“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”  ~ John Muir ~

The concept of such a thin cloth separating us from bad stormy weather sometimes just seems odd when houses have had up to 14 inch thick wide bricks of some sort or another. We arrived back at camp with enough time to throw ourselves in the tent and the deluge started. I was told about some cold weather coming up as it has been hot these past couple days, but I had no word of this upcoming stage done in dark rolling grays, strokes of heavy wind gusts, long breathed thunder preceded by strokes of lightning I could not see. We are in for the night, it will be a cold dinner, the mosquitoes themselves will be starving, no pain here.

What a contrast from this morning when we rode highway #2 and then on crossing the Park through Logan Pass. I had not been very impressed since we had arrived, most likely due to the influx of cars and the careless drivers since the road was only opened last Wednesday, but Logan Pass did it for me. It was achieved in 1932 and even with today’s technology, what a concept, what an incredible undertaking it must have been. Many construction zones today where the lanes are of single flow with a traffic light or flagger, the toll of winter and record breaking snow was evident everywhere.

I personally like those breaks. Get off, take a few steps, photos, wave at the driver ahead of me which earlier had passed me probably late for his next appointment, the wave is generally not returned, I can only see the driver slumping in his seat probably, maybe, realizing the embarrassing moment. I put away all those aspects today, the traffic is part of the price to pay if wanting to feel and admire the wonders laid ahead by both in this instance Mother Nature and Mankind.

 
Much snow here and there at the peaks, banks on the road passing over the summits, water falls everywhere gushing at higher speeds through every nook and cranny imaginable, sometimes just from a hole surfacing on the side of the mountains as it just had to burst out making it’s way with it’s gravity as silver bands glistening under the sun rays in constant motion. Quite an experience wishing a bit of different conditions to maybe videotape the ride, but it would be senseless to do so on those stop and go parking lot natured roads. It was then from Browning that I noticed the dark blankets rolling on and even though not exactly knowing on which crest our camp was at, I did not wait around for us to get back and as mentioned, luckily and comfortably just in time. Lucky us, will see what painting tomorrow is in store for us.

 
We are finally emerging from the tent this morning. We must have been sleeping for 12 hours or more besides a couple times taking Spirit out stumbling in the dark while the rain had stopped for a few minutes. Food for the both of us, coffee also for me. I juggle like a Houdini changing clothes, putting my warm wool skin layer first, leather pants on top, boots on. I am thinking as I see patches of blue maybe we will go riding. We must. But the rain comes back, we are back in the tent, but the Sun comes back… Oh! Mother Nature, why are you so confused today. My sacrificial (till laundry day!) long sleeve T shirt and wool hat sprayed with 100% Deet is keeping the Mosquitoes away which now have found their favorite campground and a nice warmer than outside vestibule. They are part of the balance of Life, annoying little creatures.

 
We are not breaking camp yet, we are going to follow the directives of a couple destinations given by my Friend at large "KC". The ultimate outdoor guide. We are back now. My whole body is still tilting right and left from today’s ride. We left too late to adventure ourselves toward the given destinations. We would probably move camp also if we did so away from the beaten path. And so for Sunset we again rode Logan’s Pass. And what a ride it was. This is a memorable one for many aspects. The first was the lack of cars. We had the road pretty much to ourselves and the video camera did it’s thing. Next was the stage of the Glacier under a totally different outlook with lights dimming ever so slowly, the clouds taking on their hues of pink, magentas and grays, I can only say it was just incredible, it will be embedded in my memory forever.

"I have had a great deal of interest in my photography over the years, for which I am grateful. Their sales are of much importance funding this Journal. Yes, please feel free to purchase one or two… or a few. I have been adding some photos lately, there will be more as I sift through about 100,000 of them.

Take a look. “Smugmug” stands for quality. Thank you”

Be well, always.

Ara & Spirit

This entry was posted on Monday, July 25th, 2011 at 12:36 am and is filed under travel, spirituality, pit bull, sidecar, motorcycle, cooking, photography, riding, homeless. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.