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Wyoming & Montana road trip: Bozeman (day 11)

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Our final Montana sunset

If you had told me on the first day of this trip that I would ever appreciate a night’s rest in a sleeping bag, I would have laughed. All that comes to mind of that first night is tossing & turning my aching body, wishing desperately for something more separating me from the rocky, cold ground beneath. But after 10 long days of hiking, I don’t think I woke up once last night. We slept in, & I awoke blissfully rested & cozy in my sleeping bag, appreciating its warmth & comfort from the cold, mountain air.

Today’s only task was to drive back to Bozeman. The adventure is drawing to a close. After 10 days of climbing mountains, walking main streets & gazing at incredible stars, it is time to return home.

On our way, we stopped by Starbucks, & we were greeted with a fun surprise – the first pumpkin spice latte of the season. Fall is on its way. It’s a time of change, of bittersweet endings & new beginnings. It’s fresh, exciting & something I am actually looking forward to returning home for. As beautiful as the West is, there is no better place to be for fall than the East Coast to see the leaves change. 

The drive flew by as we chatted & listened to music. Most of the shops were closed when we arrived in Bozeman, but the restaurants were just beginning to open for dinner. We chose to eat at Plonk, an eclectic restaurant with inventive cocktails & delicious food. I ordered the Indian Paintbrush, a cocktail made with citrus vodka, sour lemon-lime & fresh raspberry purée. Joseph ordered the Whistle Pig Old Fashioned, which was made with Whistle Pig Rye, Whistle Pig Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, bitters, & a lemon & orange oil. To commemorate our anniversary a few days prior, we ordered the Ploughman’s Platter, a charcuterie board with an array of delicious meats & cheeses. For dinner, I ordered the Grilled Salmon, which was served overtop grilled broccolini & topped with salt roasted beets & tangy horseradish cream. Joseph ordered the g.f.b., a burger made with local beef & topped with smoked cheddar cheese, house-made dill pickles, local greens, fresh tomato, citrus aioli, & spicy chimichurri & served with fried tri-colored fingerling potatoes. 

Our stomachs were full, but we couldn’t resist one more taste of local Montana ice cream. We stopped by Sweet Peaks for a scoop each & relaxed as we licked our frozen treats. The sun was still up, but we were too tired to keep exploring. Instead, we drove to our Airbnb to get ready for our flight home the next day. I fell back onto our bed & immediately sunk into the soft mattress with a satisfied groan. 

“Oh, wow, you’re not going to believe this,” I said.

“Is it good?” Joseph asked. 

“Don’t come to bed until you’re done packing, because you’re not going to get up after you feel this,” I said. I had forgotten just how comfortable a mattress was. Despite being sad to leave this beautiful place, my excitement began to grow just to have the comforts of home once again: A bed, a hot shower, a temperature-controlled environment. 

The trip was amazing, & I am sure within a few days, I will be ready for our next adventure. But right now, I’m excited for the next chapter of our lives. I’m excited to be home, to see the people I love & to see what joys this next season will bring. And most of all, I am grateful that no matter where this life takes me, I always have my adventure buddy for life by my side. 

Life is meant to be experienced & savored no matter where it takes you. From summiting mountains to long days at the office, every day is a new adventure, & I will always be grateful that I am one of the lucky souls that gets to experience it. 

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Wyoming & Montana road trip: Grinnell Glacier (day 10)

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Me in front of Grinnell Glacier

There is a strange sort of time warp that happens when traveling. Every day is so long & exhausting, every moment filled with new experiences. And yet, before you know it, the final day has arrived, & you are wondering where the time has gone.

Today is our final day in Glacier National Park. Tomorrow, we will be headed to Bozeman, Montana to get ready for our flight home the following morning. As it is with all of our trips, I cannot believe how fast the time has flown by. And, as with any of other trip, we had the same hope for our final day of traveling – that this day, this hike, & this view, would be the best of all, the perfect finale for an epic adventure.

We woke up early to drive the three hours around Glacier National Park to Many Glacier. Along the way, we stopped at a roadside stand for some coffees & a very disappointing breakfast burrito. We arrived a little later than we would have hoped, & we both dressed a little too warm for the unexpectedly hot sun. It seemed we were off to a rocky start as we began our ascent up to Grinnell Glacier.

The Grinnell Glacier hike is strenuous, filled with multiple switchbacks as you work your way up the mountainside. As if that wasn’t enough to take your breath away, the views along the way up are marvelous. We found ourselves constantly stopping to look back at the dark green pine trees that surrounded vibrant blue water. I will never get over the views in Glacier – it is truly the most beautiful place I have ever been.

As we neared the top of the hike, the air grew colder. Despite having just hiked hours through hot sun in far too many layers, we found ourselves throwing our jackets back over our shoulders. As we rounded the final corner, we were hit by a harsh wind that threatened to blow us back down the way we had come. We stood at the top, teeth chattering & bodies shivering, gazing in wonder at the view before us. Dark rocks led the way to water so blue it looked like the sky. Floating soundlessly, barely causing a ripple, were large chunks of ice like miniature icebergs. High above, the white snow of Grinnell Glacier melted into a waterfall that cascaded down the gray rock to form the lake we now sat beside.

Joseph right after jumping into Grinnell Glacier Lake

It felt as if we had accidentally traversed into an arctic landscape. The light off the water & snow was blinding, & yet, I couldn’t help myself from continuing to gaze in wonder. I sat on the edge of the rock, my boots just out of reach of the frigid water lapping at the shore. Joseph, however, had something else in mind.

It was a baptism of sorts as he jumped into the freezing water. It’s been a long year of hard work, but coming home from this trip, he will be starting a new chapter of his life as a Clinical Mental Health Therapist, his dream job. I cannot even begin to express just how proud I am of his dedication & perseverance, & I am so excited to see what this next chapter of his life will hold.

Panting from the cold & shivering uncontrollably beside me, he pulled on his dry shirt & asked, “Are you going to jump in?”

“Absolutely not,” I said. As tempting as it was, I was perfectly content just soaking in the view in my blissfully warm hiking clothes. 

It was a race against the clock on our way back down the mountain. We were eager to get back to the other side of Glacier with still a little daylight left. Joseph & I were starving by the time we reached the bottom, but there was no time to stop for food. We ate a quick snack on the drive, & arrived at Lake McDonald just in time for a final Glacier sunset seated on rainbow colored rocks. 

It is hard to say goodbye to such a beautiful place. The mountains glowed orange, bathed in the light of the setting sun. We watched as the purple shadow slowly crept up the side of each mountain, submerging the Glacier landscape in darkness. As the tip of the final mountain slowly darkened, we bid farewell to this magnificent place. 

On our way back to our campsite, we stopped at Glacier Highland, a motel & restaurant just outside the park with homestyle comfort food. To start, we ordered the Hiking Poles, which were sticks made of pillowy pizza dough topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, an earthy pesto sauce, fresh garlic, & a drizzle with olive oil to finish & served with hot marinara sauce. After a long day of hiking, they were the perfect treat. For dinner, Joseph ordered the Huckleberry Hound, a burger served with the restaurant’s homemade barbecue sauce & topped with crispy bacon, sautéed onion, & gooey havarti cheese. I ordered The Ptarmigan, a Middle-Eastern style salad with farro, chopped cucumbers & chickpeas tossed with a lemon-dill dressing & sprinkled with feta cheese. Overly satisfied, we drove back to our campsite & crawled into our sleeping bag, eager for a long night’s rest.

Our final day in Glacier National Park did not disappoint. The day was long & tiring, but the views were so spectacular, I barely even recalled the difficulty of the hike or the long drive to get there & back. And as I began to think about the idea of returning home, I suppose that is a great way to think about approaching all of the days of our lives. They can be long & exhausting, filled with moments we would rather gloss over or forget entirely. Disappointing breakfast burritos can be the start to rather disappointing days if that’s all we remember. But there are other moments that seem too special to allow to be tarnished by the difficulties that brought us there. 

How much better would life be if, instead of trying to make ourselves forget the hard days, we embraced them as part of the hike up to the view we have been waiting for – the experience, the baptism & the start of a new chapter of our lives? It’s hard in the moment to recognize that, even though the trek is difficult, we are still headed to the top, getting closer & closer with every step. And as you skip down the mountain, there is no better feeling than realizing just how far you have come. 

Life in general is a bit of a time warp. The days are long & exhausting, but before you know it, time has flown by. So, before you get too much further in your adventure, take a moment to stop & appreciate the view. You only get it for so long, & that in & of itself makes it too precious to go another second without notice.

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Wyoming & Montana road trip: Highline Trail, Lake McDonald & stargazing (day 9)

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Lake McDonald at sunset

One year ago, I woke up just as early as I did today with one thing in mind – marrying you.

I went for a run around the time you were waking up & making coffee in your hotel room. We deal with our nerves in different ways. But we were both thinking of the same thing.

I pinned sunflowers in my hair & you pinned one to your jacket. We spent the day surrounded by the people we love, but pointedly avoided one another. Divided only by a flight of stairs in the same house, it was tempting to see you, to talk about the excitement with you. You are the person I want to spend all my most exciting moments with. 

It was a humid, August day, but I didn’t notice. I only know because guests told me afterwards. I stood before you in a white dress under an arbor adorned with sunflowers, & I promised myself to you. 

We ate lemon cake, which was a mistake. I originally wanted lemon, but you hate anything citrus & I love you, so we chose peanut butter chocolate. But cutting into that yellow cake made us both happy because I love lemon, & you love me. 

We danced the night away with our friends & family. The night flew by faster than expected. When everyone gathered outside for the final send off, we danced alone under the twinkly lights, serenaded by Louis Armstrong’s “La Vie En Rose.”

Joseph & me dancing our first dance on our wedding day

Today, we woke up early, & we still had the same thing in mind.

“Happy Anniversary,” I whispered. 

“I was supposed to say it first,” you complained. 

“Oh, sorry. Pretend I didn’t say it yet.” We looked up at the dark canvas of our tent, listening to the early morning sounds of the woods.

“Happy Anniversary,” you whispered, & I couldn’t help but smile.

“Happy Anniversary.” 

I got ready & you made coffee. We drove into Glacier National Park, parked at Logan Pass, & began our trek into the mountains on the Highline Trail. It began with a narrow, rocky path with a steep fall to our left. We chatted with the other hikers & gazed out at the breathtaking view below. Our feet carried us above fluffy, white clouds & a valley bathed in pink from the early morning sun. We wound up the sides of mountains & over peaks, stopping to look down at cool glaciers, blue lakes & miles of pine covered mountains dusted in snow. 

As the sun reached the center of the sky, we stopped to rest, & you pulled your phone from your pocket to read to me new vows you had written. I cannot believe how much our love has grown. I thought at the altar, I loved you as much as I possibly could. But today, I love you even more than I did yesterday, & I know tomorrow, it will be even more still. My heart only grows you, & that is one of the many reasons I know we were meant to be together. You help me to be, not only myself, but the person I have always wanted to be. 

Me hiking on the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park

After our hike, we visited St. Mary for coffee & dinner. We ordered a glass of wine & toasted our year married & hopefully many more to come. As the sun lowered in the sky, we drove across the park to Lake McDonald. We sat together on the pebbly beach, gazing out in wonder at the colorful landscape before us. The setting sun was disappearing from the painted sky behind tall purple mountains, reflected into the clear, blue water below that rippled above rainbow colored stones. 

When the sky grew too dark to see, we walked to get ice cream – huckleberry for me & chocolate for you. We sat on a park bench together, happily licking our frozen treats & shivering because it was far too cold for ice cream. 

When we finished, we washed our sticky fingers & then drove to a nearby ranger station to participate in the park’s astronomy program. Amateur astronomers set up sophisticated telescopes so we could look at the stars, but headlights from nearby made it difficult to see & some rather overzealous participants made it difficult to learn. So we laid on the pavement a little farther from the group & just gazed up at the night sky together. We shivered as the air grew colder, but neither one of us wanted to leave. The stars were too beautiful & the night was too perfect. You offered me your jacket, & even though I refused, you draped it around my shoulders because you love me. And I snuggled close to you with a smile because I had planned this night for you & your fascination with the stars, & I love you. 

One year ago, I didn’t know what the next twelve months would bring. I couldn’t have predicted what our happiest & saddest days would be. I didn’t know what mountains we would be climbing, both physically & metaphorically. I didn’t know when the promises we made to each other at the altar would be tested, & I certainly didn’t expect how much more that would grow our love for one another. 

But I did know our love was true, and that no matter what life brought us to, I knew we would make it through together. Sunflowers & lemon cake, mountains & glacier lakes, stars & sunrises, arguments & compromises – it’s been a year of adventures, & I wouldn’t want to traverse this life with anyone else.

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Wyoming & Montana road trip: Logan Pass & Avalanche Lake (day 8)

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Joseph & me taking photos on the Going-to-the-Sun Road

The mountains are calling & I must go.

John Muir

We have finally made it to the mountains!

Joseph & I awoke at 4:30am for our first day in Glacier National Park. If you plan on driving your own car through Glacier, early wake up times are a must. The parking at Logan Pass at the top of the Going-to-the-Sun Road fills up fast, & besides this lot, there is very little parking to the trails in this area of the park. We drove the 15 minutes to Glacier & then sat in the line of cars waiting to get in when the gates open at 6am.

The mist was heavy as we drove our car into the park. As we passed through the tall pine trees that surrounded either side of the road, we gazed up in wonder at the tall shadows that loomed ahead of us, only to realize a moment later they were mountains.

The drive up Logan Pass can be nerve wracking. There is a short barrier separating your car from the drop below, but as you wind higher up into the mountains, you begin to realize that barrier can probably do very little to impede a speeding car. The views, however, are worth it. It was like stepping into a fantasy world. Forested mountains stretched on as far as we could see, basking in the early morning light. Every so often, waterfalls would tumble down the sides of these majestic beasts. Below us, clouds floated between the trees.

When we arrived at Logan Pass at 7:15, the lot was already nearly full. We parked our car, pulled on an extra few layers to fight against the chilly wind, & began our hike to Hidden Lake. 

A good part of the hike had been made accessible with a wooden boardwalk that wound over the landscape. The only challenge was the consistent elevation. Every so often, we would stop to catch our breath & look back to watch the sunrise over the mountains behind us. Beside the boardwalk, pink, purple & yellow wildflowers swayed in the wind. 

Hidden Lake Overlook

We reached the Hidden Lake overlook & were dismayed to see the remainder of the trail had been blocked off due to bear activity. We learned later a grizzly bear & her cubs had made their home around the lake & were attacking hikers that came too close. However, the view of the lake was still worth it. The harsh wind bit at our exposed faces & hands, & yet, we still stayed rooted to the spot, staring down at the crystalline blue water surrounded by tall, green fir trees. Already, the views in Glacier National Park had stolen the show. Nothing we had seen yet in our trip even came close in comparison to these magnificent views.

Running ahead of schedule because our hike had been cut short, we drove the remainder of the Going-to-the-Sun Road to St. Mary. Just as we were leaving the road, we slowed to a stop behind a line of cars that had ceased driving in the middle of the road. Confused, we peered through our windows, only to spot a black bear right beside the road! He was happily eating leaves from a small tree & paid little attention to us. His black fur looked silky soft, & his snout was nuzzling into the leaves, looking for a good bite. We watched him eat for a few moments before we had to drive on to let the drivers behind us see, but the bear remained a topic of conversation for the rest of the day. He was the first bear I had ever seen, & I understand now why black bears are said to be big teddy bears – he was adorable & looked sweet enough to hug, although I am sure if I had approached him, I would have felt differently.

We stopped at the ranger station in St. Mary to talk over the itinerary in our trip with a park ranger. Many of the trails we had planned to hike had also been closed due to bear activity, & every other trail had high bear warnings, a risk it seemed we would have to take. We adjusted our plans & then returned to our car with a new, very important mission: coffee.

Just a two-minute drive from the ranger station was a coffee shop serving espresso. Joseph & I ran inside, eager for a caffeine fix. I ordered a slice of lemon bread & the largest size of an almond milk latte available. Joseph ordered an americano & a coffee bombolone, an airy, Italian doughnut filled with sweet, espresso cream & topped with chocolate ganache. 

After this, we took our time driving back over the Going-to-the-Sun road, stopping at overlooks to marvel at the views. One of our favorite stops was at the Sun Point Overlook, where we hiked a short distance up to a cliff side that overlooked St. Mary Lake. I have never seen water so blue! It truly looked like a photo from a travel brochure, overly saturated & edited to look appealing. But there it was, right in front of our eyes, against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Avalanche Lake

For our afternoon hike, we chose to do Avalanche Lake. The trail had some elevation, but most of the hike was relatively easy. And the ending view was more than worth it. Being up close to that perfect blue water felt like something out of a dream. It was so blue it looked tropical, but surrounded by cozy pine & fir trees. It was something I have never seen before & still cannot believe is real. 

As we trekked back, the rain clouds that had been threatening to pour on us all day finally did. We scurried back to our car & decided to head out of the park early. Joseph suggested going out to eat, & because I had been dreading our evening freeze-dried meals all day, I happily accepted. 

We chose Backslope Brewing, a brewery just a few minutes outside of Glacier National Park with delicious, inventive food. For an appetizer, we shared the Labneh Plate, a mediterranean-style dish with fresh, creamy labneh cheese, a nutty pistachio mint pesto, salty kalamata olives, & soft, warm pita bread. I had to stop myself from eating the full plate so I could still enjoy our main course. For dinner, Joseph ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich, which is pickle-brined, served with a tangy house slaw, a creamy aioli, & a spiced tomato glaze. For a side, he ordered the Garlic Parmesan Fries, which are served homestyle & have the perfect level of saltiness that keeps you grabbing for more. I ordered the Sunshine VegBurger, which is a house-made veggie burger served with a creamy aioli, spicy pepper jack cheese, bitter microgreens, a tangy wing sauce, fresh tomato, pickled red onions & pineapple, & a sunny-side up fried egg. Even though our stomachs were full, we couldn’t help but finish every last bite. 

Overly satisfied, we returned to our campsite & retired early to bed. We had another early morning awaiting us & a long hike through the mountains to look forward to the next day.

It feels good to be back in the mountains. The fresh air & sweet smell of pine is everywhere. Despite the cold, it feels cozy. There is a special kind of energy that exists in the mountains & calls to explorers & adventurers. It’s serene & yet bursting with life. It feels like home.

The mountains have called, & we are here to answer them. 

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Wyoming & Montana road trip: West Yellowstone & Whitefish (day 7)

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Joseph enjoying ice cream at Sweet Peaks in Whitefish, MT

Road trips are exciting for the views, for the thrill of the adventure & for seeing new places. The part actually spent driving down highways in the car isn’t normally talked about. That was why the seventh day of our trip was not necessarily one I was looking forward to.

Today already had a stressful start. Three-day vehicle reservations to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park have to be made online at 8am the day ahead of time. There is almost no where in Glacier National Park you can go to without traveling this famous road. I have been stressed about this particular detail of our trip even before we arrived. I like to have everything I can booked ahead of time so we know where we are going & can just relax during our trip. But there was no option to book the reservations earlier, & I knew Yellowstone National Park would not be a great place to try to book – the cell service is spotty & wifi access is practically nonexistent. 

So, Joseph & I woke up at 4am, packed up our tent & hopped in our car to drive to West Yellowstone. There, we set ourselves up in Book Peddler & Coffee Cafe for some coffee, breakfast & wifi. Joseph ordered a breakfast burrito & vanilla latte, & I ordered a slice of vegetable quiche & an almond milk latte. The food was delicious & warmed our bones after another long night’s sleep in the cold Wyoming air. 

At exactly 8:00, I clicked to book our reservation. There were a few seconds that I waited, eyes wide staring at the circle going around & around on my screen, indicating the page was loading. And then, I breathed a sigh of relief – our reservation had been accepted. 

We packed up our things & hopped back in our car, ready to start the six hour drive to Whitefish, Montana.

The morning slowly dragged by into the afternoon. While we drove, we talked, made jokes, listened to music & played “My Cows” (our favorite road trip game & a perfect way to pass the time, especially when passing through lots of farms, as you do in Montana). One of my favorite new things to see in Montana were the “cow crossing” signs that dotted the road. As the drive went on, the jokes became sillier as we tried to stay awake after such an early morning & long trip.

“I like big butts & I cannot lie,” Joseph sang as we drove into Butte, Montana. “Look! They named it butt, & then they were like, ‘eh, we should put an “e” on that.’”

Joseph & I were hungry & tired when we finally pulled into Whitefish. We tried to walk the shops, but it was clear after only a few minutes of exploring that we needed food as soon as possible. We chose to eat at Casey’s, a sports bar that serves burgers, chili & more Montana favorites made with farm-fresh local ingredients. 

The Elk Chili at Casey’s in Whitefish, MT

We ordered a cup of the Elk Chili as an appetizer to start, & we scarfed it down as soon as it arrived. As I stated a few days ago, I don’t eat meat often, but the chili was seasoned to perfection & the ground elk was tender & juicy. For dinner, Joseph ordered a Whiskey Cowboy Burger, which was served with a sweet & tangy house whiskey BBQ sauce, gooey havarti cheese, & topped with a crispy, fried onion ring, all on a golden ciabatta bun. I ordered the Summer Greens Salad with a 3 Grain Roasted Pepper Veggie Patty. The salad greens were bitter & earthy, topped with sweet marinated cucumbers, crunchy walnuts, subtly sweet blueberries, salty feta cheese, & a delightfully tangy & sweet huckleberry vinaigrette.

Joseph & I were fully satisfied from our meal but could not resist the temptation to once again indulge in local ice cream. We visited Sweet Peaks, a local ice cream shop that features delicious seasonal flavors, all made with quality ingredients from the Montana mountains. Joseph ordered a waffle cone with espresso & chocolate ice cream, & I ordered a cup with two limited time flavors: Huckleberry Lemonade & River Boat. The Huckleberry Lemonade was a refreshing sorbet made with a sour lemonade & sweet mountain huckleberries – it tasted much like a cross between blueberry & raspberry lemonade. The River Float ice cream was creamy, with chunks of dutch-oven style honey butter cornbread & a fruity, tart swirl of blackberry jam. 

My ice cream from Sweet Peaks in Whitefish, MT

The clouds that had been looming above our heads began to release the rain they had been threatening for hours, so Joseph & I returned to our car & drove to our campsite. It was an Airbnb, with cabins & tent sites available, just a 15-minute drive outside of Glacier National Park. We pitched up our tent & then made a fire to sit & relax for the evening as we watched the stars appear. 

Despite having little planned for the day other than driving, day seven of our trip had not disappointed. I had enjoyed the hours spent in the car, listening to music & chatting with Joseph. And thanks to our early wake up time, we were able to spend a couple of hours exploring a main street & eating everything we could. 

Truthfully, even with the time spent in Whitefish, today still would not have been exciting at all had I not spent it with someone I love. Long, hunger-filled hours in the car can be brutally exhausting. But with Joseph, it was just another day of a very fun vacation. If nothing else, today was a reminder that travel is not about where you go, but who you adventure with. 

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