Tiger's Travels part. 3
Scritto da: Doris e Al Monaco

Agriturismo e sistemazioni rurali selezionate in tutta Italia, ai prezzi migliori.

Tiger's Travels - Chapter 7
Our Western Home - Idaho

We really don't have another home in Idaho. Our RV is our home away from home. We do have many friends in Idaho, though, so we spend a lot of time there. It was in Idaho that I needed to have the tires replaced on the RV. When we left Florida we thought the tires would be good for another 20,000 miles. The hot sun, however, cracked the tires and we didn't want to risk driving in areas that didn't have many service centers. We kept two of the best tires for spares, mounting one on the roof and kept one in the spare tire rack. We discovered later, the tire on the roof was the damaged by the rope that was used to tie it down. We now use tire covers in the Florida sun when standing at home. One cause of flat tires in RV's is valve stem breakage from rocks on the road. The rocks also get wedged in between the tires and can puncture the tires and damage one or both. It's a good idea to check your tires after you have traveled on dirt or gravel roads. A small crowbar is a handy tool to use to pry the rocks out with. Other travelers have pointed out to us rocks that became wedged in our double wheels and we do the same for others. Rocks and gravel can also break glass and windshields. In the remote areas of the northwest some RVers cover their headlights and windshields with wire mesh when they travel on unimproved roads frequently. The only stone damage that we have ever had was a windshield star. Even after thousands of miles to Alaska and back without any stone damage, we sustained this damage from a sports car, in Yosemite Park, California, who cut in front too close on a gravel road, throwing up stones.
Many National Forests allow off the road camping, meaning you just pull off the road and into the woods and dry camp. Tiger loves to get out into the woods in those areas and you usually don't have any neighbors. You must abide by the rules set by the local rangers and leave the area as you found it. This means no trash and no dumping of tanks. Rangers will be glad to direct you to the nearest dump station. A full water tank is a must when you dry camp. Water savers that screw onto faucets keep water waste low. These are little valves with plastic sticks that must be pushed aside to allow the flow of water. They keep water from running continuously. You can save up to 65% of your water and spend longer periods dry camping when using them.
Insect repellent is another must when you are spending time in the woods. I'm reminded of the story of the hunter who returned empty handed and complained that the mosquitoes were so thick that every time he shot his gun they deflected the bullet. Your dog will not like to get sprayed with the repellent, but a good flea and tick spray should be used. We have never been too bothered by insects, but we have retreated to the campsite a few times because they became annoying. Smoke from a campfire or commercial insect smoke rings will help keep them away from your campsite.
Just west of the Montana border in eastern Idaho, in the Clearwater National Forest is Jerry Johnson Campground. It is located on Route 12 just west of the border. This wonderful, wild mountain woodlands more than made up for the lack of hookups and services. It is a very primitive campground. We picked up some deadwood and enjoyed a nice campfire. Tiger was able to roam about on his own, returning to us whenever we called. We never let him out of our sight for more than a minute or two. Generally speaking, dry camping is comfortable for several days before it becomes necessary to go to the nearest dump station and refill your water tank. Always be sure the fresh water supply is labeled "potable" water and ask a park attendant if the water is drinkable. Some water is only for washing and cleaning and should be labeled accordingly. When we left Jerry Johnson Campground we stopped at the Wilderness Campground to use the facilities there. It is located west of Jerry Johnson on Route 12.
Wilderness Campground has three loops of campsites. When we arrived one whole loop was reserved for Haley's Jam Session. They are a group of musicians who camp-out and play music about the same time every year. We arrived during the third week in August. They play every Thursday through Sunday from about 1pm to 6pm and from 7pm to 11pm. The musicians don't get paid and the music and dancing is free. Most folks just come to have a good time and play music. The music festival is not advertised anywhere except in music trade magazines and is not intended for the general public. Although we were going to just use the facilities we decided to stay for the night.

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On US 95 in Nampa there is a campground called Mason Creek Campground. Tiger enjoyed running in the high grass and watching the sheep behind their fences. The farms bordered the campsites. If you like scenic drives, take US 84 east and follow US 30 past Gooding. As you head toward Twin Falls the points of interest are clearly marked. There are plenty of hot springs, volcanic rocks, canyons, bluffs, and varied topography ideal for picture taking.
On one of our drives we stopped at a primitive campground that had several fireplaces. It was in open country and the base of a hill that had cattle grazing on it. We thought it might be fun to camp on the open range and leveled next to a fireplace. No one else was there so we let Tiger loose to run and play. We set up our fireplace and collected some wood. Just before sunset, as we were starting to fire the coals a Cadillac towing a low bed trailer pulled into the campground. It was towing another Cadillac. A man got out, looked at us without saying anything, and began to unload the Cadillac that was being towed from the trailer. Tiger barked and I kept him "on guard." He kept looking at us as he pulled the Cadillac's next to each other, forgetting to use the parking brake with one and having to chase it down the hill. I decided to load my shotgun and keep it ready. The man looked rough, but most cowboys and ranchers are rough cut, but nice people. The man started opening the trunks of both cars and running back and forth from one to the other, tinkering with the license plates. We decided that this was not going to be a comfortable place to spend the night. I felt we would be safe enough, with the dog and the shotgun, but I didn't want to sleep with one eye open. We packed up camp and headed out. Whatever he was doing was none of our business, but when a strange camper in a desolate area doesn't even say "Howdy", it's best to err on the side of caution. There are plenty of other campgrounds on the road. When we did find a spot we gave Tiger an extra piece of steak for dinner, having real appreciation for having a 90 lb dog as a traveling companion.
This was probably the only time I loaded (and unloaded) the shotgun. There is a lot of controversy about firearms these days. I do like hunting when the opportunity presents itself. A shotgun may be transported unloaded in most states and in Canada, with the ammunition stored separately. In any event, as I've said before, "I would much rather be tried by 12 of my peers than be carried out by 6."
We found a full-service Campground past Twin Falls, one exit east of US 93 and I-84. It was called Anderson Best Holiday Travel Park and turned out to be a real good choice. It is located next to Anderson RV Service Center and when I went to hookup I noticed that my white water release valve was broken and the pipe was cracked. The next morning we went to the service center. They were tied up with back order work for a week, but they loaned me a hacksaw, sold me some parts and I made the repair myself. Total cost was $4.69 and 2 hours worth of work. The folks there were very helpful and I didn't mind a little elbow grease.

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There are a lot of surprises encountered on the road and a lot of wonderful people to meet. There are different people and lifestyles that you may not want to emulate, but who are still interesting to know. On one occasion we sought out the Nez Perce Indians (pronounced "ni mi po"). The name is a fallacy of information sent back to calligraphers by the French traders who described the Indians as "nez perce" or "pierced noses". The name just stuck on the maps.
When Route 12 runs into Idaho 162 you are in the reservation area in Nez Perce National Forest. You will encounter very high mountains with high meadows and high country roads to be driven with caution. Their area is heavily forested and above the cleared tree line are plowed areas and farmland. There are also lots of horses and ranches. We came here because we had adopted some wolves to be sent from a conservatory in Minnesota. They were to be released in Idaho from a private ranch near Sun Valley.
Unfortunately, a good majority of the local ranchers objected to the release and were able to get an injunction issued to keep the wolves from being released. The Nez Perce Indians offered to let "brother wolf live on their land and the wolves were sent to Winchester, Idaho. In Indian country the politicians don't have much clout. You will find a lot of history in the area such as Chief Joseph's heroic effort to avoid capture.
Winchester Lake State Park is located near Winchester and is a good base to explore the area. We visited the Nez Perce Indian Tribal Center and learned more about the Wolf Conservatory and plans for a Native American Cultural Exhibit. We have a great deal of respect for the hearts of the Nez Perce Indians in the way they preserve the natural life of the wilderness. The complexities of modern life and conveniences of artificial law too often obliterate the truth of nature for personal profit. The Nez Perce are truly people who believe that we belong to the earth and the earth does not belong to us. Their efforts in preservation of endangered species and the establishment of their Information Center and awareness programs are in itself as heroic as Chief Joseph's march.
Continuing south after our visits with the Nez Perce we wound up in Lucile, Idaho just above Riggins, at the Prospector's Gold RV Park. This park is located at milepost 204 on US 95. They have electrical and water hookups. A dump station is located about 10 miles south at a rest area on US 95. The campground overlooks Salmon River and has nice, grassy fields for Tiger to play in. The river is full of steelhead trout and the bluff that the campground overlooks seems so close to the sky that you can almost touch the stars at night. You can prospect for gold in the river or cross the suspension bridge to walk in the mountains.
The state parks and national forests in Idaho have campgrounds that are well cared for with level sites. Most have electric and water with a dump station on site or close by. Massacre Rock State Park is located at US 30 and Interstate 86, about 30 miles southwest of Pocatello. There are electric and water hookups and a dump station on the way out. The sites have plenty of space in between them and most have grills and fireplaces. The campground has an overlook to Snake River and is shared by a number of birds including black and white pelicans. Our favorite site is #43 on the lower level. It is located on a nice hill and protected by trees. Nearby you can walk out to the visible "ruts" of the Oregon Trail. There are also plenty of areas to run your dog. Rock hounds will enjoy the abundance of obsidian in the area. The hard black rock chips off in nice shiny black pieces for arrow points.

   

Henry's Lake State Park was our next stop and is located on US 20 about 12 miles south of West Yellowstone just north of Mack's Inn. We arrived in the second week of June and the mayflies were very annoying. Mayflies don't bite, but they are so thick at times you won't want to open your mouth. The park has a high mountain lake that is loved by fishermen. There are boat ramps and docks. The campsites have full hookups and there is a dump station on the way out. The best place to walk Tiger was on the road leading into the park by the cow pastures. The area is not heavily wooded and is nice for playing frisbee or ball. While we were at Henry's Lake the weather turned very cold. I turned on the furnace and thought I had blown a fuse since it ran for a minute or two and then shut off. The circuit breakers were fine, so I decided to take Tiger for a walk first and fix the problem when I returned. As I headed up the hill I saw nearby campers asking each other if they had electricity. It had never dawned on me that the park had a power outage at the same time I turned on my heater. Sometimes we look for problems that just aren't there.

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Taking a vacation is important to us and while we are traveling we always attend church, as we wouldn't want God to take a vacation from us. Most campgrounds have a listing of churches in the area along with their schedules posted. In remote areas you should begin looking for a church when you arrive since the priest may service three or four churches over a few hundred miles. Often there is only one service each weekend and it can be on either Saturday or Sunday. We also found that priests from different religions use the same chapel for their services.
We take a lot of pictures when we travel and we usually like to have the film developed as we go. We found that the larger cities and tourist areas such as West Yellowstone have one hour photograph developing outlets that are expensive. We send our film home to our son and daughter to develop for us. They enjoy keeping up with our travels and the cost is significantly less. We also enjoy having the pictures ready when we get home so we can reminisce about our trip. Many of the experiences you have can't be caught on pictures. On one trip another RV was passing me at a rather high speed and as he passed, a big elk came out of the woods and onto the road looking straight at us. The elk had 6 or more points on each side, and ran back into the woods just a split second before the other RV reached him. Memories like these are deeply imprinted in the mind. Every time a big rig goes roaring by us on wooded mountain roads I can see that elk standing there as big and vivid as the day is happened.
Past Pocatello we headed east into Caribou National Forest with some friends. While dry camping we let both dogs run loose and tied them up when someone approached. They had a great time playing and since our friend's dog was familiar with the campsites we visited, we knew Tiger wouldn't get lost. We enjoyed several lazy days of fishing, hiking, and just sitting around reading books. We noticed that Tiger had developed a habit of going to the door at night when he wanted to go to bed and we were all outside. He started doing the same thing in the afternoon, except that he could open the screen door himself by poking his nose at the door catch and rattling it until it opened. We just couldn't figure out how to teach him to close the door behind him.

      

Near Washington State, on I-90 at about the third exit, east of Coeur d'Alene at Cataldo stands the oldest building in the state of Idaho. It is a church built by Indians and The Jesuit Missionary. The Old Mission at Cataldo was built in 1853 and we stopped at the park there to see it. We asked the ranger to direct us to a campground since we wanted to go to mass at the mission the next day. The ranger pointed up the hill where we saw tepees, tents, and RV's. The ranger told us that the Indians of Coeur d'Alene would be at the mission the next day and one more camper wouldn't make a difference. He asked us to pull up to a picnic table next to the parking area and stay there. My wife and Tiger had a great time walking with the Indians and playing with their children. It seems that every year, on the Feast of the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Indians of Coeur d'Alene come from all over the western United States to Cataldo for a procession and High Mass celebrated in full Indian dress. The festival happens on August 15th each year. It is a beautiful ceremony and a very moving experience. During the recitation, of the Our Father by one of the elder Indian chiefs, four Indian maidens signed, in hand language, the Our Father. The indians also danced to ceremonial drums the dance of Indian braves in a gift of homage to The Great Spirit. We camped with the Indians and shared refreshments and our campfire. It was an honor to be invited to their barbecue and celebration after the mass. One of the Indian ladies saw our Panama Canal license plate and it turned out that she was born at the same hospital as my wife was in The Canal Zone in Panama. Her father was stationed with the military there. Our stay at Coeur d'Alene has to be the best of the many nice surprises we have had on our travels. I don't think there are many places in the world where you meet strangers you have nothing in common with and leave as friends with wonderful memories of each other. Cataldo is not a campground. It is a historical monument. Camping is only allowed there on the evening of August 14th after 6pm. You must get permission from the park managers to camp and stay the next day for the ceremony. If you need to get fresh water and dump tanks after you leave Cataldo head west on I-90 to exit 11, in Coeur d'Alene. There is a service station there that has a dump station and they will provide you with fresh water.

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Coeur d'Alene itself has a nice waterfront walk for tourists and after looking around we decided to stay at Beauty Creek Campground. Beauty Creek is located off exit 22 on I-90, 3 miles west on ID 97 and 1 mile SE on Forest Rd. 438. The campground is located next to a small mountain, which looks out over Coeur d'Alene. There is a nice hiking trail and the campsites are secluded and comfortable. Nearby, Beauty Creek has silver and gold mining areas open to tourists. We ate breakfast at The Snake Pit, a restaurant in Enaville, which once was a bordello in the old mining days. It still has a cow's skull mounted high over the entrance with a red light in its eye socket. The food was excellent and reasonably priced. This area, including the roads, is kept as they were in the 1800's. Tiger enjoyed the walking around the old towns as much as he loved running in the woods. Most of the folks in these old towns prefer animals to people anyway, so he was able to walk around under voice command. As a local put it, "the dogs are better behaved than the tourists for the most part."
We tend to spend more time in the less developed areas hoping to see more wildlife. We drove north along US 2 near Sandpoint and then took SR 57 to Priest Lake. From there we turned east at Nordman and traveled about 8 miles to Reader Bay Campground. Reader Bay is run by the National Forest Service and has a high "Tiger" rating. There are no hookups. Most of the campsites overlook the lake and are nicely wooded. There is a beach on the lake where pets are not welcome, but they are allowed to run in and out of the water in other areas around the lake. The campground also has scenic trail walks around the lake and in the woods. This area of the state calls for a lot of dry camping so we had to conserve water. There is water and a dump station just south of Bonner's Ferry at the county fairgrounds. There is also a Chevron Station on US 95 in Bonner's Ferry that will provide you with the same services for a fee.
Our last place to tell you about in Idaho is Robinson Lake Campground. Robinson Lake Campground is near the Canadian border on US 95 near Eastport. This is another great area for Tiger with lots of woods for him to walk in. Again, there are no hookups and you must dry camp. Robinson Lake is a great fishing spot and there is a nice meadow about two miles away that is a good spot for a picnic. From here, Canada is just a few miles away and our next stop.

Scritto da:
Doris e Al Monaco

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