DAY 9: April 30--Missoula, Montana: The Missoula Art Museum

It was sunny this morning! So much so, that I, queen of all things layered and warm, decided to forgo the beanie and my vest on my bike ride to the art museum (which, as I have dutifully learned to check the website before i go--is open today). Unfortunately, I mistook a day without snow to be a day of warmth. The two are not the same. After five minutes, I had to circle back on my bike to retrieve my hat.

The Missoula Art Museum was really neat! I had expected “western-themed”, landscape-y oil paintings, but it was filled with very modern, very interesting artwork. The first gallery held some very modern, hip, layered-collage work. I noticed an older woman accompanied by a young woman come in after me, and I thought she would certainly find this modern mishmash distasteful. I kept my ear peeled to hear her tsk tsking, but was surprised to hear, instead, quite profuse praise. She switched between describing how wonderful the art was to how much it was worth and back again. Many, many times. And she was only looking at the first painting in a series of seven! After 10 minutes or so, (after I had circumnavigated the room myself), she remained on the same painting. I could hear her companion gently remind her there were a lot more to look at. “These must be insured for a great deal of money!” was her reply. I had to stifle a smile on my way out of the room past them and into the other galleries. Fortunately, the architecture was very open, so her voice carried into each gallery that I went into. Even as I explored a third gallery, I could hear “buckets of money, I’m telling you.”
I’m thinking of hiring her to critique my next show.

Day 8: April 29--Missoula, Montana: The "M"

I am becoming Missoulian. (It sounds so exotic, doesn’t it?). Despite the fact that it is still snowing, I decided to go hike the “M” today. I even rode my bike there. Granted, I wore 6 more layers than the average Missoulian would, but the fact that I even decided to go outside in this weather makes me feel like a local. After pulling on two pairs of pants, two shirts, a heavy jacket, a down vest, and a raincoat, oh, and a beanie and gloves, I ventured up to campus and hiked 2100 ft up to the giant cement M. (see pic above; in all my layered glory) It was actually very refreshing and fun, although next time I might skip a layer or two (I neglected the exercise-induced body heat factor). Biking in the snow proved to be less fun, as i took quite a few snowflakes to the eyeball.

DAY 7: April 28--Missoula, Montana

IT’S SNOWING!!! I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning when I wake up and little flakes are floating everywhere. I run to every window, joyful, until I open the front blinds and....my car isn’t there! Only a brief panic; Emily points out it has only moved about 200 yards away. hmm. Street cleaning tow? No ticket, no problem.

Walked into downtown again, lucky for me it’s Sustainable Transportation Week which means free coffee and tea for walkers. Yay. No need to tell them I’m not on my way to work. While standing at a crosswalk with a group of elderly tourists, a woman crosses towards us through a red light (no cars, but still--the elderly and I were playing it safe). As she gets to our corner, we all realize there was a cop car waiting at the stoplight and it makes a U turn and...yes...she was pulled over while walking. My fellow rule-followers and I share a good chuckle, only feeling slightly guilty about her bad luck.

It was my plan to find the Missoula Art Museum, but after getting lost, getting directions, and finding it finally, I find that it is closed on Tuesdays. Bah.

DAY 6: April 27--Missoula, Montana. Emily’s House

Today I am still sore. This is pathetic. Limp downtown to do some exploring. I stop at every historical site plaque to read, which is as much an excuse to stop walking for a bit as it is to educate myself about important railroad sites, etc. Pop in and out of boutiques and art galleries; have lunch at the Break Espresso (mentioned in my guidebook, yay.) Find neat fish installation.
Back at home, recover from walk: paint, read, snack. Feel a bit guilty about exploring Emily’s kitchen more than Montana, but not enough to limp out into the cold again.

DAY 5: April 26, Missoula, Montana/ the Rattlesnake

I awake to pain. Muscles I didn’t know existed are sore. I have developed weird limpy style of walking to ease pain. Handrails on stairs become more awesome than ever. 10K has wreaked havoc. A feat to get upstairs for breakfast.

Accompany Emily on her deck stain conquest. Goal: Return gallon of custom-mixed stain which did not match her fence and purchase the right stain. Foiled: About four blocks away from home, the entire gallon spills in her backseat. Bummmmmmmmmer. We rent an upholstery cleaner when we finally get to the hardware store. Plus side: gray stain on gray upholstery, could be worse. Minus: Her car is probably going to smell like paint for months.












Later we go to her boyfriend Mark’s house to bring him some soup (he’s very sick) and walk his white husky dog, Coda. He walks with us down to Rattlesnake creek (see left) and lets Coda off leash...and Coda takes off. Apparently he really, really likes deer. We go back to get the car and cruise Rattlesnake to look for him. Em points out some deer to me on a distant hill...then we realize they are running...and a white streak follows. Coda found. We hike up the hills to take in the view. (See right, with Emily, Skeet, and Coda)

DAY 4: April 25--Missoula, Montana. Riverbank Run

I can hardly believe it myself, but I ran a 10K this morning. At altitude. Without training. Really. As in, I’ve jogged maybe twice since my surgery? Emily was planning to do the 10K and I was going to do the 5K, but when we found out the 5K starts an hour and a half later, I decided what the heck. Frreeeeezing cold. Wore a beanie and gloves to run. (See "before" pic of Emily and me: only shed a few of those layers...) Walked at the 3 mile mark to drink some water. Ran for an hour and four minutes (you can do the math). Was passed by an embarrassing cross-section of Missoula runners (ex: a kid in jeans! jeans! moms discussing Oprah! An old man who sounded like he had a bad case of black lung!) Came in 315th. Wooohooo. Now, my body hates me.

DAY 3: April 24--Missoula, Montana. Emily’s house

A mellow day after so much travel. Em takes me on a walk where the signs she’s designing for the Biomimicry Institute will go. We walk by the Clark Fork river, Skeet fetches logs from the water. Also: witness evidence of beavers! little tree stumps all gnawed up. Fun. I want to see one in person and see them tail-slap. On the Orange St. bridge, we see kayakers playing (?) training (?) in the standing wave there. One does a complete forward flip. Amazing.

Day 2: April 23. Wells, Nevada--Idaho--Missoula, Montana

Day starts off well: have made it through the night my first time staying at a motel by myself without being mugged, kidnapped, or murdered. Breakfast at Bella’s Espresso House, short walk from motel. Quintessential truck stop eatery; my first time dining at a “sit down, order from menu” place by myself. Although--only one other patron (presumably trucker) also eating by himself. Minus the beard, and apart from the fact I am wearing leggings, I am fitting in so far.
Bella’s advertises for its sister establishment, Bella’s Gentleman’s Club, on their coffee mugs. Also: have small books for “table reading” including “How to Understand Women” and “How to Deal When You Are Surrounded By Idiots”. Now my leggings and I are not really feeling like their target customer.
After a good hearty breakfast, depart Wells happy and full. Highway 93 N, faced with first pass-the-semi-on-a-two-lane-highway situation. Would honestly rather spend half an hour behind the truck than face another semi head-on, but reality sets in and I get psyched up to pass. It doesn’t happen for awhile; eventually helped when a car behind me passes both of us. Then I follow suit.
Sign for Idaho is conveniently large enough to see from a distance plus an easy turnout. My first pic with the sign looks stupid, but I fear it would look vain to passerby for taking another pic. Realize nobody passing will realize I’m taking multiple pics. Pose with camera on hood of car, will be using a lot of the self-timer this trip.
Really pumped for Craters of the Moon National Monument. Not sure quite what to expect, but from the minute I saw it on the map, I wanted to be able to say I’ve been to the Craters of the Moon. First beautiful signage also passes too quickly--no photo op. Miles and miles of weird lava rock formations; probably what the moon would look like if it also had weird scraggly trees. Took the driving loop; nobody at ranger station--visitors asked to “self-pay” $8 fee into box. Although it briefly passed thru my head, I did not short the national park, even when nobody was looking. Cool, well kept park. Impressed with landscape as well as bathrooms (even came with hand sanitizer. my $8 will be well used). Bit of snow on ground, tried a self-timed photo op tossing snow at camera. Failed to capture. Applesauce-balance bar-leftover breakfast lunch. Delicious.
Towns on the way thru Idaho: will never call Santa Cruz a “small town” again. A small town takes 2 minutes to drive thru. Key structures you will pass: Church, bar, and Beauty Salon.
HWY 93 STUNNING. Curvy, running along river, unbelievable colors in the shrubs, trees, rocks. Farm every here and there.
Music: Have listened to every genre there is, I’m pretty sure. I was even tricked into listening to Christian rock for 5 min. (hey, I wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics! no fair!) One of my fav radio stations: A local rundown of the latest...state fair? 4H club happening? Reports include which high school junior sang the national anthem and whose gelding sold for what amount. Also reports on who received what belt buckle awards (not kidding.)
Begins to snow in mountains. Am excited to see cottony fluff in air, although concerned with black ice. Drive like a snail. Luckily, there is no one behind me. Ever. For maybe 2 hrs? Also began to look for Montana sign prematurely (after Nevada loss, I am vigilant around state borders). Once finally located, is snowing quite heavily, no time for a do-over, i will just look like doofus in front of sign.
Finally arrive at Emily’s!! Gorgeous house. Skeet (dog) very happy to see me. Wine, chips, and a biomimicry vid she has to watch with her co-workers. I learn that 3-toed sloths take a week to climb down out of their tree and defecate, and a week to climb back up. I believe my day is now complete.

DAY 1: Santa Cruz, CA-Wells, Nevada

Managed CA traffic like a champ. Sierra Nevada was exciting, so happy to see first clumps of snow on the ground. Joyful to drive thru. Hitting Nevada less joyful, would have taken a pic w. the “welcome to Nevada” sign but it came up too quickly. Desolate drive, but dust storms add some interest. Also: finally figured out cruise control (What! Why have I never experimented with that little lever before! My foot will not be permanently cramped!).
Averaged about 38+ miles per gallon, Matrix is eco-friendly, wallet friendly adventure pod on wheels. Roll into Wells at dusk, balance bar and applesauce for dinner (which I promptly spilled on carpet. sorry Motel 6).

And so it begins...

Hi folks,

I've set off on my North American walkabout of sorts! This blog will be a way to keep track of where I'm going and what I'm doing, although the promptness of posts may depend on availability of internet access. My overall plan is to make it cross country and back, but the duration and stops are all flexible. If you know of a place that I should check out, or have a cushy couch along my route, let me know!