TD2 2021 Adventure -- Week 4, Part 2 "Epic Hike"

Hi folks,

Here's your sixth installment of Thistle Dew Too's (TD2) 2021 Adventure.  This is Part 2 of Week 4.  You may recall from Part 1 that Luigi is recovering from an auto-immune disease, that has caused him to lose quite a bit of muscle, and to make the pads on his paws very tender (they are growing back and beginning to toughen up).  He also can get an upset stomach from the medicine he's still taking (poor pooch).  So you might think it rather ambitious of Katherine to plan an audacious hike over Duck Pass to Duck Lake.  She was considering the 14-mile loop trail, but took pity on us and recommended the 9.5 mile out and back trail 😬.  

You won't notice Carol in any of these photos -- she decided to stay back at Thistle Dew Too today.  While she's in quite good shape, we've become "sea-level" creatures from all our beach walks in Hawaii, and pushing over a pass above 10,000 feet sounded like too much.  And indeed, as we were hiking over the pass on multiple loose-rock, shade-free, switchbacks, I explained to the kids that if Carol *had* joined us, they would have to visit each of us separately in the future, in two separate locations, as I surely would have been served divorce papers by the time we reached the final crest 😱.  So I think we all made a wise choice 🤣.

Now one lesson learned from the Part 1 adventure at Rainbow Falls, was to bring Luigi's backpack (just "in case"), as well as his dog food 😱.  As it turns out, aside from an upset tummy that Luigi dealt with early on the hike, he was actually doing much better today than on the previous hike.  But don't worry, you will still get to see Luigi in his back pack (and sun goggles!) as we begin the trek back.  What an adorable pooch!

Once again, everything worked out, and we all got some good exercise, had an enjoyable time, and had amazing weather for photos ... and here are some preview shots:

Just in case, Luigi's backpack is coming with us

us

The two boys, taking a well-deserved rest

The gang in front of Duck Lake 

Luigi ends up with the royal treatment, and his own sherpa!

Please click this link to access the full set of photos for Week 4, Part 2 ("Epic Hike") of our TD2 2021 adventure.  As you move your cursor over each photo, you will see a descriptive caption, and place the cursor on the caption itself to read the whole thing, or just double-click the photo.  

After this outing, Carol and I finally begin our long-awaited journey back home to New Hampshire, for which you'll see the first leg in Week 5 (Heading East).

So until next time ... wishing you all the best and hoping you are having fun! 

 

TD2 2021 Adventure -- Week 4, Part 1 "Meeting Luigi"

Hey there everyone!

Here's your fifth installment of Thistle Dew Too's (TD2) 2021 Adventure.  Week 4 comes to you in two parts.  The first part includes securing the camping spot, arrival of our son Greg, his girlfriend Katherine and their dog Luigi (who we had yet to meet in person), and then an early morning assault on Rainbow Falls in the Devil's Postpile National Monument.

One point of background that is relevant to Week 4 is that Luigi recently came down with an auto-immune skin disease.  He's been treated and is recovering, but is still on medication.  And the disease (or its treatment), have caused Luigi to lose a lot of muscle mass, and his paws have become very sensitive as they heal.  We didn't know how this would end up affecting Luigi on these hikes, but we soon learned 😬.

The hike down to Rainbow Falls was pretty easy (it was still early, so cooler, and the hike was pretty much all downhill).  But nevertheless, we eventually saw Luigi wanting to rest under shade.  After we revitalized at the Falls and had lunch, the kids wanted to see the Lower Falls too, but Carol decided that might be too much for her, so she and I stayed near the upper falls until the Greg, Katherine, and Luigi returned.

While that part of the hike went OK for Luigi, things quickly got worse on the walk back to the car.  Luigi was struggling, and the best he could do was have Katherine run him between shade-to-shade spots, resting each time.  It was going to take us too long to get him back to the car.  So the decision was to have Greg run back to the car, grab a backpack designed to carry Luigi, and then we take turns hiking out carrying Luigi.

While Greg was gone, we came to a trail intersection that indicated there was another route we could take.  This would allow Greg to drive the car to a new pickup location, and only have to walk back a short distance (rather then 6 additional miles: 2 miles back to the car, 2 miles back to us, and 2 miles back to the car again).  I contacted Greg via text and told him we had a new plan, but when I sent the details, there was no reply ... he was out of cell coverage!  So Greg walked back a short distance until he could call, and we relayed the new plan (and we had been slowly walking in that new direction as much as was possible for Luigi).

In the end, it all worked out, and we met up with Greg and the backpack with only about 1/4 mile more to go.  So Luigi got a short ride, which we considered a "test drive" for the following day, where a much longer hike was planned.  Oh boy!

In the end, everyone had a good time, and got some good exercise.  We relaxed and cooled off at a beautiful park in June Lake, and Luigi got to rest and have his first swim in a lake!

Here are a few preview photos:

Welcoming Greg, Katherine, and meeting Luigi!

Everybody made it down to Rainbow Falls, woohoo!

Luigi gets his well-deserved first-ever swim, in June Lake!

That's one tuckered-out pooch, fast asleep in his sleeping bag!

Please click this link to access the full set of photos for Week 4, Part 1 ("Meeting Luigi") of our TD2 2021 adventure.  As you move your cursor over each photo, you will see a descriptive caption, and place the cursor on the caption itself to read the whole thing, or just double-click the photo.  

If there is a Part 1, then you know there must be a Part 2 ("Epic Hike") coming up next!

So until next time ... wishing you all the best and hoping you are having fun! 

 

TD2 2021 Adventure - Week 3 - "Water is Life"

Hello again,

Here's your fourth installment of Thistle Dew Too's (TD2) 2021 Adventure.  Week 3 completes a loop of sorts that will bring us back through Montana, Idaho, and small sections of Oregon and California before we end up once again at my B-I-L Dave's house.

Things were heating up temperature-wise, so I thought we'd head up to Glacier National Park at the top of Montana, thinking the farther north we go, the cooler temps will get (spoiler: it doesn't work that way ;-)  We were surprised to learn that park's altitude is much *lower* (3,215 ft) than where we had been traveling before, and it was pretty darn hot.   

Long-story short, we found a nice boondocking spot nearby after I "oopsied" the side of a tree backing up a long dirt road, but then gave it up to enter the park after 5:00 PM, when those without timed-entry tickets (who knew?) could enter.  Had a quick dinner along side a river, as the mad-dash of evening cars jammed up the still-closed Road To The Sun road.  I then high-tailed it out of there, vowing to listen to Carol's advice to avoid National Parks during post-COVID/peak-tourist periods.  

Oh yeah, and in all the hub-hub, I missed capturing Thistle Dew Too's unique odometer setting of 111,111 miles.  I captured the one before, and the one after ... so it was gonna be that kinda day! 🤣

But all was not lost.  We meandered back through Montana and stayed at a familiar campground, and then changed direction and headed west over the Lewis and Clark trail (RT 12) through Idaho and into Oregon.  That's a beautiful drive and we found an amazing campsite along the Clearwater River (and I've got the pictures and movies to prove it ;-)  This was an magical place, with direct river access and stepping stones that could get you right out in the middle of all that meditative water!  

But wait, there was more excitement yet to come.  Now into Oregon, I was once again looking for boondocking spots.  I found one that sounded promising heading up a forest road on Quartz Mountain. But oh my, the road was very narrow, and there was occasional two-way traffic, which was quite "exciting." 😳  When we reached the designated location, there were no suitable parking spots, so I was looking for a place to turn around when Carol whispered these magical words:  "I wonder what's at the end of this road?"  

Always game for an adventure, we continued up the mountain.  When we came to a crossroad, we decided to follow the trickle of traffic and low and behold, as we crested the ridge we see a beautiful lake with a white pelican swimming it!  And yes, there is a campground up here!  But it's Father's Day weekend, and kinda late in the day, so surely all the spots would be taken?  Well, actually, no -- we found a great spot (cost us $3 ;-) and went out for a beautiful walk around the Lofton Reservoir!

So this pretty much reinforced our lesson learned this week, that we should avoid large popular tourist spots (especially now), and seek back roads and hidden gems (which, as with mining, are not always found where you are looking, but are surely treasured whenever they present themselves).  Oh yeah, and seek out the Water!

 

Anyway, here are some preview shots:

Even the insects are smelling the roses!

Steven finds a meditation retreat in the Clearwater River

A colorful Carol adds to the beauty of this magical reservoir

Did I mention the white pelican?  There were actually three!

Please click this link to access the full set of photos for Week 3 ("Water is Life") of our TD2 2021 adventure.  As you move your cursor over each photo, you will see a descriptive caption, and place the cursor on the caption itself to read the whole thing, or just double-click the photo.  

And for you RV cooks that have patiently waited to find out what sort of whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) and low-added salt, oil, and sugar (SOS) meals we are eating (and photographing) on this adventure, here's where you can find the Ramen recipe or the Salad  recipe:

Carol's steaming "Ramen for the Road"
and Steven's "Good to Go" Salad

Until next time ... wishing you all the best and hoping you are having fun! 

 

TD2 2021 Adventure - Week 2 - "Falling Water"

Hi Everyone,

Here is your third installment of Thistle Dew Too's (TD2) 2021 Adventure.  This time we are actually heading to places we’ve never been before, but still not yet heading back East, as we have a bit longer to wait before re-uniting with other family members for a weekend camping adventure. 

 

Week 2 includes a visit from northern Nevada into Idaho and onto Montana, and what a glorious route we found.  Beginning on RT 225 in Nevada traveling through the Humbolt forest we found a great little boondocking location right next to the river.  Then taking RT 51 to RT 20 to RT 75 in Idaho, we entered the Sawtooth forest, and snabbed the last free boondocking spot in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area – what a great area!

 

After that we continued up RT 93 along the Salmon River and into Montana.  We stumbled upon the Charles Walters Campground in Florence, MT.  And we enjoyed so much, we returned to it again, with some lovely hikes along rivers and creeks. 

 

Then we continued on into Missoula, to have dinner with Susan’s son Julian, who we had met back in Nevada in 2019.  There we stayed just outside the wonderful and natural Greenough Park.  What a lovely spot, within walking distance to downtown Missoula!

 

Finally, based on a brief comment by a visitor center lady, we headed north out of Missoula to a place called The Garden of 1000 Buddhas, in Arleen, MT.  We found it to be very peaceful, and quite interesting.  I hope you’ll enjoy some of the pictures and movies from that location.  Who would expect to find such a place in Montana?

 

Anyway, here are some preview shots:

This sure beats the I80 Rest Area!  Check out those River Nostrils!!

Some beautiful scenery from a pullout along the road!

Did I mention the "falling water" theme for Week 2?

A very surprising find, in Montana, of all places!

Please click this link to access the full set of photos for Week 2 ("Falling Water" theme) of our TD2 2021 adventure.  As you move your cursor over each photo, you will see a descriptive caption, and place the cursor on the caption itself to read the whole thing, or just double-click the photo.  

Finally, in keeping with the Falling Water theme, I wrote a short poem based on the visceral experience I had moving out of the desert and into areas replete with falling water.  You can find that on one of my other blogs by clicking the link above.

 

And for you RV cooks that are curious what sort of whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) and no-added salt, oil, and sugar (SOS) meals we are eating (and photographing) on this adventure, we'll include recipes in future blog posts -– really, I promise!

 

Next up will be the second half of our whirlwind tour to some parts of the Pacific Northwest, with an somewhat aborted venture into Glacier National Park, and an enjoyable trek through more of Montana, Idaho, and a little bit of eastern Oregon and northeast California.  It's always an adventure when going to new destinations, especially when we're just following our noses.  

 

As always, we like to keep Thistle Dew Too's motto in mind:  

 

Until next time ... wishing you all the best and hoping you are having fun!

TD2 2021 Adventure - Week 1 - "Shake-down Cruise"

Hi Everyone,

Here is your second installment of Thistle Dew Too's (TD2) 2021 Adventure.  This is our first week on the road, as part of a "shake-down cruise", taking advantage of the fact that we plan to swing back to Dave's house (Carol's brother) and fix any remaining items if they are not working as expected.

Week 1 includes a visit to the Mammoth Lakes area in anticipation of a camping adventure with our son Greg, his girlfriend Katherine, and their dog Luigi.  Dave's neighbor Mike had previously stayed at a free campground close to Mammoth Lakes called Hartley Springs Campground on National Forest Land.  So we figured we would test that out and see if it would be suitable for an RV.  Short answer -- it's great, so long as you come in the main road.  

But in our case, we were following our GPS to specific lat/long coordinates, and our GPS recommended the first road that would take us there.  Let's just say it was NOT suitable for an RV! 😱  We did manage to get through it, but we thought were going to get stuck in the loose sand, not to mention the bank turns 4-wheelers had carved!

Anyways, we survived, and had a great stay in the campsite, and visits to a few vistas as well.  Here are some preview shots:

Now *this* is what I call boondocking (aka RV camping)!

Greetings, Old Growth Jeffrey Pine! 

Even amongst the rock and rubble, Life will find a way!

Please click this link to access the full set of photos for Week 1 (Shake-down Cruise) of our TD2 2021 adventure.  As you move your cursor over each photo, you will see a descriptive title.  

And for any RV cooks that are curious what sort of whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) and no-added salt, oil, and sugar (SOS) meals we are eating (and photographing) on this adventure, we'll include recipes in future blog posts, as time permits.

Next up will be the first half of a whirlwind tour of some parts of the Pacific Northwest, with plans to visit Susan's son Julian in Missoula, and check out other areas of ID, MT, and OR that we've never seen before.  Always an adventure when going to new destinations, especially when we're just following our noses.  

We always like to keep Thistle Dew Too's motto in mind:  

Until next time ... safe travels ... and wishing you all the best!