Me looking over the valley at an overlook in Glacier National Park.
I don’t know what it was about Friday, but through the course of our 14 hour drive from Great Falls, Montana, to Pasco, Washington, we encountered more rude drivers and more poor driving than we had over the rest of our trip. Maybe it was something about Friday and the weekend, but people just had no patience.
On Friday we drove home to Pasco, but we definitely took the LONG way.
We began the day at 5:30am. Our goal was to get to Glacier National Park before the crowds arrived. We reached the eastern entrance at 8:00am, but by then the eastern visitor’s center was already packed solid. So, rather than linger, we began our trek across the Going to the Sun Road. Here are some pics from Glacier:
This last photo shows the old-style tour buses that were prevalent within the park. The park is urging folks to consider using shuttles as opposed to cars to explore the park. If the park gets much busier, I imagine the shuttles could become mandatory.
It was only 10:30am when we exited the park, so we decided to head north to the far northwestern Montana city of Rexford, only to find out that Rexford wasn’t actually much of a city, but rather a couple abandoned buildings amongst a tiny neighborhood of retirees (or summer visitors or ???). It was a pretty big surprise to find nothing of interest there.
We left Rexford and followed Lake Koocanusa south. The lake is beautiful and long. Here’s a crossing point that allows folks to drive down either side of the lake.
This is just a small portion of the lake.
After more than an hour of driving south along Lake Koocanusa, we arrived in Libby, which calls itself the City of Eagles. There were a variety of carved eagles around the town, but this was one of the most dramatic, as it towers over Mineral Street (which seems to be main street).
After Libby, we only stopped once for a quick sandwich, then we drove home.
So, many thanks to the new owner of Rusty for helping fund our road trip across America. It was a quicker than normal 6200 mile, eleven-day trip, but it still felt great to get out and see some sights!
My Dad used to say, “People are worse than anybody”! I’m sure he was quoting someone, but it always gets a double-take. Glad you made it home safely.
Until you have driven in the “Main Line” section of the Philadelphia suburbs, you have no idea how bad and rude drivers can be. Some say it’s a sense of entitlement from having “old money”. Others say that the crazy roads, carved out of Indian paths, none meeting at a 90 degree angle, and all seemingly having the same name, causing driver’s to be frustrated. Still others blame cell phones allowing people to be instantly connected to their investment portfolio. Whatever the reason, when you drive in that area you need to be hyper vigilant against failure to yield the right of way, distracted driving, and just poor driving skills.
Driving, going on trips used to be enjoyable, not any more. I stay home and ride my bicycle.
Lol! I know what you’re saying. I was driving Hwy 99 in California and people were so rude and stupid I had to get off and take the back roads home. It took longer but was relaxed when I got home. I think it has to do with the new cars, they drive like go-carts. But people don’t realize how fragile they are. Maybe modern natural selection?
Glacier Park in Montana is oe of the prettiest places on Earth!
Craig
Born and still living on the main line 62 years later. But I semi retired 17 years ago and we only drive around mid morning to mid afternoon. Roads are empty.
I think Rexford has a Post Office too. My sister use to have a PO Box there.
Blaine: If it does, I didn’t see it. But, we were hardly exhaustive in our search. It’s funny how, in the middle of nowhere, people will crowd together. It seems to defeat the purpose of living in the middle of nowhere?
Rick: Good quote.
CraigInPA: We shall avoid the Philadelphia suburbs 🙂
Bob in PA: That’s most of our life .. we rarely drive during the rush hour periods (not that we have much of a rush hour around here); it does make life more peaceful not to have to deal with that.
Chuck: I’ll never forget the day I was driving through Sacramento on I-80 in fairly light traffic when out of nowhere an old white guy in an 80s(?) pickup raced pass everyone (had to have been doing 80mph) on the inside shoulder of the freeway. At that point the freeway was three or four lanes wide. Why he was zooming down the shoulder was never clear to me.
You guys go to all the places! Thanks for letting me follow along!