The Road, when on a road trip

“It’s about the journey, not the destination.” Cliche, but apt. It’s why I am taking three months rather than three weeks for this trip. Short drives. Lots of stops. Trying to make time for those “Scenic Viewpoint” and “Historical Marker Ahead” pullouts. I’ve tried not to stay fewer than two days in a town and to make sure to visit a bar or cafe to people-watch and hopefully people-talk.

But there is another major character in a road trip: The Road. There is the driving, yes. But that’s not quite what I mean. The Road is an ever-present influence on the imagination and experience: the turns that reveal a whole new view of a mountain or a river. The rolling hills that you can’t quite figure out how they came to roll in just that way. The tectonics; the geological phenomena, erosion, wind, carving glaciers, and rushing rivers; and the human influence on every scene. The size and color of the crops. The trucks that are hauling RVs the size of a New York City apartment.

The Road is much different as the driver than the passenger. The passenger can stare out the window mindlessly or even fall asleep; mess around with the radio or read or text. But when you are the driver, you can only stare out the window mindFULLY. You have to be so alert to the turns, the bumps, and every bizzare road sign. “Winding road ahead,” “7% grade next 6 miles,” “Big Horn Sheep Crossing” (yes, I really saw that one), the picture of rocks falling off a cliff down onto your car (in Glacier NP some did fall on us), “Livestock Crossing,” different speed limits for trucks or even for traveling by day versus night.

In these western states that are so sparsely populated compared with other parts of the country, there are miles of empty space, but there is also the ever-present fence that also goes on for miles. I have wondered how unique this is to the U.S., where private property is so engrained in our culture. But I suppose it is just to keep those livestock from crossing.

Sometimes the views are so stunning and so fleeting that even as the driver I want to snap a photo. Because I’m on some less-used byways, I have at times slowed down, rolled down a side window, and snapped multiple photos, hoping one might turn out if cropped just so. And the side window is often the only option because the windshield is almost constantly covered with bugs’ splattered guts. Richard was helpful in scraping bug carcasses off the windshield for the trip through Glacier. I’ve also used my telescoping ladder to try to get high enough to reach. But at gas stations where a lot of truckers pull through, you can find the windshield cleaners with super long handles. Very helpful!!

And so I present drivers’ seat photos. No vehicles, drivers, fences, big horn sheep, or livestock were harmed in the taking of these photos. (Click to enlarge.)

Very appreciated road signs, and also very disturbing.

Always evidence of fire damage.

The “traffic” on scenic byways.

Views from the road: Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.