Missoula MT to Portland OR - Heading west

After almost 3200km driving and 13 nights sleeping in our faithful Hilleburg tent, we have finally reached Portland, the beautiful home of our friends Richard and Dara, and a soft, comfortable bed!  We have had an amazing 10 days driving our hired gas-guzzling 4WD (filled to the brim with bicycles and panniers) across some of the most diverse and breathtaking countryside we have seen.  As always we have met some really interesting folks, seen historic sites and eaten too many S'mores to count (for those of you that don't know - a S'more = toasted marshmallow + Hersheys chocolate sandwiched between two sweet 'Graham' crackers...).

A S'more ready to be demolished

Last Tuesday we nervously collected our hire car from downtown Missoula.  After several stealth inspections of various SUVs around town and Googling "how many bikes can you fit in (insert car here)?” we decided that surely a Toyota Rav 4 (the 'cheaper' SUV option) would just fit the bikes and panniers.  The more we assessed parked Rav 4's and looked at our belongings, our shared delusion was challenged by reality.  So that morning while I waited with the bikes, Neil set out to collect the car.  As luck would have it, the hire company didn't have the Rav 4 in stock, so would have to give us a free upgrade, and would a brand new Ford Explorer do...? Yep it all fit (after they removed all the plastic from the interior).

Stocked up - hard to believe there are two bikes and ten panniers in there too

Our beloved beast

We set off towards Yellowstone feeling like royalty - very comfortable with a navigation system, digital radio, leather seats with warmers/coolers and keyless ignition.  This was all very novel as we compared it to our Getz waiting for us at home. Thankfully, Neil quickly (re)adapted to driving inside out and back to front on the US roads.

The drive down to Yellowstone was long but very scenic travelling down the Bitterroot Valley (quick beer at a brewery in Stevensville), over the infamous Continental Divide to stay at a campground near Livingstone, north of Yellowstone North Gate Entrance.  We planned to get up at dawn and head into the park by about 7.30am, as we heard the campsites within the park fill up by mid-morning (non-reservable).  The first camp we reached just after 8am, only to find it had filled at 6am, and every campground after that was full too! Another delusion broken.

I had researched a few campgrounds outside the West Entrance at Hebgen Basin, so we headed that way, meeting a nice young couple Mandy and Steve in their campervan who suggested we share a site to save some money.  We quickly accepted and set up camp next to the beautiful Yellowstone River.  Later that day we asked about availabilities at reservable campgrounds within the park, and were pleased to find there were two sites that had 'just come up' in Grant Village, the southern end of the park beside Yellowstone Lake. 

Campsite at Hebgen Basin

Yellowstone National Park is a geological wonderland.  From thermal hot springs, boiling mud pots and geysers, to waterfalls, lakes and canyons - it was all spectacular.  We were constantly in awe.  Our photos can't quite do it justice but here a few anyway. 

 Mammoth Hotsprings was like being on a different planet

 Calcite Canyon

 Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

One of many thermal springs

 Petrified tree (ancient Red Wood)- over 50 million years old

 Old Faithful Geyser - erupts every 90 minutes

The wildlife was beautiful too.  We spotted bison, deer, elk (including the bull elk), marmots, trumpeter swans, squirrels, snakes and finally our very first grizzly 'mumma bear' and her cub (no photo sorry)! We just missed out on seeing a pack of wolves - frustratingly due to another tourist's inability to describe where they were in the landscape ("just between those two trees" she says in a vista filled with trees). Sadly they soon ducked down in the grass to sleep for the day.

 Bison chilling by a 98 degree hot spring

Bull elk stopping traffic

It was really busy though, there were cars everywhere, and the frequent "squirrel-jam" (when someone spots a squirrel and everyone behind them assumes it's a bear).  Neil and I got up at about 5.30am to get to major attractions by 6am.  We would have the place to ourselves since the big RVs only get going after seven. 

Sunrise over Yellowstone Lake

After Yellowstone we headed west into Idaho spending the first of many fee-free camping nights in the lovely village of Stanley.  This town is at the foothills of the Sawtooth National Forest and is popular with 'Idahoans' for fishing, hiking and skiing.  The drive to Stanley was magnificent, following the Salmon River through great big canyons and mountain ranges covered in fine yellow and green grasses.  It was such a contrast to what we have seen since starting our trip.  

Roadside Idaho

Sawtooth Mountains

The following day we drove on to Riggins, experiencing another wonderfully scenic drive and set up camp in another fee-free campground along the Salmon River.  

Contemplating a swim in the river

Campsite for the night

Riggins is a good town to visit the impressive Hells Canyon Recreation Area - over 200, 000 acres of high mountains, canyon, river and lakes running down the border of Idaho and Oregon.  We took a steep drive up to Heaven's Gate, which sits in the middle of the canyon.  It had 360 degree views over four states (ID, OR, WA, MT) and a fire watch post manned by a friendly fellow who has been working there for six summers on look-out for lightning strikes.

 Fire watch tower

 View from Heaven's Gate

'Spot' the squirrel, contemplating life

Leaving Idaho was a bit disappointing - there was so much more to see - but on we travelled to Washington State.  Idaho...we will be back.  

We drove up to the little wine region of Walla Walla, passing large fields of wheat crops, grapevines and wind farms.  This town is apparently a favourite among foodies and is quite arty and cultural.  We were fortunate enough to pitch our tent in the yard of a lovely young couple Hunter and Malcolm, who we found on Warm Showers.  Thanks again for the delicious home-baked blueberry tart guys!

Urban Camping - Spot the Hilleberg tent

Of course we did some wine-tasting at Amavi Cellars before leaving town, headed for Mt Hood National Park in Oregon.  Yet another beautiful drive was install for us.  Mount Hood sits at 3429 meters and is covered in snow. 

Mt Hood

Our camping for the night was great.  We camped (fee-free) in a well-secluded site along the banks of Timothy Lake.  The sites can only be reached by boat, bike or hike, so we pulled out the bikes, attached the panniers and a box of firewood and set out for the night.  It wasn't the best sleep though after a large animal brushed past our tent.  We lay quietly, Neil with bear spray in hand, waiting for the possible 'attack'.  I'll add this isn't the first time we have lay awake at night, bear spray in hand, staring wide-eyed at each other.  Thankfully we are no longer in grizzly bear territory but black bears will still be around until well into California and can (although very rarely) attack unprovoked.

Great spot to cook dinner next to Timothy Lake

Neil having a bath in the cold lake

Prepping the fire for the marshies

A final two hours drive found us in Portland, Oregon. After a stop off at a drive-through car clean, we said goodbye to our beloved Explorer and caught the train back to Richard and Dara's place for time out.  We've started exploring Portland and it looks like its going to be a fun town with its infamous food and music culture. We had an incredible ice creamery experience on our first night - 'pear and blue cheese' anyone? Perhaps 'goat's cheese, marion berry and habenero' flavour? If not I'd recommend a scoop of plain old 'olive oil'. Amazing.

We'll likely stay in Portland until early next week before heading towards the Pacific Coast.  I'll be sure to post before we leave.  

(P.S Sorry if the formatting is poor on the blog - I keep changing sizes of fonts etc, but it doesn't save properly...)