July 5, 2014 - The Great American Road Trip Part I

From Lake Oswego to Montana...God's Country at its finest

{Author's Note: Here I am, finally adding my journal entries from our favorite week of 2014.}

Day 1 - July 5

After quickly stripping the exterior of the house of its red, white, and blue holiday decor, we scrambled to make our final preparations for this unplanned, yet planned, road trip. The first Fourth in our new home was not to be missed, and I dragged my husband to the town parade and lakeside fireworks show. Both events are must-sees, and we'll elaborate on these traditions in the years to come, I'm just sure of it.

The ability to load a car and rooftop box with more than the necessities was a new concept for me, as Taylor and I have spent most of our camping excursions as part of backpacking trips, which means minimalism is a definitive. For this trip, I planned campfire meals--a week's worth--just as I would my typical routine, but indulged in some fancy jarred sauces, along with other heavy items typically on the "no fly" list for backpacking. We also invested in some additional camping gear not part of our overwhelming "outdoor gear" garage department. Thanks to some sweet friends, we saved our recreational goods wedding gift cards for a moment like this, and now we have a deluxe air mattress and camp stove. This is high-class camping, people.

Back to the packing.

We loaded up the rig and said our final goodbyes to the cat, along with one last glance at our vegetable garden and flower pots, as they'll surely look different when we return. We drove almost straight on through to Pullman, Wash., with quick rest stops in Boardman, Ore., and La Crosse, Wash., a town I'd never driven through. Almost running out of gas will do that to you--force you to see places you've never seen. We spent a few hours and drank a couple beers in P-town, with family-like friends, the Brenans and the Wachters, took a drive through campus, and continued on to Montana--or bust.

We drove through the rolling wheat fields, through towns like Palouse, Wash., and Plummer, Idaho, before crossing around C'oeur d'Alene Lake. I decided on that stretch of drive that much like a feeling I experienced the night before--on Independence Day--that certain images just cannot be captured on camera, no matter how great of a shooter you are.

Just to pause on this side note to elaborate...take a fireworks show. Have you ever tried to snap a photo of the grand finale only to wish you would have just been enjoying that moment, rather than trying to capture the memory? Though having some proof to show others is intriguing, sometimes just soaking it all in ends up more powerful, memorable, and enjoyable. And in today's always-connected, high-tech place of life, there are so few experiences that cannot be recorded and replicated. My argument is that, like the lake fireworks show, the July wheat fields--the rolling hills that are transforming from almost Kelly green to perfectly golden brown--are better enjoyed while driving uninterrupted and undistracted (is that a word?).

The splendor of the lake at C'oeur d'Alene is mighty impressive, too, as is the drive through the mountains that border Idaho and Montana. When we reached Montana, we forgot about the shift to mountain time and realized it would be dark by the time we reached Missoula. I did not want to burn my hotel stay on the first night, but pulling up to a campsite at quarter-to-ten just didn't seem feasible, either. We rolled into one of many breweries Missoula had to offer and patiently waited for our late-night dinner before embarking on Operation Find an Affordable Place to Rest Our Heads. It wasn't too tough, and I was determined we could haggle a good rate anywhere, but we ended up at a place called the Val-U Inn (yes, you read that correctly). Chosen strictly off the cleanliness rating on Priceline.com (a great website, by the way). We were not disappointed, and how can you be when you pour into bed at 12 a.m.? We made it to Montana, and we were overjoyed to be on vacation together for a solid week, something we haven't experienced since our honeymoon. Oh, and the most exciting part for me--being cell phone free for the rest of this trip.

To recap the wildlife seen on Day 1: Elk, deer, cows, coyotes, and porcupines, although those may or may not have been deceased on the roadside.