Solo Road Trips

[Tin Can]

I was on my first out of town trip with my 1964 Airstream. I had used it for art projects, but after my MFA graduation earlier that summer, I wanted woods, peace and quiet. It was also a test trip to see how I liked a few weeks by myself. The trailer was old, I replaced the wheels and tires, propane tanks, but really just cleaned it up. My white Pickup truck had lettering that read TIN CAN COLLEGE on both doors, my plates read TIN CAN. A play on words for the old travelers which used the term, Tin Can Tourists in the depression, which a tin can as a sign on their radiator cap. Look it up. My destination was at least Thunder Bay, as I had been there before on a solo motorcycle ride. Not a long journey from Chicago, but I never drive more than 200 miles a day when on vacation. I like to stop often, get lost, find an old hotel by a river, then ask for the closest Supper Club, which are still the real thing in Wisconsin. I camped for a week heading up Lake Michigan then across to Duluth. I soon found the Minnesota campgrounds were nicer than Wisconsin. Found a great one, that was almost empty,Tettegouche State Park. I backed into a real nice spot without neighbors. Went hiking, saw waterfalls, cooked steaks, shot 35mm film. Figured I would stay the park limit and unhook the trailer.

I still wanted to get to Thunder Bay, so I figured an overnight run was due. 3 hour drive, I'll leave the trailer in the campsite, cross the border for 24 hours and have a little city fun. At the border I got some flak about my TIN CAN COLLEGE lettering and I had to promise the Canadian authorities is was a just a joke name and I was not doing any funny business in Canada. One hour delay.

Found a wonderful old hotel, http://www.princearthurwaterfront.com/. A real gem, huge rooms, high ceilings, nice bar and restaurant right on the water. Had a great dinner and decided the hotel bar was a dud. Crossed the street and found a cool local, that had an interesting mix of people. I kept to myself and had a few, pretty soon, some young people called me to their table and bought me a beer. I reciprocated and we got on fine until closing. At closing they invited me back to their place, 4 of them lived together, 2 men, 2 women. We were having a grand time.

They drove a couple miles and it was a second floor apartment, nothing fancy, but comfortable. All was good, I was half drunk, but fine. I walked in and sat on the couch. I looked at my new friends and they were giving me very strange looks. Something was definitely wrong. The vibe was bad, very bad. I thought a bit, checked my internal trouble meter and asked them what was wrong. What was happening? Did I do something wrong? After a long pause, one of the women said, 'You didn't take off your shoes.' Whoa, I looked and sure enough they had all taken off their shoes and there I sat, boots on. I apologized, immediately removed my boots and put them by the door. Then I explained, in Chicago, people very rarely remove their shoes when entering any home. They didn't believe me, but soon they warmed back up and we once were again best friends. We drank beer for hours and smoked some weed. Perhaps 4 am, they drove me back to my hotel and said goodnight. Great people and all was forgiven. A wonderful experience.

At 9 am I woke up with a terrible hangover. I flipped on the TV. I saw the second Tower fall in NYC. the date was September 11, 2001. I threw on clothes, ran down to the lobby, told the guy to open the bar, turn on the TV and start serving breakfast. He was taken aback. I told him, he would be very busy in 15 minutes and he was. The bar filled. At first the locals were laughing, NYC was falling down. Big joke. Then they and I sombered. We all realized the horrible reality.

I watched with them for about 90 minutes and then the TV said the borders were closing, in fact the Canadian and USA borders were shutting down. I checked out, got my truck and drove carefully to the border, as I got close, the radio said all Canadian borders were closed. I got in a 3 car line, and was admitted to USA with a quiet wave.

I drove back to my Airstream and soon realized that I had deliberately not brought a TV with me. No news! All I had was the truck radio and reception was poor, news spotty. For several days I stayed there trying to decide what to do. I was fully prepared and equipped to camp indefinitely. Was it safe to go back to Chicago? Should I just stay in the woods? Why go back to danger?

I went back, but not in a hurry as gas scalpers were gouging drivers all over and I tried to find gas at pre 9/11 prices.

I went back to work.

I now wish I never had.

[FrankS]

Great story, thank you!

[Drew Wiley]

John - I've seen redtail hawks and golden eagles take live rattlers, but never bald eagles. No, there were no side canyons in the lower reaches of the SJ named for snakes. Other than two road crossings, all the bends in the canyon were almost never visited by anyone, except me a few pals. Hope they never do put up another dam and destroy it all - but there is still that damn dam lobby. Way up canyon at Miller's crossing, where the trail drops down from the Granite Cr road, then over toward the backside of Balloon Dome, the a kinda mini-Yosemite that was nicknamed Rattlesnake Canyon. I think it got popularized by one of my dad's employees who wrote some epic life-and-death personal ordeal about the place and sold the story to Field and Stream. It was complete BS; but it wasn't the first time he cashed in on that particular skill. ... That Sierra Scenic Byway that loops above the canyon makes a wonderful road trip opportunity (trying to salvage my post for this thread). Lots of quiet camping opportunities, panoramas of the higher Sierra, and many trailheads into the backcountry. Also the world's biggest
tree (according to FS measuring rules, versus NP rules), lots of photogenic domes, wildflower meadows, all the amenities, including mosquitoes in mid-summer.

[nede]

What a pleasure to hear your stories , guys !
When you speak about any places you went to I see movies's landscape "into the wild" and other places like in the geographic books... It's a dream to come visit you

[John Kasaian]

John - I've seen redtail hawks and golden eagles take live rattlers, but never bald eagles. No, there were no side canyons in the lower reaches of the SJ named for snakes. Other than two road crossings, all the bends in the canyon were almost never visited by anyone, except me a few pals. Hope they never do put up another dam and destroy it all - but there is still that damn dam lobby. Way up canyon at Miller's crossing, where the trail drops down from the Granite Cr road, then over toward the backside of Balloon Dome, the a kinda mini-Yosemite that was nicknamed Rattlesnake Canyon. I think it got popularized by one of my dad's employees who wrote some epic life-and-death personal ordeal about the place and sold the story to Field and Stream. It was complete BS; but it wasn't the first time he cashed in on that particular skill. ... That Sierra Scenic Byway that loops above the canyon makes a wonderful road trip opportunity (trying to salvage my post for this thread). Lots of quiet camping opportunities, panoramas of the higher Sierra, and many trailheads into the backcountry. Also the world's biggest
tree (according to FS measuring rules, versus NP rules), lots of photogenic domes, wildflower meadows, all the amenities, including mosquitoes in mid-summer.

Drew I spent a lot of time in that area with the Madera SAR. Up through The Niche and Sadler is sure a beautiful area as well.
I wonder if the Mule Lady still makes it to the High Country? She is a retired school bus driver in Chowchilla (or was it Kerman?) IIRC and on the Fresno Rockets (an all girl baseball league during the 1940s-50s. She'd spend her summers in the mountains alone with her two mules (my bride and I ran into her once. Over a camp fire she shared the box wine she kept in one of her mule's panniers. On more than one occasion the SAR would be called out and we'd find the Mule Lady bringing the lost hiker or child or fisherman back down the trail and she'd greet us with "This the one you lookin' fer?"

[Drew Wiley]

Sorry, but I've never run into her, John. Most of my numerous excursions into the Clark Range from the south involved a lot of cross-country walking, so the
people got left behind once I left the trail itself. Last time I was up there I had a miserable cold and the June snow was awful deep, so I stopped at Lady Lake.
An adolescent marmot was trying to make friend with me, but y' know... can't ever trust those guys, so I chased him off once he decided to trying gnawing into
my pack. The time before I arbitrarily decided to amble up Madera Peak, which has an utterly incredible view from up there. But then I wanted to shortcut the
chute down the face to Lady Lake... made one big mistake. Left my ice axe in the truck, and the whole thing was glazed over with water ice. Three climbers had
just come up that thing, poked their head over the edge and were whooping and hollering about having gotten up that thing (nothing incredible, but a climb at least), then they fell dead silent when they spotted me a few yards away with a view camera set up. They sat down on a rock and stared as I packed up my big
pack and headed down the same chute they just came up. Just a matter of taking my time and liberally using a short length of rope to lower the pack at key
spots. I'm sure they hiked clear down the back and down to the trail junction to Jackass Lakes, the exact detour I was avoiding. There's another really cool shortcut over the top from Sadler into the SE corner of Yos Park. I want to do a big loop in that area one of these days, but via the upper reaches of the North
Fork of the SJ. Haven't been up there in a long time. It's a lot more rugged than the Mammoth side of the Ritter Range. But you already know that. Basically my
back yard as I was growing up. ... But I did once try to trace the old stock trail that ran from Mono Hot Springs back down over Miller's Crossing, before the
Kaiser Pass Road existed. There's still some evidence of it.

[Jmarmck]

Well I have finished my solo road trip. In short, it was a real treat. I have learned a few things about myself. but I won't bore you with that.

I left Georgia on the Dec 21. I found myself at Shiprock, NM where the wind claimed the Zone VI. I will have to contact Mr. Ritter.
I did pack an extra Horseman 45 camera so any hiking was out of the question.
Arrived in Kayenta, AZ and Monument Valley on the 23rd where I spent three days wandering the relatively few back roads.
Made it to Bryce Canyon for another few days. Did the standard tourist stops as the weather kept me off the trails. Also visited Kodachrome Valley.
Weather ran me out of Bryce. Lovely drive over a state highway to a place called Duck Creek. Beautiful! I could live there.
Made it to Bishop, CA where I wandered the old haunts for a few days, then on to DV for three days. Lack of 4WD kept me off some roads.

So despite a few bumps and bruises, a broken camera, and a truck that needs new shocks and the brakes looked at again, it was a grand trip.
No problems really.

I did find my next adventure. I want to rent a house boat and cruise Lake Powel for a week. But maybe during a warmer part of the year.

Thanks to all of you who offered advice.
It was cold everywhere I went, even when I got back home.

[FrankS]

Ooooommmmm.

Serenity now.

[Jmarmck]

Ooooommmmm.

Serenity now.

Yes, I am always looking for a spiritual adventure.

[FrankS]

Thanks for sharing your solo road trip story, Marty! Got any pics to share?


I was responding to other posts.

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