On The Road Again
©Bert Gildart: Three days ago we struck out for points south and one of our very first stops was Monida Pass. Mon stands for Montana and ida for Idaho.
Airstream, Monida Pass
Typically the pass is shrouded in fog and at times storms rage. We lucked out this time having to cope with just a bit of fog. While stopped I continued with what I believe is a 20 year photo chronology of an old barn and the impact on it of some of the state’s most intense weather conditions.
Continued chronology of Mondia barn
Day two of our travels took us to Jackpot, Nevada, where we invested $10 on the slot machines. Jackpot is a convenient place to stop and several years ago Janie won enough money to pay for a fancy meal. We generally play with “found money,” seemingly much different from some of the other patrons. For some it appeared as though these were desperation times and that they were investing their last nickel.
Day three took us along roads in the western portion of Nevada, and I’d forgotten just how lonely and desolate this portion of the state could be. It is no exaggeration to say that in one area we drove for over an hour and never saw a single car. For Janie and me, that is actually one of Nevada’s attractions. How it contrasts with portions of Montana’s Flathead Valley, a place I used to adore.
Nevada Hwy 6, our vote for the nation's Loneliest Highway. But officially Nevada Highway 50 still has that distinction.
Implications aside, Janie and I are just traveling. Those who follow this blog know we’ve just recently overcome a few health issues, but we’ve overcome them. Now, we’re happy to be Back On The Road Again. At the moment we’re in Beatty, Nevada and plan to stay here a couple of days simply to decompress. Then, it’s on to Death Valley, which is just a short drive ahead. Cell phone and internet connections are intermittent — at best.
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AIRSTREAM TRAVELS THIS TIME LAST YEAR:
4th ed. Autographed by the Authors
Hiking Shenandoah National Park
Hiking Shenandoah National Park is the 4th edition of a favorite guide book, created by Bert & Janie, a professional husband-wife journalism team. Lots of updates including more waterfall trails, updated descriptions of confusing trail junctions, and new color photographs. New text describes more of the park’s compelling natural history. Often the descriptions are personal as the Gildarts have hiked virtually every single park trail, sometimes repeatedly.
Big Sky Country is beautiful
Montana Icons: 50 Classic Symbols of the Treasure State
Montana Icons is a book for lovers of the western vista. Features photographs of fifty famous landmarks from what many call the “Last Best Place.” The book will make you feel homesick for Montana even if you already live here. Bert Gildart’s varied careers in Montana (Bus driver on an Indian reservation, a teacher, backcountry ranger, as well as a newspaper reporter, and photographer) have given him a special view of Montana, which he shares in this book. Share the view; click here.
$16.95 + Autographed Copy
What makes Glacier, Glacier?
Glacier Icons: 50 Classic Views of the Crown of the Continent
Glacier Icons: What makes Glacier Park so special? In this book you can discover the story behind fifty of this park’s most amazing features. With this entertaining collection of photos, anecdotes and little known facts, Bert Gildart will be your backcountry guide. A former Glacier backcountry ranger turned writer/photographer, his hundreds of stories and images have appeared in literally dozens of periodicals including Time/Life, Smithsonian, and Field & Stream. Take a look at Glacier Icons
$16.95 + Autographed Copy
January 29th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
Oh Janie and Bert, do travel on the way you do. We have to take a break from it for a short while until some health issues begin to resolve and then, back at it!
It might be summer before we get our mule team rumbl’n again, but we are overdue out Montanie way!
Tomp & Sandip