Seattle

We have made it to Seattle. It only took us 3800 miles in Malibu Stacy to make it across a country that is supposedly only 3000 miles wide.

Curious.

We spent last night in a hotel--our first time back in "civilization" in a week or so. It was nice to take a shower, and I am sure that all of our friends on the coast appreciate it as much as we do.

We left Yellowstone a few days ago and headed north, as we wished to check out Glacier National Park, in Northern Montana. Planning our usual long drive, we assumed the legendary Montana roads would carry us on a chariot of speed to the northernmost reaches of our country. Not so much. Our timing was also hindered by a blown tire, grocery shopping, and a purchase of a new digital camera, all in the same Montana drive.

Annoying road construction, steep highway passes, and, yes, even slow Montana drivers kept us from reaching our planned campground in Glacier National. Instead, we followed a random sign to a state park in the middle of nowhere. Fearing we might be leading ourselves right into the hands of a Montana axe murderer who preys on late-comers to empty state parks, we instead found the last tent available tent site, which happened to be right on the shores of a beautiful mountain lake. The night was spent eating and drinking on its shores and the morning found us taking a refreshing swim.

Taking said morning swim was not an easy decision, as we feared the frigidity of the alpine waters. With a bit of prodding from Jason, however, Chris was convinced to take the plunge. Once in the (beautifully temperate) water, we discussed the importance of enjoying such events, and Jason reminded Chris that, "whenever in doubt as to whether or not to do something, think of our dear blog readers. We must do it for them."

We left the lake, refreshed, clean, and ready for the drive to Glacier. We entered the Park and followed Going-to-the-sun road through the park toward our chosen campground. The drive was exhilirating and frightening, pure mountain pass and switchback, hairpin turns and dizzying drops into deep canyons. The road was tight and small--so much so in fact, that a couple we met had knocked off their side view mirror against the rock face.

We spent the whole of the drive peering up at the peaks of the tall mountains, straining our necks and eyes trying to find a glacier that would fit into our mental framework of a "glacierness".

We found nothing.

The glaciers are small and mostly unimpressive. Sadly, it has not always been this way. The glaciers are quickly melting--another victim of global warming--and it is said that by 2030, the main glaciers will be completely gone.

Nonetheless, the Park is truly beautiful, and the mountains are grand and inspiring. The whole of the land is criss-crossed with hiking trails and peppered with strange Swiss-style chalets, a result of early Park planning for "civilized hikers."

After spending the entire day driving through the park, we finally settled down in our campsite. The sky was ominously dark and rain seemed sure to come. Using our combined skills learned in sailing, Boy Scouts, and the MacGyver television series, we rigged a tent fly, creating a large covered under which we could sit, protected from the storm.

A few drops fells and then the sky cleared. Eating our delicious dinner and cooking up smores on the campfire, we half-lamented the lack of rain, sad that our careful preparation had been completely useless.

And then, in the early morning, we woke to the sounds of a hellacious rainstorms. Fat drops fell onto our tent, and a river formed in the middle of our site. Sitting beneath our carefully constructed rain-free area, we dryly considered our options. Suddenly our protection had become a mammoth pain-in-the-ass. Biting the bullet, we left our dry oasis and spent a very wet twenty minutes dismantling our entire construction.

We left the area, driving as far from the scene as quickly as possible. After changing outside a gas station, we got back in the car and headed off, back on the road west.

And here we are. Pictures to come soon.