Triumphant return to St. Louis!

Journal Day 14
8/7/04
Return to Saint Louis!

We have the routine down now for breaking down the tent trailer, and we're off for our earliest start ever--checked out by 11:08; on road at 11:30. Impressive!

As we leave Sioux Falls, we see four F-18's flying in formation much as the F-15's do in St. Louis. It's always an impressive sight.

We are following along the Missouri River again. This is the same way the Expedition came home in 1806. We decide to stop at a few Lewis and Clark sites we skipped on our way out. Our first is in Elk Point South Dakota. At this campsite the Corps of Discovery elected Patrick Gass as a Sergeant to take the place of Sergeant Floyd, who had died a few days earlier. This is said to be the first election west of the Misssissippi. It seems to be a rather unusual procedure for a military expedtion.

Next we visited Sgt. Floyd's gravesite. He is the only member of the Corps of Discovery to die during the Expedition. He probably died of a ruptured appendix, which would have killed him in those times even back east. We have remarked with several people we met during our travels that the Corps of Discovery seemed to be divinely blessed, as though they were meant to take this trip, and meant to succeed. To lose only man is remarkable.

I have a list of events, festivals, etc. happening all over in honor of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial; and I see there is one going on today at Lewis and Clark State Park in Onawa, Iowa. 200 years ago on this date, this is where the expedition was camped. It's just off the interstate, so we decide to stop. We get to see lifesize replicas of the keelboat and pirogues that the expedition used to ascend the Missouri River as far as the Mandan villages. We skip the boat ride. We walk around to see the exhibits and craft items for sale; I spend some time talking to a musician who makes and plays Native American flutes.

We reenter the state of Missouri at 5:14pm. It feels like we're almost home!

At the Highway 94 exit off I70 we see the familiar Lewis and Clark trail sign. Time for one last picture. We get off the highway, park the rig, stand under the sign and hold the camera WAY out, and take our final picture with the sign. End of trail, for now.

Home at last! My nephew Matt, who tried to stay and welcome us with great fanfare, just like the original Corps of Discovery, had to leave, since it's almost midnight. I guess it's also a little too late to fire off our guns (oh, that's right, we don't have any guns!) Well, our dog Sam is EXTREMELY happy to see us!

So, goodbye, Lewis and Clark, but never really. We live in St. Louis, so we have lot more to see here and in St. Charles, Hartford, Illinois, and other parts of Missouri. I have a lot of reading to do. I will joing the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. I will post a lot more pictures on the photo page, and after I have a little time to think and reflect, I'll post one more blog.

Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, the Badlands, two tornadoes, a pelican, and an egret

Journal Day 13
Friday, 8/6/04
Mount Rushmore to Sioux Falls, SD

Mount Rushmore is a surprise. We were anxious to see it; we had been trying to catch a glimpse the night before last as we drove into the Black Hills at night. But I wasn't prepared for the emotional impact I experience as we walk through the main gate and get our first real view of the carved mountain. As we proceed on, down the Avenue of Flags, where the flag of each state is displayed, the phrase "I'm proud to be an American" echoes in my mind (not for the first time during this trip.)

The carvings themselves are quite amazing. When you study all four without binoculars, they convey strength, purpose, courage, and character. When you view them through binoculars, you can see the details and facial expressions; the spectacles on Teddy Roosevelt's face and his almost bristing expression, the somber eyes of Abraham Lincoln, the visionary gaze of Thomas Jefferson as he imagines a nation stretching from sea to shining sea, the quiet courage and goodness of George Washington. I am far more impressed than I was prepared to be.

The Black Hills also impress me far more than I expect. We have just been though spectacularly scenery--Mount St. Helens, the Oregon coast, the Bitteroot Mountains, Yellowstone, and Beartooth Pass. But the Black Hills are also beautiful. I have never heard wind rushing through the pines the way I do here, in the evening. I can understand their sacredness to the Plains Indian tribes, as well as the desire of whites to settle there.

Now, like many beautiful places, the Black Hills is also a typical tourist trap--you can visit the reptile park here, among other things. Oh well.

The Sturgis bikers are everywhere we go now, more and more every hour. Just about every place of business has a sign welcoming them, and carries some kind of "Sturgis Rally 2004" merchandise. Imagine what the Lewis and Clark Expedition could have done with motorcycles! We even saw a church with a "welcome bikers" sign, which is a very good thing if you think about it. There are bikes in every parking lot; bikes all along I90 heading west as we head east into the plains, away from the Black Hills.

We begin to see signs for Wall Drug, a famous drugstore/general store, and an equally famous marketing campaign, in Wall, South Dakota. The store apparently takes up one entire city block. Fortunately for our pocketbook, we don't have time to stop. Instead, we take a brief tour through a part of the Badlands National Park. These are the South Dakota Badlands (we have already seen the North Dakota Badlands as we passed through Theodore Roosevelt National Park in that state.) The two look similar, but in North Dakota they were formed by the Little Missouri River; in South Dakota by other forces of erosion. Some of the colors are spectacular. There is a quiet here that is almost deafening; a desolation of a different kind than that of Mount St. Helens.

More excitement on the way home. Another trip idea that Garrett and I have always had is tornado chasing in the Great Plains. Well, in a small way we get our wish. As we are driving east on I90, we look south at a developing storm and see a funnel cloud form and come down out of the clouds, then go back up and dissolve. No time to get a picture. We quickly switch drivers so that I can drive and Garrett can take pictures. I feel just like Helen Hunt in "Twister". Sure enough, another tornado forms and touches down. I just happen to have my weather radio along. They are broadcasting a severe thunderstorm warning, but nothing about a tornado. But we're seeing it! Garrett is taking pictures and I'm watching through the binoculars! It begins to dissolve, but doesn't completely go back up into the wall cloud. Then it reforms and touches down again. Fascinating to watch, especially out on the plains with nothing to obstruct your view. Since I knew it was probably at least forty miles away, and I was sure I could outdrive it at that point, I felt safe. Besides, if you've ever seen "Twister", you know you are perfectly safe in a pickup truck, although not in an 18-wheeler. We watched until it dissipated. Finally the weather radio broadcast the tornado warning. We continued to see bad storms, but we drove right in between them.

Later on, we see a pelican flying by. A pelican?!? I knew Lewis and Clark saw them on the Missouri, which is not that far away, but this was totally unexpected. We also see an egret.

Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, the Badlands, two tornadoes, a pelican, and an egret all in one day. What a trip!

We are listening to ESPN radio (who also has the weather news) and hear the delightful Cards/Mets score, and news of a trade that gives the Cardinals Larry Walker. This sounds very good.

We arrive at the Sioux Falls KOA. This was the first campsite of our trip, now it's the last. It is our last time to put up the popup camper; the last time for the placing of the frog placemat outside the door. We finally have the routine down--and it's the last night! That's just how things work. I talk to Dad--he called to give me the latest baseball news. It was really good to hear his voice. I know that's it's getting to be time to go home.

Enjoying the Black Hills

ournal Day 12--ready
8/5/04--Thursday--
Staying at the KOA Mount Rushmore

Today the Korps must rest. This is the perfect place to do it. This KOA is larger than many towns we've passed through. It's a resort--it has over 600 campsites, a lodge, several gift shops as well as the usual general store, and even a Subway sandwich shop. We have the most beautiful campsite of our trip--more secluded, pine trees all around us, chipmunks running around. This is more like the camping experiences we are used to.

I have time in the morning to rest, to sit outside and work on this journal while watching a very tame chipmunk eat the sunflower seeds I've been throwing in his direction.

We decide we should probably go see SOMETHING today, so we leave to visit the Crazy Horse Monument. Every year there is a Volksmarch here that draws up to 13,000 people; its the only time you can climb Crazy Horse. I've been wanting to do that Volksmarch for a while, so I'm anxious to see the monument. All that has been done for about 5 years now is the face, the top of his arm, and a tunnel which will form the area underneath his arm as he points outward. They are working on the pony's head now. Eventually there will a hospital, a university, and a large museum dedicated to North American Indians of all tribes. They have a good start on the museum. Everything is paid for with private funds, so it costs $20 to get in, and there are various other ways to "contribute" once inside. The musical group Mannheim Steamroller made a CD of American music that is sold in the gift shop; all the proceeds go to the Crazy Horse project. It will be quite impressive when it's finished--much larger than Mount Rushmore. But there is no goal, no date for it to BE finished. There are lots of places inside the museum to buy Indian craft goods. Finally I break down and buy some jewelry from a Lakota Sioux tribesman--I should have known I couldn't keep my vow not to get any.

We have known during our entire trip that this coming weekend, in the small town of Sturgis here in the Black Hills, an enormous Bike Rally is convening. Mostly Harley-Davidson riders; we did see a few Hondas and other models. Every day we see more and more bikers. They're all in their leather and tight black t-shirts, chains and other appropriate jewelry, some helmeted, some wearing what look like do-rags. I have to admit many of them would scare me in a dark alley. They are perfectly well-behaved everywhere we encounter them--enjoying the National Monuments and National Parks, having a great time. There's something heartwarming about a guy in black leather and chains, covered with tattoos, visibly enjoying his chocolate ice cream cone! Many of them are also quite obviously doing well economically. They are driving the largest motorhomes in the campgrounds, with fancy matching trailers which contain their bikes, and in some cases a car as well (a BMW convertible). Born to be wild?!? Seeing them gather out here gradually over the time of our trip has been a very interesting cultural experience (for us, at least)

This is also a good time to talk about our housing during this vacation. Our next-door neighbor, Dale Cluse, graciously lent us his tent trailer. It's become home. We just can't figure out how to keep it without them figuring it out. It sleeps at least 6 people, so we have plenty of room. It has electric, water, air-conditioning, and a porta-pottie if you need it. You can cook on a stove inside or outside. There's even a shower attachment outside, with a tipi if you need it. If you are wilderness camping, you can run the whole thing on gas. Truly amazing and wonderful. There's only one problem. Now, WE want one!

We used to camp quite frequently. Tonight, when we have time to sit here in the Black Hills of South Dakota and enjoy our campfire, we remember why. Garrett makes a wonderful dinner of Cornish game hen cooked with white wine in the dutch oven, and we have delicious stuffing with it. 'Smores are the perfect dessert. We need to do this more often. Maybe we really DO need a popup camper!

Crazy Horse and Custer

Journal Day 11
8/4/04--Wednesday
Billings to Mt. Rushmore by way of Pompey's Pillar

We spent the night at the Billings Montana KOA campground. It’s a very nice one. Their corporate offices are still here. We've been camping at KOA's the entire vacation. They've all been acceptable; some have been excellent. This one is excellent.

I met a teacher who is originally from Georgia. Now she teaches on Kodiak Island in Alaska. She says its very rewarding, but also very challenging. She also recommends driving as the way to see Alaska, taking the Al-Can highway, which is something we would love to combine someday with an Alaska cruise.

Today we have a great delay in starting out--we need to take care of a few things from the real world like bill-paying, getting prescriptions filled, grocery shopping, etc. We don't even leave Billings until after 3pm. We know this will mean a very late night, but it can't be helped.

Even though it's out of our way, Garrett decides we can still visit Pompey's Pillar, and I'm very glad. It’s a large granite formation next to the Yellowstone river that people have been leaving their mark on for probably a thousand years. You can still see where William Clark carved his name on July 25, 1806. It's the only physical evidence remaining anywhere on the landscape of the Expedition. This time we knew we were standing EXACTLY where Clark stood! Also visiting Pompey's pillar are some members of a vintage car club with Bentleys and Rolls Royces. They were also following the Lewis and Clark trail, then going to California. They even had special front license plates for the trip! The gentleman I spoke with told me they were having a good time, however, one of them was working on his car. . . (reminds me a little of the BMW club.) And so, farewell for a while to Lewis and Clark--we'll rendezvous with you in a few days.
We take a little two-lane shortcut back to I90. Usually that kind of decision results in some sort of adventure for us, but today we're blessed!
Now we proceed on to the Little Bighorn battlefield (yes, all in the same day!) It's a place we have both wanted to visit for a while. I've read books about the battle, and we've seen the TV show about the archeological and forensic evidence, which tells a story of the battle that is different from the "Custer's Last Stand” legend. We buy the auto tour tape (and I buy Stephen Ambrose book, "Crazy Horse and Custer") and we're off. After seeing the battlefield, I have a little bit better understanding of what happened. (Battles are confusing events to study). What really struck me was the lack of cover--no trees, no rocks. The men of the Custer’s command were completely exposed throughout most of the battle. How the men of Reed's command held out overnight, and how the water-bearers made it to the river and back, is pretty amazing. Obviously if the Indians had chosen to wipe them out, they could have. Also of interest is that the monuments and exhibits are very much pro-Army and pro-Custer; the auto tour tape is more pro-Indian. Maybe that's good; it's up to the visitor to figure out the truth somewhere in between. Good luck, historians have been arguing about it for over 100 years. And still are.

We finally reach the Black Hills; but it's past midnight and we can't see a thing. Just large dark shapes against the sky that we suspect are the “hills”—they’d pass for mountains back in Missouri! We pass one peak we THINK may be Mount Rushmore. The KOA is huge--a small village--and easy to find. Their registration desk and general store is open 24 hours a day. Nice to have someone to talk to! Bedtime 3am. I thought we were on vacation!

Beartooth Pass

Journal Day 10
8/3/04--Tuesday
Idaho Falls ID to Billings MT through Yellowstone.

Slept til 10:15--oops! But we needed it.
Gone by 11:30. We can work quick if we have to.

As we continue east, we make so many crossings of the Snake River we lose count. At 4:42pm we add Wyoming to the list of states we have visited on this trip. The Grand Tetons are in view; we've never seen them from the west side. We take pictures every time they appear. Soon after, we return to Yellowstone, which we enjoyed so much two years ago. (Historical note: John Colter, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was the first white man to see Yellowstone. When he tried to tell people about it, they laughed at him and called it Colter's Hell.) We are on a slightly different route today through the park; so we see some new areas. We see more fire damage than before from the 1988 wildfires. We actually see less wildlife--it must be bison and elk day. But that's nothing to complain about. Yellowstone is still amazing. Lewis and Clark could have added another volume to the journals if they had seen it. As we leave we stop at Roosevelt Lodge; might be a good place to stay on another visit. We were hoping to have dinner there; but the waiting list is too long. Gotta hit the road.
We really had no idea when we left Yellowstone that the most beautiful part of today's drive was still coming up. We are on the Beartooth scenic highway--heading back to Montana through Beartooth pass--at an elevation of almost 11,000'. This highway is said by some to be the most beautlful drive in the U.S. We have been on some spectacularly beautiful drives, but this certainly ranks at the top. Beautiful forested landscape, tremendous views above treeline, challenging switchbacks on the descent. Even Garrett was a little nervous. (Dale, Kelly & John--the popup is still intact; it certainly tows well!) We even get great music--Radio 99.3 FM "The Mountain; Rock n' Roll that's unique."
After the pass we stopped for pizza in Red Lodge, MT. The cook made a mistake and we ended up with 2 pizzas for the price of one!
Nice camp in Billing, MT. Great day.

Day 9--We proceeded on and on and on . . .

Journal Day 9
8/2/04 --Monday
Astoria, OR to Twin Falls, ID

"Nothing important happened today."

Today is head east day. We take a while to get packed up and head out; the campground ambassador drops by and he turns out to be an interpretive guide at Fort Clatsop. Of course I have to talk to him for a while--he recommends a few books, and I get his tour web site and email address. (One of the highlights of this trip for me has been meeting other people who are as interested in the Corps of Discovery as I am.) Next we had to hit the KOA store, then I had to get online to post new blogs & pictures. After leaving the campground we drove to see the beach so we now can truly say we saw the ocean on this trip.
Apparently we should not have been surprised by having our gas pumped yesterday--another attendant informs us that all gas in the state of Oregon is full service!
Today we get to see all of the Columbia Gorge area in daylight. West of the Cascades everything is so lush and green; east of the range it's a desert. Oregon is an amazing state to travel through--so many changes in climate; so many different ecosystems. We leave the Columbia and follow the Snake for awhile; we leave the Lewis and Clark trail and follow the 0regon Trail. (We think following the Oregon Trail would be another great road trip/vacation.) As we cross the border into Idaho we go through another mountain range. 0ne side is forested with aspens and pines--and in the rain it smells so fresh and clean--we get through the pass and there's little vegetation; it's too dry.
We're back in Idaho; this time in the southern part of the state, the Snake River valley.
We cover over 500 miles today with stops only for gas and food--to go. Hours & hours in the car. Finally we arrive in Twin Falls @2am. Bedtime @3am. Exhausted!

Mt. St. Helens--L&C were NOT here!

Journal Day 8
Astoria/Seaside, OR
Elk Turd Camp
(Lewis and Clark often named their campsites after something they found at that location!)


Orders for the day: Trip to Mt. St. Helens

The day starts with bird identification at camp; I'm pretty sure it was a dark-eyed junco of the Oregon race. Next we try, and fail, to get online. Blogging would be easier with some kind of wireless satellite connection or something.
Today's activity is a long drive to see Mount St. Helens. Lewis and Clark may or may not have seen it; but it looked a lot different 201 years ago. Actually, it looked a lot different 25 years ago, before it blew.
Mount St. Helens is truly indescribable. Nothing I write, none of the pictures, can even begin to convey the immensity of the devastation caused by its eruption in 1980. We went to the visitor's center closest to the crater--5 miles. From there you can see not only the crater, but the new, gradually rising lava dome. The devastation caused by the lateral blast, the lava flows, the falling ash, and the mud flows is also clearly visible from this point. Garrett's comment was, "It looks like Armageddon." Neither of us have ever seen anything to compare it to. The devastation alone isn't what's so amazing--it's the scale, the enormity of the event.
Equally amazing is that life prevails. Within weeks of the eruption, small plants, phoenix-like, were pushing through the ashes and debris. Smaller wildlife began to return to the area almost immediately. Today I had birds and plants and trees to identify--a gray bird in feeding on insects in the rocks; a black and white bird sitting at the very top of a fir tree and cliff swallows darting through the air in search of their evening meal. Various clubs and tree farms have planted trees, and put up signs giving the year they were planted. Life takes the raw materials left behind by what appears to us to be total devastation, and uses those materials to perpetuate itself. So perhaps there are lessons to be learned at Mount Saint Helens; lessons about who is really in control, and lessons about life.
On a less philosophical note: We had an equally miraculous experience on the way back to camp from Mount St. Helens. We stopped for gas in Clatskanie Oregon, and an attendant pumped it! And for only $1.95/gallon! Truly an amazing day. The evening is cool here, in the 50’s, unlike St. Louis on August 1st. Once again, we need a heater! We hate to leave the coast and head back on our return journey; but tomorrow morning, we begin the trip back.

Ocian in View!

Journal Day 7
7/31/04
Cascade Locks to Astoria

We have trouble sleeping as our campsite is next to the pool & office. We are right in the middle of all the KOA action. O the joy. We break camp, anxious to make the last leg of our westward journey.
Now, in the daylight, we can actually see the Columbia R. Gorge. Am I overusing the word breathtaking? The river is a beautiful blue/green like the ocean, and is at least a mile across. The mountains close in on both sides. It's very windy; there's a constant rushing sound of wind through the pines.
As we cross the bridge from Portland OR to Vancouver WA we have a Mt. Hood sighting; a perfect snow-covered cone. Lewis and Clark saw it too.
Worthy of mention; out here the signage for road hazards is pretty simple--"Rocks", "Trucks". Leaves a lot to the imagination.
The Columbia River looks more & more like a bay as we proceed on (if you're tired of that phrase, read the L&C journals). We see huge lumber operati0ns & ships that look seaworthy. We must be getting close to the ocean. Seeing the Columbia today; controlled by locks and dams, without all of its rapids and falls, it's hard to imagine what the river was like for the Corps of Discovery. But the incredible scenery must have been the same--what I read about matches what I see.
4:00pm PDT Ocian in view! O the joy! Garrett and I give each other high fives. We did it--and in only seven days; with the latest technology!
On to Fort Clatsop National Monument. The Fort has been rebuilt exactly where it stood. This is where the Expedition wintered in 1806. A rainy, gloomy winter--only six clear days. That had to hard on Lewis, who we know suffered from depression. But they had a lot to do in order to get ready for the trip back, and plenty of Indian visitors.
Once again I was moved to tears; by finally getting here, standing where they stood, getting to make the trip, reaching the goal. There was a visitor there who I think may actually have been more obsessed with the history of the Expedition than I am. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on his conversation with the interpretive guide at the fort. At the visitor center you can buy a flag with 15 stars that has flown over the fort for one day for $45. The guy I'm talking about bought today's flag--he saw them take it down for the day, and got to keep it. I understood. My budget is a little smaller--I got 2 more hatpins and a copy of Clark's map to frame when I get home.
We finally had a nice relaxing evening at the campground even though we were almost too tired to enjoy it. We have cable TV here; but no ESPN. We keep up with the Cardinal score on ESPN. Must have been quite a game--Giants ahead 8-1; then win 8-7. I wonder what happened to Matt Morris this time? Spent a nice time by the campfire. Needed the heater again--low in the 50's.

Lolo Trail

Journal Day 6
7/30/04
Missoula, Mt. to Cascade Locks, OR

I am a little unwell--starting last night--nausea, slight fever, chills. Last night after we put up the popup, we realized we needed to change the next day's plan. Just not enough time for a new tire & a 2 hour drive to Helena, the Gates of the Mountains boat ride, a 2 hr drive back, then on to Cascade Locks OR. New plan: new tire, Lolo Pass, Hwy. 12, on to Cascade Locks OR.
Awakened at 6:00am by a peacock in the KOA petting zoo, which sounds much like a howling cat. This morning I got to feed a very tame squirrel peanuts-- by hand. I would not do this at home--my dog would be trying to kill him. Garrett bought a used tire to replace the flat. The Missoula KOA is huge; a city in itself. Lots of nice amenities. I think modern campgrounds are our closest equivalent to Indian villages; except the inhabitants don't all know each other. But they do create their own culture. Urban camping.

Tire $40.
Camping fee at Missoula KOA $26.
Opportunity to stand where Lewis stood: Priceless

We cross Lolo Pass on Hwy 12; (easy route). We can see the Forest Service Road we originally wanted to take that closely follows their actual trail--it looks like fun, (something we'd do!) Maybe another trip . . . This road does intersect with some of the Lewis & Clark sites.
A little wildlife viewing--blacktail deer.
The scenery is beautiful along the Lochsa River. The Selway joins it to become the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River; then the South Fork enters to form the Clearwater. It is 90 degrees in this valley today; yeah, sure, it's a dry heat.
The gas price in Kooskia, ID receives the new record--$2.15/gallon. They know you're probably desperate!
We are on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. The Nez Perce tribe saved the expedition when they came out of the mountains, starving. A church there has a sign for Vacation Bible School-- Lava Lava Island--that one must be popular everywhere. The temperature in the Clearwater valley is 97 degrees. We've never experienced this heat in the mountains before; but our elevation is actually only 1200' in the valley.
We proceeded on--and on. This becomes an incredibly long day of driving for Garrett--I still get achy and a little light-headed; aspirin every 4 hours.
A covey of quail crosses the main street in Pomeroy, WA, right in front of us. Amazing! This area advertises itself as the home of the Forgotten Lewis and Clark Trail: forgottentrail.com
I don't know what this is; probably the route back to home. Much of this part of Idaho, WA, & OR looks like ND.
As we drive along, we get to hear the end of the Cards/Giants game on the radio. O the joy! The Cards win 7-4! We even get to hear interviews of Wayne Hagen and Tony LaRussa.
We stop for a traditional Taco Bell dinner in Walla Walla. Now we are in Oregon on I84, going along the Columbia River, to the Pacific. This river is huge--at least a mile wide--impressive even in the dark. We can barely make out the river and the canyon walls. We are in the Columbia Gorge.
We finally arrive in Cascade Falls & make camp after 1am. An incredibly long, but very rewarding day.

Lemhi Pass

Journal Day 5
7/29/04
Butte to Missoula; Lemhi pass

59 degrees at 9am in Butte, MT. We are glad we have the heater.
Another plan change. Today we go to Lemhi Pass, then maybe Lolo; then camp in Missoula, MT.
We just passed Beaverhead Rock. It was a landmark that Sacagawea recognized, telling Lcwis and Clark that her tribe, the Shoshone, would be camped in the area. Distant high mountain ranges surround us. The Bitteroot Mts. are off in the distance to the right. Next we see the Clark Canyon Reservoir. This is the site of Camp Fortunate, where part of the Corps and the Shoshones meet and camp together on 8/17/1805. Soon Sacajawea will arrive with the rest of the Corps and discover that the Shoshone chief, Cameahwait, is her long-lost brother.
We decide to park the trailer and go up Lemhi pass, even though we have only 1/4 tank of gas. On the way up I saw 2 prairie dogs, the 1st I've seen. We see a lot of hawks.
8/12/1805--this is where Meriwether Lewis was the 1st white man to cross the Continental Divide. He looked west and saw the Bitteroot Mts., and knew there was no easy portage to the Columbia river, and no Northwest Passage.
There we stood, elevation 7506'. We stood where Lewis stood. Garrett took pictures of the range. I had a Lewis and Clark historical/spiritual experience; gazing off at the Bitteroot Mts. just like Lewis. We turned to go back to the truck. The left rear tire was flat.
This enabled us to experience emotions similar to what Lewis may have felt standing in this same spot, as he realized the Rocky Mts. were nothing like the Blue Ridge or Appalachians, and that there WAS no northwest passage.
Fortunately, Garrett changed the tire quickly, while I take pictures of wildflowers to ID later. (I can't draw like Lewis.)
Remember, however, our fuel is low; although Garrett has put in 5 extra gallons of gas that we were carrying. We are quite a few miles from the nearest town. No cell phone service. This just adds more excitement to the story.
So back down the Lemhi Pass road we go. We see a magpie. It's a beautiful drive north along the Lemhi River in Idaho. We make it to Salmon, ID for gas & supplies; we don't run out of gas. All is well. The natives are very friendly & helpful, although gas is 2.06/gal. Unfortunately the sheriff is not as helpful! We'll leave it at that.
Great wildlife viewing along the Salmon River; Great Blue Herons, 2 black tail deer-a buck and a doe-as we come down from Lost Trail Pass. We proceed on, following I93 north to Missoula toward Lolo Hwy 12. We are still on the Lewis & Clark trail--along the Bitteroot River. It doesn't get dark until after 10pm. We make a late camp in Missoula, grateful we have survived the discoveries and Kalamities of the day.

More rediscoveries; more Kalamities

Journal Day 4

7/28/04

Billings, MT to Butte, MT

We proceeded on . . .to the 3 Forks area. Interesting experience when we stop for gas. (We are learning to stop for gas anywhere we see a gas station. They are few and far between.) A truck with a horse trailer attached, towing a flatbed with a carriage was filling up next to us. I struck up a conversation with the woman filling up. She said they had just been in North Carolina, where her husband, who trains horses, had been working. They bought the carriage on the way home for him to use in his work. She showed me a newspaper clipping about him from a North Carolina newspaper. What really got my attention was his name. Ty Cobb. He is the grandson of Ty Cobb, the Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer. This, of course, resulted in further conversation. All the men in the family are still named either Ty or Wes. She didn't even know about the connection until after she married him!
To be at the Three Forks of the Missouri area was amazing, especially since L&C had been there 201 years and one day before us. Since we live where the Missouri ends; to see where it begins is pretty incredible. It is a beautiful area; still very much like it is described in the Journals. When I saw Lewis Rock, a large limestone formation he climbed to the top of on 7/27/1805, I was quite moved to be at the exact spot. He mapped the area from there. There are cliff swallows flying about; buffaloberry bushes all over (I've finally identified that bush after years in the mountains. We met some guys tubing at the confluence of the Madison and Jefferson Rivers. We told them to just hang in there; they would eventually get to St. Louis and could take in a ballgame. We stuck our hands and feet in the Missouri River where it begins, at the confluence of the Madison ,Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers, and Garrett skipped rocks.
We arrived at the Butte, MT campground KOA in plenty of time for a bison burger dinner and our first really relaxing evening.

Other memorable facts of the day: highest gas price so far--Billings, MT--$2.08/gallon!
Elevation at one point over 6000 '; sighted lst aspen trees.

News from the Koch Korps

The Official Journal of The Koch Korps of Rediscovery and Kalamity


Official departure time from Hazelwood, MO:.11:30am, Sunday, July 25, 2004.


Where was the Lewis & Clark expedition on this day?

7/25/1804-White Catfish Camp. This is near Omaha NE and Council Bluffs Iowa.

Today we took I70 across MO to I29 north, following the Missouri River. From I29 north, I was in country unknown to me. The Missouri river flood plain is much wider here. Unlike the flood plains back home, the land is still farms, not industrial parks and shopping malls. Corn and soybeans abound! Also some wildflowers. I was able to identify the black-eyed susans; but not the other small yellow flowers or the purple ones.
As we proceeded on (north), we found the landscape becoming flatter and flatter, and the trees disappearing. We are definitely in the plains. We continued on I29 through Iowa and into South Dakota. We split the driving. Along the way we listened to our last Cardinal game for a while, then to music of the type expedition might have made, and from the Ken Burns film. We are camped in Sioux Falls, SD. Garrett surprised me as we arrived in town by taking us to the Wells Fargo Park Sound and Light show, which uses lighting to tell the story of the town, and highlight the Sioux Falls of the Big Sioux River.
Our first time putting up the popup went quite well, and I expect it to get better every time.
The only bird I've had a chance to identify here so far is a kildeer.



Journal Day 2

7/26/04

Slept late--too late. Tough night for both of us. Temperature down in the 50's; got a little chilly in the popup. We threw on a few extra blankets but were still cold. Went to bed very late. Departure time from Sioux Falls: 1:22pm, after purchasing supplies at Walmart.

The natives are growing corn and wheat.
Also native grasses--.Big Bluestem, Western Wheatgrass, and alfalfa which is harvested here as hay.
Beautiful weather-clear, 79 degrees. Breezy.
Trees since yesterday are rare mostly cottonwoods along creeks. Some pines also planted as wind breaks.
High 86 degrees in Bismarck ND.
Checking Cardinal score on mMode..Good news--we beat Cincinnati 11-6 in 11 innings! How could Lewis and Clark be cut off from baseball all that time?Traded $$.with the natives in Sioux Falls and Bismarck for more supplies--fruit, groceries, shower bag, ceramic heater, chocolate graham crackers. Highest gas so far 1.99.


Journal Day 3

7/27/04
This morning we break camp & head go to see Fort Mandan. So far we change our camp daily, like the Expedition. Warmer day already 81 degrees at noon.
New birdt to identify at the campground today-a brown bird with a yellow tail. After checking my bird book I identify him as an orchard oriole.
Met a Couer d'Alene Indian at the campground;but did not feel it appropriate to give her the standard speech about the Great White Father in Washington that Lewis and Clark used whenever they met native Americans. She had obviously had contact with white culture since she was dressed in a t-shirt, shrts,.and baseball cap like me!
In New salem N.D we saw sunflowers being grown as crops (also a Mandan/Hidatsa Indian crop) and we saw and took a picture of the world's largest Holstein. It was bovinular!
We also saw wild sunflowers and artemesia.
We went to the Knife River Historic Site; where they are excavating and Mandan and Hidatsa villages that the Expedition wintered with in 1804/1805.

One Mandan earth lodge has been rebuilt to show what they were like. We walked through the area where the villages once stood where Sacagawea lived, and down to see the Knife River where the Indians set up their winter lodges (their summer lodges were more permanent and were up on the bluff.)
I was able to procure an autographed copy of"Lewis and Clark Among the Indians" by James P. Ronda which I have long wished. to read, as well as a pair of earrings crafted by an artist of the Three Tribes.
My great interest in the Lewis and Clark Expedition began in 1979, when I read a book I had been hearing about called "Sacajawea". It was written by a teacher, Anna Lee Waldo. I was fortunate to hear her speak at a teacher's conference. She had researched the book for years, and had finally finished it and gotten it published. I hadn't gotten my copy yet; so she autographed a paper for me and attached a feather for Sacajawea, "Bird-wowan."
Yesterday as we walked around the site of the villagewhere Sacajawea lived, Garrett found a hawk feather and gave it to me. It seems very appropriate to me for him to find it there.
Next,. off to Ft.Mandan replica. The MO here is wide and shallow. Temp 84 degrees;.dropping as a rainfront moves in. At Fort Mandan we visited a good replica of the fort the expedition built and spent their 1st winter in. This is where Sacagawea and her husband were signed on as members of the expedition.
Leavirg Bismarck area for Bozeman @6:30pm. We hope to arrive in time to take a short nap before we leave again!
T-storm-severe just as.we.leave.Bismarck. Hard rain & hail.Immediate filling of storm sewers .and gullies along the road.
TR nat'l park The Badlands.
This evening the trip becomes difficult, as we proceeded on to Bozeman. Elevation 3000 '. Rain all the way at least to Billings. It hit as a sudden storm w/no warning while I was driving. I could hardly see; it was so windy I had trouble hanging on to tne truck. I had to pull over and let GK drive again--he had already done most of it.
We change plans;lose our reservation in Bozeman. We pull off in Billings. Room at the KOA, but it's almost 1am, and we decide not to deal w/the popup in the rain. Instead, we stay at the Rimview Motel

Koch Korps Departs

On the evening of April 7, 1804, when the L&C Expedition headed out on the second leg of their journey, M. Lewis wrote in his journal:

". . . the picture which now presented itself to me was a most pleasing one, entertaining as I do, the most confident hope of succeading [his spelling] in a voyage which had formed a darling project of mine for the last ten years, I could but esteem this moment of my departure the most happy of my life."

I've had a fascination with the Lewis and Clark expedition for over 20 years. While I wouldn't call this "moment of departure the most happy of my life", I am certainly excited about it.

On Sunday, we cover a part of the trip that took the expedition about 4 months to travel in their keelboat and pirogues. A pickup and a popup are definite advantages!

More later . . .

View photos Here!

We have a site on our Yahoo account where you can see exciting photos of our expedition; such as when we run out of gas in the middle of a totally unpopulated section of Montana; or when we get arrested in Idaho for doing four-wheeling in an unauthorized area of the Lolo trail motorway. (Please send help, or better yet, money.)

Here is the site for our photo album:

http://photos.yahoo.com/carol1211k@sbcglobal.net

Enjoy!