Chicago Dave

ChicagoDave

Chicago Dave

Traveling with Sophie the dog in a 1997 Toyota Pick-up truck from Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington during the summer of 2010, ChicagoDave enjoys isolated camping in nature!
Locations/writings/photos include: Chicago, Iowa City, Duluth Minn., Highway 61 (North Shore) Minn., Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area (BWCA), Hibbing, Minn. (for a Dylan experience), Little Missouri National Grasslands, Teddy Roosevelt National Park (No. and So. Units), Glacier National Park and North Cascades National Park, including overnight camping/hiking on the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT)

In addition: Seattle, Washington, overnight camping/hiking on the Monty Cristo/Glacier Basin Trail, Seattle's Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum, Seattle Museum of Art, Jimi Hendrix's final resting place, Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park (loop drive), Olympic National Forest, Col. Bob Wilderness Area/Summit, Quinault Indian Reservation (camping in the Pacific Ocean), and Olympia.

Back in/from Seattle: Kurt Cobain House, Seattle Library, Mt. St. Helens National Monument, Camping in the Bridger-Tetons and Medicine Bow National Forests, Crators Of the Moon National Monument, and a Motel 6 in East Moline, Illinois.

The following National Forests are also explored: Superior, Mr. Baker-Snoqualmie, Lewis and Clark, Lolo, Okanogan, Olympic, Umatilla, Medicine Bow, Bridger-Teton, and Medicine Bow.

All photographs, except those noted (i.e. Author's photo of another photo) are taken by the author, ChicagoDave. In some cases, photos have been color-adjusted and cropped (but no photoshopping). Viewers are free to capture and download images

East Moline, Illinois drive to Chicago, Illinois: End of Trip!

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago September 2nd 2010

Truck View

ChicagoDave

Entry 34: East Moline, Illinois drive to Chicago, Illinois: Final Day of Trip! Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 Out of East Moline… I was tired, but clean and satisfied for all the work that I did on the blog (and my own personal hygiene) when I awoke at 10 a.m. in the Motel 6 in East Moline, Illinois (I cringe just typing “East Moline”). After a night of bad TV (we don’t have cable, and I must’ve flipped at least a couple of thousand times throughout the night). It was odd to actually laugh out loud, as, besides chatting with Scott, there was really nothing to make me chuckle throughout the past 6 weeks. I quickly packed (there was quite a lot of stuff strewn about) the truck for the final time, and went out to the ... read more

Medicine Bow National Forest drive to East Moline, Illinois

North America » United States » Illinois » East Moline September 1st 2010

Iowa Highway a

ChicagoDave

Entry 33: Medicine Bow National Forest, Wy. drive to East Moline, Illinois Tuesday, August 31 - Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 At a Loss For Words... Well, I’m almost out of adjectives to describe the 100s of pleasant scenes that I’ve witness over the Chicago to Seattle travelblog. This is a good thing—running out of creative ways to say “expansive vista”—because the trip was quickly winding down after 6 weeks of traveling. Leaving the Medicine Bow National Forest, I was due for an all-day drive. I got out at around 10 a.m., driving back to Interstate 80 in Eastern Wyoming. In 40 short minutes, I was in the small town of Laramie, hoping for some form of an all-you-can-eat buffet (besides the availability of music, the only other benefit of spending time in the vehicle). I had ... read more

Bridger-Teton National Forest drive to Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming

North America » United States » Wyoming » Laramie August 30th 2010

Sophie Eyes Next in Pack

ChicagoDave

Entry 32: Bridger National Forest, Wy. to Medicine Bow National Forest, Wy. Monday, August 30, 2010 Western to Eastern Wyoming... Leaving Bridger-Teton National Forest and the wonderful coincidence, I drove back through Alpine, heading north on Hwy 89. I could’ve headed south, but I had traveled down the very scenic Hwy 89 last year, traveling from the Tetons to St. Lake City. This time, I was heading eastward, so after swinging back around the northern-most portion of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Sophie the dog and I headed south down 189, splitting off on 191 for the final 100 miles of non-interstate pavement. Interstate 80 was my chosen route of the 3 available back east to Chicago, and since I’d never been through Laramie and Cheyenne, it was the perfect time. Interstate 80 was light on traffic ... read more

Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wy.: An Unsimple Twist of Fate

North America » United States » Wyoming » Alpine August 29th 2010

Bridger National Forest Wy Campsite Swimming Hole 2010

ChicagoDave

Entry 31: Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wy.: An Unsimple Twist of Fate Sunday, August 30, 2010 Another Late Start… Getting a late start leaving the Craters of the Moon National Monument, I felt some of the same “antsiness” that I had experienced returning from last year’s 5-week trip—slow going. True, I had spent all day exploring Craters of the Moon and its new-to-me landscape, but I rationalized that I wouldn’t have the chance to visit, possibly ever, again. But, in the back of my mind, the 1,200+ miles to go were still looming large. Now, at only 4 ½ hours to sunset, I wouldn’t be going too far tonight. Back on Hwy 20 towards Idaho Falls, I headed east, passing small hills and staring into the sunlit road ahead of me. I buzzed into Idaho Falls, ignoring ... read more

Craters of the Moon, Idaho to Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wy.

North America » United States » Wyoming » Alpine August 29th 2010

Idaho Falls to Alpine Wy View Rainbow 2

ChicagoDave

Entry 31: Craters of the Moon drive to Bridger National Forest, Wy. Sunday, August 29, 2010 Getting a late start leaving the Craters of the Moon National Monument, I felt some of the same “antsiness” that I had experienced returning from last year’s 5-week trip—slow going. True, I had spent all day exploring Craters of the Moon and its new-to-me landscape, but I rationalized that I wouldn’t have the chance to visit, possibly ever, again. But, in the back of my mind, the 1,200+ miles to go were still looming large. Now, at only 4 ½ hours to sunset, I wouldn’t be going too far tonight. Back on Hwy 20 towards Idaho Falls, I headed east, passing small hills and staring into the sunlit road ahead of me. I buzzed into Idaho Falls, ignoring the most ... read more

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho

North America » United States » Idaho » Craters Of The Moon National Monument August 28th 2010

Craters of the Moon Self-Portrait with Sophie

ChicagoDave

Entry 30: Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho Saturday, August 28 - Sunday, August 29, 2010 From Surreal Drive to Just Surreal… After waking up in a Umatilla National Forest in Eastern Oregon and driving 300-400 miles, Sophie the dog and I were again tired and cranky. However, at around 4 p.m., we had finally traveled far enough off the beaten path, and were rewarded with my (umm…and Sophie’s, too) first visit to the Craters of the Moon National Monument, its landscape of dark black, brown and red volcanic dominate the landscape. Established in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge referred to the area as a “weird and scenic landscape, particular to itself.” Small in size, the approx. 60 mile long and 20-30 mile area is certainly an area particular to itself. Approximately 15,000 years ago, ... read more

Mt. St. Helens, Wa. to Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho

North America » United States » Idaho » Craters Of The Moon National Monument August 28th 2010

1 Columbia River I-14 Washington

ChicagoDave

Entry 29: Mt. St. Helens National Monument Drive to Umatilla National Forest, Oregon and onto Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho Friday, August 27 - Saturday, August 28, 2010 Portland Out...Eastern Oregon Camping In... Leaving the Mt. St. Helens National Monument, as I looked at the road atlas, I realized that in this late stage of the game, Portland, my original goal to visit after leaving Seattle, was now out. It was at least 60 miles back to the west, and I was now in an “eastern” frame of mind. Plus, a town as cool as Portland deserves more than a quick Olympia-styled drive-through. Scott and I had visited there in 1988, where, after “pitching a drunk,” we stumbled upstairs, where I vomited into the sink after smelling the "head/hair odor" of a former patron ... read more

1 Umatilla National Forest Campground View 5

Mt. St. Helens National Monument: Windy Ridge (East) Viewpoint

North America » United States » Washington » Mt St Helens August 27th 2010

Mt. St. Helens Windy Ridge Drive 10

ChicagoDave

Entry 28: Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano Area Friday, August 27 A Natural Occurance... One thing that an area like Mt. St. Helens offers is that it was caused by nature herself, and not of any of man’s influence. And, of course, each square inch of our planet was formed through actual violent events such as volcanic eruptions, glacial carvings, draining oceans, etc. I was curious to see the results nearly 30 years later. Once one enters the Monument area, the forests are thick and heavy, with the curvy road requiring full concentration (along with occasional blinding views of the now-setting sun). The area looks lush and healthy. Then, after a turn onto the actual Windy Ridge entrance/viewpoint road, after 10 more miles of the same, the scenery changes. There is a huge expanse, 14 miles from ... read more

Seattle to Mt. St. Helen's Windy Ridge/Gifford-Pinchot National Forest

North America » United States » Washington » Mt St Helens August 26th 2010

Gifford Pinchot Nat Forest View 5

ChicagoDave

Entry 27: Seattle, Washington: Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano Area, Washington Thursday, August 26, 2010 Seattle Ya' Later (Sorry, it's late...) Finally getting packed up in the ol’ truck, I was ready to shake Seattle’s subtle embrace and begin the (surely) long drive back to Chicago that Sophie and I faced (It had already been 5 weeks since we had left, and the eventual back-to-school mindset had already reared its head). It was around 3:30 when I pulled out, and I decided to take the time to cross off my (only) remaining two items on my Northwest-area: the Seattle Public Library’s flagship steel-and-glass building, opened in 1994 and located near Elliott Bay on 4th Street and Madison. Although I didn’t get to go into the building, I admired the building quickly from the sidewalk (ticket-writing was brisk, ... read more

Gifford Pinchot National Forest Campsite View 2

Kurt Cobain's Death Site: Seattle, Wa.

North America » United States » Washington » Seattle August 26th 2010

Kurt's House 3

ChicagoDave

Re-Pass Tale: Kurt Cobain’s House, Seattle Washington Thursday, July 26, 2010 Perhaps if he’d called it “Tickle Me”… Kurt Cobain, grunge music’s anti-hero, took his own life (well, most would say, anyway) April 8, 1994, some 16 years ago. His understated, yet swank, Madrona house is located on the banks of Lake Washington, the large body of water that forms the eastern side of Seattle, and visiting it on my way out of Seattle would (at least) my 3rd gravesite visit of the trip (Author Raymond Carver and Hendrix being the other two). As I drove to 171 Lake Washington Blvd. East, parking the car in the free, small lot just north of the house (the grassy area, lined with tall trees and featuring a decorated bench reveal the spot), I reflected on Cobain as both ... read more

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