newstalk

The trip meter on my car is currently reading 107 miles. Not much, on the face of it. But, consider that it was at zero when I started on my trip, and that the three-point-one digit meter has wrapped around three times Not bad for a week-and-a-few’s work.

The Northwestern states are looking good, albeit very brown, dry and dusty. Sadly, a thick haze of smoke obscured many of the usually beautiful views across Northern Idaho and Western Montana. The fires still burn.

A quick summary, then, of what a cross-country trip from Washington State to Wisconsin and Illinois might be like.

• Washington & Oregon, together at last!—the Columbia Gorge: I-84 to Spokane ** Speed limit in Oregon: 65 ** Speed limit in Washington: 70 ** Only five words can describe the Gorge: See it before you die. In case you don’t believe me, I’ll try some more words: for hundreds of miles, the Columbia river cuts its winding way through forested mountains and high desert, ages of erosion creating dramatic contrasts and sweeping vistas. That sound better?

* Northern Idaho: I-90 through Couer d’Alene ** Speed limit in Idaho: 70 ** Mountains and forests and lakes, oh my! It doesn’t take long to get across, but the table-leg of Idaho had one of the higher scenery-to-mile ratios on our route. Coeur d’Alene is a pretty little how-town if I ever saw one, with lots of everything for the tourists.

• Western Montana—the Glaciers (or, watch out for passing cars on the pass): I-90 ** Speed limit in Montana: On primary freeways, 75 (70 at night). On secondary highways, 70 (65 at night).

** Driving on 4th of July Pass isn’t nearly as dangerous as it was back in my mom’s younger days, so you can take your eyes off the road occasionally. Even with the smoke in the air, Montana is still Big Sky country. Also, big country country, as in, there’s a whole lot of it, but it won’t make your eyes sore. Okay, so it might, with all the focusing your eyes have to do. But at least you’ll enjoy it. While you’re focusing, notice that the big white “M” on the hill in Bozeman looks suspiciously like the big white “M” on the hill in Missoula. Then wonder why Missoula also has a big white “L” on another hill.

• Eastern Montana—mainly the Plains, but not so much rain as in Spain: I-90 to I-94.

** A different kind of beauty. Eastern Montana is a bit stark, a bit severe, but the rolling hills are as friendly as the people, that is, very. Well, except for the front desk lady at the Motel 6 in Miles City. Anyway, for what it’s worth, the sky in Eastern Montana is even bigger than out west, since there aren’t any mountains in the way. And no highway patrol in the way, by all appearances, in any part of the state. I only saw two patrol cars the entire time I was in the state: one at the scene of an accident, and one in a town.

• North Dakota: I-94 forever and ever, amen.

** Speed limit in North Dakota: 70.

** I once met a lady on the train who was from Fargo, and she declared that she loved the flatness of her state. I’m glad there are some people like that out there, because otherwise it’d just be an awful waste of space. Be good to yourself and get your car’s alignment nice and true. Watch out for the fuzz, though: it might just be that we were traveling through over Labor Day weekend, but I have not seen so many cops since I lived on the North Side of Chicago.

• Minnesota: I-94, new and improved. With hills!

** Speed limit: 65

** Not much I can say about this state. Lots of lakes. Lots of farmland. 65 was hard to maintain after the joyride that is Idaho through North Dakota. I started to get really tired of driving a few hours out of Fargo, so traded with my Dad and took a nap in the back. When I woke up, we were stuck in rush hour traffic coming out of St. Paul. And that’s all I know about Minnesota.

• Northern Wisconsin: Highway N, 64, CC, 51, G, 8, A, X, etc. Alphanumeric soup through to HoneyRock.

** Speed limit: 65 on the big highways, 55 on the county roads. Ranging between 25 and 45 in every podunk town on the way.**

** If you took Western Washington and Oregon and got rid of the ocean and the mountains and the Columbia, then added a whole mess of rivers and lakes, you’d have Northern Wisconsin. In other words, I like it: it reminds me of home. We visited my grandfather’s grave in Sand Creek, then drove to HoneyRock, arriving just in time for dinner.

• Southern Wisconsin & Northern Illinois: 51 to I-39 to I-90 tollway to I-290 to 355 tollway.*

** Speed limit in Illinois: 65 ** Average toll in Illinois: 40 cents.

** I’ll get this out right away: I don’t like this drive. Perhaps I’ve driven this route too much, but every time I do, I keep wondering to myself, “haven’t I reached Madison yet?” And then, “haven’t I reached Janesville yet?” and then, “haven’t I reached Rockford yet?” And then, at the Illinois border, that nice and friendly sign, “The People of Illinois welcome you!” followed shortly after by “PAY TOLL: 40 CENTS”. Bleh. And then traffic in Chicago is a nightmare. Double bleh.

All in all, an amazing journey, although made too quickly. Someday I’m going to do it again, and give myself a bit more time to see the sights. We’ll see. Anyway, that’s it for this entry. Signing off.

Possibly related:

• Home again, home again, jiggety jig.
• The future is something else entirely.
• And then it started to rain.
• The sickness unto life.
• The colophon.

On September 10th, 2003, this was the truth (Tags: cents, Chicago, Columbia, Columbia Gorge, Columbia river, Idaho, Illinois, Illinois border, Janesville, Labor Day, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Northwestern, Oregon, Sand Creek, Spain, Washington, Wisconsin) | | Subscribe to comments | Both comments and pings are currently closed