Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 06:38:37 -0800
Reply-To: Jeffrey Earl <jefferrata@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeffrey Earl <jefferrata@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Westy Roadtrip Travelogue: Glacier National Park
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Westy travelers interested in visiting Glacier
National Park may want to check out the travelogue and
photos of our recent visit there in our 1983 diesel
Westfalia:
http://www.vanthology.com/1Layout/Journeys/Glacier/Glacier1.html
The highlights of our two-week trip to Glacier include
Fort Peck Dam, Great Falls, Fort Benton, and a day
spent along the Missouri Breaks Backcountry Scenic
Byway. We also visited several points along the Lewis
& Clark trail, this being the bicentennial of their
famous expedition.
Opting to avoid the hectic pace and dull scenery of
the interstate, we instead drove US Route 2, following
the old Great Northern railroad from Duluth, all the
way to the gates of Glacier. This northernmost
transcontinental road varies from twisty two-lane
asphalt to wide superslab four-lane, but with a lot
less traffic and more small-town prairie charm. As an
added bonus, we had fewer Freightliners tailgating us
when the stiff Great Plains headwinds began to blow.
September and early October is a great season to
travel there: smaller crowds meant lighter traffic,
more camping choices, and ample vacancies in the
historic National Park lodges. Temperatures ranged
from daytime highs in the low 80's to nighttime lows
around 40. Some campgrounds close for the season,
partly or entirely, in mid- or late October, so check
ahead.
Unlike our trip to the American Southwest in 2002, we
had no mechanical troubles (well, except for nearly
running out of fuel once, and trying to keep the
campground mice from shimmying in through our air
ducts), and the old diesel dependably pushed us over
the Continental Divide and back again. You know it's a
good trip when you don't have to so much as open the
engine lid even once.
In addition to the new travelogue, I've also added a
slideshow function in the "Gallery", and will soon be
adding more "Technical" articles.
Enjoy!
Jeffrey Earl
1983 diesel Westfalia "Vanasazi"
http://www.vanthology.com/
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