The Long Gap

Between stopping by at David and Sarah's and Yellow Stone: Oh boy.

We left David and Sarah's late- real late, and didn't really get anything done- which meant we just picked up Cheetah from the Air port, and were like... hummm what now. There was an attempt at getting Emily's police record, which failed, and a stop at a version of Whole Pay Check which the bagger at once asked if we were the bus people (Chris and I looked at each other and tried to figure out how he knew this), and bashfully admitted to our situation. It's amazing how people can spot you out.

Then we did what any rational beings on their first time in a town called "Salt Lake City" do, and went to see the Salt Lake. David and Sarah had warned us that is smelled of dead shrimp and it's name sake salt. But we found a park in the middle of the lake which was absent of both.

As we drove north through suburban sprawl, we relaxed in the setting sun, and talked about the concept of “Mo’s” (mormons) and how as far as we could tell Salt Lake was a decent place, not a mecca of all that is uptight waspyness.

Antelope island state park was one of those rare gems that we didn’t know existed, and would have never found without the desire for random camping and a green state part indicator on the map. (I’m not sure if locals even go there). As we drove out of the gas stations and super makets into some tall grass and the approaching spit which lead to the island, it became obvious that we had just found one of the best spots in Utah to watch the sun set (Because Arches wasn’t enough). The lake in the fore ground the mountains in the back ground, the shore and the lake difficult to distinguish. Low clouds rolling in and glorifying the gently setting sun. Dashes with hues of pink and light blue the sky caressed the purple mountains with their coverings of snow, deeper this year that any on record. Then we came to the Island.

Unlike it’s surrounding rocky brethren, the mountains on Antelope island are rounded and covered with grass and shrubs. They belong in an iconic version of Ireland, except there are buffalo to be found here, and it’s in the middle of a lake instead of the Atlantic Ocean.

We found our campsite and left it in search of hiking. The hour or so we spent exploring the low hills, and some of the oldest rock in all of North America found on the island are some of the most relaxed memories I’ll have of Salt lake.

As we settled down on the Bus preparing for the long night of stories and pure warm joy which permeated the club house, we saw a car slowly creep outside. This had happened before, people were often curious, but this time someone go out and ran over to up. Emily started yelling in joy, Chris, Cheetah, and I looked at each other confused.

Five men in puffy jackets (so not rangers) exited the SUV and ran towards us. Emily Hugged one of them, and invited them all on the bus. It should be noted that the bugs were horrible outside, and the door had to be kept shut in fear that they feed on us all night.

The strangers turned out to friends of Emily's form back at Georgia Tech, who just happened to meet up with us- really we didn’t plan this- on their trip out to Yellow Stone from LA. So of course we drank the night away, playing silly games and waiting for Kyle and Charity to find the bus later that night (who we were expecting) to find ourselves with 10 people in out tiny school bus.

The next morning; after everyone parted their separate ways, The Boys North, Kyle and Charity West, The bus headed to REI in attempt to not repeat some of the incidences in the Rockys and procure boots for Emily and Cheetah. While there, I found some info on the passes to Jackson WY, and we explored a liquor store, which as far as we could tell… wasn’t that bad, which made us question stories we had heard about the liquor scene in Utah.

After REI we headed to Big cotton wood canyon, and with some help from Mountain Project, found a nice after work crag, where we met other climbers and Salt Lake Locals who were tons of fun, and helped us out with the climbs and ropes (we brough our own, but it’s nice to share too) Ethan and his group were in Salt Lake, an Ex-Mormon and his girl friend were to our left, it was good time all around.

We made plans to meet up in the city for pizza, but on our way out had a slight incident... which We'll get to Next time!

Skipping

There is some in between, but here is some after:

After days of looking at exploding pools of steam and a few bubbles which accompanied them, Emily enjoyed them so thoroughly it was hard ot resist the temptation to follow her awe like a drunk puppy, we met up with Molly in Mammoth which is nothing like the rest of the park. Where south yellow stone was layered under five to ten feet of snow, Mammoth was the paragon of the American fifties outdoor memory. The deer run around and enjoy the town that is half built to assist tourist on their journeys through the rest of the park and the other half to maintain the ranger staff. We could have been in Disneyland.

Mammoth was plaster cast and coasted in formaldehyde to remain in it’s 1850’s feel of outdoorys memory with an accompanying Teddy Roosevelt poster. It exists only to accompany the massive expanse untamed mountains, rivers and life that have remarked unpon the town with a quick yawn. Elk roam right through the streets and prosper in the surrounding meadows, keeping their young close to the temporary settlement, which will pass soon after we leave, or cease to care.

The Mammoth visitor center is made of stone, I would think to stand the harsh winters, but even that will not and cannot outlast the wild that tramples, prances, thrashes, grows, and births all around it. Mammoth was built to help people marvel at Yellowstone, but in it’s exhibition it felt as if it became a marvel to the people visiting in it self. The restaurants and gift shopts, the little everythings, and the rv sites which give only a bink of what the park has to offer. Even the roads that cover a sliver of the park go straight to the geysers – depriving any traveler of the journey and effort of creating a worthwhile trip of the spectacle.

Chris and I drank

Emily was enthralled.

We met Jim something or other, who was in charge of the park. He was kind for the brief moment I saw him and I have little to say other than that. That park rangers and employees seemed detached from the ‘park’ itself. They weren’t there for the buildings of the park in it’s tourist state. When we asked one ranger what he enjoyed most about the park he answered that the backcountry was where he attempted to spend most of his time.

I got the feeling that they were trying to tell everyone else about the park in a way that vacationers who have been to Africa or any third world country attempt to explain it’s magisty, except the rangers are in the park- and everyone sees it- but they don’t, not to the rangers.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the bluntness of the American west. It’s not rolling or gentle like the Appalachian Mountains and their transition to the plains and the forests that blend and meld. No. The raw force of snow and ice that engulfed northern Wyoming starts and stops, the geysers explode and the buffalo block roads. They don’t care about you. You, me, we, are guests, maybe closer to mosquitoes or squirrels to the bears and bison, if only we could be as harmless.

And rangers see this, the people who have worked there year after year. But it takes time, and effort, and appreciation. All ideas that the park does not provide, the land does, and the car-burdened tourists don’t go to see the land, they go to see the park. Untill they are mauled by a bear or moose, and then it smacks them in the face, or arm, or leg.

We went to the backcountry for two days and camped by a river, talking about Emily and ‘ time in the park, and what they’d be doing. I slept in a hammock. Burned my eyebrows making breakfast.

Outside the parks north entrance arch, there’s a town with the worst kind of memorabilia, the kind that other people manufacture and acts as a a substitute for memories which people use but never had. But they had Internet access and coffee, so we spent time there before the girls moved into there new house. We met two film students who were making a documentary and invited them to stay at the house after they saw old faithful. Spencer and Lance were hysterical and crude. They brought the Jamison.

Captain’s Log: day 13

Salt Lake City

We woke up to find out the National forest that we had pulled into late the night before was GORGEOUS. There were snow toped mountains in the distance and steady rolling green hills everywhere with rivers running through them. Very different than the Moab region of Utah had been. The green really surprised us. We cooked a nice big breakfast and left to drop the boys off at the airport. We said our goodbyes to Alex and Andrew and Chris, Sean and I went to run errands. We had a list of “to do’s” today and a lot of work needed to be done for Chile by all 3 of us. So it was laundry, shopping, internet, getting the oil changed on the bus (which proved to be an adventure all in its self), and had to find a place to stay. Made for a fun day in Salt Lake, the city is beautiful. Surrounded on all sides by snow capped mountains, everyone there mountain bikes in summer and skis/snowboards in winter. A couple past GT grads who were involved in ORGT live just outside of the city in Park Slope and invited us to stay with them.

1st off David & Sarah live in the most beautiful area. They are like 5 min from the ski lifts up in the mountains. There house was amazing. As they gave us the tour we got to see their mountain bike room, their ski/board room, their recycling room, their hot tub, the huge marble kitchen surrounded by windows we got the feeling they were enjoying post-tech life out here in Utah. It was great to meet the 2 of them, they were so hospitable. We went out to a local pub to have bison burgers and beer and a good time. We came back and got to play our new board game - Settlers of Catan. The 3 of us know and love the game, it was new for David and Sarah. Gosh i love that game. It was great to have a night in a house, on a bed, and with a shower. Thanks guys.