August 8 - August 9, 2005 Missoula

I move through the pines, the highway signs now read "East." How crushing. I headed for Spokane.
Along the drive, there was a beautiful girl who kept speeding past me. I would let her get a few hundred yards ahead of me, and then I would speed up and overtake her. We never made eye contact the entire time, though I tried my hardest. Then I realized she had a baby seat in her car and I lost interest.
Blue skies. Pine trees stretch towards Heaven.
And then nothing. Hello central Washington.
What nice overhead tracks (or aqueducts?) you have.
What nice small bridges you have.
I stopped at the Wanapum Vista overlook to explore the Wild Horses monument. I spent some time marvelling the view. I tried to hike up the side of the mountain to the top of the monument, but I was in no condition to hike (I was wearing sandals, the mountain was steep). I made it more than halfway to the top, but did not want to continue. You can see my car way down below in one of the next few photographs.
There's my car. Way down there next to the camper.
I enjoy capturing a dust storm on film. I'm not very good at it, though.
In Idaho I bought a case of Moose Drool, and an Idaho sticker with the state flag between its borders.
Like eastern Washington, the Idaho panhandle alternated between profuse and barren.
I wished for 360 degrees of vision to enjoy the beauty which surrounded me.
Before you know it, you are in Montana...
...cruising through hills at increasingly high speeds.
Wildfires raged out of control at several locations along the highway.
Heartbreaking. I watched trees crack, slip, and tumble down towards the basin. Flames licked the air as the fire overtook anything in its path.
Missoula.