Missoula has become an official pit stop when I travel to the Montana and points further west. For the second time, I had an advance appointment with the RV dealer for small repairs. Bluemoon was dusty and dirty from sitting on the Livingston flatlands for the summer, and the dealer recommended a local do-it-yourself car wash with a bay large enough for an RV. Lots of good arm exercise washing both the van and camper!
Bretz RV also has a free dump station and water faucets designed to use in an RV. I arrived at the dealer around 7 AM–an hour ahead of my appointment– and emptied tanks. I then took on 60 gallons of fresh water. The next day: groceries. The only thing I didn’t do was laundry; I needed to get out of the smoke.
When I was in the Crazy Mountains I was in front of (and downwind from) the cluster of fires in southern Montana. I am now in Idaho near the Washington/Oregon border dents into Idaho.
I did not get out of the smoke. In fact, I drove through an area with major fires in all directions. The National Forests that I wanted to explore were either closed or too smokey. Onward down the Clearwater River corridor in Idaho, where I found a BLM recreation site. BLM means half-price for seniors who hold an interagency senior pass. Only $9/night for full hookups. Since I am also in a small town I have Internet through my hot spot. Living large in Idaho! And by that I mean, electricity, water, and, hopefully, even some digital channels for football today. The refrigerator is working great, I can take a hot shower later. Life is good. After being away from the camper for the summer, I am enjoying being back on the road. I have not yet figured out how a nomadic lifestyle can feel like being home. It is a peculiar feeling that I will investigate more.
Back to the wildfires. I do not want to overemphasize climate change as a cause for all the wildfires. I do believe scientists who point to global warming as one factor in the massive number of fires burning out here. Hotter, drier weather like we have now, encourages wildfire. All it takes is a spark, like lightning. However, fires have always been a part of western landscapes, and they rejuvenate forests. Besides global warming, we have/had a forest management problem by working valiantly to suppress fires in hopes of saving homes, lives, and commercial timber. Fire suppression and the massive pine bark beetle infestation left lots of downed fuel that will now burn, and burn, and burn. As I drove HWY 12 up and over Lolo Pass, I saw not only dense smoke but also large tracts of dry, brittle forests not yet burned that looked ready to ignite at any minute. I imagine they will be gone in a few years. But that is okay. Our western forests are unhealthy and need the healing work of fire. People need to reconsider where they build their McMansions so we can stop trying to manipulate nature’s healthy processes to accomodate the few.
Anyway, Tango and I are safe and breathing less smoke. After a break from all the fiery drama, we will find a new spot that is within an hour of Spokane Valley, WA, where baby Silas will enter the world!
