All great endeavors and expeditions have challenges to face and overcome. Columbus got stuck in the doldrums, the Titanic met an iceberg, and Bush lost a crucial primary in New Hampshire. It seems too that the greater the benefit to humanity offered by a grand undertaking, the greater the challenges it will have to face. Joey and I can definitely say that this historical maxim has held true for the second leg of our expedition. I'll spare you the grim details about just how filthy we got after six days in the backcountry. That would go against our stated goal of inspiring, edifying, and firing the imagination of those who would follow in our footsteps. But boy, did we look haggard. It's funny how being really dirty for more than a few hours is such a rare occurrence in modern life. We didn't shower for six days and by the end of that time our skin was covered in alternating layers of bug spray, dirt, sunscreen, and sweat. And Joey's white shirt...no, I can't bear to describe it. Our skin stuck to the sleeping bags, we found dirt on our toothbrushes, and no matter how hard we tried we couldn't remove the dirt from under our fingernails. Add to that the awful grimy and zombie-feel that comes with not having slept for several nights in a row. We began to refer to Chicago as 'Showerville'. I'm sorry to go on like this. But if this account is to be a true history then I can't airbrush any of it. Maybe a few photos will do better than words.
But now, safe in Chicago with the dirt and tears washed away, it's hard not to remember the past fondly and only think about the good times. I think I'll go ahead and share a few of those now with some pictures.
We were in Utah for several days seeing family and friends. It was too hot to venture out during the day except for brief media appearances and photo shoots or to cool off your paws.
We then headed up to the Grand Tetons where we went backcountry camping up Paintbrush Canyon. This was a spectacular spot overlooking the valley below. We were all by ourselves and had been trained to clap and yell 'BEAR!!!!' every now and then to ward off all the bears that lived there. On the way back down in the morning we actually did come across a bear just a few feet off the trail foraging for berries. We only saw his ears and shoulders as we moved through the undergrowth, but it was nonetheless exciting.
Everyone told us that the Tetons were stunning and much better than Yellowstone. The Tetons didn't disappoint. But because of these reports, we didn't expect much from Yellowstone. Maybe that is why we were so blown away by the geysers, and hot springs, and the subtle but interesting landscape.
After Yellowstone we headed to the Badlands. We were tired and dirty by then but decided to head out for one more night of backcountry camping. We didn't hike too far but it was slog nonetheless. This was probably the most isolated place we've been so far. The light pollution in the Badlands is supposed to be the least of anywhere in the US and we stayed up late staring at the stars. In the middle of the night, around 3AM we were both awoken by a coyote howling right next to our tents (closer to mine) which freaked me out.
We had so much leisure time after getting to each of our backcountry camping spots. We mostly spent our time playing chess, swimming, or looking at stars. As Joey said, this kind of leisure was unimaginable during orals.
But taking in the natural splendor is only a fraction of what happens on the road. I've found amusing the recurring conversations and entertainment we find to pass the time when all there is to do is drive from one place to the next. For example, the hypothetical game: would you rather be the lead man in your own local band or the anonymous guitarist of Paul McCartney's band where you just shut up and play what he tells you to? Or the running conversation we're having about how ridiculous car names are. Most of them seem to be just made up words that sound exciting or play on another dynamic word. Sorento, Elantra, Optima, Fiesta, and so forth.
Anyway, that's it for this post. We're now in Showerville, resting up and getting ready for the next leg. I leave you all with Sufjan's "Chicago" which is the song I had in my head as we drew closer to our destination. It seemed fitting.
But now, safe in Chicago with the dirt and tears washed away, it's hard not to remember the past fondly and only think about the good times. I think I'll go ahead and share a few of those now with some pictures.
We were in Utah for several days seeing family and friends. It was too hot to venture out during the day except for brief media appearances and photo shoots or to cool off your paws.
We then headed up to the Grand Tetons where we went backcountry camping up Paintbrush Canyon. This was a spectacular spot overlooking the valley below. We were all by ourselves and had been trained to clap and yell 'BEAR!!!!' every now and then to ward off all the bears that lived there. On the way back down in the morning we actually did come across a bear just a few feet off the trail foraging for berries. We only saw his ears and shoulders as we moved through the undergrowth, but it was nonetheless exciting.
Everyone told us that the Tetons were stunning and much better than Yellowstone. The Tetons didn't disappoint. But because of these reports, we didn't expect much from Yellowstone. Maybe that is why we were so blown away by the geysers, and hot springs, and the subtle but interesting landscape.
After Yellowstone we headed to the Badlands. We were tired and dirty by then but decided to head out for one more night of backcountry camping. We didn't hike too far but it was slog nonetheless. This was probably the most isolated place we've been so far. The light pollution in the Badlands is supposed to be the least of anywhere in the US and we stayed up late staring at the stars. In the middle of the night, around 3AM we were both awoken by a coyote howling right next to our tents (closer to mine) which freaked me out.
We had so much leisure time after getting to each of our backcountry camping spots. We mostly spent our time playing chess, swimming, or looking at stars. As Joey said, this kind of leisure was unimaginable during orals.
But taking in the natural splendor is only a fraction of what happens on the road. I've found amusing the recurring conversations and entertainment we find to pass the time when all there is to do is drive from one place to the next. For example, the hypothetical game: would you rather be the lead man in your own local band or the anonymous guitarist of Paul McCartney's band where you just shut up and play what he tells you to? Or the running conversation we're having about how ridiculous car names are. Most of them seem to be just made up words that sound exciting or play on another dynamic word. Sorento, Elantra, Optima, Fiesta, and so forth.
Anyway, that's it for this post. We're now in Showerville, resting up and getting ready for the next leg. I leave you all with Sufjan's "Chicago" which is the song I had in my head as we drew closer to our destination. It seemed fitting.
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