Read Part 1 and Part 2 to catch the beginning of their journey!
Our itinerary for Salt Lake City said, “rest, sightsee, eat good food,” and we did, along with doing laundry, restocking our groceries, and spending a few hours with schoolmates of the youngest who were newly moved in for residency there. They had fun catching up while I made friends with their two whippets-Wyatt and June. June decided I was “good folks” and spent most of the evening in my lap with her chin on the kitchen table.
Our AirBNB was the nicest of the trip, so chosen because it separated the two camping segments and provided a break from sleeping on the ground. We had an apartment to ourselves, good towels, and the host had stocked the fridge with fresh eggs and whole grain bread. The youngest had to do some online training so I used the time to reorganize my packing and hopefully enable myself to find stuff for a change.
Next morning, we headed north, considering a detour through Grand Teton National Park. We called the ranger station to make sure it was do-able because it was raining and the temperature was supposed to drop to near freezing during the day. A ranger assured us all roads were open and, even though the peaks were covered by clouds, the scenery would be worth the few extra miles. Thanks, Ranger Joseph, you were right! It was beautiful. We ate lunch in Jackson, Wyoming, where I had tomato soup, a grilled cheese sandwich, and so much more fun than my last experience. We took a picture under the elk antlers in the park before we got back on the road.
The further north we traveled, the later it got dark. We reached Yellowstone with enough daylight remaining to stop at Old Faithful on our way to our campground, getting there just in time to see it erupt. I got into trouble for trying to post an Instagram. The Wi-fi was spotty so it was taking forever and the youngest chided me for paying attention to my phone instead of the moment. Point taken. She was exactly right. I put it up and we walked the boardwalk around the nearby hot springs until almost dark.
We set up our campsite and made beef stew on the camp stove. The temperature was dropping, and I was glad I had taken Kent’s advice and brought his goose-down sleeping bag (a yard sale find that has paid for itself many times). We also scored an $8 box of firewood and a $3 bundle of kindling at the camp office that not only provided campfires the rest of our trip, but also a generous amount to leave behind for someone else.
Yellowstone is one of those places you can stay for months and not see it all, but the youngest once again outdid herself. For instance, she saved Lamar Valley for a late afternoon drive, perfect for spotting wildlife. In fact, in the three days we were there, we saw elk, mountain goats, grizzlies, black bears, birds, a wolf, and lots of bison-including the ones that sprinted toward an onlooker near our campsite. No one was hurt. But we did learn that every night at dusk, the herd comes down through that valley for water and tends to wander through the last tent loop in the Madison campground.
We were taking our trash to the dumpster after dinner and found a paved path by a marshy area on the other side of the road. We were walking along and saw bison coming through the haze farther on down the path. Maybe they got startled, or maybe they just wanted people to move away from their watering hole, whatever happened, they started running and so did we-straight to our car and to the camp office to tell someone. When we drove back through the campground, the bison were grazing peacefully among the tents as if nothing had happened, so we ate our s’mores and went to bed.
While we were there, the youngest had a birthday and we, of course, kept up the family tradition of chocolate cake for breakfast. We chose Beaver Ponds Trail for our hike that day. It was beautiful and our picnic spot for lunch was on top of a mountain overlooking a view straight out of “The Sound of Music.” As we were packing up, she turned around and said, “Is that a cell tower?” We got to Facetime Kent and share the view with him. Before we moved on, the middle one called to tell his sister “Happy Birthday,” which was a good surprise and perfect timing to make the day special, also the last cell coverage we had while in the park. My new extra-bright flashlight apparently fell out of my pocket while we were eating. I missed it when we got back to the campsite and felt guilty for leaving litter but even worse about losing that flashlight. It was a good one.
Next day, we got an early start because we had a long way to go and it was important to get to our destination, Missoula, Montana, before dark. The U. S. Forest Service maintains an emergency fire lookout there. It was built by the CCC and they rent it out when not in use. West Fork Butte Lookout is seven and a half miles up a dirt road that is best navigated in daylight.
Our trip planner finished strong. It was furnished with bunks, a woodstove for warmth, firewood, a propane stove for cooking, pots and pans, a lantern, games, and a state-of-the-art outhouse. If you’re up for an adventure and in the vicinity, it’s an experience you shouldn’t miss. But plan ahead, you have to have reservations and, it’s not for the faint of heart-there was a freshly-eaten elk carcass at the gate on our way in and a large canine footprint in the mud in front of the outhouse, more than enough to convince me to reserve its use for daylight hours. Leaving early the next morning, we startled a bobcat on the road on our way down the mountain and we decided not to get out and take a picture of the elk carcass since it had been moved and nibbled on during the night. Even so, that lookout was The. Best.Way. To. End. A. Roadtrip. Ever. 
As we drove east-to-west through Washington state the last day, we watched the scenery change dramatically and kept our eyes peeled for car tags from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. Apparently, they don’t get out much so we ended our game with those still missing. We listened to music most of the ride, lost in our own thoughts, and it began to dawn on me that, while a good camper packs it in/packs it out (so much for the flashlight), this trip was an exception. I was about to leave a part of my heart behind. But I would take home some wonderful memories and I was so proud watching my youngest begin life on her own. I remember she once said to me, “I’ll be in school forever, Mom.” Somehow, forever doesn’t seem such a long time from this side of things. When she dropped me at the airport, I hugged her. Hard.
A day or two after I got home, Facebook showed me a time-span memory. It made me smile and I took a screenshot and sent it to her. Her reply speaks for both of us. I’m so glad “we still like each other after all this time.”
