Cruising Down the Road

Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the
conversation.

Elizabeth Drew

Three hundred sixty-eight miles. 368 miles. Last week, after a plane ride to Denver, I had that many miles to drive to see middle son in his summer habitat. Sometimes, when I pause to ponder what I've planned for myself, I get a few extra thumps in my heartbeat. A 'what were you thinking?' thump.

I remind myself that often I drove 3000 miles, with three young boys in tow. (My husband flew in as he didn't have as much time off. Gave us more time with the grandparents and side trips.) But driving alone in the wilderness is something different for me. Adding to those tangled thoughts, if you recall, after the trip my husband and I took in the spring, I no longer want adventure. I want to rotiss, on a beach, with a book. For days.

Once I got behind the wheel and started driving, all those ridiculous thoughts went away.

But first, the night I arrived in Denver, I met with a gathered family for dinner at a favorite downtown restaurant.

I admired the lawn chairs in my brother's backyard. I want them.Come morning, I was on the road -- all the way to Lander, Wyoming and beyond. It had been some time since I'd been to Wyoming. In my earlier life, I'd never found Wyoming particularly pretty. (Of course, when I'd visited in times past, I hadn't yet been to West Texas.)

Travel at any age is certainly beneficial and eye opening, but just like re-reading a book read 20 or 30 years before, at 54 I hold a complete and different perspective.

On this adventure, I found wonder in the ever changing scenery. Around every curve the terrain reshaped from the size of the hill or mountain to the color of the soil, the plant life. I found it beautiful. Geology suddenly seemed a fascinating study.

A sight on the road was I, I'm certain. My right hand alternated between holding my little tape recorder to my lips and my camera out the window. (I lost my camera a few weeks ago and had to buy a new one. So you'll have to bear with me getting to know how to use it, one handed.)
I often went 15 minutes or more before a car came from the other direction. Later, listening to the tapes I made, I described the scenery as a different kind of no where. And then...


I came to a place on that empty highway where a car was stopped in front of me. I stopped, thinking they had a car problem or perhaps an animal on the road before them. But no, It was a stop light. Right out there in the middle of a different kind of no where. A stop light. A red stop light. I sat behind the car ahead for about ten minutes and all I could think of was the movie Blazing Saddles. You might recall the part where the bad guys came to a toll booth in the middle of the desert. The leader yelled out, "Someone go back to town and get a shitload of dimes."

Light turned green and after six hours of listening to NPR and singing loudly to old rock and roll on the radio, I drove into yet another new valley and there I found...

... my son.He had washed the sheets and cleaned the bathroom for mom's visit. Even did the dishes. As I sat on his front porch peering through the Aspen trees, it was most comforting to see him in his new habitat. (Side note for new readers - Jordan is working for the Nature Conservancy this summer on a 3000 acre ranch.)

I shared with Jord all my reading material and maps. He was so excited to be on a road trip with mom, once again.

Next day, we began our adventure. Didn't have a particular plan except a night scheduled in Yellowstone and one in Jackson Hole.
Jordan showed me Red Canyon Ranch, a 30000 acre ranch owned by the Nature Conservancy. A couple of his buddies work here.

Once again, the changing terrain fascinated me. I've been reading about hot springs in Wyoming and Montana for some time. The main character in my novel in progress has a rather sensuous encounter at a hot spring. I'd had difficulty picturing the scene in my head. No more.

The visit to the state park at Thermopolis satisfied that vision. We took in a 20 minute soak at the park's free pool. Very hot. Lots of people seeking a healing of their weary bones. Me included.

Our body aches healed in the warm waters, we drove on to Cody.
And our hotel.

Oh, wait.
This was our hotel.

While Jordan took a nap and enjoyed having WIFI and cable TV (not available in his cabin) I walked down the road to take in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Fascinating find - five museums in one. I was interested in the Plains Indian museum, but was most surprised to discover the western art museum showcasing the works of Charles Russell and Frederic Remington, among others.
The Yellowstone sections had displays explaining the geothermal activity as well as the varied wildlife. I took a few photos of the stuffed animals just in case we didn't see any real ones in Yellowstone.

That way we could say we saw wildlife even if we didn't.

Little did we know...

TO BE CONTINUED

Road Trip

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.

Author Unknown

Some of you may recall these photos of my middle son, Jordan. He spent the summer before college graduation interning on a ranch in south Texas, hand raising baby deer. As you can see, life with these babies was rather intimate.

When he graduated from college with a biology degree - fisheries and wildlife emphasis, he found a job working for an exotic deer ranch (where people pay to come hunt the deer.) He was to care for the 170 fawns due in the summer.

As his mom, I secretly knew he would not like this business aspect of raising wildlife. Suffice to say, by the time any of the fawns born in the wild came into his care, they were only moments from death. Other than tagging the new fawns, he spent most of his time building fences.

I didn't say, "I told you so." I say those words to my husband every chance I get, but I try not to say them to my kids. After two months on the job, Jordan moved home and began an employment search in the fisheries and wildlife field - for something on the conservation level instead of killing for sport. (So much for empty nest - he overlapped youngest brother headed off to college.)

He signed on doing the same thing as me - substitute teaching. At night, he painted the local YMCA. The subbing part was most interesting for when our paths crossed at the same school, I got to see my son as an adult. Watch how he conducted himself. Watched how the young girls would raise their hand and say, "Oh, Mr. Anderson, I have a question." When he'd walk over to their desk, they'd say, "Oh, I get it now," in sweet voices I never heard on my watch.

On those few days when I was the teacher in the back of the room working with some of the special students, I could only chuckle to myself. I understood why he rarely had trouble like I did in the substitute teaching world. After all, much more fun to mess with an old lady than a young, good looking man. As for the boys, well, he's 6'3". Bring it on.

In February, Jordan flew to Montana to attend a convention of the Society for Range Management. Since he didn't have money to rent a car while there -- or stay in the hotel where the convention was held -- he had to walk a mile to attend the job fair and smooze for a job in a bad market. Have you ever been to Montana in February?


In late April, Jordan landed a job with the Nature Conservancy in Wyoming. He would work to redesign wetland areas and organize a fish restocking plan. Although only a four month job, my husband I encouraged him to take it. When you're 23 and everything you own fits in your paid off Honda Civic, go for it. (Again, overlapped little brother coming home from college. Empty nest is a joke around my house.)

He has loved it up there. He lives in a little cabin beside a creek. The deer, elk and other wildlife don't sit in his arms, but they most certainly welcome him in the morning.

What's for breakfast, Jord?


I haven't been to Wyoming since I moved out of Salt Lake City 23 years ago. Guess where I'm going? My husband can't travel yet, but I told Jordan on the phone the other day - wash the sheets and clean your bathroom. Your mama's coming to visit.

(Taking my computer so I can try to keep up with my novel. Still writing each day. Yay!)