It looked for a moment as if the long winter of our discontent ended in May with the last fresh tracks we left in Arapahoe Basin skiing area. We drove south and spent some time in New Mexico and Arizona getting progressively warmer.

A Road

It quickly got too hot for pretty much anything unless we stayed at high altitudes. Also we ran out of states to visit to the point we had to cross the border. When we got to South California endless summer was in full swing and we trashed our carefully prepared packing system fishing for shorts and flip-flops. After a while we decided it’s time to move back to temperate climes and started driving north.

And this is where winter got its big karmic revenge. Many scenic roads are still closed due to snow. Tioga pass is usually open on Memorial Day. Not this year. We were hiking in Sequoia National Forest and in many places there were heaps of snow 3 feet high. Old snow on the trail is treacherous. More than once I found myself falling and sinking ugly, knees deep into the snow. Not a feeling I recommend.

USFS lady ranger in Sun Valley, Idaho practically ROTFLed when we asked about hiking trails. Only if you have snowshoes or want to wade in the mud was her response.

Road Closed

As a result we are confined to valleys and lowlands for now. We changed our plans of going to see Glacier National Park since glaciers (which by the ways are due to disappear in 2020 on account of global warming) seem to have taken over the road. No melting in the foreseeable future.

We decided to drive back to the Pacific in the meantime. But driving West does not seem to be much better. Crater Lake NP and Mount St. Helen websites still report road closures which means limited hiking. Skiing might be an option if one is qualified to deal with avalanches.

First day od summer did not bring any relief. We tried to drive through a scenic road in Oregon and ended up at a place where road disappears under a thick blanket of unplowed snow. They did not even have a gate with the usual Road Closed sign. It was that obvious. I was relieved we had left our skiing gear at our friends' place in California since Natalia was on the verge of ditching her sandals and attempting some June snowboarding. In the meantime Arapahoe Basin reported fresh six inches and extended the season to July 4th. Yup - you can celebrate the independence from summer this year.

I’d gladly suffer overabundance of snow and trails and road closures if it meant that the next winter is going to be as good snow-wise as the last one. But thankless New England weather taught me that there are no guarantees in life. Sun of York better makes a glorious summer really soon.

Pioneer Auto Show in Mudro, South Dakota is a genuine road side attraction. Row after row of early cars. Building after building of period pieces illustrating life on the plains in the first half of the 20th century. A huge barn full of tractors. Collection of motorcycles including one that belonged to the King. One of the first custom made houses on wheels a.k.a. RV.

We travel along Natchez Trace Parkway built roughly along the old trail used by boatmen to return home after floating down Mississippi river. It's a strange road maintained by National Park Service. Driving it is like driving through 400 miles of park. You are easily fooled thinking you are in the middle of nowhere, but most of the time you are in the narrow green strip of trees isolating the parkway from farmland and subdivisions. Better this than nothing.

We are merely driving through South Carolina this time. No time for more than just a cursory glance. We probably should stay longer. This is not your average state. None really is.

Americans practically live in their cars. Or at least they eat and drink in them, besides commuting over ridiculously large distance (half an hour one way being on the short side). The number of cup holders often exceeds the number of passengers (2010 Honda Odyssey has 13 cup holders for 8 passengers). It's no wonder that the most visited national park is Blue Ridge Parkway where one can commune with nature not leaving one's car.

After 2 days of traversing mountains and crossing forests we reached Lake Erie in a rush of excitement at such a great body of water.