newer, better, more improved cooler will be purchased and outfitted for food.  And the little things....the never ending little things.  But all will be done, we will head out and all of the anxiety of preparation will be left behind.

So just wanted to queue everyone up and prepare for some updates.

This is the beginning of the trip---after that we will decide as we go!   Take care, be safe, have fun and we will miss you all!!!

Love,
The Hauserhills

It's a start!!

And....we're home

And happy about it. The house is still standing, the lawn still green and the chickens still living. Even the non-layer, who was put on palliative care before we left. Piles of paper remind me I have been gone all summer but we slid into summer activities without a second thought.  The Natatorium, Clock Tower Pond, bicycles and routine!! It is the routine for which I am particularly thankful.  Having familiar surrounds and routine have made the kids easier to be around.

How is it to be home, people ask.   Like I never left, I reply.  Still struggling with what to make for dinner, still doing laundry, dishes, complaining about picking up after three people.  I feel we have accomplished something but no real difference. I am acutely aware how the minutiae rules my life and I can learn to manage that better.  One of the takeaways of the trip.

How far did we travel you ask?  After 'mapping' it out in Google Earth and reliving the trip in 20 minutes, approximately and conservatively....drumroll please........

8600 miles.  Wow!  I had no idea!!!

Anyway, just wanted to touch base and create some closure.  We are home safe and better for the experience.

The Last Leg

August 10. The last leg. We stayed in Park City after a long day in the car. Of course, the pool was visited before bed. We headed into downtown for breakfast where people were setting up for Stage 7 of the Utah Tour, a staged bicycle race. The race was a nice spontaneous diversion, visiting tents, bringing home too much schwag. I think Reese's favorite was bicycling and mixing his own smoothie. Not sure about Ruby. They both really wanted to ride the mechanical bull but felt differently once on it.  We beat feet outta there before all of the roads were shut down. The kids decided they like western mountains more than eastern and Ruby wants to move to Park City and live in a hotel.

Here we are on our most familiar route, headed north on 84. El Caporal in Burley for a late lunch will bring us full circle. We swing by the Hill AFB museum to admire planes through the fence with a promise of return. Reese finished reading his first 'Flat Stanley' book.  Ruby can write some of the alphabet. She still writes her name backwards, however. The kids ask about the Natatorium and Snow Cones. Our only selfie. Boise, here we come!

Here We Come!!

August 9. Yesterday was low stress and mellow until we hit Piper's house at 4pm. We ditched the kids with the grandparents and headed out for a field trip to a nearby dispensary.  Can't go to Colorado with checking out the goods!  Nikkol calls 'The Green Solution' the Sharper Image of marijuana dispensaries and it didn't disappoint. Each group or individual who checks in (the busy times are 9-10am, 4:20-7pm) gets their own 'budvisor' to guide them through accessories or product. It was impressive with different strains of marijuana exquisitely marketed and packaged, different edibles of hard candy or baked varieties individually packaged and labeled with the amount of TCH in them, and even drinks, with the amount of THC per bottle. There were also plants one could purchase for $25 each. It was a clean, open, respectable shopping experience. Not all dispensaries are so big with so much variety of product. Some are not much more than a counter with twelve or so items. So I have been told. We didn't have the ability to tour different dispensaries. Everything bought has to be put into a reusable, opaque plastic envelope with a child proof zipper. They don't last long, and I am sure Reese could figure out the zipper but it is a nice safety gesture.  Our visit made me realize not only how much the state was making, taxing marijuana nearly 30%, but how many local jobs were created with this new industry. The 'budvisor' gets a base wage and commission, not to mention all of what goes on behind the scenes.

Today has been a whole different animal. First fail, Hill Air Force Museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Second fail. Missed an air show there two days ago. Reese took it like a trooper. No crying or tantrum. Best to hit them hard with disappointment in the morning, they have more reserve.

Third fail, going through the mountains. We set off at 0900, which has proven to be our take off time. We took I-70 which is beautiful, but climbing up to Eisenhower Tunnel was anxiety provoking and maddening. Because of the altitude and the climbing, the van did not appear to be working correctly. Rich had it floored and we were crawling at 45-50. It brought back flashbacks of the previous engine, the Tiico, and all that we had moved past with the conversion. Rich was apoplectic, and calling Ricky Mtn Westy, ready to turn around and take it back. The exit after Eisenhower Tunnel (the tunnel is 1.7 miles long at an elevation of 11,013 ft) is a few miles downhill cooling Rich down a bit. We stopped, I talked about my lifetime of experience in four cylinder Subarus dogging it up the hill, as well as the elevation before deciding to move on. I was ready though, contacting coworkers about switching shifts and looking up the schedule. Now sixty miles down the road and a drop in elevation all has calmed and we are headed home. It seems the 4x4 won't disengage, but we'll look at it later.

We stopped for a bite in Glenwood Springs, realize we are stuck with the 4x4 until home. While we saw glimpses of red rock and desert plants hinting of the southwest and drier climes it is passing through Rifle we feel it. Junipers, dried grasslands, and sage blanket sandy, sedimentary soil. Utah, here we come!