The sounds of travel 2: “The Mountain”

by Meg Massie on

Here at Gadling we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite sounds from the road and giving you a sample of each — maybe you’ll find the same inspiration that we did, but at the very least, hopefully you’ll think that they’re good songs. Got a favorite of your own? Leave it in the comments below and we’ll post it at the end of the series.

Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer — “The Mountain”



The first time I ever heard a live performance of “The Mountain,” I was sitting on the hillside at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in the Berkshires of New York. Tracy Grammer was singing the song written by her late partner, Dave Carter, and the melody and poetry put me in a trance. What mountain is she talking about, I wondered. For a while, I believed the song must be about the very mountain I was on at the time.

To me, it felt like the song was about finding peace, and there is no place I’d ever felt more at peace than at Falcon Ridge, surrounded by gentle spirits, people who love the world well. Dave Carter wrote a lot of music about wandering the earth, going places and seeing things, and listening to Dave & Tracy’s albums always fills me with a desire to hit the road, but “The Mountain” always takes me to specific destinations.

First it was Falcon Ridge, and sometimes it still is, but then I visited Portland, Oregon. Dave had lived there when he wrote the song, and seeing Mount Hood for the first time, it dawned on me that this was probably the mountain in the song. While traveling in Oregon, I felt constantly drawn to the mountains, and so much at peace when I could just sit and stare at them. I felt like I really got the song this time. I wrote to Tracy Grammer to confirm my theory. She wrote back and told me this: “‘The Mountain’ isn’t about any particular mountain, far as I know. The song was inspired by a dream Dave had, where he stood on a mountain and watched the wind move through the long grass in waves … a place he felt the power of grace as if for the first time.”

Perfect. That’s exactly the way I felt sitting on that hill at Falcon Ridge for the first time, thinking This! This is where I need to be. This is where I need to keep coming back. And I do return for the festival every year (so does Tracy Grammer). It’s also how I felt when I saw Mount Hood for the first time, like I would always feel happy as long as I had a clear view of the Cascade Range. Mount Hood became my Utopia, and I know I’ll keep returning to it for the rest of my life.

“The Mountain” is closely associated with my two favorite places in the world, and whenever I hear the song, I feel at peace the way I imagine Dave Carter felt when he wrote it. I think the underlying theme of the song is not necessarily about going to the mountains but rather being exactly where you want to be. This song takes me there.

Click here for previous Sounds of Travel


Check out the view from McKenzie Pass

by Meg Massie on

Driving from Western Oregon to Bend in Central Oregon, a great route is the McKenzie Highway, Rt. 242. Snow closes this highway from November to July, so you’ve got to plan your trip for the late summer or early fall.

At the McKenzie Pass summit at 5325 feet in the Willamette National Forest, you’ll be surrounded by lava beds as far as the eye can see. There are places to park so you can get out and do some exploring, and on a clear day, this is one of the most stunning places in the world.

Near the summit, you’ll see a round structure built from the volcanic rock on top of a hill of volcanic rock. This is the Dee Wright Observatory, where visitors can peek through lava tube viewing holes at each of the major landmarks surrounding the area. Several of the tallest peaks of the Cascade Range are visible from the observatory, including Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, and the Three Sisters. Their bright white snowy peaks give a spectacular contrast to the dark gray lava beds all around you.

A paved 1/2-mile loop through the lava beds gives travelers a nice way to stretch their legs while taking in the scenery. Along the path are signs with interesting facts and information about the lava beds and how the scenery came to look this way. It’s fascinating, and definitely worth a detour if you’re anywhere near the area.

Deadly Everest Airplane Crash

by Josh Lew on

A Yeti Airlines Twin-Otter plane carrying sixteen passengers and three crew members crashed at a remote airstrip in Nepal yesterday morning, local time. The plane’s wheel became entangled in a security fence as it was landing at the trekking base of Lukla, about 30 miles from Mount Everest. 18 people, including a group of 12 German trekkers, were killed. Only the pilot survived, though he remains in critical condition at an area hospital. Passengers waiting for other planes were first on the scene, but they were ill-equipped to fight the fire that had broken out on impact. By the time it was finally extinguished, everyone in the passenger cabin was beyond help.

The crash was initially blamed on poor visibility. It was quite foggy at the time of the crash, though two similar planes had already landed at the airstrip that morning. The government has promised a full investigation. The team looking into the disaster will be headed by the country’s attorney general. The airport is located at 2500 meters above sea level and many people say it is ill-equipped to handle the heavy traffic it sees during trekking and climbing season.

Source

Photo of the Day (09.09.08)

by Grant Martin on

I’ve been tossing around the idea of a trip to New Zealand for roughly twenty years now, but recently the urge has gotten much stronger. Perhaps it’s because I’m now living with a couple of Kiwi semi-professional rugby players, or maybe it’s because I’ve never met an unfriendly person from New Zealand — whatever it is, I’m going to have to start putting a trip together. And with images like this around the country, how could you resist?

Flickr user Jitsu shot this photo on the South Island of NZ between Te Anau and Milford Sound, right behind some ten zillion sheep.

Have any cool photos you’d like to share with the world? Add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr, and it might be chosen as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (07.13.08)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Doesn’t this look blissful? Flickr user Bernard-SD took this shot at Yosemite National Park. Summer is one of the best but also the most crowded times at our country’s national parks, so it’s refreshing to see a great nature shot with nary a human to clutter the view.

Bernard’s photo is great not only for the scenery but also because it’s nicely framed. I like how the lone hiking path cuts across the foreground, winding off into unknown. The tree on the right is also a nice counterpoint to the gorgeous waterfall on the upper left. Just imagine yourself hiking down this peaceful path, the vista of the park’s mountains looming in the distance.

Have a great travel photo you’d like to share with the world here on Gadling? Add it to our Gadling pool on Flickr and we might pick it as our Photo of the Day.