Travel
Travel journal for Jonathan, first version of this blog July 2025 documenting 3-week trip to Western US.
2025 West Trip, Day Maps
Here are day by day maps for 2nd portion of 2025 West Trip Sep 13 Saturday Fullscreen Sep 14 Sunday Fullscreen Sep 15 Monday Fullscreen Sep 16 Tuesday Fullscreen Sep 17 Wednesday Fullscreen Sep 18 Thursday Fullscreen Sep 19 Friday Fullscreen Sep 20 Saturday Fullscreen Sep 21 Sunday Fullscreen Sep 22 Monday Fullscreen Sep 23 Tuesday Fullscreen Sep 24 Wednesday Fullscreen Sep 25 Thursday Fullscreen Sep 26 Friday Fullscreen Sep 27 Saturday Fullscreen Sep 28 Sunday Fullscreen Sep 29 Monday Fullscreen
September 1, 2025
Overview
July 13-August 2, 2025This documents a 3-week trip from Rome, Georgia to Orofino, Idaho completed by motorcycle. The trip covered ~ 4600 miles and is composed of four phases : Rome to Colorado (Jonathan solo) Colorado to Yellowstone (Jonathan and Aaron) Week in Yellowstone with whole family Yellowstone to Glacier National Park and ending in Idaho (Jonathan and Tina) Below are direct links to days in the journey. July 12 Start of the journey July 13 Kaaaannnnsssaaaass July 14 Colorado Arrival July 15 180 Degree Head Shift July 16-18 Work days July 19-20 Two-up with Aaron July 21-22 Onto Yellowstone July 23 Beartooth Pass July 24 Time with the girls July 25 Lamar Valley and goodbyes July 26 Bozeman and more goodbyes July 27 Tina to Missoula / Kalispell July 28 Duck Lake, Browing MT July 29 Going to the Sun Road July 30 Hot Springs and Muchawater July 31 Saint Joe River Road August 1-2 Coueur d’Alene, Orofino, Spokane, Atlanta This trip will resume in late September. That will involve 3 weeks travel through Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona before returning to my Georgia home.
August 3, 2025
August 1, 2025
Final day of the motorcycle leg. Tina’s done a great job organizing everything and cleaned our laundry last night. She got our breakfast this morning, and I think her health is slowly returning. Today’s mission: St. Regis to Lewiston for a rental car, then Orofino to drop off the motorcycle, then Spokane for our flight home. We started at the Super 8 in St. Regis, got our gear organized and packed on the bike, then began the slog to Lewiston. The route was mostly Interstate 90 from St. Regis to Coeur d’Alene, up through a beautiful pass that we’d ridden through yesterday in that intense downpour. Now we could actually see what we’d missed.
August 1, 2025
July 31, 2025
So much of this trip has been at 65 mph great vistas before us. But lots of lovely tiny things are around you when you slow down. This morning we had a nice breakfast at Jaspers Restaurant in St Regis. Our waitress was terrific, filled our Nalgene bottles without asking and gave us good advice about motorcycle roads nearby. She planned to take her daughter down our destination later in the week to harvest Huckleberries. Our plan is to take Little Joe Road from St Regis (about 12 miles of well graded dirt road) to connect with Saint Joe River Road that wends 110 miles to Saint Maries.
July 31, 2025
July 30, 2025
We broke camp at Duck Lake today. It took less than two hours to pack everything into the bike—a real puzzle. You have to be deliberate about where everything goes because we’re at capacity on this motorcycle. The gear works well, we can’t complain about that, but there’s just not enough volume. Both of us are irritable. Poor night’s sleep, waking up multiple times, knowing we had a long day ahead with no certainty about where we’d sleep. Before it’s done—some 300 miles, often traveling with temps in the high 80s and 90s.
July 30, 2025
July 29, 2025
It’s 8 p.m. local time and we’ve got camp sorted and ready for tomorrow’s pack-up. We got a late start today – rolling around 10 o’clock after a nice cup of coffee brewed in a Campbell’s Soup can. When you’re limited to a single Stanley thermos french press, you improvise. Some shots at the Duck Lake campground in early morning.
July 29, 2025
July 28, 2025
Part 1 : Kalispelle to Duck Lake The following voice dictated by our two intrepid travellers: Jonathan: We left at 6 AM this morning from Kallispelle, MT because we didn’t have a reserve spot to go through the entrance at Going to the Sun Road. You need to be there before 7 AM or you are denied. So out of our comfortable Super 8 Motel after snorfing some of the eggs from the bag…
July 28, 2025
July 27, 2025
Sunday morning at the VRBO, coordinating everything, washing clothes and Nalgene bottles, realizing this is probably our last connection with civilization for a while. Tina and Aaron are both fighting a cold with steady application of Theraflu and Tylenol. Aaron picked an excellent breakfast spot just off Main Street. He tried eggs benedict, Tina had bison patties. A nice send-off for our son who’ll hang out at Bozeman airport until 5:00, then layover in Seattle before reaching Phoenix. Direct flight from Bozeman to Phoenix can’t be more than an hour and a half, but he’ll spend 12 hours waiting. His phone doesn’t work, so he’s relying on Wi-Fi WhatsApp messaging with friends Natalie and Isaiah who live in Phoenix.
July 27, 2025
July 26, 2025
Moving day—heading from Yellowstone to Bozeman, MT. Emily told us 7:45-8:00 AM would be the best time to catch her, when she transitions from the EDR (Employee Dining Room) to work. The three of us drove over from the campsite with a tent and paracord they’d requested to give our girls one last hug. Leah’s still feeling ill. She didn’t want to come down to the parking lot but asked Aaron to let us know she was there when he visited their room. She wanted us to come up to her. Still in pajamas and vulnerable. Sweet girls having a great summer.
July 26, 2025
July 25, 2025
Hayden Valley Our last full day at Yellowstone and it’s been an action packed day – starting with the traditional coffee and oatmeal at the site. There was some uncertainty about whether Leah would be able to join us. We knew that Emily had to work. But we sent Aaron up to check on Leah and she was not feeling well. So she stayed home and the three of us went to Hayden Valley again.
July 25, 2025