CAPTAIN’S LOG - DAY 10
North Star Date: 12/6/2012
Location or Route: Billings, MT to Casper, WY.
Travel Miles: 276 (2825 - Cumulative)
Weather Conditions: A weak cold front came through overnight bringing mostly cloudy skies and cooler early-morning temperatures that warmed quickly after sunrise.
Road Conditions: Bare and Dry
Animals Observed: Cattle, Horses, Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope
10:47 AM (38F/3C)
Just pulled out of the Yellowstone River RV Park in Billings, situated appropriately on the Yellowstone River. Seems we have to pull this big rig four miles back through downtown Billings – the reverse of what we drove last night – just so we can get back to the airport on the north side of town; need to stop into the Alaska Air counter at the terminal building to pick up a package, that is to say our Canadian contraband.
1:25 pm (43F/6C, Light Winds)
Had a bit of a scare pulling this heavy trailer up the steep grade north of Billings and just south of the airport. The engine temperature gauge rose rapidly into the red and I could smell the heat. I pulled over as soon as I could but then the temperature dropped quickly once the task was called off. I’ve never seen it do that before, and it hasn’t since. It must have been the coolant’s first cycle of the morning; I’m convinced there are no anomalies. So we got that going for us - which is good.
We found the Alaska Air desk and due to part-time hours of operation they weren’t there. The sign said they’ll be back at 1:45 PM. Dang, that’s going to throw us back. Well, nothing we can do but wait.
We found a restaurant and had an early lunch. While there we called the Alaska desk – early – and we got an answer; they could accommodate us. So we picked up our package, drove back down the grade around the east side of Billings this time, fueled both vehicles and washed all the glass and lights, then we hit the road.
Back on the highway now just east of Billings. We called the kids, “We’ll be home by Six”. Johnny Cash makes for some good road music.
3:00 PM (40F/4C)
The “Welcome to Wyoming” highway sign on the Montana and Wyoming border is coming up - must get a good shot; it’s very important to this story. I hope it’s in such a setting to where I can compose a good shot and get the camera zoom at the right level.
That can be tricky while driving (don’t text and drive). You have to keep one eye on the road and one eye on the photo composition. Have to keep one hand on the wheel and one hand operating the camera: verify which auto setting: Sports-fast shutter, Scenery-rich colors, Sunset-long shutter but deep colors.
You have to point the camera while trying to miss the vehicle roof posts and dirt spots on the glass, zoom an appropriate amount to compose the subject, partially press the shutter release for the auto-focus, hold the shot while auto-focus completes without jiggling (dang bouncy road) and then “Click” - you have your shot!
“Voila”, piece of cake”, all while moving down the road at 70 MPH. It’s like a well-coordinated dance performance. Who says white guys can’t dance?! But you get a lot of poor shots doing this and thank goodness for digital photography!
“Welcome to Wyoming” sign getting close; been counting the miles, been watching the map. Must get a good shot, it’s very important to this story; did I already say that? Concentrate, remove distractions, breathe - don’t forget to breathe, Oooommmmmm (open your eyes you idiot!).
There it is ahead, dang - a big ugly truck is parked next to it, okay just go with it - compose the truck into the shot. So how to make it interesting? The sign’s in a shadow, the light’s not right. Dang - it’s on an outside corner at the top of this hill. This is going to be tricky! You can do it - concentrate. Okay here we go! One eye on the road, one eye on the shot, one hand on the wheel, one hand on the camera. Concentrate, compose…
“BREAKER ONE NINE GOOD BUDDY OF MINE - GET A PICTURE OF THE SIGN!”
Pay no attention to the voice on the radio, concentrate, compose the shot, work around that big ugly truck, it’s coming up fast, is the zoom too much? Yes it is! There’s no time to adjust, make it work…
“DAVE! - GET A PICTURE OF THE SIGN!”
Concentrate, ignore the voices in your head, she’s just trying to help…
“GET A PICTURE OF THE SIGN!”
Shut Up! “Click” SHOOT! It’s out of focus!
“Thanks for the reminder, my Wild Wyoming Flower – Superman out.” Grrrrrrrrrr.
3:45 PM (40F/5C)
South of Sheridan near Story, Wyoming. We’re about two hours from Casper and “America The Beautiful” makes for some good road music, but just once; then you have to shut it all off and just look – just get it into your head. You don’t need entertainment when driving through Wyoming, not if you know how to look.
When we first arrived 26 years ago we used to return to Utah and tell family and friends what a wonderful shade of gray everything was. Since those days of good-natured ridicule we’ve come to really appreciate its finer subtleties, in much the same way life-long Alaskans view their home.
An original Wyoming co-worker of mine once told me, “In Wyoming you don’t have to go anywhere, because you can see for three days”, and he was right. Oh how we have missed our grand vistas, our open spaces, our long distance views. Even with an overcast, the evening sky is gorgeous. The visual expanse of Wyoming makes for some good road music.
4:22 PM (38F/3C)
It’s sunset, 93 miles to go. Over the past 10 travel days, Ruth’s speed has increased by an average of about 3 MPH per day. At first it was due to improving road conditions, and eventually it was because I was in the lead and if she wanted to find her way home she better step up and keep up.
There were times when she and her little yellow angel Jeep behind me looked like a water-skier who had fallen, but hadn’t let go of the rope, as she flapped back and forth between my rear-view mirrors in her tenacious confidence “I can get back up, I can get back up!”
But tonight, as she began to recognize familiar landmarks, and read road-signs that used familiar names, she passed me at a clip and like a horse heading to the barn she single-mindedly put the hammer down.
I had to ask that ol’ Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel to somehow find it within itself to muster out just a few more horses, just a couple more foot pounds of torque on these grades. Stick with her. You don’t want her to arrive home alone.
5:43 PM 42F/5C)
We just broke out over the ridge north of Casper. There she is - in all her gorgeous night-time beauty, the city lights of Casper town! We’re 15 minutes from the house.
“Breaker one nine, Wildflower of mine, you gonna take that west side go around?”
“That’s a big ten-four there Superman. We’ll drop on down through the west side o’ town, make re-entry on the 220”
“Ten Four Sunflower.”
6:03 PM (42F/5C)
The road and weather conditions we enjoyed today are unusual for this time of year. We could just as easily have encountered blizzard conditions from Edmonton all the way to Casper, causing poor visibilities and treacherous road surfaces.
The Billings to Casper segment of the trip has every bit as steep of grades as those we drove south of Fort Nelson into Dawson Creek, an exception being that that these are two-lane highways with greater vehicle speeds, but the grade sections can be quite long.
We were fortunate. We’ll get a final logistics report out within a few days, but for now, we’re home.
“Well lookie there Wildflower, the kids have on every light in the house!”
Day 10 Pics
