THE JOY OF DISCOVERY

Traveling through the Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Teton Mountains, along with the Crazy Horse Memorial, this visit has been a very special time for me.  Some spots left me with emotions without words.  The grandeur of these places has to be seen in person to understand the wonder.  

What is also awe inspiring to me, is the ruggedness of those who live and work in these places.  It is not an easy life.  Conveniences are hard to come by.  For those of us showing up here expecting our needs to be met around the next corner are taken back by the time and distance that has to be traveled to stock up on essentials.  Water has to be collected in 350-gallon containers carried in the back of pickup trucks or trailers to fill the cisterns back at their homes.  Most every house you see on a hill has no convenient water source.  Even some electric is hard to come by.  We saw lots of solar panels on homes.  

Our conversations with locals shared stories of snow four feet high on most winter days.  Imagine the stock one has to think of to be able to manage the time snowed in.  On most of the major highways we drove, there were signs that read, “When flashing road closed.  Turn back to (insert name of town leaving at that moment).  Imagine, the way storms can blow in suddenly and you cannot get home.  Living high up in elevation has its challenges and I admire the people who make these places their home.

Another awe-inspiring discovery were the bikers of this world.  Not the motor kind…the kind you have to pedal.  I stopped one man who proudly told me he was 68.  I told him I was in awe of his ability…riding on hills with 6 to 10% grade, 5000 to 9900 feet in elevation.  I was at times having trouble walking and catching my breath in this thin air let alone pedaling a bike up a hill.  We noticed many gray-haired people riding and each one left me inspired.  

We camped next to another couple while in Yellowstone who, like David and I, lost their spouses, found each other and were having the time of their life traveling and enjoying what days left to them.  They were funny and so enjoyable that David and I hope to catch up to them again somewhere in these great United States!

This spontaneous-follow our nose-no plans trip has been pure joy!  I am glad to be able to do this that I have always dreamed about but more importantly have found someone to share the joy of discovery with.  It has made it that much more special.  We are not done yet.  We have begun our journey home but if it goes like we came it will be a zig-zag one for sure!