The Journey South is the twenty-first installment of Finding My Way Home. To view the previous installment, click here. If you wish to start from the beginning, click here. This is the ongoing story of the six years I spent as a vagabond photographer.

My last few days in Glacier are spent seeing as much as possible. I visit Saint Mary Lake again to capture Wild Goose Island at dawn, spend some time exploring the Two Medicine area, and search for wildlife. I am successful in finding a black bear, but no grizzlies. The elk and bighorn sheep pose for me, but no mountain goats. All in all, it is a memorable experience, including watching the cabins around Lower Saint Mary Lake (which is outside the park) set off little individual fireworks displays on Fourth of July.

I’m fortunate to be here early enough in the season to catch the double waterfall in the Two Medicine area. This waterfall is known to the indigenous Blackfeet People as Running Eagle Falls and was a sacred place utilized for vision quests. White settlers dubbed it Trick Falls because it is only a double waterfall in the early season. When the creek above dries up in summer, the only water comes from the cave below.

Something I’ve noticed in my travels is that different places feel different. Understandably, places I’ve visited before bring up memories of other visits and the emotions associated with them. But places I’ve never been sometimes provoke feelings for which I have no explanation. You might say some places have good energy, while others have bad energy.

As I drive toward and find the RV park in Choteau, Montana, I get a very real sense of good energy. There doesn’t seem to be anything extraordinary or special about the place, just a nice feeling. It makes me happy to feel these good vibes after leaving Glacier—a place nobody really wants to leave. I will spend a couple of days here before resuming the journey south. Ultimately, I’ve made plans to be near Durango in southwestern Colorado for the month of September. Since it’s only eary July now, I have almost two months to travel through Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, exploring as I go.

After short and unremarkable stays in Lewistown and Harding, Montana, I land for a week at Deer Park in Buffalo, Wyoming. On my last trip through Wyoming, I didn’t spend any time in the Bighorn Mountains, so this time, I made sure to book some time here. The park is wonderful and rustic with that old west feel you would expect from Buffalo, Wyoming.

Upon check-in, the owners inform me that they hold an ice cream social for all guests every night at seven o’clock. Bring your own bowl. Thinking that sounds fun, I show up on my first night there. I wasn’t expecting a huge turnout, and I’m surprised by the number of guests participating. This gives me an idea.

Two nights later, I come to the ice cream social with a contribution. Those strawberries from Sauvie Island have been in my freezer for a couple of months. When I saw the ice cream party was so popular, I decided it was time to thaw the berries. With my own empty bowl for ice cream and a large bowl full of lucious strawberries, I’m soon the most popular person at the party. I enjoy telling the story of how we picked them in the rain, and had so much fun we got carried away and picked too many. The little kids are especially eager to help make all those berries disappear. Later, I return to the motor home with two empty bowls and a huge smile.

After a week in the Bighorns spent searching for moose and golden eagles, I continue the journey south, empty-handed. My time in the area was awash in beautiful scenery, but very little wildlife.

While I was in Glacier, out exploring in my car early one morning and munching on trail mix, I was jolted by something very hard and crunchy in my mouth. Turns out I cracked a crown I had from years ago. After calling my mom to get the name of her dentist, I arranged an appointment to get a replacement crown. I will be spending a couple of weeks in my parent’s driveway while I get the dental work done.

Having grown up mostly in Wyoming, I am aware the state’s economy is almost exclusively dependent on the energy extraction industry. When I last visited, coal, fracking, and oil drilling were booming. Thus, the residents were prosperous and happy. This time, the energy business—especially coal–is flailing, and most of the people seem to be financially struggling and angry.

I appreciate the opportunity to spend a fun-filled day with my friend Kristy, joining her at her food trailer way up in the hills where they are erecting wind turbines, followed by a visit to her family’s historic homestead. More good times are a visit with my friend Scott and his wife, plus a day spent at Ayer’s Natural Bridge.

Despite these happy interludes, I am eager to leave. I’m feeling an unpleasant and confrontational attitude from people in general. I attribute it to the unpleasant and confrontational presidential campaign going on right now. Some people in this town are downright belligerent in their support of Donald Trump, and it makes me uneasy. I don’t remember politics ever being so “in your face.” All this negative energy saps my inspiration and creativity. I’m finding it difficult to motivate myself to get out with the camera.

While in Wyoming, I find out that one of my favorite high-school teachers, Kathy, is holding a reunion of past students at her off-grid cabin near Laramie. I make contact to get the details and decide to stop by on the journey south to Colorado. As it turns out, the long, rough dirt road to the place is not navigable in my big motor home, so she generously offers me accommodations at her cabin and allows me to park my rig at her place in town for a couple of days while I join the festivities.

Despite a meager turnout, it’s a great time and a wonderful opportunity to see my sister and her husband who make the long trek from Oregon to attend. Her property is untamed and rustic. It’s a nice change from the developed RV parks I’ve been frequenting. Luna, however, has a very hard time sleeping on the main floor while I am up in the loft. She deprives us of sleep, yet I’m afraid of bringing her up to the loft for fear she might try to jump down. After a couple of sleepless days in the back country, I’m ready to return to civilization. And Luna is very ready to return to the motor home.

My next major stop is Rocky Mountain National Park. I’ve secured reservations on the west side of the park. It’s less crowded and a bit more laid back than the east side. It’s a large RV park with well-spaced sites and lots of walking trails. Great for me, and for Luna.

I’ve only been parked and set up for a short time when I get a call from my daughter asking where I am. She tells me that she and her partner are on a summer-long road trip, with part of the agenda being to check out Colorado in case they want to move here. They are just a few hours away and can be here tomorrow. What happy surprise!

I make arrangements at the office for two more people and an extra vehicle and we’re all set. They stay with me the whole four days I am here. We have lots of fun catching up on each other’s lives and exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. We see moose and elk and because it’s early summer, they have calves and fawns, too. The whole experience is as memorable as it is unexpected.

We say our goodbyes, but plan to meet again soon, since we will both be traveling around the state for the next several weeks. Next on my agenda is another visit with my Aunt Sally and I really want my children to meet her. Especially since they have never met any of the relatives on my dad’s side of the family.

In the meantime, my son, who has decided to take a semester off from college, tells me he signed up to do a stint with the Southwest Conservation Corps, based in Durango. He is willing to come west early and spend some time with me before he starts. Who knew, when I made plans for a summer in Colorado, that not one, but BOTH of my children would join me there? It’s funny how things just work out perfectly sometimes.