Today we are heading home, but not in the way that we have often made the trip from Montana to Washington. We know the routes. We have made this trip many times. When we lived in South Dakota and our son and his family lived in Washington, we made this trip at least once a year and almost always our trip included a stop in Red Lodge or Big Timber Montana. This time we leave Red Lodge, but we have planned to take parts of four days to get home instead of two.

That means we have time to worship with the congregation of Red Lodge Community Church. The United Church of Christ congregation is where Susan’s sister and her family have been members for years and we have visited in the past, when we were on vacation, but it is pleasant to have it be part of our plan for this trip. We know others who are members of the congregation and may even see some old friends.

Then we have a pleasant afternoon’s drive up over the Divide to Anaconda, home of a giant smelter in the days when the open pit copper mine at Butte was being worked. The smokestack is still standing but the boilers are cool and the place is quiet. I think the smokestack is on the registry of historic places. Our destination is not the old smelter, however, but a nearby hot springs that used to be a quaint little swimming hole, but now has been developed into a full-fledged restore. We aren’t usually resort campers, but when we were planning this trip, I decided that reservations were necessary to guarantee a camping spot and I was worried about tonight simply because it is Labor Day weekend and folks don’t have to work tomorrow, so I thought that the campgrounds would all be full given that this is the last holiday weekend for camping for many families with school children. However, what I have learned about the resort is that it might not really be a very kid-friendly place after all. At least the pages and pages of rules and regulations that I had to sign to make a reservation made it sound like some exclusive adults-only area. I’m not excited about staying there, but it is only one night and we know the other campgrounds where we will be staying and have enjoyed stays at those places before.

It is just another sign for me that things are not the way they used to be. I’m pretty sure that the pool at the hot springs costs a bit more than the 50 cents it cost when I was a kid, but price is only part of the change. Also changed is the fact that you need to make reservations at all in order to camp. I’m pretty sure we won’t see any tent campers willing to pay the fees for the “camping” resort. I suspect that our camper will be among the smallest there.

I remember that when we pulled our camper to South Carolina in 2021, we stayed one night at a campground that asked us what year our camper was manufactured. Thinking that to be a strange question I inquired and found out that the campground didn’t allow older campers to be parked there. I immediately thought that the place was a bit too snooty for the likes of us, but we went ahead and found it to be a nice stop on our trip. I wonder if our camper would make the grade now that it is two years older.

We were talking about campgrounds and Susan commented that she thinks that the campgrounds I like the best are state parks, national forest, and other public lands. I have to agree with her. I don’t find myself in need of services or amenities. I prefer a bit of privacy and distance from the other campers if I am given the choice. Furthermore, I prefer the company of people who can’t afford quarter- and half-million dollar coaches and trailers. I enjoy having a few neighbors who are staying in tents. I realize that our camper is a huge step up in luxury from the way we used to camp, but camping for me is about being out of doors. I don’t need a television and a microwave. I am especially annoyed by campgrounds where the campers are so close that you have no privacy. If we draw one of the many campers with an outdoor television as neighbors, I am even less thrilled. I prefer the rushing water, deer, and occasional moose wandering through over fancy RVs.

I am not, however, in charge of the way things are and that is probably a good thing. The challenge for me is to make the best of the world in which we find ourselves and to deal as kindly and compassionately with whatever neighbors I end up with. After all, it is only one night and what we need most is a place to park our camper so that we can get a good night’s sleep. It probably is a step up from a parking lot somewhere.

So much for whining. What I am looking forward to about today is the drive. Up the east slope of the Rockies is always filled with great scenery and the top of Homestake Pass gives a great view of Silverbow country below. The drive is short enough that it won’t be too stressful and there are several fun places where we can stop if we want.

Life is good. The journey has been fun to this point and I’m beginning to get the feel of part of what retirement might feel like. I’ve still got a lot to learn and there are challenges ahead, but we have now made it through our first month and have had some fun and wonderful experiences along the way. I’m learning to slow down a bit and appreciate each day as it comes. Who knows? I might even find that I like it.