The Relocated Tourist

Day 55: Sunday, July 25th, 2021

OK, let’s first address that TODAY is day 55…I messed up yesterday and said it was then, oops, my bad, only took 54 days to screw up LOL. Listen, it is a miracle that I can even REMEMEBER to do this every day. I have never written 55 straights days before in my life, so the fact that I am recording this journey, and for judgement and scrutiny mind you (yes I get PLENTY of it), is an every day miracle and achievement for myself. I am DAMN proud of it.

I headed out of Kalispell around 6 a.m., happy with my time there but also super excited for what is to come.  The original plan was to staycation it tonight in Spokane, as a half way point to my next destination. I was really trying hard to not have continual 6 hour drive days everywhere, it doesn’t make it fun because I am so stressed out on getting up early, getting on the road on time, then traffic making that 6 hour more like 10…so I wanted 3-4 hour drives that were simple, sweet, and easy so that I could catch points of interest along the way.  I am about the journey, the destination is the icing on the cake, kind of girl. So today was probably about 4 hours, but with my stops, and I did stop a lot today, it made it a long day on the road which I was happy to finish up around 3 p.m.

So when I plug my phone in my car, always charging it, using Google Maps, and playing my music, I somehow found an old playlist I hadn’t heard in years. And as Coldplay sang “Clocks” and Newsboys sang “He Reigns”….. I cried. I just wept like a baby as I am driving the valley of these Mountains, past sparkling blue waters, seeing deer stand by the side of the road. HOW could I be this blessed? It was an amazing morning of self-reflection, worship time, and loving myself. The scenery may have had something to do with it LOL.

I drove through St. Regis, Montana where a beautiful gift shop was located. I had so much fun just looking, shopping, and enjoying a moment out of my car.

Onto Idaho, a BRAND NEW STATE for me!  Now, today I am just driving over the top of it, and catching the bottom after I complete Oregon. I only caught it because I am headed to Washington State.  BUT they had THE coolest State sign, as you are exiting the Mountains, it reveals itself, and THANK YOU, they had a pull out there so you could actually grab a pic of it AND the Pacific Time Zone sign- huzzah! 

Bet you didn’t know, but “Dante’s Peak” was filmed in the little, silver mining town of Wallace, Idaho. Named after the man who built the town, this set the scene for the infamous 1997 movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton fighting the “town’s” volcano. Did you know that the footage in the movie is actual footage of Mount St. Helen’s erupting? Just driving in the town, I geeked out at the Main Street alone…VERY familiar turret that blows up in the movie, still standing today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I headed to the Train Museum, figuring that they would have someone there who would know a bunch about the town. I stand by this ALWAYS- talk to the OLDER folks in town when you want to know something, they are willing and wanting to tell you their story and their beloved hometown.   I had such a gentleman who not only gave me a great tour of the 1880’s Train Station, but he also told me his background. We were the only ones there, so we talked about his bartending days in Vegas and how he served Frank Sinatra and the Brat Pack…along with is favorite, Elizabeth Taylor.  How cool is that?!  The Train Museum is free, donations always, and is worth the visit just to see him.

Next I headed downtown and just walked.  I like to get the feel of a place by just walking, drinking it in, taking pictures, and talking to shop keepers who are open.  I learned about the bordellos and how this was THE place for miners to “get a little something something” after a hard day’s work. So I guess silver, sex, and Dante’s Peak? I couldn’t find that tag line on anything lol. BUT they also are “The Center of the Universe”- yes they make this claim that this town is THE center of the Universe…and they say noone can prove them wrong so they don’t care if you don’t believe them. Ok, center it is!

The adventure there ended at a bakery where I sat with a delicious piece of “Cotton Candy Cheesecake” with my Diet Coke and a picture window to watch the World go by. Never had that flavor of cheesecake before, and it checked my “something new” in my food category for the day- try it, it was excellent!

On the way to Washington, I had heard about the oldest building in Idaho, which was a Catholic Mission. So I parked, and as I ascended the forever staircase up the hill to the church that sat high on a hill…I noticed I was underdressed. Hundreds of families were getting out cars, dressed up, bonnets on….I thought, am I in the right place?  Well come to find out, it was a “Pilgrimage” day.  A huge crowd was walking up the road, as I was driving out, so clearly something of a holy experience was happening.  I am sure it was beautiful, but because I was the odd man out, it just felt….weird.  The Mission was beautiful, glad I saw it, took about half hour to get up and back down and to see it, so if you have the time, check it out.

I wasn’t so lucky with the “Washington” State sign as I entered… who puts it on the left side?!? So I will have to find another one at a Visitors Center somewhere. I wound up having to leave the highway for about half an hour, a slow down of more than an hour had a big NOPE on it and I followed the “advice” of my google maps. Thankfully it worked, and I checked in to my hotel around 3 p.m. 

Now, this THREE hours behind FL time now is throwing me off. Granted, it has been gradual, but just when my body gets used to one time zone, I seem to be entering another LOL. It messes up my eating times too, good thing I just eat now when I am hungry. Crazy right? Also I stopped “Morning Musings” weeks ago only because I was having a hard time keeping them up. Many mornings were enough with getting in a healthy routine to make me feel good, with shakes, vitamins, then packing and remembering everything with every click of the hotel door closing behind me on check out.  SO, that is why you don’t see them anymore. But THANK YOU to those who watched them, loved them, and gave incredible feedback. I know who you are, and I always pay attention to those who support me.  On that note, thank you for supporting me as well. Every dollar you donate goes into my gas, food, lodging, but best of all, I am able to spread the kindness by treating people to tours, meals, and bus rides. So THANK YOU, it means the world to me that you believe IN me, it makes this adventure feel like a warm hug from so many that care. I truly love you guys. God bless, see you tomorrow.