DNA-X #6

Posted on December 22, 2011 by dbaker

DNA-X #6  The Bighorns

“ Go softly by that river side
Or when you would depart
You’ll find its every winding tied
And knotted round your heart”

-R. Kipling

We leave the grand glaciers behind and drive southeast across most of the state of Montana. Nine hours later we arrive at the small village of Fort Smith and our next stop – Forrester’s Bighorn River Resort. Set along the banks of the Bighorn River, Forrester’s rustic cabins and gourmet cooking combine with scenic vistas to ready the visitor for what’s to come…awesome fishing! Ever since the movie A River Runs Through It made it onto the big screen, Montana fly-fishing has become a favorite summertime activity. We made our usual last minute reservations and luckily found a cabin available. Owners Nick and Francine Forrester admitted that most people book their trip a year in advance, maybe some day we’ll be that organized! We got the “fish two days, stay three-nights” package, all meals included but because this resort is located on the Crow Indian Reservation, no alcohol is sold so bring your own. The next day we met our cheery, Orvis endorsed guide, Andy, at 7:30am and were off to drift down the Bighorn. For the next two days we enjoyed perfect weather and non-stop action on the river. Boasting 7500 trout per mile, it’s hard not to catch fish here!

For our last evening, Nick treated us to a private boat ride through near-by Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Just south of the resort, the Yellowtail Dam blocks the flow of the river and forms the 71-mile long Bighorn Lake. Most of the lake flows through the spectacular Bighorn Canyon. The fishing is good here too along with camping and hiking. Wild horses and black bears live with the namesake Bighorn Sheep who call this canyon home. We cruised slowly along the steep canyon walls admiring the strange rock formations. Some transformed into animal shapes and strange silhouettes as the light changed. There was an eerie silence when the engine was turned off and we could feel eyes watching us from the cliffs. Tales of weird encounters and haunted spirits are part of the lore of this canyon but none of that deters locals and visitors from venturing forth to enjoy the beauty of this unique area.

Not far from Fort Smith is the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Set along the east side of the Little Bighorn River, this interesting monument is worth a stop. The 765-acre site serves as a memorial to the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry and the thousands of Lakota, Sioux and Cheyenne warriors who fought here in 1876 to preserve their way of life. Set in the semi arid high plains, this is the site of Custer’s Last Stand and stretching across the plains we saw white headstone markers standing where soldiers had fallen and red granite markers where the warriors fell. In 1991, the privately funded Indian Memorial was added with the theme “Peace through Unity” to “encourage peace among people of all races”. You can drive through the site or walk the trails, however, keep an eye out for rattlesnakes! The silence of these wind-swept plains belies the fierce fighting and fatalities that once marred this remote site.

We are aiming east, heading across the plains. Luckily, the sun is behind us now, lighting the way late in the day. Montana is fading from sight as we slide into South Dakota and course our way up a narrow canyon in the dark…

-Nelia
Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Land Rover LR3.

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DNA X #5

Posted on November 10, 2011 by dbaker

“Far away in northwestern Montana, hidden from view by clustering mountain peaks, lies an unmapped corner – the Crown of the Continent – “ 1901 George Bird Grinnell  ‘Father’ of Glacier National Park

We packed up our fishing poles and aimed “G” northwest through the vast wheat fields and ranches of Montana. Our destination is Whitefish, one of the towns on the doorstep of Glacier National Park. Established in 1910, Glacier and Canada’s adjoining Waterton Lakes National Park became one International Peace Park in 1932 and a World Heritage Site in 1995. This 1.2 million acre park had been on our list for last year’s trip but time ran out since most of the hotels and lodges in the park had closed by mid-September. If you have read about our previous experiences with park lodging you know it’s not our first choice since they tend to be overcrowded or in a state of disrepair. Tossing aside common sense, we reserved a room in one of the elderly hotels. Our “value” room offered 2 twin beds and a bath. Jay was leery so we perused the hotel reviews.  “…No elevators, paper thin walls, huge piles of dust under the bed, wind whistling through the door, mice in the walls and room eating our snacks, petrified hamburgers, creaky and creepy, House on Haunted Hill…” Spooks and infestations didn’t sound too appealing so we changed our reservation to a resort on Whitefish Lake. The brochure looked good, the reviews were acceptable and theoretically, there were no legions of 96-year-old dust bunnies. When we arrived the place was jammed with Canadian tourists and our room with a “partial lake view”- i.e. parking lot view, overlooked 6 industrial A.C. units blasting away 24/7 even though the temperature was in the 50’s. The dark, faux slate floor looked rustic but was as sticky as flypaper as were most of the floors in the hotel. We noticed a number of guests wandering around barefoot seemingly oblivious to or contributing to the floors’ patina, Yuk!

 The next day we had good weather and figured this was our window to drive into the Park to experience the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Chiseled out of solid granite in the early 1930’s, this engineering marvel snakes its’ way along the mountains steep periphery. This year the road only opened in mid July because of snow cover and extensive damage caused by the severe winter. The alpine section of the road is passable for about three months a year. If you travel on this spectacular but narrow 50-mile long ally there are a few things to keep in mind. There are vehicle restrictions on height, length and width, there are no gas stations in the park, it can snow at anytime throughout the year, and road repair is ongoing and will cause delays. Heavy tourist traffic adds to the excitement! Acrophobic types should wear blinders to avoid seeing the miniscule “guard-rails” that are supposed to keep you from sailing over the edge and into the mystic. Rock overhangs and jutting boulders intrude unannounced into the road.


We made the slow climb up, passing waterfalls and remnant glacier chunks that threatened to fall on passing vehicles. Traffic was slow and many gawking drivers weaved into our lane adding white to Jay’s knuckles. The road was one lane for several miles and rock slides left piles of rubble along the way.  After two hours, we reached 6,646 feet at Logan Pass where there is a visitor center that had an overflowing parking lot we couldn’t get into. So we turned around to head back to Whitefish.

We did see mountain goats grazing along the wildflower carpeted slopes and many glaciers along the tops of the higher mountains, but they are disappearing fast. The U.S Geological Survey predicts that due to warmer and longer summers all the glaciers could be gone by 2020. Another survey this year may adjust that timeline. Loosing the glaciers will affect the plant and animal life in the park as well as the income from tourists. Other threats to the park include logging, road expansion, development, mining and the ever-snowballing deficit to adequately take care of things like roads, wildlife management, facilities and habitat restoration. Plan your trip soon.

Back in Whitefish we took a stroll around town and spoke with several shop owners who verified the Canadian invasion. With the border only 55 miles away, the Park and local ski resort offer a convenient get away for Alberta and British Columbia vacationers.  The massive wealth derived from their tar sands mining has fueled an international controversy, the proposed $13 billion Keystone PipelineXL built by Trans-Canada. This pipeline will carry one of the world’s dirtiest fuels 2000 miles over watersheds and sensitive lands from Alberta to Texas where it will be refined. Another faze of this project has already started to carry oil to the mid-west.  We noticed several “No Pipeline” signs around but the resort atmosphere disguised any conflict. The President will give Canada the thumbs up or down by the end of the year. The safety of people and wildlife in seven states hangs in the balance. 

On our last day here we found some off road trails and continued our search for the grizzly bear, unsuccessfully. The only one we found was stuffed and standing 8 feet tall in the hotel lobby. We drove up Big Mountain to see Whitefish Mountain Resort - a standard ski resort with a good view and since the 1950’s home to a rather robust statue of Jesus.  The forest service owns the land and displaying religious icons is prohibited. When the recent battle to have it removed heated up, the locals discovered the whole area is under lease by big oil and not only Jesus could bite the dust. Many in the area have been working with oil companies to retire these leases and protect the land forever and in some cases the companies have cooperated.  All battles aside, international cooperation has worked before to preserve this area for future generations so we all can enjoy the real treasure here – the immense natural beauty, wildlife, pristine forests, lakes, prairies and glacier crowned peaks. Take the drive to experience the Crown of the Continent!

-Nelia
Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Land Rover LR3.

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DNA X #4 Montana Bound!

Posted on October 17, 2011 by dbaker

It’s always hard to leave Jackson Hole, WY but as this adventure was a last minute plan, the search for accommodations has now left us out in the cold. Never mind, we are heading for points north. The great state of Montana is “Big Sky” country and the “Treasure State” where the grizzly bear is the state animal. Good thing we have our trusty bear spray. We really did want to see a grizzly, however now we were more concerned about where we put the spray than using it. The spray’s directions announced in large letters- “Do not leave spray in hot car…” well this is August and every car is an inferno when parked! The back seat, piled high with gear, was a diabolical quagmire sucking in anything added to the heap. The vision of hitting a bump and being blasted by the exploding bear spray had us feeling a little nervous. So where did we put it…?!

We aim “G” north and keep the A.C. on “full gale” setting after Jay wrapped the spray in an insulating towel. This must be the Polar Express! Luckily we had to drive through Yellowstone National Park to get to our destination. A stop at the numerous hot springs and geysers warmed us up. No bears were sighted but a large herd of elk grazed along the northern border of the park.
We exited the park at Mammoth Hot Springs and entered Montana. We descended into Paradise Valley and found the Yellowstone River coursing its way northeast. Thunderstorms rumbled along the valley and the sky grew dark. We had the address of Hubbard’s Yellowstone Lodge and turned off on a dirt road near the small town of Emigrant. A few ranches dotted the vast valley and the road snaked its way up and up the valley’s flank. Where is this place, the sun is going down and we are in the middle of…? Finally at the end of the steep road, we found the lodge perched on a knoll with a stunning view down the length of the valley. The friendly staff greeted us but before we could go the cabin we had some paperwork to do. Several pages of disclaimers warned us that yes, this is wild country and wild animals abound. So if you get eaten, gored, drowned etc. it’s your fault! The lodge was surrounded by open land with few trees so at least you could see trouble coming! It was another last minute reservation and we were lucky to get it. We wanted to fly fish and hopefully survive to tell the story.

The all-inclusive lodge arranged a guide for us for the next 2 days. We requested a guide with a sense of humor for our own safety. Our fledgling fly-fishing skills would be put to the test and we hoped we wouldn’t be all thumbs! A casual perusal of the other

guests revealed some seasoned fly guys, complete with all the proper gear and duds. Oops, hope the fish don’t mind our un-officio shirts and no-wade shorts. All we want to do is have some fun not beat the state record. The next morning we meet our guide who sported a weathered cowboy hat and big mustache. Drew offered us a 10-mile float down the Yellowstone River, one of Montana’s “blue ribbon” trout fishing rivers. It is also the longest, un-dammed, free flowing river in the lower 48 states. We had seen the drift boats (oars only) floating down the Snake River and wanted to experience the ride so we were excited!

The day was warm and clear. The fishing was great after a few lessons from Drew. Hot springs tumbled into this part of the river and the many rapids attracted rafters as well as fishermen. For a combination of rafting, fishing and relaxing with no noisy motors groaning, I totally recommend it. We were the ones who got hooked!

-Nelia

Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Land Rover LR3.

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DNA X #3

Posted on October 4, 2011 by dbaker

“This Sublime Valley…”

                                                                   H. Albright

After a great stay in Boulder, we head “G” northwest on a nine-hour trek to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The weather is perfect, a dry 85 degrees and the traffic is sparse. We spend most of the day on WY Route 191, a combination of high sagebrush desert, mountainous forests and canyons. Arriving in Jackson late in the day it is clear that tourist season is in full swing. Bus loads, camper loads, van loads and overloaded backpackers have infested the small town. As usual we had trouble finding room at any inn. Last year we stayed in town but this year we found a bed in Teton Village at the base of the famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort about 20 minutes out of town. We’re not particularly fond of ski resorts but actually this was a stroke of luck as the upscale Hotel Terra is clean, quiet and has a great restaurant, the Il Villaggio Osteria. Check out their homemade pizzas and Italian specials. The hoards of tourists and smoke-belching busses didn’t venture here. Right outside the door are gurgling creeks, fresh mountain breezes and “bear warning” signs. Oh, I forgot to mention, this is home to grizzly and black bears, not to mention mountain lions, wolves and other large, toothy mammals. We failed to notice this detail in the brochure so be advised and pay attention when hiking on the trails as there are no fences to quarantine the wildlife. JHMR puts on a summer face and offers a variety of activities to keep you busy. Ride the ski lift to the top of the mountain with your bike and ride down the trails or just wander in to one of three restaurants perched at the summit and enjoy a meal with spectacular views. The gourmet Couloir Restaurant and Bar sits at 9095 feet at the summit of the Bridger Gondola. Reservations are recommended and bring your camera!

Last fall, we had our first encounter with this area (see DNA X #19 2010). We were so enchanted that we had to return. What was it about this place? Grand Teton National Park is one of the most spectacular places on Earth! Adjacent Yellowstone National Park, the National Elk Refuge and surrounding large tracts of National Forest provide a huge assortment of habitat for an incredible assemblage of wildlife not to mention spectacular scenery, geologic features, historic sites and more. It all seems so perfect and such an obvious choice for protection, but it wasn’t always that way. The history of the Jackson Hole valley is colorful and complex like the environment. Native Americans, trappers, ranchers, adventurers and tourists have all left their mark. The thought of making this area a park started in the early 1900’s. The National Park Service was eyeballing the Grand Tetons and the land surrounding the headwaters of the Snake River as an addition to Yellowstone National Park. At the time, the valley contained large cattle ranches and a few farms. With severe winters and few services it was a hard living.
The idea of “taking” away ranch land and “giving” it to the public for “enjoyment” was relatively new. Some struggling ranchers conceded to government buy out in the 1920’s while others were developing a new plan; invite wealthy easterners (“dudes”) to come experience the cowboy lifestyle. John D Rockefeller Jr. happened to visit the valley in the mid 1920’s and Yellowstone NP Superintendent Horace Albright caught his ear. Already unsightly development was making its mark on the valley and Albright wanted it stopped. Rockefeller agreed to purchase more than 35,000 acres for 1.4 million dollars. He would then donate the offending development and surrounding lands to the Park Service. This conservation effort was masked under the Snake River Land Company but when the ranchers found out about the plan they were incensed thattheir hunting and grazing rights would be gone. The battle lines were drawn and the fighting that ensued was contentious and sometimes violent.
After 20 years of bitter debate, lawsuits and political wrangling, the deal became reality. In 1950, Rockefeller’s lands and other parcels formed the current 310,000-acre Grand Teton National Park. Albright’s vision of protecting “this sublime valley” was finally a reality. Historic structures were also preserved in the valley such as the barns and houses along Mormon Row and Cunningham’s Cabin, the oldest sod-roofed log cabin. There are still many dude ranches to visit. Most are family friendly and offer horseback riding, fishing, rafting, hiking and National Park tours. Many of these ranches are booked well in advance so plan ahead, not like we didn’t!

We decided to explore some of the off road trails in the park and search out a quiet fly fishing spot to brush up on our shaky skills. We stop at a fly shop to get a fishing license and purchase some of the local, fake bugs (flies). As we inquired about where to fish, we asked the casual question about grizzly bears. The old codger behind the counter adjusted his glasses so he could look over the rim to see if we really looked that stupid. “Yep, a couple a folks got killed so far this year, hiking in Yellowstone…” He leaves a long pause for effect. “They’re out there alright, can run pretty fast too…you do have bear spray don’t you?” He’s now looking at us like we have bad B.O. “Well, no we don’t,” said Jay who is right up there with Stephen Colbert in his distain for bears. Conveniently located right in front of the counter is a glass case full of large aerosol cans. No, the bears don’t use deodorant and the thought that some aerosol can is going to stop a charging, pissed-off, 800-pound bear left us weak in the knees! The can comes with photos of mauled humans and mangled gear. Cute. We added a can to our pile and checked out. We wondered if the old guy was directing us to a bear hot spot set aside for yummy dummies…“turn right and follow the winding trail 5 miles, it’s secluded, lots of forest, trees fall across sometimes…you do have 4 wheel drive don’t you…? “ Maybe we need a chain saw! We jumped into “G” and locked the doors. We ignored the codger’s directions and decided to stay on trails where we had a good 360-degree view. We followed the sagebrush banks of the Snake River spotting moose, eagles and antelope. We ended up along the banks of the Gros Ventre River, one of the Snake’s tributaries. Fly-fishing at last we kept the bear spray handy and maintained a sharp lookout for marauding bears. The coast was clear, perfect!

-Nelia

Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Land Rover LR3.

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DNA-X #2 Colorful Colorado

Posted on September 21, 2011 by dbaker

 


Finally, as the sun emerged the snow capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains came into view. The Ocean of Corn (see DNA-X #17, 2010) disappeared in the rearview mirror. Into view came a small herd of Pronghorn Antelope wandering through the sagebrush high plains. We were homing in on Boulder, Colorado where we will meet up with our son and “LRB”. During the drive we lined up a glass doctor to repair G’s windshield. We checked in to the St. Julien Hotel where the efficient staff parked G in the garage to cool down for the operation. Apparently this windshield repair occurs frequently in the “Rocky Mountain” state. We noticed later that most vehicles had at least one crack if not many! The Dr. did his job and the next day we were off to explore the Front Range.

 We drove up to scenic Nederland, once a mining town now profiting from throngs oftourists. Cute restaurants, shops and frequent concerts entertain the crowds. Then our son led us on an off road tour along Switzerland Trail once a narrow gauge rail line, now a twisting, rock imbedded track that snakes along cliffs and weaves through forests. The LR’s handled the maze with ease and a generous helping of dust!

 We ended up in Gold Hill where the tourists are few and the charm is golden. The old mining town almost burned down last fall when intense forest fires torched thousands of acres and gobbled up some of the town’s vintage houses. Firefighters saved the bigger buildings including the historic Gold Hill Inn where you can enjoy a hearty dinner or rent the adjacent Bluebird Lodge for private events gone back in time. The town is still recovering from the blaze as many residents were uninsured and lost everything.

 Back in Boulder, the city was bustling with returning CU students, disoriented, new students, shepherding parents, overflowing shopping carts, hotels and restaurants. We decided to get out of town and went up Boulder Creek to do some family fly-fishing. Apparently every year someone gets swept away in the swift current that is crowded with sizable boulders. There were a few wet encounters, as we had never used waders before. One wrong move could fill those rubber togs with water and you might as well tie a ball and chain around your feet and say your “Hail Mary’s”. Our son managed to catch a few trout before a deafening crack of thunder and lightning sent us running to the car, no need to get electrocuted for a fish! The fish had nothing to worry about with my technique, I came up empty handed but I did stay dry!

 Nelia

Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog this fall. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Land Rover LR3′s.

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Discover North America Expedition- (DNA-X) 2011

Posted on August 29, 2011 by dbaker

Well, we’re on the road again! Blog readers from last year may remember we traveled aboard “Blackie” our 2008 Range Rover Sport. We figured after almost 14,000 miles she deserved a vacation! This time our trusty steed is a gray 2007 LR3 purchased at Land Rover Palm Beach a couple of years ago. Due to the fact that we also have a blue, 2006 LR3, we had to name them to make things less confusing. Hence they are referred to as LRG (gray) and LRB (blue). I admit these are not very creative names but “G” and “B” don’t seem to mind. G has been outfitted for some serious off-roading that we plan to do. We are heading west to meet up with our son and LRB in Colorado where we plan to trek into the haboo where these vehicles really excel.

We make a stop in Pennsylvania at a private lodge in the Allegany Mountains. The Lodge at Glendorn has cozy cabins, excellent food and many activities but if you like to fly fish this is your place. We didn’t realize that right outside our door was a trout stream filled with fish! There are also several lakes on the 1200-acre property. We figured we would be remiss if we didn’t try fishing so we talked with one of their knowledgeable Orvis guides who aimed us in the right direction. We had so much fun we decided to add it to our trip activities list.

Heading west across the prairies we enter the endless Ocean of Corn. Slightly off our route is Chicago the most populous mid-western city. Sitting along the shores of Lake Michigan it has rightfully earned the knick name “the Windy City”. As we pull into the downtown area we are impressed how clean the city appears. Whoever is in charge of the gardening should get the “best flowers” award! We decide to stay at the Drake Hotel, a Chicago landmark built in the 1920’s. Good food can be found in any direction and the shopping is notable along the “Magnificent Mile” Best of all is the public 26 miles of waterfront which is a combination of beach, boardwalk, walking/biking trails and parks. We were lucky to enjoy a beautiful day walking the beaches and city streets. Have lunch or dinner at Rosebuds on Rush Street, great Italian fare.


Leaving the city we continue across the plains and experience a variety of weather including severe thunderstorms and hail. G suffers a hit from a rock spun off a passing semi-tractor trailer. The quarter sized crack in the windshield is a concern and Jay puts some tape on it in hopes of keeping moisture out. Of course the next morning we encounter severe storms and high winds, we hope it will hold together!

 -Nelia

Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog this summer. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Land Rover LR3.

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DNA X #28 The Road Home

Posted on February 22, 2011 by dbaker

We aim Blackie south from North Carolina to our final destination: Florida. We have seen some amazing things and learned a lot on our epic expedition to Discover North America. This latest adventure started from Key West, FL the southern most point in the US in June 2010.  We traveled to the four corners of the US and returned in November 2010. In all we covered 36 states and over 13,000 miles. From the steamy south and temperatures of 98F to the snowy Colorado Rockies and 20F, the terrain and climate covered the spectrum. On the cruise home we had some time to assess the highs and lows of our trip. Over all the weather was exceptional! Somehow we managed to avoid most storms and had clear sailing 90% of the time. Our trusty steed, Blackie, was absolutely flawless!  Our intrepid DNA X crew of Pip (the Prairie Dog), Bag (Bag O’ Snacks) and Pad (I-Pad the Great) provided guidance, food and humor to the some times weary Captain Jay and me. We discovered numerous places we want to revisit and others we would like to avoid. For a taste of those check out the blogs of DNA X #’s 1-27. It is almost impossible to sum up everything in detail but here goes a brief list of superlatives to bush-league, the views expressed here are not necessarily those of the management.

Our Favorites:

 Hotel- St Julien, Boulder CO (incredible service, great restaurant/bar/spa)

Most High Tech Hotel – 41 North, Newport RI (electronics fuse with luxury)

Food- Restaurant Beck, Depoe Bay OR (creative cuisine, beautiful view)

Coffee- Café La Strada, Monterey CA (downstairs at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa – worth a stay)

Road- California Highway 1 (wow – hold on to your hat!)

National Park- (all of them!) especially Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, WY

State Park- Custer State Park, Custer SD & Humboldt Redwoods State Park CA (many more to investigate)

National Seashore – Assateague Island National Seashore, MD (where the wild horses run free)

National Wildlife Refuge – Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, FL (sea turtles & more)

Government Food Service- State Game Lodge, Custer SD (a pleasant surprise!)

Cleanest National Park – Grand Canyon National Park (a 10 in a class of 2’s)

Roadside Bathroom – None! (pathetic & scary!)

Roadside Attraction- Carhenge, Alliance NE (almost worth the detour)

National Monument- Devils Tower, Sundance WY (no aliens but very impressive!)

Hideaway Resort- Triple Creek Ranch, Darby MT (incredible 5 star experience)

Beach- Zuma Beach, Malibu CA (as cool as the locals think they are)

Winery- Wellington Vineyards, Glen Ellen CA (refreshingly unpretentious, family run)

Romantic Spot- Whale Cove Inn, Depoe Bay OR (the whales will be watching you!)

Scenic View- Big Sur, CA & Jackson Hole WY (you choose)

Best Drink- The Bagatelle, Key West FL (martinis & margaritas)

Best Music – the Hog’s Breath Saloon, Key West FL (the action overflows into the parking lot)

Friendliest People- Boulder, CO (they should give lessons!)

Best Land Rover – Blackie (ok, we’re spoiled)

Best Land Rover Dealer – LR Palm Beach & Flatirons LR (CO)

Best Prairie Dog – Pip (of course!)

 The Bush-League Bunch-

 Hotel – The Victorian Inn, CA (bring your own maid & linens)

Bumbling B&B – Miss Molly’s Inn, VA (AC the size of your wallet, room the size of your closet)

Creepiest B&B- Greystone Inn, NC (The Adams Family were waiting to check in but couldn’t find a place to park)

Food Foul Out- Cattleman’s Steakhouse & Fish (?) SD (bad food, bad attitude, bad idea)

Rot Gut Coffee- Hotel in-room machines (those coffee bags must be pre-1990)

Scariest Road- Mt. Washington Auto Road, NH (acrophobic motorists stay away!)

Most Run Down Park Hotels- Yosemite National Park, CA (from “cabins”(sheds) to “luxury rooms”(The Bates Motel) it’s an overpriced national disgrace)Most Disgusting Bathroom- Yosemite National Park, CA (haz-mat suits required)

Most Horrible Roadside Attraction- Prairie Dog Town, KA (no doubt there are others)

Winery with an Attitude- Ledson Winery, CA (a stony, stuck-up vintage)

Hotel Total Deception- Wequassett Resort & Golf Club, MA (no course or club)

Rip Off Ruse – Wequassett Resort & Golf Club, MA – (most expensive hotel, free mold & stains, paper thin walls, ice extra)

We spent a lot of this trip in the National Parks and noticed a common thread; the National Parks are in disarray. Several factors are contributing to this. The parks budget has been meager for the last 10 years and this year it will be cut by 51 million dollars. This may not seem like much but the parks have a maintenance backlog of nine billion dollars. That explains why most of the beautiful old buildings are crumbling to the ground. Throw in the fact that the parks facilities are managed by outside companies that want to make a profit and the result is rundown, dirty, overpriced rooms and restaurants that serve cafeteria fodder and struggle to keep up with service. There are a few exceptions as noted and we hope to find others. Another factor in the crisis is visitor volume.In 2009 there were over 285 million visitors to the National Parks. Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon each entertain 3.5 – 4 million visitors each year and the numbers are increasing. This colossal traffic jam occurs on narrow winding roads that used to accommodate horse trails. The bumper-to-bumper assemblage produces pollution, noise and chaos that stress the wildlife and environment. The visitor “experience” is reduced to barely survivable. What to do? Keep on top of legislators to make sure the parks move forward to renovation not ruin. It may even be necessary to limit visitor numbers. These magnificent parks deserve our best efforts to protect them for future generations. As for when to go visit these jewels, we recommend off-season, early spring, later in the fall or even in winter but do go visit them and don’t forget your park pass. We only scratched the surface of the 58 National Parks and 74 National Monuments. There are also 530 National Wildlife Refuges. We have future plans to continue our Discover North America Expedition (DNA-X) the question is where to next? We thank all the readers who followed us so far and made comments, we hoped you enjoyed the adventure!

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DNA X #27 The Peril of the Plains

Posted on January 26, 2011 by dbaker

Once again, the Great Plains spread out before us as we drive east on I70 into Kansas. The flat, featureless landscape is seldom peppered with trees or contour and one is subsequently attracted to any roadside sign, however tacky. The first in a series appears displaying tattered flags, faded lettering and slumping severely to the right. “See the Largest Prairie Dog in the World!” it announces. OK… doesn’t say where or any other possible relevant info. We drive on now slightly curious. Another sign appears, “Prairie Dog Town, Rattlesnakes!” “Live six-legged steer!” The next one says, “Pet the Miniature Donkey!” “Birds, Bison…” each subsequent sign looks even more dilapidated. We think Pip, our Prairie Dog would be interested so when the “You’re Here” sign arrows us to the right we pull in to a dirt clearing called the parking lot. The sketchy “museum” is a collection of shacks in various stages of decrepitude. A lone vehicle is parked in front of the entrance. Some blown down signs and unidentifiable debris litter the perimeter. No sign of the “Worlds Largest” anywhere and around back there is a fence probably hiding the advertised treasures. Jay and I glance at each other with that hesitant “should we?” look. The place looks dismal and the thought of paying (yes admission is $8.00 PP) for a freak show displaying mutant dead and live animals (and some in between?) did not fill us with glee. We drive around the assemblage to see if we can spot anything from the safety of Blackie. The parched land behind the fence reveals a lone bison standing in a grassless pen surrounded by a few prairie dogs, the mutant bovine collection, disparate fowls and numerous cages filled with animals. Grim, to be sure. Pip gives us the warning shriek to get out of there ASAP, so we obey happily. Later we look at the reviews of some of the previous visitors – “Roadside Horror”, “Don’t stop”, mix in with “Better than expected” and “Our favorite spot in Kansas”. This last one must have been written by a schizophrenic as she goes on to say – “It’s not clean… the goats tried to eat my pants… there’s goat and bird poop everywhere… it’s great!” Someone was a fan of this place, but why? Ultimately, we learn that the gargantuan prairie dog is of course a fake and pockmarked (from bullets) 25 feet tall concrete critter that looks more like a mutant mole.

Further on we observe some more advertised “attractions” like “Land of Oz”, a potpourri of all things remotely associated with the famous movie The Wizard of Oz. We are in Kansas after-all and proper homage is due to Dorothy and Toto, creepy witches not withstanding. However we veto any inkling to stop by for a visit here or to any other venue. To pass the time we listen to a radio program on prairie dogs, Pip insisted. The story turns ugly fast when we learn that in 1901 Kansas passed a law to promote exterminating all prairie dogs even when the property owners want to protect the animals on their land. County exterminators are allowed to trespass (for the good of the general public) and to poison the “vermin” with Rozol, an anti-coagulant (i.e. bleed to death) that not only kills the target animals but any animal that eats the dead or dying victims. Then the property owner is sent the bill. Just to keep the public interested in extermination there are even “Prairie Dog Hunts” where “hunters” can pay $150.00 to sit down next to their cooler, set up their riffles on a table or bi-pod and blast away keeping a tally of all the kills. There are a few farmers who really know the benefit of keeping an ecosystem intact and have protected the prairie dogs that provide food and habitat for numerous other species. They are the exception to the rule around here and just to be safe we keep Pip under the seat until we clear Kansas.This brings us into Missouri, the “Show-Me” state. I am still not sure what the “show” is all about but I mention to Jay that the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis is worth a look. As we enter the city I notice it’s not as neat and clean as the last time I saw it. It’s become very industrial (smog, factories, grunge…) over built and overall not very attractive. I70 curves through the confusion with heavy traffic and lots of trucks. Distracted by the maze we come around a corner and over a hill to see a cue of 10 highway troopers lined up on the shoulder. There’s so much traffic it’s hard to see but one by one the troopers peal off to apprehend the violators – speed trap!! The flashing lights are on behind Blackie and Jay’s face goes through a transformation with cursing accenting the scene. Other cars caught in the dragnet are veering off left and right. The officer gets out of his vehicle and somehow does not get run over by the three lanes of traffic coursing inches away from us. We’re on a corner, over a hill, on the shoulder by an entrance ramp – does this sound safe? The officer announces we are 11mph over the limit, can’t pay the fine now, can’t get it off your record as we’re out of state and he doesn’t know what the fine will be…? After his dissertation, we get underway before a semi-tracker trailer crushes us. Now that we’re paying attention we note that the speed limit in this area changes from 70 to 55 to 45 to 65 to 55 etc at least every half mile.  The message here -? St. Louis has a well-oiled, clandestine money machine waiting to “show you” a ticket or two! As for that Gateway Arch? It passed by within the speed limit.

After a night on the road, we clear the plains and head for the mountains of North Carolina. This will be our last stop before heading home to Florida so we picked a favorite location to unwind from the trip. Asheville, NC is an eclectic city, a mix of a college town, artist enclave, retiree retreat and country living. It is also where you can find the largest private home in America. The Biltmore House (“house” just isn’t quite right) is on the 8000 acre Biltmore Estate once the private residence of the well to do Vanderbilt family. Built in 1895, this 250 room French chateau is now open to the public for tours. The estate has a working farm, winery, gardens, shops etc and the Inn on Biltmore Estate is where you can hang your hat and enjoy the secluded peace of life on the estate. There are “activities” galore including a Land Rover Driving School but we decide we better tour this winery so we can add it to our list. Since this one claims to be the “most visited winery in the US” (!) we think is only fair to compare. Sure enough as we walk in the door for the “complementary tasting” there is a line. Jay glowers at having to cue up to the counter but I point out that the “free” feature could have something to do with why this place is so popular (California wineries charge $5-$15.00 per three sips). The hostess states we can take all day and taste all we want of the 46 or so vintages – this could be dangerous! The tour is a success. Even when your enthusiasm is enhanced by the free samples, Biltmore really does make good wine. Watch out California! We’ll keep our eyes open on the way south for any other wayward wineries, just to be fair.

-Nelia

 Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog this summer. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Range Rover Sport

 

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DNA X #26 The Bones of the Earth

Posted on January 17, 2011 by dbaker
“Wilderness, wilderness…we scarcely know what we mean by the term, though the sound of it draws all whose nerves and emotions have not yet been irreparably stunned, deadened, numbed by the caterwauling of commerce, the sweating scramble for profit and domination.”    Edward Abbey; Desert Solitaire

On our Discover North America Expedition (DNA X) we have seen some incredible landscapes and wilderness. Webster claims that wilderness is “a region uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings…” although today’s “wilderness” can be heavily influenced by human activity (logging, mining, tourism). As we venture forth into the Utah high desert and Navajo Indian lands, it is in-fact inhabited, subtly, and cultivated discreetly somehow blending into wilderness. This is the least populated section of the country and one can drive for hours without encountering more than a stray pick-up truck. We notice Blackie will need fuel soon so we scan the map for the next town. Just because there is a name on the map here does not guarantee fuel. As we enter the town, we notice a collapsed power pole with a truck wrapped around it. A few people were surveying the scene. Hummm. We see a gas station (!) and pull in. We notice a collection of other vehicles parked and soon a woman emerges from the station. “The power is out, no gas…there was an accident a while ago… don’t know how long until…”. The next town is at least 25 miles and we don’t know if they have gas or power. No wonder the other cars are camped out here. There is one power-line into town, which way does it go??! What to do? We should make it to the next town but…we gamble that eventually we will find fuel and gently coax Blackie on into the desert.

Our destination is Moab, front and center for exploring red rock country. We do find a functioning gas station 50 miles later and after the sun goes to bed we find our hotel down a lonely canyon road. The Red Cliffs Lodge is 14 miles outside of Moab and sits along the Colorado River. The friendly staff, good food and peaceful location make this the perfect base to explore the area. There is even a winery! Yes, Utah makes good wine too! Things have changed since I was last here years ago. Back then Moab had a few “basic” (rundown) motels, one or two gas stations, a couple of restaurants and no bars. If you wanted an alcoholic beverage you had to follow a waitress upstairs into the dingy attic where you pointed to your preferred wine/beer, she would transport it down stairs where you would open it, transport fees were added on the bill. Now there are the usual modern motels/hotels, numerous restaurants and a few bars. No more trudging to the attic!

The next day we set off to visit one of my favorite parks. With over 73,000 acres of land, Arches National Park is yet another jewel in the park system. This is not the typical wilderness of forests and wildlife but it is the quintessential paragon of erosion. It is the earths bones exposed, carved, worn away, ever changing into bizarre formations that challenge logic. It is a surreal world that transports you beyond the usual; twisting tradition and inspiring appreciation for the forces of wind and water. Edward Abbey was a park ranger here in the 1960’s and his experiences inspired him to write Desert Solitaire, a good book to read before you visit Arches. You can drive through the park in a day and see amazing things from the car, but don’t be lazy. Get out and hike on the trails to view some of the 2000+ arches, the figure-like formations, the maze of pillars, petrified sand dunes, fins and monoliths. The red sandstone formations are framed in a cobalt sky and accented by the near-by snow-covered range of the La Sal Mountains. Spectacular! Don’t forget to go by the visitor center for a look at how this stunning landscape was formed.
We hesitate to leave this beautiful area but we will be back. Fall is slipping away and east we must go. We aim Blackie toward Colorado to cross over the Continental Divide. Along the way we drive through the Colorado National Monument. This park is getting ready to celebrate its 100th birthday. Located outside of Grand Junction, CO it is another example of erosion at work. You can take the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive to experience the views and formations and marvel at how 100 years ago the road was carved into the cliffs by hand. Up and up we climb on I70. We pass through Glenwood Canyon where I70 is squeezed between the canyon walls. This is an engineering marvel where viaducts support four lanes of concrete weaving along and over the rushing Colorado River.  We reach Vail Pass (elevation 10,662 ft) and yes there is snow and skiing! We stop for a brief snowball fight and a road weary Pip (the Prairie Dog) makes a futile attempt to try to dig a burrow in the snow- he is horrified and makes a hasty retreat to Blackie! We drive down the eastern side of the divide passing through the old gold mining town of Idaho Springs. Along the way we see mule deer and even a big horn sheep ram walking casually along a cliff. We stop for one more spa visit for Blackie at Flatirons Land Rover to make sure she is ready for the push east. So far she has been flawless! The tires are getting tired but pass inspection. All systems are go and we’re off. The endless, flat expanse of the Great Plains stretch out before us as we watch the snow covered Rockies slowly fade away in the rearview mirror.

-Nelia

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Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Range Rover Sport.

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DNA X #25 The Colorado Plateau

Posted on December 22, 2010 by dbaker

After experiencing an early morning traffic jam in Los Angeles (to get the true flavor of the area) we drive east over a low pass and down into the high Mojave Desert. All of a sudden the hubbub of LA disappears and we are seemingly alone surrounded by sagebrush and sporadic Joshua Trees; an odd kind of yucca Dr. Seuss might create. We are aiming for the Colorado Plateau and the nations largest collection of national parks. Centered around the four corners area where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet, this high desert is drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries. As we cross into Arizona we get our first view of this mighty river. We are heading for the grand dame of this regions parks; the Grand Canyon. The plan was to stay inside the park but as you can probably guess, the hotels were full. We did find one room, the “last” one of course (seems to be the norm) at an exorbitant rate but due to our previous trouncing at a park hotel we decide to call and ask a few questions. “Is there a restaurant?” The weary operator replied, “Yes, but reservations are full tonight”. “Is there parking for hotel guests?” She must get this question a lot as her tone sharpened to borderline bitchy,  “No, this is a government property and we cannot reserve spaces but you can park in the village a mile away”.  Doesn’t sound very welcoming. So you can’t eat and you have to play Russian Roulette in the parking lot or hike a mile after driving eight hours so you can sleep (?) in a worn out room priced like the Ritz Hotel. Jay vetoed the convenience of being ripped off again and we decided to room in Flagstaff, one hour south of the parks entrance. This is a nice area and if you have time spend a few days exploring around Flagstaff.
The next day we drive north through a ponderosa pine forest past the beautiful San Francisco Peaks, a volcanic range (now extinct) that has the highest mountains in Arizona.  As the snow dusted peaks fade in the background the land flattens out and desert takes over. We are getting close to the canyon, according to the map, but the land is coy about revealing such a treasure. We enter the park through the south entrance showing our well used, annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. The $80.00 fee covers your vehicle and all passengers; it’s a great deal!  We find a parking place and walk over to the rim. There it is and it really is grand! The immense canyon stretches over 277 miles, weaving and winding from the continuous convoluted carving of the Colorado River. At any one viewing spot you can only see a fraction of this wonder. I came here back in the 1970’s with a friend. For three days we looked over the edge and saw nothing, except fog! Today the view is endless. Jay comments that it looks just like all the photos and after a quick peek checks it off his list. Next?! Perhaps the scale is too overwhelming to grasp! I note that the rocks at the bottom of the canyon are 1.8 billion years old! He looks unimpressed, well really who can understand a billion anything? Never the less Teddy Roosevelt said this was “the one great sight every American should see” and I agree. The multi-hued gorge attracts over 5 million visitors a year who also agree. However, if you venture away from the tour bus clogged south rim area and hike or mule train down into the canyon you can experience the land as the local Native Americans have for thousands of years. The brave can go on a raft trip down the Colorado and retrace John Wesley Powell’s 1869 perilous expedition. There are several other entrances to the park that are less tortured with human activity so there’s plenty of land to enjoy peacefully if you choose. The Grand Canyon and surrounding deserts enjoy some of the nations cleanest air with visibility averaging 100 miles. Unfortunately air pollution is invading from outside the park. The smog has been traced to copper smelters in Arizona, power plants and urban areas from southern California to Mexico. Other threats to the park are leftover from the late 1800’s when the area was carved up into numerous mining claims, ranches, farms and even privately owned toll roads.  Some of the mines are still being cleaned up while others continue to produce copper, silver, salt, and uranium. Within five miles of the park 1,100 uranium-mining claims are waiting to be developed. There are another 10,000 claims for other mines surrounding the park boundaries. We can be thankful for those that had the foresight to piece together this amazing park. We would hope that those charged with protecting this treasure for future generations will be even more diligent.

Aboard Blackie it’s hard to get a feel for the vastness of the Colorado Plateau that spans 130,000 square miles. The elevation varies from 5000-11,000 feet and the rocks come in just about every size, shape and color. It’s an effort to drive and not be constantly distracted by the amazing kaleidoscopic scenery where it seems there are no rules and anything goes. Even more bizarre is the fact that this high desert with only 6 inches of rain a year was once covered in water. Millions of years of deposits left layers of soft sandstone rock which is still being eroded into mesas, buttes, canyons, spires and other fantastic formations. Water has left its mark but wind also assists in the sculpting. We travel northeast on US 163 Scenic and into another famous southwest setting: Monument Valley. Straddling the Arizona and Utah border, it is the quintessential western desert. Ever since John Wayne saddled up in the 1939 film Stagecoach, the valley has been the setting for many westerns and a variety of other films. The valley’s towering burnt orange buttes have become world famous. We are in the Navajo Indian Reservation and part of the valley is protected as a Navajo Tribal Park. There is a visitor center, campground facilities and for a small fee you can go into the park. Navajo guides will take you to explore some of the remote areas or you can drive on the 14-mile dirt road to view the colossal formations some of which are over 1000 feet high. There’s plenty to see from the main road and if you are lucky to be in the valley late in the day you can watch the rocks turn an unreal red. We head north into Utah a state rich in extramundane landscapes. I wonder if this is really Earth or maybe we’ve been transported to Mars? The surreal desert plays with your mind. We have a lot of exploring to do.

-Nelia

Next Stop? Land Rover Palm Beach, a leading South Florida Land Rover dealership is pleased to feature Jay and Nelia Coyle as guest authors for the Land Rover Palm Beach blog this summer. Stay tuned for adventures across North America in their 2008 Range Rover Sport

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