By David Amos
SAN DIEGO — Nothing can recharge one’s emotional batteries to such a high level and at the same time drain you of physical energy beyond belief than to spend two weeks on the road with two active grandchildren.
This is what we did in August, when we traveled 2600 miles with children, 7 and 10, no parents to take any of the slack, five states, 600 photos, and ten hotel changes.
As with so many others who attempt such an undertaking (it almost became that!) there were many marvelous moments which you might find amusing and possibly helpful. I would recommend a journey such as this one to anyone who longs to see the wide expanses of our beautiful country and many of its wondrous visiting points.
We left Seattle, had lunch in Portland with long-time friends, and continued to Eugene where we dined with my wife’s relatives. From that point on, we were totally on our own, with a quick stop in Bend, Oregon, and a longer stay in Boise, Idaho. Zoo Boise is a nice place to spend half a day, where children encounter many of nature’s animals; the place is not to the sophistication and size of our San Diego Zoo, but it is nevertheless rewarding to see.
The Boise surprise was the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial Park, which elegantly emphasizes the concepts of freedom of speech and human rights. There were ample quotations from the famous diary, with emphasis on the author’s faith in humanity, together with quotes of other historic personalities. The dignified setting made for an impressive stop, which served as an important lesson in history to our young companions. We also talked about the Holocaust, where, when, and why it happened.
Leaving Boise was more chaotic, something out of a bad film. In a busy city street, the back gate of our SUV popped open, and practically all the contents in the back, suitcases, carry-ons, water cooler, jackets, life preservers and a few loose items hit the pavement. I had to stop traffic by myself, and start gathering everything, which a few seconds later would have been disposable debris. Luckily, vehicles waited patiently, and several kind Boisians stepped forward and helped me retrieve these items from harm’s way. We re-grouped, re-packed, and continued our journey.
A place to visit which is not in everyone’s “A” list is the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. It is midway between Boise and Idaho Falls, and certainly worth the detour. Located in the vicinity of the Sawtooth Mountains, it is an area of many square miles of lava fields, solidified centuries ago. The visitor center, which offers a fine video presentation and the walking paths in the area offer an unforgettable learning experience. My subsequent aching muscles served as a reminder of our hike.
Our trajectory followed the path of the Snake River for a good portion of our trip.
On to Idaho Falls, a picturesque city which also served as the starting point to Jackson Hole, the Grant Tetons, and Yellowstone, our country’s first designated National Park.
In Idaho Falls, and a week later at another destination, we improvised with the children a Friday Night Shabbat Service in our hotel room, complete with grape juice, candles, prayer books, and challah. All of this happened thanks to the planning and tenacity of my wife, Lee, who carefully planned to have all our needed materials.
The Jackson Hole area and its city are artsy destinations, tourist oriented, and very charming. I was pleased and surprised to learn that there is a major airport in Jackson, Wyoming, which for future visits to Yellowstone, because of its proximity, may become a practical alternative.
The Grand Tetons are majestic and impressive. It is very much worth the time to go into the park area, make the necessary stops for picture taking, and enjoy the surroundings.
We spent three days exploring Yellowstone, our main target destination. If you have been there, you know what I mean. If not, this has to be a must in your bucket list. In Yellowstone, we are told, you will find more geologic activity than in all other places on Earth, combined! From the famous Old Faithful, to many other geysers, volcanic activity, waterfalls, wildlife, clean, pure air, breathtaking views, the bubbling mud volcano, Mammoth Hot Springs, hiking trails, both with guides and for do-it-yourself adventurers, guided tours, boat excursions, and so much more, this was an unforgettable place.
Driving through the Hayden Valley, we had to stop our car so that several bison slowly crossed our path. I took a few close-up pictures of those moments. The four of us hiked by ourselves in a three mile path. I was impressed by an unexpected sense: Complete silence! In the wilderness, with no people or any kind of cars or machines, the total absence of sound was spiritual, and while it lasted, very welcome.
We stayed at the historic Yellowstone Lake Lodge. This is an elegant, old building, over 100 years old. It has a large restaurant and a lobby with a view of the lake, where a pianist plays classical and show music to appreciative listeners. After a few sumptuous meals, we were curious as to whether bison tenderloin is Kosher, or at least non-Taref. We found out.
The staff at the hotel is made up of people who come from everywhere, working there for the tourist months. We talked to workers from Rumania, Poland, Florida, Pennsylvania, Australia, and even San Diego.
There were bears in the area, but we did not see any of them.
From Yellowstone, we drove to Great Falls, Montana, on the banks of the Missouri River, where our grandson learned and gathered important information for his school report at the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center.
In our various long stretches of driving, we listened to several Broadway Musicals, which we brought on CDs, and a dramatic rendition with musical excerpts on the life of Beethoven and his times. Near the end of our trip, our young inquisitive and challenging companions requested an encore presentation of the latter.
There were lessons in geography, when at times we shared with them the intricacies of reading a road map, cities, distances, and traveling times.
After a stop in Helena, Montana, we continued westward in a sinuous road to Whitefish, where we took a day-long tour of Glacier National Park. This was a bitter-sweet day, when we enjoyed some spectacular natural landscapes, but learned that the glaciers are quickly melting away due to global warming. In an area where there were up to 125 glaciers a century ago, we are now down to 25, and in less than a quarter century from now, they may all disappear. If you care to see them, plan on a trip to the area in the very near future.
Our trip concluded with visits to the picturesque Dry Falls, and a fascinating tour of Grand Coulee Dam, in Eastern Washington.
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Amos is conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra and has guest conducted numerous professional orchestras around the world