Utah is BEAUTIFUL
Big Love in a Small Town.
There’s something to be said about growing up in a small town. What might be better than that? Growing up in a village. During the May long weekend Devon & I were invited to and enjoyed an adventure in such a place. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s a place called Chase.
The scenic village of Chase, BC nestled near the base of the Shuswap is a vibrant community of lush green pastures mixed with unpredictable weather and warm locals who are quick to smile and chat about random topics at the drop of a hat. It’s a place where outdoorsy individuals either visit seasonally, move to upon retirement or for some lucky humans, grow up in.
Our good friends Ben & Rhonda sent an open invitation to come along with them to take advantage of her parents quite vacant and very charming character home. With only minor pondering and thoughtful pro & conning, we welcomed the opportunity to venture into Pleasantville.
I’ll just highlight some items from here on out.
McAllister Manor (as I dubbed Rhonda’s folks’ casa) felt like home the second I crossed the threshold. Equal parts country home to upscale cabin in the woods, I was quite surprised at how quickly we four fell asleep. It could have been our midnight adjacent arrival but I’m more certain that the house’s energy was warm, balanced and welcoming.
We spent the next three days poking our heads into very cool mom ’n’ pop shops with an amazing selection of arts, crafts, organic, homemade products and more locally grown produce that I can shake my fist at. The handcrafted First Nations items were of particular interest.
*editors’ note: The “Safety Mart” store does NOT have anything to do with safety. I had every intention of bubble wrapping Devon and “gently” shoving her down a hill for some redneck zorbing.
Rhonda’s parents were amazing hosts. (I could explain further but this statement sums it up.)
To stave off some downpour boredom Devon thought it funny to use the DR-HO’s Dual Muscle Therapy System as a means of amusement. After placing the pads on her biceps, she literally almost punched herself in the face. Amazing. Ben put both pads on his right foot and with Rhonda at the controls he practically fell over the top of the barcalounger. Also amazing. It’s quite frightening to have your partner in control of essentially, a mini AED. *please use this equipment properly. I nixed Devon’s idea of her putting the pads on her chesticles as it is way to close to the heart. Know your limit and use safe words.* It sure sounds like I’m a bit of a kill joy, but she had me looking like Frankenstein’s monster with the pads placed on my triceps. Youch. Good times.
What I took home from this micro staycation… we live in an amazing province which I haven’t given myself the time to explore. Shame on me. Something else I took home with me? Just how lucky Rhonda is to have such a wonderful hometown.
“Nothing is more expensive that a missed opportunity.” – H Jackson Browne Jr.
– Jade
Road Woes…
I had left SLC heading south to warmer weather and to a few other places AND surprises. At about 9:30am I hit a gas station for a fill up and was texting a friend about how warm it was outside. She was telling me it was raining back home so of course, being the douche that I am, I FB some photos of the sunny weather I was having and tagged her in them.
Not even one hour later karma was out for me. Driving down the highway from SLC to Vegas I noticed my car shake in a weird fashion then all of a sudden, BOOM, my back passenger tire explodes!! All over the highway is tire “guts” from my car. The car swerves left then right, I’m on the e-brake trying to get it under control. I manage to get the car off the NOT AT ALL busy highway. I flick on my hazards and start looking in my wallet for my AAA card… not there… I’m looking in my glove box when I hear a honk behind me. It’s a flatbed tow truck! YAY! I’ve been saved!
This little old man with an oxygen tank strapped to his back gets out of the truck and wanders over to me. “Seems you need some help, ma’am.” Uh, duh! ☺ I explain I don’t know where I am and DO need the help. It turns out Kevin, old dude’s name, has a shop in the next town over so we get Smelly car up and on the flatbed and off we go. 10 minutes down the road, we hit the town and his gas station/shop.
My car is put up on a lift and his shop hand, a lovely dude named Bruce, gets working. Bruce was an older guy, probably my dad’s age; he had 2 rescue dogs that I played with until the damn POM (with no teeth) bit me. The best part of this story is I had ordered a new credit card before I left for my trip that I had originally planned with a friend and of course it didn’t come in time. I ended up calling my friend Rhonda and she helped me out. I have kickass friends, yo!!! I found out when I got home my new credit card arrived that Wednesday afternoon… go figure!
Bruce and I exchanged road stories while he was fixing my car up. Sometimes you hear of women getting taken advantage of in these situations but Kevin and Bruce were AMAZING! Not only did they fix my car, they fixed a couple other potential issues for free, filled up my gas and when I asked what town I was in, gave me 2 free t-shirts saying where… BEAVER, UTAH!
So if you’re ever in Beaver Utah, stop by the Conoco and say hi to Kevin and Bruce, tell them Devon, the tattooed Canadian, sent you.
And also… NEVER EVER tease your friends about the weather and your travels or you’ll end up with karma hitting you back, sorry Ashley.
– Devon
Salt Lake city and the mighty mighty Bison
I got in around 2pm, got my sandwich(es) and made camp. I set off to explore the island some more and was met by these two very lovely students from BYU. We talked roadtrips. I told them the best places to see the bison on the island and soon we parted ways.
I took off to the other side of the island to catch the sunset. Having been to the island once before, I had a good idea where I was heading. I was told by the park ranger earlier that evening that only four other groups were camping on the island that night… that put the head count at about a dozen people on Antelope Island that night, CRAZY!
I must say watching the sunset from the roof of my car was a highlight of the trip. I pulled over to the side of the road, climbed up onto the roof of my Honda Fit and just laid there taking in everything around me. No phones, no cameras, no distractions.
Watching the sun setting off in the distance and as I lay there taking in the scene, three bison walked over to my car to sniff it. Remember, I am on the roof sans phone or camera, just watching the sunset. I’m laying flat on the roof of the car so as not to startle the bison, when all of a sudden the three of them move towards the trunk of my
car to give it a sniff (I’m sure they are smelling my dog). I flip over to my stomach ever so calmly so now I am laying the entire length of my car (on the roof). I could have reached out and touched the bison but no, instead I just laid there watching in awe as they sniffed around my car, grunted a few times then wandered off. My heart was RACING. A total Jurassic park moment for me… Cue the music 🙂
After the sun set over the hills, I hopped back into my car and took off for camp. When I ran into those same three bison again, I jumped out of the car and grabbed this photo of them, wished them a peaceful night and back to camp I went. I watched a movie in the car and fell asleep being sure to set my alarm for the sunrise that would be anything but lame. 🙂 Utah, you are one of my favourite states!! 🙂
– Devon
Bison, Bison, BISON!!!
Leaving Crazy Horse we finally made our way to Wind Cave National Park where we would be camping out for the next 3 days. This place is easily up there on my top 5 places to visit. This was the only thing left on our list before we started the drive home. We decided to stay away from Custer State Park. Instead we drove along the outside of Custer Park into Wind Cave. The energy there… it’s something else. So calm, so peaceful. This was the perfect place to spend the next few days. We quickly raced to the visitor centre to ask a few questions before camping out. The rangers are SO nice at Wind Cave, answering all our stupid questions. The park is small and a small highway runs through the park. The park campground was near empty, only 3 other campers the first night. We quickly made a fire and settled in for the night knowing when we got up the next morning we would be seeing the famous bison 🙂 I was like a kid on Christmas, so excited I could barely sleep. Having the owls hoot me to sleep helped.
The next morning it was go time. I rushed J awake even before the sun fully rose, coffee and toast, check. Now, let’s go hiking. We drove down past the visitor centre not knowing where we would be going. We go up a hill, turn the corner, hang a right at the stop sign and BOOM there they are… The bison. Making their way across the green hills and up across the road to their daily mud baths, then into the Black Hills forest surrounding Wind Cave. Hundreds of them… everywhere!! It was like Antelope Island all over again. I was speechless and near tears. The bison just sauntered around like we weren’t even there, no other cars around us, just Jade and I along with HUNDREDS of these animals. They stopped in front of our car, two came right up to the window. I admit I panicked a bit and rolled up the window while J laughed at me. Once there was a break in the road we drove down a few miles until we accidentally left the park, turning around and re-entering the park we round the corner and BOOM again we are in grid lock with the bison. Can’t say either of us were upset by this. We pulled into a look out and turned off the car and just sat with them, for what seemed like an hour. Mothers and their babies walked past us. The leaders of the group, the big, huge males sniffed our car, they knew we were there to just sit with them, not causing any harm. We watched as they bellowed at other cars and jumped out of the way of some assholes who refused to slow down for them. We just sat with them and gave them our time, and respect.
I can easily spend all day talking about the bison we encountered on this trip. It was exactly what I needed for my soul. Sitting here, going through all the pictures, I feel a sense of calm wash over me, everything is going to be ok. Weird, those lyrics JUST played in my headphones. I guess it will be ok.
J and I went to Wind Cave just for the bison. We were greeted by more prairie dogs, deer, antelope, coyotes etc. all at once. We watched as a coyote stalked the prairie dogs, J telling me we need to let him know he will be eaten but no, this is nature doing it’s thing. The bison walked up and scared the coyote away all while ruining the prairie dog’s home by peeing in it and then rolling around. Prairie dogs have it rough guys. 🙂
We sat by our campfire just taking in the sights and sounds of Wind Cave. The owls in the forest behind us, the deer roaming the hills while the sun goes down, the crackling fire, the PERFECT rolling clouds and landscape. This was my favourite part of the trip, just sitting at camp with all of nature around us. We often get so side-tracked by life, we don’t get to experience or enjoy this. 3 days in Wind Cave I will remember forever, the bison everyday, greeting us with such delight, the final day we went to go say thank you and goodbye to them. They were doing their morning walk to the forest across the road. Today was a little different, we pulled off to the side of the road and just watched as the mothers and their babies walked up to the car. The babies playing right beside us, jumping and kicking in the air having the time of their lives while we watched. The mothers let this happen, they know, we knew. It was a peaceful moment we will both remember forever.
I drove out of Wind Cave extremely relaxed, ready to take on the world. I was commenting to Jade as we made the last uphill decent towards the gates that this trip really changed how I look at things. I then slowed the car through the prairie dog maze and stopped, yelling that there were TWO bison at the top of the hill just standing there. We both looked over and Jade said, “Oh yeah! There they are!”, then got out her camera for when we got to the top of the hill. When we got there, there were no bison to be found… I swear up and down they were there, in a park full of rolling hills and far away forests it’s hard to miss TWO 1500 lb creatures. Were they there?? Or was it another “Jessie” instance?
Maybe it was some of that “Canada Magic” we’ve been told we have. 🙂
– Devon
Memphis Part Uno.
I’ve always wanted to go to Memphis. It’s a hotbed of sights & sounds. The blues were born there & a lot of the major fashions seen in early rock & roll came from Lansky’s on Beale. Everything from zoot suits to the jive cats of the 70’s, they all came from a little shop at the end of Beale. A lot of major events took place in Memphis as well. Most notably the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in downtown Memphis on April 4th, 1968. The Lorraine Motel has since been converted into the National Civil Rights Museum. And of course, the home of their most famous citizen, Elvis Presley.
The drive down to Memphis from home went well. We found several really cool places to stay along the way. One of which was Red Rock Canyon State Park in Hinton, OK. Neither of us had been to Oklahoma before, but it’s a beautiful state. One thing stands out in my mind about Oklahoma. They love their highways manicured. I have never seen such clean highways, and it seems as though they mow their lawns every single day. I never saw one unkempt lawn. Impressive to say the least. The bugs are something else in OK. I’ve only seen bugs that big in one other place in New Mexico. Once, when I went to the washroom, I got smacked in the face with a huge locust bug. It shocked me so much to be hit in the face which such a bug. I stood there in the doorway and watched as the locust hopped out the door and into the night. Devon was SO creeped out by the bugs that she refused to use the washroom alone. I don’t blame her. Red Rock Canyon State Park is a really beautiful park. You drive down a tricky, winding road into the park. You’re surrounded by red rock walls and the canyon itself is alive with vivid colours, trees, grass, everything jumps out at you. The park has several walks and hikes to enjoy. The canyon was used as a winter stop over for the plains indians where they’d bunker down and wait out the snow. It was also a landmark and camping area on the California Road. Settlers going west used this sandstone canyon for collection of fresh water and wagon repairs. On the west side of the canyon, along the California Road Trail, you still can see the wagon ruts. People even come down into the canyon to fish in the river. Though Devon & I were off put by the thick green sludge covering the river. Across from the river up on the hill side was a beautiful patch of St. John’s wort. Devon, being a plant nut, was eager to climb up the hill to pick some but the grade on the hill (cliff) was far too steep even for her. *Note to self: remember climbing gear when out on a nature walk.* This park is also pretty rare in that it offers campers the use of showers. Much needed when on the road. I know we appreciated it. After one night we were back on the road to Memphis. We would make it there in one day’s time. 
Once we arrived in Memphis, we ended up camping at Graceland RV & Campsite located conveniently on Elvis Presley Boulevard across the street from Graceland itself. The trip down went a little faster than we thought, with us arriving two days early. We enjoyed camping out the first night after a long day in the car. The next day we went into downtown Memphis & checked out Beale Street. The first place we checked out was A. Schwab’s, the oldest establishment there, opened in 1876. With two floors full of oddities & trinkets, I quickly saw why this store has been popular for over a hundred years. Between the first and second floors is a balcony housing the Beale Street Museum. A mercantile shop, this was a fun place indeed. There’s a little bit of everything here. From clothes, to records, to all sorts of knick knacks. A family owned store for 136 years, their motto is “If you can’t find it at A. Schwab, you’re probably better off without it!” The floor boards were amazing. In fact, the whole building was beautiful. I still remember Devon walking out of the bathroom commenting on just how beautiful even the washroom was. The 100 year old wood was in brilliant shape. Beale is quite funky & truly the birth place of the blues. We walked along Beale for a while and checked out the store fronts. There’s a feeling on Beale that’s hard to describe. It feels like you’re surrounded by soul. Walking down Beale we stopped at Church Park on 4th, checked out the statute of W.C. Handy, then walked down to W.C. Handy’s house on 6th. The house is little more than a tiny shack, no bigger than a shed. It’s surprising to know that this is where the blues were born.
After Beale, it was on to Union Avenue where we went looking for Sun Studio. The record store is just as cool as I thought it would be. Sam Phillips brought the best out of local artists here. It was here in 1953 that Elvis came in to record two songs for his mother, “My Happiness” & “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” for $3.25. Sam Phillips assistant Marion Keisker discovered the young King and pushed Phillips to record with him. There was an exciting buzz inside, as if the energy of all the great music created there still lingered. We decided to forego the tour there, but I’m kind of kicking myself now. When you go inside the recording studio itself, you get to stand in the very spot where Elvis changed the face of music. After Sun Studio, it was down to the mighty Mississippi River to check out the size of it all. An incredible sight to behold. The backdrop of several books & movies, made famous by Mark Twain, the Mississippi is massive. Once an important cog in the cotton trade route, the Mississippi was used as stopping points for restocking troops during the Civil War. Remnants of some forts along the shore still exist. I’m glad we stopped to check out the river. It was truly a marvel.
After a long day of checking out the city, we found ourselves completely famished. With help from a friend who emailed us directions, we managed to find some vegan food at this cute hole in the wall called Imagine Cafe. Pulling up to the “restaurant”, the place looked more like a private home than an eatery. Once inside, it became clear that we were inside a restaurant. Waiting for our food, the smells coming from the kitchen were insane. I got mac ‘n’ cheese and a buffalo chick’n sandwich and Devon had a pulled “pork” sandwich.With our food in hand, it was back to our site for the evening. We were serenaded by Elvis as we ate dinner poolside. Turning in for the night, I struggled to sleep.
The next day, it would be Graceland.
– Jade
This Buds for you. :)
With Antelope Island quickly fading in our rearview, we were fast on our way to Salt Lake City, Utah and on to one of Devon’s must see spots, Buds. For months & months I’ve had to listen to Devon and our friend Lisa drone on & on about a vegan buffalo sandwich from Buds in SLC. So much so, that I feared the anticipation of this sandwich would be greater than the actual product. Devon drove will excitement while I read the map with fingers crossed that we wouldn’t be disappointed.
The highways in and around Salt Lake City are both massive & intimidating. They are not for the weak of heart. Moving quickly through the mid morning traffic we searched for this eatery. Buds is actually quite small, with no indoor seating. If you didn’t know where it was, you’d never know it was there or exactly what kind of establishment it is. Buds blends in well with the surrounding buildings, inhabiting one of the beautiful refurbished red brick store fronts. The place isn’t hidden but it’s also not advertising itself with a sandwich board on the sidewalk. It seems to be one of those underground, word of mouth vegan eateries, hiding in plain sight amongst the Mormon schools & book stores. Finally, we see it on the corner of a side street & we start looking for parking. Oddly enough, we find a spot not 10 feet down the road & snap it up before anyone else can.
Walking with purpose toward Buds, there’s a familiar glow around Devon… the kind she gets when she’s near red rock, Moab or really awesome vegan food. Struggling to keep up with her, we finally make it to the door. She pulls the door open with the biggest grin across her face. She doesn’t need to look at the menu, she knows exactly what she wants even before we left for this road trip. The lady at the counter is very bubbly, with a polite demeanour. I never know if people can tell if we’re travelling, Canadian or both. She asks us how our morning is going & we both say good. Devon places our order of two buffalo sandwiches to go & I grab a Hansen’s Natural Grape Soda and start our way back outside to wait for our food.
There were a few people enjoying their food in the outdoor seating, but we chose to stand on the sidewalk & wait. I can actually see Devon vibrating with excitement over this sandwich. After a quick check in with home, via email, we were greeted by the same cheerful woman with our food all wrapped up and ready to go. I think it took all the will power in Devon to not jump up & down and do a happy dance when she was handed her sandwich. Deciding it best to go back to our car and eat while sitting on the grass, we made our way back around the corner and plopped down with our substantial sustenance wrapped smartly in tinfoil.
Seated side by side, we both sniff the package of awesome held in our hands. The savoury spices permeate our nostrils with such invitation to chomp down that I was surprised we both found the time to unwrap the sandwich first. It looks like a decent sandwich, one which we’ve attempted to replicate at home. Since I’ve never actually tasted this sandwich, each attempt made in our kitchen tasted amazing to me. I watched Devon as she opened her sandwich slowly and inspected its perfection. Taking photos of both the sandwich & her diving into it, I was amused to see her enjoyment when she announced (through food) that it did, in fact, taste the same. Now it was my turn. Taking my first bite, I was met with amazing flavour packed in a crispy baguette. We spent the next few minutes quietly enjoying our sandwiches while trying to figure out what exactly the contents of it were. I can tell you that it contains fresh house made coleslaw mixed with Ranch dressing & Frank’s Red Hot Sauce as a base for its buffalo sauce. After that, your guess is as good as mine.
I can also tell you that it is every bit as awesome as Devon & Lisa swore. Should you find yourself in Salt Lake City, vegan & hungry… look up Buds and enjoy! Even if you’re not vegan, you should still do yourself a kindness and try it.
– Jade
Magical Lakes & Bison Sightings.
The first day of our crazy road trip started off like any other. Everything packed up & off we went. The first day of our trips are always about distance. Putting distance between us & our lives back home. Washington state is beautiful. The lush green backdrop is a constant reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a vibrant environment. The Pacific Northwest is amazing, hands down. However, if we don’t make it out of Washington on the first day of a road trip, it simply feels like we’re cross border shopping. So we moved like bandits on the run from the law. Making it all the way down into Oregon that first night.
The first hiccup of our trip has to be the moment our “new” GPS decided it would be awesome to crap out on us. It was back to reading a map for me & navigating old school. Having searched the map for a worthy camping site close to the Idaho state line, we saw a state park sign for Anthony Lakes in between La Grande & Baker City OR. Enjoying the 20 mile drive up to the park, we came upon fields of cows who were more than willing to pose for photos & seemed to enjoy the attention. Once we were on the drive up the mountain into the park, we both remarked how similar this felt to Yosemite, but on a smaller scale. The mountain tops were blanketed in mist making the whole drive up there both beautiful & mystical.
After arriving atop the mountain we were surprised to see it was a popular destination. We managed to snag a spot away from the groups of families. We then went for a quick walk around the area & found ourselves surrounded by crisp air & vibrant colours. The peak itself, Mount Ireland, was stunning. After a while, what I thought was a campsite we did not want to intrude upon turned out to be one of the lakes, we hiked down to the water to take in the living postcard before us. Every angle was an amazing photograph. There were a few people quietly enjoying the lake, fishing & taking their own photos. Devon picked up some discarded fishing line so it wouldn’t become a hazard to the wildlife. Then, we heard the distinct sound of a base being tuned up. Apparently, there was a wedding reception starting up. With that, it was back to the camp site.
Devon set up the site while I walked down to the camp site host for a bundle of firewood. We enjoyed a quiet dinner with the crackling of the fire pits seemingly in unison. A rather nice lady from the site across ours came over to introduce herself. She saw that we were Canadian and wanted to say hello. A fellow Canadian, we ended up having a lovely chat with her & quickly fell for her beautiful rescue German Shepard. The next morning, I walked over & gave them the remaining firewood we were unable to use up or take with us. Their dog was super sweet & quiet playful. Just seeing her made us miss our Jacke Boy that much more. We said our goodbyes, gave them some advice on travelling back home up to Victoria & started out for the day. A quick stop in historic Baker City OR for coffee & then it was on to Boise ID.
I’ve never been to an REI but I can tell you this, after stopping at the one in Boise, I really want to go back! The employees are so nice, and the product selection is varied & far more cost effective than the items back home. We also stopped in at Whole Foods for some much needed food supplies for our cooler. From there it was on to Salt Lake City, Utah. The drive through Idaho went faster than it has in prior trips. I wish I could tell you that the scenery on the drive through Idaho is unreal but the reality is far more bland. We spent more time watching the roadside for deer than the landscape itself.
After high fiving having crossed into Utah, a state of calm washed over us. It truly feels like a vacation when we hit Utah. The drive through this section is breathtaking as you see the land change colours before your eyes. After consulting the map again for the exit to Antelope Island, Devon saw a sign for it & we started in on our next adventure. Making our way through the small town of Syracuse we found ourselves at the entrance for the Great Salt Lake State Park on Antelope Island. Paying for our entry & campsite, Devon almost drove off in a mad rush to just relax after having driven for 10 hours straight. The park ranger handed us our booklet & our campsite pass then we drove into the park. Devon remarked that the drive in seemed eerily reminiscent of Tsawassen and the drive to the ferries. The first thing we read about Antelope Island is, of course, the antelope that inhabit it, as well as the bison. There are roughly 500-700 head of bison that call the island home. The road ahead forked and we picked the left hand road because Devon read that the bison like to hang out near the water. Not 5 minutes into the drive down this road were we met with 5 bison chilling by the roadside, grazing. The biggest smile took over Devon’s face & it looked like she would cry. These creatures are so massive & gentle. They meander with not a care in the world. We stopped the car, put on the hazards & took as many photos as the bison would let us. There were three to the left of the road on the lakeside & two more to the right of the road. A giant bison lumbered slowly across the street not 5 feet from our car. Both of us slack jawed & awestruck while furiously clicking away on our cameras, the bison had no worries about our presence and took his time crossing the road. I looked over & I felt as though Devon would burst into tears, her eyes reddening, her voice shaky with excitement. We waved at these beautiful creatures, said our thank you’s & made our way down the road a bit more before turning around and heading back down toward the turn off for the campsite. We were assigned campsite #18 and as we drove up into the Bridger Bay campground Devon saw a bison in the distance and quipped, “I’ll bet you he’s at our spot.” Truer words never spoken. As we circled around the site, looking for #18, we slowly pulled up & there he was, sitting there, like an official welcomer to Antelope Island. There he was, this gorgeous animal enjoying a dust bath not 15 feet from our site. We stopped the car, grabbed our cameras and took a handful of pictures of him as he lay there, enjoying the weather. We took a few shots of the sun setting as it tangoed with the low hanging clouds creating this crazy halo above us. Looking back at the bison, he would stay there all night, as if to say, “I get it, we’re cool.” These mammals made peace with mankind long ago & now they live in harmony with the land while we get to share in their beauty. I think that he hung around all night because he knew that we needed him to be there. We appreciated his presence and will continue to be grateful that we got to share his energy all night long.
We set up camp, made a fire & ate beans as our meal while quietly enjoying the bison laying within 20 feet of us. Laying down for the evening, I could not wipe the grin off of my face & I wondered why I was so happy. The moment we set foot on the ground there a calm energy washed over me & stayed the whole time we were on Antelope Island. I kept sitting up, looking for the bison as darkness fell all around. Though hot all night it was a peaceful sleep. We arose the next morning, our new bison friend had moved on. Devon was awoken by a magpie sitting on the post next to our car. He cheerily chirped & sang her awake. Once up for the day, we made a BioLite breakfast of coffee & peanut butter & banana sandwiches. There were several pheasants visiting the surrounding sites. Curious little birds, they walked about looking for food. After packing up, we decided on exploring the island a bit before leaving. We ventured down the roadway & back down the road that first took us to the bison. Sure enough, they were there again. We waited as they marched on past us. This time they galloped past, then settled down & calmly walked across the road. We grabbed a few more photos then carried on our way down the island to the Fielding Garr Ranch.
A working ranch for over 100 years before stopping operation in 1981, in modern times, the ranch house is still the oldest building on its original foundation in Utah. We took the self guided tour around the ranch. I enjoyed the simplicity of the 100 year old blacksmithing equipment, while Devon wasn’t much impressed with it having being raised on a farm. Her grandfather had a dairy farm & understood the inner workings of it all while I had to stop & read about everything. She humoured me & let me read each display while she tried to say hello to the horses in the corral. Once we were finished with the tour, it was back into the car & back on the road into Salt Lake City for the most amazing vegan buffalo sandwich I have ever tasted.
– Jade
Slowing Down.
I always tease Jade that she needs to slow down, she is always on the go. She can’t sit still and she’s always finding things to keep herself occupied. But I think it’s me that really needs to slow down. When I have an idea I want to make it happen right away! I lose interest in things VERY easily. Like school. I applied for school a few months ago and it’s about to start, and I really don’t want to do it anymore. I lost interest… I am literally forcing myself to do it because at one point, not two months ago, I was dying to go to school.
I am balls out, go go go… in my head. Always wanting things to happen quickly and when on a road trip, I want to go full tilt as well. I want to experience everything and anything, as much as I can. Live fast because I probably won’t live a long life is what I always thought. And I found, on my last trip, I can and have easily missed out on things because I want to constantly go. Sure… I can see a million things but am I really taking anything in? Probably not. I know I’m not. And maybe, just maybe, being on these road trips I am not necessarily supposed to see things. Maybe I am supposed to sit and reflect with myself, just be with my thoughts and feelings. Or sitting in the moment with friends not saying a word over a campfire and just… being.
Jade and I have an upcoming road trip in August/September. This is HER road trip. This is the surprise trip that I have been casually planning for a year, giving her zero clues. We have one destination… Memphis, Tennessee. Jade wants to go to Graceland. She has always dreamed of going there. So that is where we are going to go. Other than that… no plans, no set route, no anything. We are just going to throw some clothes in a bag, grab the tent and hit the road. This will be totally different from past trips I have taken but it’s time to slow down.
I’m just not in a hurry anymore.
– Devon
Home.
(hōm) n. – A place where one lives; a residence. / An environment offering security and happiness.
Home is where you lay your head at night. Home is where you feel safe and secure in all that is around you.
Describe home. 
Is it where you hang your hat at night? Is it where you keep your belongings? Is it a physical place? Or a feeling?? I’ve been struggling for awhile trying to figure out what home is. At this very moment, I haven’t a fucking clue where or what “home” is. I just know where I am is not home. Where I live, apartment and city, is not my home. I don’t feel this is the place for me. I don’t know if I ever have.
“Home is people. Not a place. If you go back there after the people are gone, then all you can see is what is not there any more.”
― Robin Hobb, Fool’s Fate
I definitely think that home IS where you place your head at night and where you surround yourself with comforts but I think that place is constantly changing, as we humans are. It is that tranquility and peace that envelopes you and makes you feel safe. THAT is home.
It doesn’t matter if your home happens to be a manse or a lean-to. If that’s your ideal, awesome. I’m happy in a barn or a tent. My favourite place to stay on the road is my car. I can feel at ease in your giant oversized, second mortgaged ideal but I prefer the cozy feeling of a cabin or a tiny a-frame tree fort.
“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.”
― Gary Snyder
So what do you do when you don’t feel like you have a home?? I have an apartment. It’s a great place: amazing views, stunning floors, spacious. It’s where I keep my belongings (not many might I add) but it doesn’t feel like my home. My home is the road. It’s as though I am returning by instinct to my territory after leaving it… my home… the road. I NEED to be there.
Each day I wake on the road, open to new possibilities and each night, I lay my head on a pillow (mine from my apartment) and I am once again home. Home, for me, is internal. When I am at peace with myself, I am home. I am most at peace on the road.
“Where thou art, that is home.”
― Emily Dickinson
-Devon
The Frugal Trekker 