I still haven’t remembered where we spent the night but the next morning, we were off to Idaho and an attempt to visit with my friend Stacy. I’d met her up in Fairbanks, she’s an artist and was living at the RV park where I volunteered. But she was now back down here in Coeur d’Alene with her family. I’d tried to talk her into holding up her departure date so she could travel with my brother and me but that didn’t sound all that appealing to her. Rightly so.
So when it got to around 10am I gave her a call to set up a meeting to say hi. Since she wasn’t working yet, no problem. When we got to the border, it only took us maybe 15 minutes to get back into the US. Keeping you mouth shut and only answering questions asked is the best way. And don’t make any stupid jokes about anything. It’s a small customs office and the traffic was fairly light so most of the time we spent there was waiting for what traffic there was to move. There isn’t even a town there.
Another of the many lakes up here in Canada.
This whole area is a drainage for the Columbia River system. Imagine what it must have been like 12,000 years ago when there would have been an ice sheet in this picture.
Crowded dashboard.
Heading pretty much due south, scant traffic. Though the shadows suggest otherwise. But, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
The forest started to give way to a more desert like terrain.
This reminded me of the Tri-Cities in Washington where I grew up.
I stopped to get this shot because it is so like the area I grew up in.
Another lake that feeds the Columbia River.
And finally, we cross Lake Pend O'Reille
When we got into Coeur d'Alene, stopped in a parking lot and called Stacy, it turned out that Stacy's mom's house was just a couple miles away. Stacy came over to pick us up.
That’s her son, he came down to join us since he’s not working either and has plenty of time. And he knew where the brew pubs and college bars were so that helped. I was really surprised at how big and modern Coeur d’Alene has gotten since I went through it so, so many years ago.
Stacy and Me after lunch and a couple beers.
I’m all pasty looking from having spent 2 years up in Fairbanks where there is no sunshine to speak of. And fat. Gained over 20 pounds up there. After we had lunch and a few brews here at the brew pub, Stacy wanted to show us a college bar down by the lake. So…off we went, but in her Jeep instead of my RV.
And here finally, is Lake Coeur d'Alene. Famous for having a funny name or something.
Another view.
And over there is the fancy beachside development. We drove through it and there were plenty of yuppies hanging around.
We drove by this portion of the park and Stacy told us something about it, I just can't remember what. Veterans memorial?
We are sitting at an open air bar right next to a public park so we have to keep it down. Especially when kids pass by or they will scoop up your drinks.
Then the conversation got interesting as Stacy told us what was going on in her life, at work (or lack of it), with her son, the grandchild, the grandchild’s mom, etc., so I never bothered to get a picture from this point on.
We were invited to Stacy’s mom’s house for dinner…which was excellent…and then were allowed to park the RV next to the house for the night. Watched a football game or something in the house while getting tipsy so I forgot my cow hat. Stacy scooped it up for me the next morning and although it’s grungy, she’s promised to take care of it and give it back to me. I can’t replace it because the owner of the RV park where I got it, Sourdough RV Park of Tok Alaska, was killed in an accident last year and the new owners didn’t order any more of the hats. I’d checked with them when Dan & I passed the place a few days previously. Damn.
The next morning, around 7, we head off to Spokane.