Category: Life and Living

Dodged a “Bullet”. Berthoud Pass. July 7, 2019.

Posted on by Pete Schloss

The ultimate destination of this trip has alway been the Coeur d’Alene bicycle trail that stretches the width of northern Idaho, from Plummer Idaho in the West to Mullen Idaho in the east.

73 miles of asphalt that is dedicated to bicyclists and pedestrians. It winds through the Bitterroot Mountains and is the former route of the “Olympian Hiawatha”, a legendary 1st class rail connection founded by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (aka “The Milwaukee Road”).

This star of America’s rails to trails boom was featured years ago in National Geographic. I bookmarked this in my mind as a thing to do “someday”. Someday almost passed me by today. My plan had been to camp at an Idaho State Park near Plummer, leave the trailer and ride my bike to Wallace ID, near the trails end. I was going to secure a motel, and the following day add another 30+ miles by riding into Montana on the Route of the Hiawatha trail, passing through old railroad tunnels and over high trestles. Included would be the 1.66 mile long Taft Tunnel before returning to the motel in Wallace. On day three I planned to bicycle back to Plummer and my camp.

A call to the State Park brought shocking news… no suitable vacancies, period! I shifted into problem solving mode. There were no other options at the west end of the trail, so turning to the east end I found a small private RV park located in Wallace. Jackpot! They had ONE vacancy that suited my needs. What’s more, the park is located 200 feet off the bike trail and next door to a craft brew-pub. The original plan will require some alterations, but the core of my intentions now remains intact. I dodged a “bullet”, but in the process was forced to abandon flexibility and set a date certain for my ride on the trails.

Today I broke my new touring bicycle out for a spin. A 20 mile round trip from Winter Park Resort to beyond Frazier.

I would have continued to Tabernash but dark clouds and drizzle turned me back. My new bike is a Surly “Long-Haul-Trucker”. It is not a replacement for my much lighter custom built titanium “Seven”, but is better suited for the kind of riding I wish to pursue while traveling.

The ride proved the wisdom of this bicycle choice, and with a little fine tuning it should be perfect on the Coeur d’Alene and Route of the Hiawatha.

This is my last night in the Robbers Roost US Forest Service campground. I treated myself to a “real” breakfast this morning, a sausage, Anaheim pepper and cheese omelet. This evening I added to the culinary celebration with a Dutch Oven pizza, drawing from an unusual assortment of available ingredients: Salmon, mushrooms, Hatch chilis, chipotle cheddar cheese, and a liberal topping of Cholula hot sauce. Oh yes, there was also a salad.

As I monitored my Dutch Oven, cooking time synchronized with two beers, a very unusual rig pulled into the campground.

The owners are Denny and his wife from Texas. He is a grizzled looking Vietnam War Army veteran. The couple had been avid motorcycle travelers, but the gradual age-related loss of his balance drove Denny to his Polaris manufactured “Slingshot” tricycle. It’s powered by a 200hp 4-cylinder Chevy engine. A custom option exists to drop in a small-block Corvette V8… bet that would shame some $200,000 4 wheel exotics. Denny is exploring teardrop trailer options to pull behind his trike.

In the morning I head north into Wyoming. I have been fortunate to have good cell service these last few days. No guarantees going forward. In the meantime…

Peace Everyone. Pete

Breath Deep the Shallow Air. Berthoud Pass. July 6, 2019

Posted on by Pete Schloss

It was a good day for a hike. Breakfast eaten, dishes done, and camp made “ship shape” I drove to the Second Creek trailhead.

With my camera, Camelback (water), and trekking poles I began my ascent. 10,600 feet to about 11,600 feet. For a local this would not qualify as much of a climb. As a non-acclimated flatlander I found this to be challenging enough. Snow banks became plentiful as I reached and then continued above tree line.

The sapphire blue sky was pierced by a full sun that baked the skin and pained the eyes.

Step into a shadow and the temperature seemed to plummet. Amidst the trees, sweatshirt on… in the open, sweatshirt off.

The vistas did not disappoint and my 3 hours spent hiking provided ample opportunity for pictures and thoughtful rumination.

There are populations that make their homes above 12,000 feet, principally in the South American Andes Mountains and the Asian highlands of Tibet. However, over one-third of the world’s population lives less than 300 feet above sea-level. Far less than 1 percent live above 10,000 feet. This is the study of hypsographic demography.

As I periodically stopped to catch my breath I began to consider how quickly the air thins as elevation increases. Humans are not well designed to flourish above the clouds… there is a reason that the salinity of our blood closely matches the salinity of the oceans. We are physically happiest at the altitude of the seas from whence we emerged eons ago.

So here I am loving the mountains, the dry air, the smell of pine, the big brown bear that wandered through my campsite… yet I will never achieve the full aerobic capacity that I enjoy at 900 feet back in Kansas City.

The world is approximately 8,000 miles in diameter. Depending on the scientific discipline, the Earth’s atmosphere may be deemed to extend upwards to about 60 miles. Of course no human can survive at that altitude. Mount Everest (29,029 feet) is the highest point on Earth, not even 4 miles in elevation, and yet the fittest human can only briefly survive at that extreme.

Our inclination to be species-centric burdens us with the illusion that we are masters of vast (near endless?) realms and inexhaustible resources. However, if the Earth were reduced to the size of a 3 foot diameter ball, then the corresponding atmospheric equivalent of 10,560 feet (2 miles) above sea-level would be 9 thousandths of an inch (0.009”)! To put that into perspective, that is roughly the thickness of two pieces of ordinary copy paper.

The reality is that we are fragile creatures living within an incredibly thin envelope of breathable air. Borrowing upon an ancient proverb, “It’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest”… or perhaps more to the point, it is an ill fated humanity that chooses to break the wind that it breaths.

Peace Everyone.

A Different Kind of Adventure. Berthoud Pass, Colorado. July 5, 2019

Posted on by Pete Schloss

After two days spent with our dear friend Kris Ashton I am back on the road. Followers of these posts will recall that we first met Kris in 2013 while walking the Camino in Spain. She also joined us earlier this year aboard the narrowboat, Salten Fjord, on the canals of England. It was a good call to spend the Independence Day holiday in Denver. In Kris’ company I had the opportunity to attend a party on the 16th floor of a high-rise condominium that commanded an uninterrupted view of Denver, the front range, and scores of public and private fireworks displays.

It turned out that I knew the hosts, Gene and Rosanne, and a number of their guests through my association with the organization, American Pilgrims on the Camino. One of the attendees (another woman named Chris!) is also a frequent reader of these posts.

The company was welcoming, the tapas delicious, and the view from the hosts’ balcony was nothing short of spectacular. Here are a few images and a link to a one minute video.

Denver 4th of July Fireworks

It is not in my nature to seek out or feel comfortable at parties…alcohol helps. I am a closet introvert and always have been. My wife and children have know this about me and likely find some irony and humor in the fact that I am presumed by most to be an extrovert. I admit that I am driven to connect with people, but on a one-on-one basis. Individuals interest me, groups intimidate me. Another irony is that I enjoy connecting people and creating groups. For some reason I do this best when Christine is around. Perhaps she is something of a social life line for me.

Which brings me to the “Different kind of Adventure”. I am traveling alone and the plan is for this to extend for 30 days. I have never traveled solo (as in no companions) that long before. Before Christine and I were married I took off for a 2 week solo camping trip. I lasted (barely) 10 days before the solitude got to me. I returned to Kansas City unannounced (no cell phones then) and like Juliet’s Romeo I stood below her apartment balcony in the darkness of night. I climbed the balcony and entered her bedroom… scared the crap out of her and in retrospect what I thought was romantic could have easily gotten me shot. Again, I have never done solo well and on that occasion it may have effected my common sense.

As I write this post I have the fiction of being in the company of those who read my “Thoughts”. I sense that the posts about this journey will not only pertain to what I see and do, but how I process the “adventure of solitude”.

Now as to what I am doing: I lucked into a vacant campsite just north of the Berthoud Pass along US 40 highway in Colorado. It is a small Forest Service campground at 9,600 feet above sea level that features only primitive outhouses.

Vestiges of snow are still visible in the trees. There is no electricity and no running water. My trailer is self contained and usually good for 4-5 days when there are two of us. Since it is just me I should be good for at least a week before I have to dump the black and gray water tanks. There is fresh water available a few miles down the road and I have a 5 gallon container to transport it back to camp. Wonder of wonder, I have strong cell service here. Not wanting to test my luck I plan to stay here through the end of the weekend.

Tomorrow I look forward to a hike above tree-line and some stunning vistas from 12,000 feet in elevation… of course, weather permitting.

Peace Everyone. Pete

PS: Thanks for keeping me company!!

PPS: Berthoud Pass is 11,314 feet above sea level. It was discovered in May 1861 by Captain E. L. Berthoud. Of course that’s not exactly true since the indigenous population had been using it for travel across the Continental Divide for thousands of years. Berthoud and Jim Bridger of mountain man fame surveyed the Pass in July of 1861, and a toll road was opened over the pass in 1874. An “improved highway” was opened over the Pass in 1923.

The Backyard of Goodland, Kansas. July 2, 2019.

Posted on by Pete Schloss

Today began a solo camping trip that will extend through the end of July. Day one was a hot 400 mile slog west down the non-inspiring lanes of I-70. My first real destination is Denver, 600+ miles from home. An overnight in Goodland is a prudent alternative to a 12+ hour marathon drive while towing a trailer.

These days most folks only see a hint of Goodland as they zoom past the outskirts on the Interstate. Not much there except that a sharp eye might catch a glimpse of a very curious piece of art that towers in the distance.

I am camped at the Goodland KOA, located on the east side of Goodland, along less traveled US-24.

One might say that this is the backyard of Goodland. One might also incorrectly assume that there is not much to see here. Back to that piece of art…

In 2000, Canadian artist Cameron Cross approached the trade group, Sunflowers USA, with the idea of recreating VanGogh’s painting, “3 Sunflowers in a Vase” in Goodland. The proportions would be breathtaking; the painting would be 24 feet by 32 feet (VanGogh’s original was not even 2’ x 3’), and it would sit upon an 80 foot tall easel, the largest in the world. $150,000.00 was raised and the completed work was dedicated in 2001.

Continuing my 2+ hour sojourn I came upon a number of other notable finds:

In the 1950’s and early 1960’s Studebaker Motors of South Bend Indiana produced the “Hawk” in a number of variant forms. It was a design ahead of its time and from a styling and engineering standpoint it rivaled Chevrolet’s Corvette and Ford’s Thunderbird of that era. This lonely (1956?) model sits waiting for a tender heart and deep pocket to restore it’s former glory. Price unknown.

A few blocks later I encountered the equally forlorn (1951?) Hudson Hornet.

This was a low slung beast of a car weighing in at nearly 2 tons, and featuring what was then the largest 6 cylinder engine in the world. Capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph and featuring excellent handling, the Hornet was perhaps America’s first muscle car.

Known for it’s sturdy strength, if not its speed, was the depression era McCormick-Deering 10-20. This example likely dates to around 1928.

There was more…

How about a 28hp 1948-53 Allis-Chalmers WD in tricycle configuration parked next to a 1955 Ford Sedan Delivery Wagon…

Finally, central Kansas is known for its ability to produce food. Signs along the highway tout that each Kansas farmer feeds over 155 people.

Walking down a dusty road I found evidence that production (in this case corn) far exceeds the ability to market or deliver that commodity.

Literal mountains of grain lay near concrete silos already filled to capacity. Some of the grain was covered against the elements, but some was not.

Tariffs? Over-production? Distribution problems? I do not claim to know, but over 40 million Americans live in poverty… 1 in 8 Americans are deemed “food insecure”. There is something wrong with this picture.

Peace everyone. Pete

Sometimes “Next Things” Find You

Posted on by Pete Schloss

This last week Christine and I celebrated 42 years of marriage. I still recall the gathering for my parents’ 40th anniversary in 1989, marveling “Damn that’s a long time”! Now I can only wonder at the speed with which my years with Christine have passed. We have known each other 45 years, sharing both the exciting and the difficult.

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When we returned from England in late May there seemed a vacuum. We lacked for future travel plans, a rarity in our life. That quickly changed. First on the calendar is a wedding in South Carolina. This promises a pleasant September week with friends in Charleston. More planning fell into place…
We discussed taking an extended camping trip to Canada’s Labrador and Newfoundland later in the year but having just returned from 6 weeks abroad Christine wasn’t fully engaged in the idea. Her father, who lives a few miles from us in an assisted living community, turns 101 in August. He continues to do very well and is energized by Christine’s near daily visits, but at his age a bad cold could spell a precipitous decline.

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We think that north eastern Canada will be on the agenda for next year. In the meantime Christine encouraged me to undertake a 30 day solo camping trip. I leave around July 1st for Colorado, to be followed by Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and then perhaps Utah before winding back home through Colorado. In our earlier post retirement travels I took mental notes of some places that I would like to revisit. High on that list is the 70 mile long Beartooth Highway (US 212) that links Red Lodge Montana to the north east entrance of Yellowstone National park.

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The highway is appropriately named since bear sightings are commonplace, and the way is indeed “high”. Most of the roadway is located above 8,000 feet, its summit climbing over Beartooth pass at 10,947 feet. The Beartooth was constructed in 1936 and retains much of its Depression Era ruggedness. The late CBS correspondent Charles Kuralt once declared it to be the most beautiful drive in America. Rustic National Forest campsites abound, many with warnings posted for tent campers to beware of bear activity.

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I hope to continue on from Montana to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in the north panhandle of that state. What awaits are two adjoining “rails to trail” routes; the 72 paved miles of the “Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes” and a 15 mile gravel portion of the “Route of the Hiawatha”. These trails wind through the Bitterroot Mountains and are a part of the former route of The Milwaukee Railroad “Hiawatha” Line. I hope to bicycle through 8 train tunnels, including the 8,771 foot long (1.6 mile) Taft Tunnel, and cross 7 high train trestles.

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Hiawatha

But that’s not all…
Twice in the last 2 weeks I have been asked if I have a “bucket list”. I have typically resisted the idea of a “list”, favoring instead my notion of always having a “Next Thing” in the works. I was pressed by the questioners on each occasion and confessed that I have all but abandoned a long held dream of sailing around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America.

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Attention then turned to Christine. She would love to visit South America but holds no fascination for sailing a small boat in those treacherous southern waters. A few days later we received an ad from Viking Ocean Cruises. As travelers who had crossed the Atlantic with Viking in 2018, we were offered a special rate, airfare included, on a 22 day November sailing from Buenos Aires Argentina, around Cape Horn to Santiago Chile.

It seemed that a “Next Thing” had chosen us! It’s not exactly the experience either of us imagined, but it is a compromise that we will share and remember.

Viking Sun

The Viking ships are considered small cruise ships, 900 passengers instead of 5,000. They approach travel by highlighting that less is more and proudly feature:
· No Photographers
· No art auctions
· No charge for beer and wine at meals
· Complimentary in-suite mini-bar, stocked daily
· No charge for the upscale dining
· Free unlimited Wi-Fi
· Free laundry
· Free Spa admission
· All cabins are exterior with balcony
· No formal nights
· No smoking
· No casino
· No children under 18
· Included room service, 24/7
We pulled the trigger and booked a Penthouse Veranda.

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The 2019 travel calendar has now been filled. I look forward to sharing.
Peace Everyone! Pete

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