Travelling through Idaho
We spent some days in Mountain Home, ID at the RV dealership where our coach was originally purchased. We wanted a demonstration of how some of the systems worked and the annual maintenance was performed.
Whenever I visit places without mountains in the west, one of the first things I notice are the sunsets. They are so different when the sun drops the extra distance to the horizon. Apparently 14,000 foot peaks shorten the time it takes for sunset, even when you are a mile high at your viewpoint. Idaho was no different. Sunsets took forever and were wonderfully dramatic.
What amazed me about Idaho was the isolation and monotony of the scenery while driving across the southern end of the state. It should not surprise me. I am aware of the monotony of the eastern plains of Colorado and the desolate remoteness of the south central and south east areas of the state. It is not all mountain meadows and ski resorts, bike trails and play grounds for adventurous people.
It made me realize that we all have these preconceived ideas about other people and places that we aren’t even aware of having. A gift of living on the road is finding these limited 2D ideas and releasing them for a more colorful knowledge of reality.
Back to Idaho. The stark landscape was beautiful and the wind was relentless at times. We stopped in Mountain Home and Boise while we travelled from Utah to Oregon. While there we made a day trip down to Twin Falls. The 1.5 hour drive was nothing but fields and flat land. I did not have high hopes, but Brad’s uncle Brad had lived there for many years. This visit was important to him so we went. We crossed the Snake River and I was amazed. There was no indication that anything different was coming up, outside of a town. The rugged walls of stone leading down to the river were a shock. And the town of Twin Falls is built around the falls. The park that houses the falls is in the middle of town and it is a totally different world than the landscape surrounding the town.
The calendar said late June but the weather was chilly and rainy. A perfect day for a hike around the falls in the lush surroundings, a better view at each turn, and a great opportunity to watch some beavers hanging out in the empty green areas. Contrary to popular belief, they were not busy beavers. I would say the 3 we saw were sunning, but there was no sun either. One of the mysteries of life…What do beavers do when they are not busy building or hunting? I know enough to ask the question now.
Later in the trip we circled back through Coeur D’Alene and north on our way to Glacier, Mt. There we stayed at The Hemlocks RV Park in Moyie Springs, ID. What a wonderful area! The Rocky Mountains will always be home to me, from Northern New Mexico all the way to Bonners Ferry, 30 miles south of the Canadian border, and up into Canada. I think. I haven’t been in the Canadian Rockies yet. Another trip for another day.
Bonners Ferry bills itself as the Friendliest Town in the US and I saw nothing to negate that idea. We got hiking advice from the barista at the Far North Coffee Lodge that was spot on. She sent us to a Kootenai Falls and the swinging bridge. At the end of the day hiking, we returned to Bonners Ferry and had dinner at Mugsy’s Tavern. Our barista was at the bar, enjoying her off duty time. We had the opportunity to see her and thank her for the suggestion. We will be back!
