#42: Montana

Since leaving to travel last fall, I was always excited to get to Montana. I had traveled to Montana as a child, and I couldn't wait to get back. With Glacier under my belt, I was ready to explore other areas in western Montana. I was craving some solitude.

Whitefish

Whitefish was my first stop after departing Glacier National Park - about 45 minutes away. Many of the places I wanted to visit I didn't know much about from this point on. I had only "heard" of these places for one reason or another. This "unknown" is a fun way to explore new places, though, because I have no expectations.

I loved Whitefish. It took only a few hours to walk around and absorb the vibe, but it was enough to know I dug it. When I return to Glacier one day, I will also return to Whitefish.

Missoula

It’s about a three-hour drive from Whitefish to Missoula. I didn’t have a specific camping location in mind, so I was winging it. Sometimes winging it poses its challenges: I had to resort to staying in a crappy RV park this time. I wanted to be close enough to the city for easy access, and choices were limited. I stumbled upon the place I ended up staying - no hookups, just a place to park it. Sometimes that’s just the way it works out.

The next morning I was out of there. I drove downtown to see what Missoula had to offer. It was Saturday, so the city was active. I witnessed street fairs, farmer’s markets, paddleboard yoga, vintage denim sold in the street, and more. I happily took in the small city I was told was hippy-ish. Hippy-ish or not, I enjoyed it.

In the afternoon, I visited a ghost town called Garnet. I love a good piece of history. Plus, the drive to get here was scenic through the mountains outside of Missoula.

My campsite that night made up for the less-than-ideal place I stayed the night before:

Bozeman

Compared to Missoula, Bozeman felt like a cosmopolitan city. I didn’t take photos here, but I walked around, popped into shops, and hit up a brewery for a beer and veggie burger. Cities are often challenging because camping options are limited, and parking the Airstream is challenging. I was also still interested in getting some solitude…

Big Sky

On the way from Bozeman to Big Sky, I passed through Butte. Butte felt like a quiet, outdated city. Although the buildings looked like they hadn’t been updated since the 1960s, it still had a unique charm.

Big Sky is a mountain town - a new one. The architecture was similar to that in Bend, OR: “mountain modern,” like this:

It is a ski town in the winter, but it is active with mountain bikers and other outdoor enthusiast-types in the summer. The scenery was tremendous, and it’s no wonder Big Sky has been growing in popularity over the last few decades.

Cliff and Wade Lakes

Per a recommendation from a couple I met at a previous campground, I made my way towards Cliff and Wade Lakes. I was going only on this recommendation - I had no clue what to expect.

I followed signs and made my way to Wade Lake Campground. It was later in the day, but luckily there was a spot available to snag. I noticed signs for another campground called Cliff Lake Campground, but the road looked a little rougher.

The next morning I woke up and did a little exploration of Cliff Lake. There was a small campground - only six sites, but Cliff Lake was gorgeous and provided just the solitude I was looking for. The perfect spot, on a little peninsula, was unoccupied. I reserved it with my cooler and headed back to the other campground to pick up the trailer and set it up in my new spot. Check out this gold mine of a site:

I decided to stay here for as long as I needed some peace. Addie and I took advantage of some nearby hikes but mostly happily hung out in our *money* spot, enjoying the serenity.

I loved being here. Before I left to travel for a year, I pictured being in a place like this. It’s like my dream became a reality. That symbolism made this place so much more special. I stayed here for about four days, taking in the solitude and appreciating the risk I took to live in the now.

#41: Spokane-> Idaho-> Glacier National Park

I arrived at Airstream of Spokane around 11 am. I was so relieved to be somewhere with people who could potentially help me. It’s worth noting that my (now) friend, Doug, was the only service manager willing to squeeze me in to his already busy schedule at this Airstream dealer. I was so grateful.

Since I needed a shower, the first thing the Spokane team did for me was to plug the Airstream into electricity, water, and sewer. I took a shower in the trailer, as it was parked in the parking lot.

The team took the day to troubleshoot, and the Truma was working fine. They ran it for hours - the heat and water heater. I was almost disappointed when Doug called to tell me it was working as expected. I wanted it to act up so they could more easily diagnose.

That Thursday night, I made a camping reservation in a regional park - with electrical hookups (I purposely stayed in the area just in case I needed to go back to the dealer the next day). I arrived at the park, hooked up, and turned on the water heater. It worked. The next morning, though...error code. This thing was playing with my mind. I called Doug, and I was back at the shop before breakfast.

Long story short, with George-from-Truma's help, a diagnosis was made: the fan on the unit needed replacing. 

Good news: George sent a new one that would arrive on Monday. 

Bad news: I had to find a place to stay for the weekend. 

Doug so graciously offered me to "camp out" in his driveway while we waited for the park to arrive, and I took him up on his offer. I felt safe, and Doug ended up becoming a trusted confidant and friend. I am so thankful for him.

My third party warranty covered the fan and repair labor - phew. By Tuesday morning, Addie and I were on our way to Montana via northern Idaho. Doug gave us a few places to check out along the way to Glacier National Park, our next destination. We stopped at Kootenai Falls and the Swinging Bridge in Libby, Montana. 

It was getting dark on our drive, so we found a place to stay in Libby. I grabbed a shower, and we hit the road for Glacier the following day.

Glacier National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country. Even though it was mid-week, I had a hard time finding a place to camp near the west entrance. I settled on an overpriced RV park and called it a night.

At the time of my visit, the eastern side of the park and east entrance was closed (unfortunate). Going-to-the-Sun-Road (main scenic road through the park) closed at Rising Sun, just before the east gate. Some would argue that the east side is the preferred side, but it, unfortunately, would not be an option this time around. When I learned that I wouldn’t explore the park to its fullest, I decided not to stress out about trying to see everything. It wasn’t going to be possible, so I’d have to make it a point to return to Glacier again one day. On this visit, I would drive through the park and take in the iconic views.

The next morning, to beat the crowds, we set out before sunrise. Although the weather was cloudy and on the cusp of raining, I’m glad we got out early. Parking lots were filled by 8 am.

As mentioned, Glacier National Park is on my list of places to return. Something I’m learning throughout this journey is to be okay with not seeing everything. There is just no way to do so. As a frequent FOMO’er (Fear Of Missing Out), this is something that I’m getting more and more comfortable with as each day passes.

#40: The Incredible...North Cascades National Park

No silly Airstream complications can take away the magnificence that I experienced at North Cascades National Park. I was all in for this park - not only because I love the northern Rockies, but also because Addie was welcome on many trails.

But first, on my way up to North Cascades, I visited a few friends from Columbus who live in Burien, near Seattle. They welcomed me with warm hugs - potentially more generous hugs than usual, knowing what I was going through with the RV. They took care of me, and I was able to relax for the night. The best part was that my Addie got to meet their Addie - their newborn baby. It was just what we needed. Thanks, Lea and Mark!

The following morning I was North Cascades-bound. The cool things about this park are the following:

1. It’s less intimidating to navigate because it’s not overwhelming large, and there is one through road running east/west through the park (North Cascades Highway).

2. The national park overlaps and intertwines with national wilderness and recreation areas. Because of this, dogs can be on some trails because these trails are not entirely in the national park. Naturally, I sought out hikes on which I could bring Addie.

We landed at an RV park in Rockport, WA, just southwest of the park boundaries. From following other travelers on Instagram, I had an idea of what trails I wanted to hike. The first one was Hidden Lake Trail. A longer, challenging hike, we planned on taking all day for this one. I was a little nervous about the drive to the trailhead because I had read that the last five miles were rough. 

The road was pretty bad, but all was worth it. This hike was strenuous, but the beauty and atmosphere made up for the hard work. The trail wound through forest, meadows, wildflowers, rocks, and snow. The sun was shining, and the temperature was splendid. The views had me stopping to praise Mother Nature for her impeccable work. No joke. 

We hiked about nine miles and gained about 3,400 feet in elevation. It was incredible.

Checking out Diablo Lake was on the agenda for the next day. Diablo Lake is an icon of North Cascades - it's a beautiful glacier lake of that blue/green color from the mountain rock's minerals.

We drove east on the North Cascades Highway to the overlooks and decided to hike a short 3.5-mile trail, Thunder Knob Trail. This not-so-challenging out and back trail awarded us different views of Diablo Lake, which we enjoyed thoroughly.

After some shots with the North Cascades National Park sign (I was so excited to be in this beautiful part of the country - see the second image), we retreated to the RV park for the night.

We moved on from the west side of the park and found the Lone Fir Campground outside the park's east side. We stayed here for the next two nights to explore the Ross Lake Recreation Area. Of course, on all hikes, Addie was welcome. We hiked Rainy Lake and the Heather-Maple Pass Trail. Again, breathtaking. I swear I got happier and happier the more time I spent in this park.

On the flip side, the Truma was still acting up. While at the RV park on the west side of the park, I did a little more troubleshooting. At first, I was getting error codes. I called Airstream of Spokane - which was the next city I’d be visiting that had an Airstream dealer. There, Doug, the service manager, walked me through a few recommendations, and the thing decided to work. I never dealt with anything so finicky.

However, when I got to Lone Fir Campground on the east side of the park, it was a different story: error code after error code. I called Doug back, and with as equal frustration as mine, he advised me to bring it into his shop the next morning. Addie and I got up early to drive the four-plus hours to Spokane.

This drive proved to me that the state of Washington offers a lot more than mountains and coastline. This scenery could have passed for Texas!

#39: Tackling the Truma

Upon leaving Mount Rainier, the closest and most suitable place I could find with electrical hookups was in Enumclaw, WA, about an hour southeast of Seattle. Haven’t heard of Enumclaw? Neither had I. But the campground was more than okay and close to stores if I needed supplies.

I started focusing on the Truma immediately. There were multiple issues:

1. Multiple error codes appeared when I turned on the heater. Sometimes it was one code, sometimes it was another, making it difficult to diagnose.

2. Usually, when the Airstream is plugged into shore power (electric power), a little “plug” icon appears on the Truma control panel screen (see image below). This was not happening, so it seemed the Truma didn’t recognize the connection.

Strike 1

The first call I made was to Truma customer service. They were extremely helpful, but after troubleshooting with me over the phone, they concluded that a professional needed to see it in person. On to the next option: Seattle Airstream dealer.

Strike 2

I called Seattle Airstream, and they were booked out for weeks. This is a HUGE problem with Airstream dealerships/service centers. They are so busy and in such high demand that they can't (or don't) make room for full-timers who live in their Airstreams. It's frustrating. 

The gentleman on the phone was friendly and gave me some things to try. Since one of the error codes I was receiving pertained to the fan, he suggested that the fan's electric connection perhaps became inactive. He advised me to test the wire that fed the fan to see if it was hot. I went out, bought a tester, and tried it. The wire was hot, concluding that this was not the issue. I appreciated his help, but none of his suggestions got me far. I got the impression that he could feel my pain in my voice.

Strike 3

The third idea was to see if any remote RV repair services were around the area and available. I knocked on the camp host door, and the friendly host gave me the name and number of a guy. I called. He was booked out for three weeks. I went back, asked if she knew of anyone else, and she gave me another. No luck with that one either.

I was zero for three, and I was beginning to feel like I was out of options. My neighbor at the campground saw me flustered and asked if he could help. He gave me the name of yet another guy, but I couldn’t even through to that guy when I called.

Oh, Yes. The Bumper.

Let’s also not forget that I still needed to address the bumper situation. Given my travel route, I would pass through a few more Airstream dealerships in the next few months. The bumper was not urgent, but after calling a few dealerships along my way, I learned that the new bumper would take six weeks to manufacture and deliver. I would be close to Utah with that timing, so I coordinated with Airstream of Utah in Salt Lake City to order the part and make the repair when the time came.

Conclusion

I spent the entire day on the phone, trying different potential solutions and getting more and more irritated. I needed to take a shower, so I braved a cold one in desperation.

Typically, I can solve my problems one way or another. But in this case, I felt so helpless and hopeless. My hands were tied. I was at the end of my rope. The tears of frustration began to roll.

It didn’t take me long to snap out of it, remembering my motto: 10% is what happens to me and 90% is how I react to it. I have some friends in the Seattle area and decided to retreat from my Airstream problems for at least a night and head to their house in Burien the next morning.

#38: Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier was the second of three national parks in Washington that we visited. After our ever-so-eventful experience at Olympic, I decided to drive Rainier and not worry about seeking out hikes. Numerous stressors were/are in the air: Addie's health, lack of mobile service, trouble finding campsites, and a fussy water heater in the Airstream. I didn't need one more thing to worry about, which was navigating Rainier's hiking situation (specifically with Addie, who is not allowed on trails).

Camping options around Mount Rainier were scarce. All the park campgrounds were reserved, and the only first-come, first-serve camping choice is tent-only. One of the most troubling factors was the lack of mobile service as I got into the area. I rely on apps to find camping, but obviously, apps are useless with no signal.

I spent a while driving to a few places I researched but couldn’t locate. I then had to go back into a service area to look up other options. Around dusk, I spotted some RVs through some trees off the main road. I turned around and took the first turn into the woods. This was lucky. It was a dispersed camping area that was annoyingly busy, but I could back into a spot between trees that worked - at least for one night. I would get up the next morning to find a more suitable place.

My stress level curbed some when I landed at La Wis Wis National Forest Campground. However, my stress level inflated again when I backed the Airstream into a post while settling into a spot. Not only did I back it up over the post, but also when I pulled forward trying to get it off (it was a short post just at the height of the bumper), a section of the bumper wholly detached. Awesome.

I was laughing at this point. This little mishap was nothing unfixable. I used duct tape to reattach what I could, and I went on with my day. We hiked around the campground area a little and hung out by the river.

After grieving the loss of the Airstream’s back bumper, Addie and I made our way to Mount Rainier National Park in the afternoon. Like many other national parks, there are multiple entrances.

I knew I wanted to get to the Sunrise section, which at the peak, is the highest point reachable by vehicle within the park. The road getting up to Sunrise, Sunrise Park Road, is only accessible in the warmer months, and as you drive up, you can’t resist pulling over at multiple points to take in the views.

The scenery from the top took my breath away. In my opinion, I was there at the best time of year, and the weather that day couldn’t have been any more perfect. Addie and I got some much-needed solitude up there, proving to us that you don’t always need to hike a park to get a lot out of it.

After a second night at La Wis Wis Campground, the next stop was to the park's Paradise section. The different areas provide various views of Mount Rainier. It's such a beautiful sight, though, so it never gets old.

At this time, not only did we have external issues with the Airstream (missing bumper), but we also had internal problems. My Truma water heater continued acting up. Sometimes it would work, and other times it wouldn’t. Since I had been dry camping for weeks by now, my next camping spot would need to have electrical hookups so I could troubleshoot.

Onward and upward towards Seattle, then to North Cascades National Park. In the back of my mind, I knew of the Airstream dealership in Seattle, so if I needed to, I could potentially get some help with the Truma there. I also needed to figure out how to fix the bumper. 

Homeownership (eye roll)...