Project Description
As we get ready to plan the next trip we start to nail down specifics. With COVID 19 still being a wild card with possible closures, we knew that planning was more about expecting the unexpected. Our first day we left Portland with a hard push to Idaho to arrive to a scheduled tour on the Snake River via jet boat. This tour was hosted through Snake Dancer Excursions which offered a half and full day tour. Because of time, we opted for the half day tour but definitely want to go back for the full day tour.
Waking up the next day we have Montana in our sights and take our time getting there. Halfway through Idaho we picked up Dillion from PLUC to join our expedition for a few days. Our first stop in Montana would give us early access to drive the “Going to the Sun” road in Glacier National Park. Our team decided to hike a few small trails and then head down the mountain to a private river front spot on the outside of the National Park. As you will see, we spent some time here making sure the rigs were ready for some hard miles ahead and took in the beautiful sights Montana had to offer.
After Montana, we took the next few days to explore some highlights while we made our way down to Moab. While on our way to Moab, we did find that both Subaru Foresters needed some mechanical attention. Stopping off at a Subaru dealership in Salt Lake City, UT we were allowed to start tearing apart the rigs in the back parking lot. Rob’s forester had blown an axle seal and Eric’s forester had a leaking transmission line. Both of these fixes were thankfully achievable and we were able to complete them in just a few hours.
With the rigs all ready, we make our way to Moab. We made sure to have two full days to explore the off-road destination, but were surprised that it was by far not enough time. We ran trails such as Top of the World, all while beating the 100+ degree weather. Because of the hot temps, we cut our trip short and headed to the hills of Arizona, where we found some secluded spots outside of Zion National Park. From here, the journey was familiar territory back home and we thought that it would be easy sailing from here.
As you start to look at the sky in the photos getting close to Oregon, you will notice more and more smoke coverage. Little did we know, we were entering the start of Oregon’s largest wildfires. We used GAIA to track the fires and were not worried for safety in most of the places we were currently at and planned to be at, however, conditions change quickly. With three planned days of our trip left, we spend the night near Crater Lake National Park, and woke up to some terrifying news. With smoke in our lungs, a flat tire, downed trees, and a quickly approaching wild fire; it was time to get on the move. As we were driving towards home, roads behind us were getting quickly shut down. We could feel the warmth of the fire, see the trees engulfed in our mirrors, and knew we had to keep moving. Once out of the hills, and near the main highways, we were able to escape without harm and cut our trip short by two days, but make it home safely.
