Insight Into: Travel (In the North)

As I've noted previously, I will be traveling from Washington state to Wyoming in a few weeks. One of the things I really like about my work is the opportunity I have to travel. So far, I know I will be going to Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, and Alaska in the first half of the year, and probably back overseas in the second half. I love travel; I get to see all kinds of different places and people, and learn firsthand about thing going on in those places. I often learn things I never would have known had I not been there in person to see what's going on and talk with people who are far closer to the local happenings than whatever news anchor or website I would have gotten information from otherwise. It is fun, exciting, and generally one of the two best parts about my job (the other being teaching).

That said, there is one part of travel that I don't enjoy so much...the actual travelling from where I am to where I'm going. Often these trips involve several hours in a plane or car, sitting. Each has ways to keep distracted - on a plane, you can read, or sometimes watch in-flight shows, or listen to music. In cars, you actually get to stop and get out from time to time, which is extremely welcome. Nevertheless, the actual trip out to wherever I am going is usually on a tight schedule and/or budget, so there are no extra stops or sightseeing along the way, so it is a lot of sitting. If I'm driving, it also involves navigation, timing gas and hotel stops, and managing the weather (also driving, but I figure that's a given).

This particular trip, I am driving across Montana to reach Wyoming. Being winter here in the U.S., neither Washington state, Montana, not Wyoming are known for particularly hospitable travel conditions, and I am currently in the process of making sure my car is up to the standards needed to cross the mountains in winter. This means figuring out what kinds of tires to use (all-weather, studded, something else?) where to get them (someplace with high quality but high cost, or someplace like Wal-Mart), and what other materials I may need (a shovel, tire chains, extra supplies, etc.). The fact of the matter is that even with all my preparations, a heavy storm in the passes could keep me locked in place for days, depending on when it hits. Alternatively, I could have great weather the entire way, and not need anything I am taking with me. Coming from the plains, winter car preparation hasn't usually been this complex for me, so this is an interesting experience. I have driven through this area in near-winter before (usually around November, not February), so I have some idea what I'm in for, but this is the first trip where the entire trip will be through the wintry north. All in all, it should be far less dull than a lot of car trips, though, and I plan to travel by day, so while it might take longer, at least I will have the benefit of daylight (and the effect it can have on ice and snow - namely, helping get rid of them).

For those of you who are native to this kind of climate and terrain, feel free to enjoy my nervous discomfort; I know I would find it amusing, if the situation were reversed. For those of you for whom snow is only real as a concept, here's a quick taste of the difference it makes in travel and driving. It's kind of fun knowing that some who read this post will find it amusing (because they've been doing this since childhood), while other will (I hope) find it interesting and very different from their own experiences. The world is a big place, and the internet brings a lot of people together - even for posts like this.