Week 36 - Big Sky Country
After spending a significant amount of time in the westernmost states, we are now making our way eastward. We said our goodbyes to Ben Joye at the Seattle airport, ending an epic two weeks together. As Davis mentioned in a previous blog, Ben was always excited to cruise around in the bus. It made me realize I have grown accustomed to these exciting bus rides. Before talking about what our service for the week consisted of, I want to take time to highlight and explain what our travel days are like cruising around in this big blue bus that I live in and brush my teeth in and have all my belongings in.
Funny moose making us laugh
Travel days truly are enjoyable: we get our blog done, we have fun, we rest, and we do our best to continue to Lend Our Services Traveling. The perfect way to prepare for another week in a new place working with amazing people. They go something like this. If I’m tired, I sleep. The bed is too bouncy in the back so I will sleep on the couch. Or maybe I read first then fall asleep. If I am in the zone, I drive and get to choose music. Davis might have a fun new idea that he will bring up to us with a big smile while I am driving. I can’t necessarily see the smile because I am driving but I know it is there. He might even take some action from his crazy idea and end up with a car two days later. If we remember, we will ask a question from the travel question book, and talk about books that have had the biggest impact on us, our most memorable haircut, or the 40ish other questions we have gone through in the book. If I am feeling logical, I grab the sudoku book and crank out a sudoku. Depending on which of us is doing the sudoku depends on the difficulty level (I think you know who’s who). Maybe, we are feeling healthy. If that is the case, we can do a workout for our core/posture and also work on balance because the bus will be moving. If I don’t really know what I am feeling, I just sit there. I can look at the beautiful scenery, think to myself, sing to myself, or count how many cars we pass. Realistically, we don’t have service in remote areas, so we aren’t on our phone. If we do have service, hopefully we can catch up with a friend or family member back home, but it depends on if the road is a little bumpy. Small bumps make for loud noises on the bus. If it is too loud, I might end up chatting with ChatGPT (older generation readers should look this up if you aren’t sure what ChatGPT is). Also, there’s the blog. Cain took care of it last week. He was hard at work, so Davis and I drove and he wrote. Now that we are talking about it, I’m realizing he actually drove in the early morning even though he had the blog. I slept. He’s a good guy for that. Davis and I edit the blog, so we will probably make a switch mid drive on the highway when there are no cars around and it feels safe. If one of us feels stylish, we might stop by a thrift shop. This week we hit the jackpot with a half off everything thrift store and 2 pairs of jean shorts that fit me very fittingly which has been nice as I have worn them every day in Montana. Davis got a Yamaha hat that he has worn every day in Montana. Cain has a cool new style of shirts he likes, Henley, and he got more of those. All of it plus more for under $15. While in a random town, we might get friendly waves from walkers and direct messages on Instagram about our bus. This week we even got a phone call through Instagram. They liked our bus and wanted to come check it out! Hopefully nothing falls out of the fridge on a sharp turn, but when the couscous tumbles out of the fridge, we sweep it out of the back door like no problem. Then, right after we attempt to river surf, we face the decision whether to drive 2.5 hours for dinner or have the same chicken sausage we had for lunch (and breakfast the next day) or go find a spot to fill up our empty water tank. If we fill our water tank, we could make ramen with eggs. We decided on chicken sausage. The next day is the same sort of thing. Except this day, we trek through roads Davis has conquered on his bike trip across the country and he lets us experience the best parts. He drops us off at the top of a mountain and we cruise down, wearing a ski helmet. Davis drives the bus behind us to ensure we are safe. Then, we come across Melinda who has a gas can outside her car. We drive an extra 30ish miles to bring her back a few gallons of gas so Melinda and her yappy dog can be on their way to some beautiful lake in Montana.
So close!
Davis’ sweet new ride waiting for him when we return
When we were heading towards Montana, we were uncertain where we would be volunteering. No opportunities had presented themselves naturally, so we planned to drive through Montana, open to work. Although we weren’t sure exactly how we would come across work, we prepared ourselves to be chatty and curious (which isn’t too tough for us) with people in different towns we drove through to see how we could help their community. On Monday, as we were doing our best to river surf the Lochsa Pipeline, a river wave in Idaho, a crew of rafters stopped by to watch us “wipeout”. They ended up checking out our bus and told us we should come to Missoula where they live. One of the guys, Hunter, put us in contact with a non-profit they are involved with, and just like that, we had direction for the week. At times, the ambiguity and uncertainty of not knowing our location can be unsettling. Nonetheless exciting for sure, but also there is a sort of patience that is needed. I am not sure how to explain it because we have grown accustomed to it. However, once we have a clear direction for the week, it feels amazing. It is similar to the feeling when I lose something (I lose a lot of things), and then find it later! I have tried to convince Davis and Cain being forgetful is actually better because it allows you to experience the joy of finding things. They may not agree with me on the forgetful point, but we all share the same enthusiasm when these delightful surprises lead us to a place where we can make a difference for the week.
Checking the wheels, Bob with a nice feature at the end
Hunter connected us with Bob, the founder of Free Cycles. Let me tell you, Bob reminds me of my cousin Nate (we spent a week with him in Fort Collins). They share a similar level of enthusiasm and determination to make significant changes in their respective communities. It's the kind of "crazy" that you can't help but be drawn to, excited for every word that comes out of their mouths. Bob has been running Free Cycles for 27 years and has really built something incredible. Free Cycles is a nonprofit organization with a focus on bicycles. The framework Bob has established offers numerous benefits to the community. Anyone can volunteer at Free Cycle for just 1.5 hours and receive a free bike in return. This initiative not only encourages greater bicycle usage within the community but also provides individuals without means of transportation a reliable and sustainable mode of getting around. People are constantly bringing in bikes they no longer need to help keep this organization stocked with plenty of bikes and parts. At Free Cycle, there are always dedicated volunteers and staff members available to assist individuals with bike repairs. They not only promote the use of bicycles for transportation but also educate people on bike maintenance, ensuring they can keep their mode of transportation in good working order. Ultimately, Free Cycle fosters a sense of community by bringing people together and providing them with a means of transportation in a bike-friendly town.
Our week in Missoula was packed with activities and hanging with amazing people. Each morning we went river surfing before work in town. We aren’t necessarily good at it, but we are getting better and having fun while getting better. Kayl (pronounced like the superfood kale) and Jon (sounds like Yon) each let us borrow books, which is kind of them. I am not sure when we will be returning the books because we are already gone from Missoula. Hunter, who is the reason we were in Missoula, grilled out with us and let us watch him make leather goods. One of my favorite new friends is Owen, whom we met at the skatepark. After he showed us a few cool tricks that we weren’t able to master, we went out to a pizza place. This feeling is similar to what I mentioned earlier about when we didn’t know where we were going to work for the week, and then everything falls into place and is epic. Spontaneity certainly defines our current lifestyle. We didn’t have a plan after skating, and next thing you know we are getting pizza with our new friend who is a mushroom forager, Owen. He took us in his rigged out Honda Odyssey, which was nostalgic for me because my family had an Odyssey when I was a kid. The main difference was in Owen’s Odyssey, his bed replaced the back seats, which is still comfy to sit on. There are tons of awesome things about our time with Owen, but one of my favorites is his pizza-eating habits. His first bite out of a piece of pizza is always the right corner of the crust, to give the cheese extra time to cool down. Smart, Owen. His second bite resumes from the front, where most people have their first. I am not suggesting we all adopt Owen’s pizza-eating style, but it is certainly worth contemplating. I haven’t stopped thinking about it.
This week also brought reunions with old friends. Before heading to Montana, we spent a night with Jeremy Weiss, Daylee Weiss, and baby Weiss (the name is still secret because the baby is still in the tummy). Jeremy is a good friend of mine from high school in Colorado who lives around Seattle now. Later in the week, Cole McCoy made a 2-day drive from Provo, Utah to Missoula and we all worked and played together. Cole is a buddy of mine from Friendswood, Texas, where I lived up until 8th grade. Cole slept on our guest bed and claimed it was the best night of sleep he has had in the past month. After a day’s worth of work, he picked out a new bike for himself at Free Cycle.
The mix of seeing old friends and making new friends on this trip is nice. I think about it during my time sitting on the bus when we travel, and I realize how unique and special it is. This adventure has allowed me to reconnect with those who have left a lasting impact on my life and to encounter new people who will shape my future. A quite amazing blend of past and present.
Now, we trek to the great lakes, driving through the rest of Montana and the Dakotas during these next few days. I am excited for more time in the bus with my friends/brothers/buddies/stokelords.
