Snoqualmie River RV Park --- September 1st - 5th, 2008
Our friend, Randy Vernon, drove Brian and the RV here to the
bank of the Snoqualmie, while Deb followed in the Jeep.
Hell's Gate State Park, Idaho --- September 5 - 8th, 2008
We arrived here Friday evening just before the office closed,
and got the last two 50 amp sites (no sewer) in Loop B. My sister and her significant other arrived soon after, and
we've had a great visit. Brian's mostly taking it easy. I kayaked with Donna this morning, and this afternoon
Brian and I walked around downtown Lewiston, and had ice tea at a sidewalk cafe. We decided to stay until Monday.
It's a nice park, and we're enjoying the stay.
We encountered our first technical difficulties on this leg. CHECK OUT the new "Breakdowns" link.
Lowell and Powell, Idaho --- September 8th - 16th,
2008
UNPLUGGED in The Wilderness:
From Lewiston, we headed southeast to Lowell where the Lochsa and Selway rivers come together to form
a leg of the Clearwater river. After a two day layover, we headed up to the Powell FS campground on the banks of the Lochsa
River for some "serious" fishing.
My friend John tells me I fished "the wrong spots the wrong way" so, I was having 10-15 fish days instead
of 20-40 fish days. Most of my fish were dredged up fishing weighted nymphs off the bottom with a dead drift technique
called "high-sticking", "chuck and duck", or "Zen Fishing". It didn't help that we
arrived so late in the year. Hatches were almost non-existent. Warmer weather would have helped.
The Powell campground gets two thumbs up!!! It is the only one on the river with water and electric hookups ---
50 amps too. All the other CG's are dry camping.
McCall, ID --- September 14 - 16th,
2008
We left the wilderness
for the little resort community of McCall. It felt to me like Park City, Utah. The yuppies are taking over. The
local no name grocery store carried Starbuck's and Seattle's Best Coffees. Perhaps these are national
chains and are sold every where any more. Still, I was expecting Folgers and Yuban. This is a very pretty town
nestled at the southern shore of Payette Lake.
We selected McCall for its potential for outdoor sports: hiking, biking, and kayaking. It
looks like it would be outstanding for all of these. I can't speak from first hand experience. Since I'm
recovering from surgery, I'm taking it slow and easy and sticking with tourist attractions: The Warren ghost
town and Bergdorff Hot Springs. The hot springs get two thumbs WAY UP --- a very clean sandy bottom, very hot water,
and no sulfur smell.
Bang Bang Boise --- September 17 - 20th
We have no clue what there is to do. I showed up for the
Idaho State IDPA Championship
out in Parma.
The weather was just like home: RAIN. Dressed for hot weather, I got soaked.
I had revolver mal-functions on the first two stages. About half the rounds were light strikes (mis-fires).
Both stages required 3 reloads. I ended up doing 5 reloads on each to get off enough live rounds. This really
slowed me down and screwed up my score. It turns out that my trigger adjustment screw had completely backed out.
A quick field repair and I was back in business. However, I came in second place in SSR Marksman class, and, with
better luck, perhaps could have won.
Friday, we took the Dutchstar to Camping World and got the dash
board vents working, again, so driving south we can have air conditioning, again! 8)
Thursday, we walked
around downtown Boise, had lunch at a place that reminded us of a Paris pastry shop, and visited the Art Museum.
It was HOT for us, but the locals thought the "cooler" weather was quite nice.
Desert Dog --- September 22, 2008
We walked the dunes at Bruneau Dunes State Park.
Ritzy lead the way.
Twins Falls, Idaho --- 9/23/08
Jumping Off a Bridge With a Backpack On ---
Four guys and a gal with backpacks. They jumped. We watched. Heck, Deb and I got nervous just
walking out to the middle of the span. Not our style; thank you very much.
We strolled the walking trail along the rim of Shoshone Falls Park.
Kayaking the Willard Bay (Great Salt Lake) --- Sept. 24th, 2008
(Insert photos here).
Oooops! Forgot the camera. We had a blast. The wind was blowing strong from the south turning up 6 - 12" waves.
We paddled directly into the wind. The topography was dead flat. Our oars hit bottom in several places.
I wouldn't expect it to be more than 6 or 8 feet deep at any spot. The oddest thing was the fish ---
Two foot long small-mouth bass suspended in the waves. We must have paddled over about 50 of them.
As soon as the kayaks were on top of them they took off. Just for grins, I touched a couple of them with my oar.
Very odd. We rowed into the wind for 45 minutes. once we turned around, we were pushed back to the boat launch
in a fraction of the time.
We checked out Salt lake City too. Salt Lake City and Boise get two thumbs
up for having vibrant, bustling down-towns. Most of the cities we have seen so far have abandoned and decaying
downtown areas. Boise and Salt Lake City still rock. The neighborhood immediately west of the U of U
reminded me of the Wallingford or Montlake Seattle neighborhoods.
Rock Springs, WY --- September 26th, 2008
Seattle, WA --- Green, gray, damp, mossy.
Rock Springs, WY --- Rock... Hot and dusty, and, well, rocky. We did have a good hike on Aspen Mountain south
of town.
