Happy: Happyday Inn Express, Lander, WY

Hi I'm Happy!... I'm always Happy!... Today I'm at a Happyday Inn Express!

I could tell that Macgellan had a hard day on the road, but I don't really know why. I slept just fine all day in my co-pilot seat!

Anyway, we've checked into a really nice dog house for the night. It's in Lander, Wyoming, and it's called the Happyday Inn Express! (No, wait, Macgellan says that's wrong. It's called the Holiday Inn Express... My bad.)

While we were checking in, the boss lady said I'm really sweet and gave me a cookie. Then she asked if she could take a photo with me, and of course I said yes!

It's a pretty good shot, though I'm not exactly looking at the camera like I normally do. You see, I was a bit distracted -- and a little distressed even -- by this big door that kept sliding open and closed all on its own. I don't really like things like that, so I had to keep my eye on it to make sure it wasn't evil.

Anyway, we're all settled in. Macgellan brought in my bed so I'm comfy on the floor. It's shedding season, you know, and I'm a thoughtful dog hotel guest. No big bed for me tonight!

US Hwy 20 -- Detour: South Pass -- Continental Divide -- Wyoming

I finally got out of Rock Springs this morning! It was still cold (about 20 degrees) but the sky was blue and the winds were calm. After five days of road closures in the area, the Wyoming highway website listed my route as generally good, with just a few slick areas to watch out for. So, I packed up my rig and hit the road, enjoying some nice Wyoming scenery as I drove north.



Heading up the west side of South Pass, I heard a noise that didn't sound good, followed soon after by a moderate, whirring vibration. I knew it was trouble when I looked in my rear view mirror and saw bits of rubber spraying out the side of my camper.

You guessed it, what every trailer hauler dreams of: A blown out tire! In this case, I had pulled barely off a narrow, two lane highway, with trucks blowing by at 65mph. I was at 7,000 feet, in 15 degrees of cold with 20-30 mph winds. Lovely!

All you can do is take it one step at a time, and within an hour I'd mounted the spare and was on my way again.

I was rewarded with pretty views going up to the pass, and stunning snowscapes on my way down.






I pulled into the town of Lander mid-afternoon, only about 50 miles from being back on track. I found a tire store where helpful folks replaced my tire, remounted it and checked the others for condition, pressure and lug torque. There's a little bit of damage to the wheel fender -- and some black marks to clean -- but no damage to the hub, axle, brakes or underbody. I consider myself lucky!

The road east to Casper is still pretty iffy, plus I'm tired from the drive and ordeal. So, I decided to stop here in Lander for the night, and am giving myself a break at my old home away from home: The Holiday Inn Express! There's more to that story... Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20 -- Detour: "What Do I Get If I Win?"

One of the most important things I've ever learned (Thanks JW) is to ask myself a very important question any time I'm making plans: "What do I get if I win?"

I don't know about you, but sometimes I can get so focused on tackling whatever challenge is right in front of me that I don't look carefully enough at what I'd be facing after it if I'm successful.

Another way of looking at this was made clear to me once (Thanks KDG) by the question: "Now that you've succeeded in bashing your head through the wall of your prison cell, what are you going to do in the cell next door?"... Good question!

I've asked myself both of these questions this morning, and I've profited greatly from the process. Bottom line: I'm staying put for a couple of days.

We had snow flurries overnight, continuing this morning, and predicted for the next couple of day. The roads and passes are described in marginal terms, but definitely not good, pretty or fun.

I'm sure I could make it out of Rock Springs if I had to, but what would I get "if I win" and make it to some other location like Casper? Answer: More of the same. Then what?

The consensus weather prediction is for the current weather system to have cleared the region by Wednesday or Thursday. After that, mostly sunny, warmer and dry with light winds... Perfect!

So, I'm going to fire up the coffee pot, set up "world headquarters of me right now" and put my head down into a few projects for a couple of days. I've always got plenty on my plate, and here's a chance to get after it for a while. Color me happy!

Speaking of Happy, she's in her element! Cold, windy and snowing... What more could a sled dog want? I keep asking her if she wants to come inside and sleep on the bed, but she demurs and does her little happy dance instead. She doesn't care what's next... She's Happy in the moment!

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US Hwy 20 -- Detour: Marooned In Rock Springs

I'm still in Rock Springs, WY, because of weather. You can see in this photo that it's a beautiful sunny day. What you can't see is that it's cold -- in the 20's -- and the wind has been blowing a gale all day. At one point, even the interstate was closed due to wind. It takes a lot to do that!

What you can also see is that mine is the only rig in this campground. It's a modest affair, with little ambiance but satisfactory amenities. Kind of a desert oasis.

I've got power and heat but not water, so it's a little "winter camping" for me. Happy is very content, preferring to be outside in the wind and cold which are nothing to her considering her history and roots.

Rock Springs is a small, modern community that surrounds a pretty meager little historic district. The sprawl has the usual assortment of chain restaurants, home stores, etc. I took advantage of the local multi-plex cinema to see "42" and strongly recommend it.

I rewarded Happy for her patience by taking her to the best dog park we've ever been to, a large open space complete with a pond for dogs who care for swimming. Happy took a drink from it, but otherwise wasn't interested.

The good news, then, is that we're safely settled in a spot with ample facilities. The bad news is that we don't know when we'll be able to get out of here. The weather -- high, gusty winds mostly -- may let up tomorrow or Tuesday. Then again, there's plenty of talk about snow, freezing rain, etc.

So, I'll check all the weather and road conditions in the morning and decide if we're good to go. Otherwise, we'll make the most of another day marooned in Rock Springs... Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20 -- Detour: Now We're Way Off Course, BooBoo!

The US Hwy 20 Voyage of Macgellan is now officially off course. Way off course: About 200 miles southwest of my intended route!

I got out of Idaho Falls okay this morning, taking the US Hwy 26 route heading east. It was windy, but the road was dry and I could safely hold a moderate speed. Heading up the valley toward the border, the sky closed in and then it started to rain. The roads got pretty wet, with just a dusting of snow on the hillsides.



Once over the border, conditions confirmed my decision to avoid going north through Jackson and the high pass, choosing instead to turn southeast on US Hwy 191 (the yellow line in my previous map post). Along that route, big flakes of snow started falling and the road got a little slushy, but there was no accumulation or ice. I had no trouble at a modest speed, and I remain impressed by how well my new rig handles in poor conditions.



Dropping down a bit to the high plains again, the snow and rain stopped. The roads were dry and in good shape, but the wind -- and very dynamic sky! -- kept me quite entertained.



My plan for the day had been to stop in Farson, WY, where the most direct highway turns northeast to take me back to my intended course west of Casper. When I pulled into that little crossroads town, I saw a warning sign that flashed: "Severe winds on South Pass… Advise no light trailers."



I considered spending the night there as planned, hoping for better conditions tomorrow. A very informative conversation with Mike in the cafe convinced me that the road would remain impassable for me through tomorrow and beyond. He looked at my rig and said, "That pass won't be okay for you this week. I think you better go south and try to get east on the Interstate." 'Nuff said!

So, I drove another 40 miles south in high, gusty but manageable winds, to Rock Springs, WY, and have camped just off I-80. That means I am now all the way down on the green route shown in my previous map post. At least I gave it a shot, right?

The park I'm in is actually one that I stayed in last summer on my way west on US Hwy 30. That confirms I am now way off course and will probably have to retrace part of a previous route east, hoping to turn north and regain US Hwy 20 in Casper.

That may be wishful thinking, as it is currently blowing sleet and snow sideways, with a forecast for worse tomorrow. In fact, with the Dakotas getting hammered, I may be stuck far off my route for a while… Stay tuned!

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Happy: Morning Photo Op

Hi!... I'm Happy... I'm always Happy... That's why they call me Happy!

Macgellan and I were enjoying some time sitting in the sunshine this morning, when a nice lady came by and told me how pretty I am. I always like to hear that, so I gave her a smile, a wag of my tail and a nice hug. She asked some questions about me, so Macgellan told her some of my story.

He gave her one of my new souvenir red bracelets, which say "Hi! I'm Happy!" on one side and have my website address on the other. She really liked it!

A few minutes later, she came back with her dog and said she had been to my website and was thrilled to meet such a celebrity like me. She asked if she could have her picture taken with me, so we did a proper "photo op" right then and there!

Her dog didn't seem to be too interested in what we were doing, but I didn't mind because it's humans I really like!

I'm always happy to pose for pictures, so feel free to ask if you see me around!

US Hwy 20 -- Detour: "Uh oh, Yogi!"

Almost two weeks into this road trip, it's been pretty clear that I'm doing it a little too early in the season: Closed attractions, empty campgrounds and dicey weather have all been clues. So far it hasn't been too much of a problem, and it's a beautiful day here in Idaho Falls. At the foot of the immense mountains which comprise the continental divide, however, reality has caught up with me.

US Hwy 20 -- my intended route in red -- leaves Idaho Falls and goes north then east through Jelleystone (er, Yellowstone) National Park before heading back down south and continuing east to Casper. Unfortunately, the road is still "Closed For Winter" inside the Park. There are many feet of snow on the road and the plows aren't schedule to have it open until sometime next month. So, my original plan is out of the question.

I'd like to take the closest alternate, US Hwy 26 -- shown in orange -- through Jackson National Park, then reconnect with US Hwy 20 going into Casper. That route has some challenges due to weather, the biggest one being Togwotee Pass which -- at 9,658 feet -- alternates between "Wet", "Slick" and "Icy" on a daily, almost hourly basis.



A more reliable route -- shown in yellow -- might be to start on US Hwy 26 then head a little farther south on US Hwy 191 before angling back up to rejoin US Hwy 20. At 7,550 feet, South Pass is likely to be better, but could still be problematic.

My fall-back route -- shown in green -- is to head south and drive US Hwy 30 southeast and east, then shift back up to US Hwy 20. I'm reluctant to take that route, however, because I drove that entire stretch last year going west on US Hwy 30. I'm loathe to retrace previous routes on principle.

What do do? Well, I'm going to spend the day here in Idaho Falls and will check conditions in the morning. Depending what I find out then, I'll make a decision and hit the road. I'm not predisposed to avoid reasonable challenges, but I know better than to take unnecessary risks… Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20: Idaho Falls

Idaho Falls straddles the Snake River where it descends a wide but modest natural falls. The falls have been tamed by an extensive weir that creates a pleasant little lake in the middle of town.



I spent the day exploring, and I like what I've seen. The town's features range from grain elevators and stockyards along the railroad tracks, to a lively -- even bustling -- historical commercial center, and a contemporary perimeter that has all the modern chain stores, restaurants, etc. A population of about 50,000 -- somewhat higher including the surrounding area -- puts it right in the size range I like: Big enough to have plenty going on, but small enough to really grasp, know and enjoy.

One of my favorite features is a very large, elaborate water sculpture in the middle of a major roundabout.

At first it seems to be a bit out of place -- and maybe a little overdone -- but a few minutes of viewing convinces that it fits the milieu well.

I spent a pleasant couple of hours at the Museum of Idaho which offers a pretty good permanent collection of local history and currently has an extensive temporary collection of antique carousels.

I now know less about the area than I'd like to, and more about carousels than I ever imagined!

I'm going to stay here tomorrow, partly to explore and hang out, but also to figure out how I'm going to get over the mountains to the east. There's quite a bit to that story which I will try to explain tomorrow... Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20: Central Idaho

The wind finally eased overnight, and clear skies made for a beautiful drive out of Mountain Home. A brief stint to the northeast goes over some entertaining foot hills, approaching the southern edge of the major mountains that run north throughout the rest of Idaho.



Turning east, the road skirts the edge of the mountains to the north, and massive lava fields to the south. The geologic "hot spot" that is now under Yellowstone moved through this area over the past 14 million years, leaving a flat barren plain that is actually an immense caldera.



I stopped for a while in Craters of the Moon National Monument, to view the informative displays and lava expanse.

This photo doesn't capture the scene very well, but might give you the gist of it: Lava fields and hills for as far as the eye can see. After eons, enough soil has collected in spots to allow a few hardy trees to give it a go. Amazing!

Farther east, several buttes are visible, remnants of the many volcanos that have passed through. It's an awesome sight and experience. Your brain tells you there hasn't been any volcanic action here for at least a million years, but your instinct tells you to put the pedal down and get out of here!



I stopped for lunch in the little town of Arco, the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power. Yet another unexpected and peculiar experience on the ongoing Voyages of Macgellan!

Continuing east, the road passes through miles and miles of land with fences and signs denoting restricted areas, all emblematic of the nuclear research and development going on in the area.

Late this afternoon I pulled into Idaho Falls, where I plan to stay for a couple of days… Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20: Mountain Home, Idaho

As far as I can tell, there are two things of note in the Mountain Home area. One is Mountain Home Air Force Base, a few miles south of town. I drove down to take a look -- it's huge! -- but you can't take any photos. So, this F-111 on display in the town's park will have to serve as proxy.



The other area feature is a few miles farther south, via an empty road across a barren landscape. When you arrive, you wonder -- or at least I wondered -- "What in the world?"



More than 400 feet high, Bruneau Dunes is the tallest single sand dune structure in North America. Surrounding hills act as a sand trap to catch the wind-blown material brought across the desert floor. Prevailing winds blow in opposing directions, keeping the dunes in place. It started forming about 14 thousand years ago, after the "tremendous" Bonneville flood. Now you know!

The park was empty, so Happy and I had the place to ourselves. We wandered around, read every info board -- me the words, her the smells -- and enjoyed a clear, sunny, warm afternoon in the desert. The wind was still pretty strong, but it seems to be settling down and I'm on track to continue east tomorrow morning... Stay tuned!

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