HUNTING THE ELUSIVE HUCKLEBERRY

Yesterday we went on a trek onto the mountains in search of huckleberries.  These little berries sell for as much as $50 a quart down here in Sandpoint, which gives you some idea why folks go to great lengths to find them.  Many (some with long beards and guns) hunt them for profit.  Aside from looking intimidating the guns also have a more practical application because the berries only grow up high in places that the local Grizzly Bears live and it so happens they also love huckleberries.

We reached our objective several miles up a dirt and gravel road past the Grizzly Bear warning signs, about 20 miles from the last pavement and at an elevation of almost 6000 feet.  (Back in our backpacking days Arlyene and I often hiked all day to get to places like this.  Just did not feel right driving there in a truck but hey, we don't carry heavy backpacks as well as we used to.)  Our goal was the Roman Nose Lakes which, as you can see from the map below, are a bit out of the way.

Once we arrived at the lake, out came the buckets and Larry's fishing pole.  I carried the bear spray and Larry was at least well enough armed to get a Grizzly Bears attention so that the rest of us could at least outrun Larry.  We expected to find the area well picked already so we were pleasantly surprised to find plenty of berries.  While Larry fished Linda, Arlyene and I picked and we ended up with more than enough for Arlyene to make us a Huckleberry Crisp tonight.  We sneaked back down the mountain with our treasurer hoping the mountain men the area would not hold us up.  They didn't and neither did the Grizzlies.  Never saw one and very glad for that.

It was warm and very smokey from a number if fires in this part of the country.  (At the same time we are mindful of the great suffering going on in Texas.  I think we can put up with some smoke.)  No pictures of the beautiful mountain vistas because they just were obscured by smoke and haze.  It is worse today and this combined with fires in central Oregon have prompted us to make a change in our travel plans.  We had planned to travel with Larry and Linda (they in their motorhome) to Sisters, Oregon for a reunion with some previous business associates and their wives.  In part because of the smoke and fires in that area and in part because two of the couples have had to back out of the reunion for other reasons we are now going to depart from here in northern Idaho and head directly for Las Vegas.  We expect to arrive there about September 17th.

Hopefully the adventure is not over yet.  Between now and September 10th when we plan to leave we hope to do some fishing on the lake and celebrate our 48th wedding anniversary and Larry's birthday with a night out on the town.  Don't worry, it's a small town, we can't get in too much trouble.

Couldn't decided which one of these last two I like best so posting both.

TWO FOR TWO

With Linda in the Bay Area with her grand kids, Larry, Arlyene and I decided to run up to Schweitzer Mountain for an afternoon hike.  We chose the same hike Arlyene and I took last year where we were lucky enough to see a moose on the trail.  This year the three of us passed the spot uneventfully but later, on a lower portion of the trail another moose came crashing out of the forest right onto our path.  She started to run off but stopped to study us just long enough to snap a picture which gave us some concern that she might have had a calf with her.  In that case our presence could have been a real problem.  She eventually continued on down the mountain and we were able to continue on our way.  It was in the low 90's even at that higher elevation and I don't think any of the three of us could have moved out of the way very fast.

So we are getting spoiled.  Two for two.

This was our 2016 moose encounter.

Today's 

Lookout at Picnic Point

Total hike today = 3.8 miles.

SEATTLE UPDATE

Wow!  It has been over a month since our last update so time to catch up a bit.

We started by spending a month parked in Larry and Linda's driveway in Idaho, including the 4th of July.  After the 4th Arlyene flew back to LV for a week to tend to family stuff there and after she got back we set out in the Jeep for the Seattle area, leaving the motor home in Larry's care.  Along the way we traveled US Highway 2 across Washington and stopped in Leavenworth for the night.  The next day we traveled to the home of long time friends Craig and Janet were we have been house/cat sitting for them while they travel in Alaska.  We have visited with friends from as far south as Olympia and north from Bellingham - and many points in between.  It has been a great time and we have been grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with our many friends in the area as well as with daughter Mary.  Reconnecting with Seattle traffic has not been as much of a joy but we have been able to manage it reasonably well.

Our stay here in Mountlake Terrace ends tomorrow, Sunday, as we head back to Idaho in the rain.  During our two week stay here it has not rained one drop anywhere in the Puget Sound area.  One of my main jobs here has been to keep their beautiful vegetable and flower gardens watered and healthy and with no rain that was a daily activity.  The rain is coming at a perfect time as we leave.  Not excited about a six hour drive in the rain but I expect we will see some breaks along the way.

UPDATE: We are now back in Idaho after an unevenful six hour drive and not too much rain as we left Puget Sound.  We will stay here about three more weeks and then, accompanied by Larry and Linda in their own motorhome, we will head for Sisters, Oregon for a reunion with three other couples.  We will be there about a week and then part company to begin the trek back to Las Vegas crossing Oregon and Idaho before heading south on I-15 north of Salt Lake City.  We plan a couple of two night stays along the way.

While we have been away construction on our new addition at the resort has been progressing.  We are looking forward to the new storage area and bathroom that will be a great addition to our lot, especially while entertaining.