Road Lessons/Day 21

Downtown, midtown, and uptown Martinsdale

It is always hard to say goodbye to friends you love, who treat you with such hospitality and generosity, and it always feels like we are giving the impression that we can't wait to leave, but getting back on the road is exciting and we are full of mixed emotions: sad to go, but anxious to get underway.   I think I am starting to get this addiction to riding that bikers have.  It really is satisfying to travel this way.

So, our last breakfast, our last hugs and kisses, our last heartfelt thank yous, and we are on the road to Martinsdale, MT and David's cousin Rob.  The ride out of Bozeman, up towards Bridger Bowl Ski Area is unbelievable!  The rolling hills and mountain views are just amazing. At one point, we both thrust out our right hands, pointing at the same time, at the same site, so the other wouldn't miss the amazing scenery we were passing, it was like Italy, like Tuscany, gentle hills, covered with pines, a foggy mist laying in the cleavages. (Later we both agreed, THAT was the valley we wanted to live in). (With our next million bucks, right?)

We were scheduled to meet Rob at 11:00 in Martinsdale, and the ride being shorter than we expected, we rolled in about 10:30, but Rob was there waiting so it worked out perfectly.  The road out to the Crazy M Ranch is about 14 miles of gravel, not advisable on our overloaded bike, so Rob was offering to let us store the bike in the little storage shed in town, where he keeps his Harley.
David and Rob had not seen each other in 20 or more years, he and I had probably never met...we couldn't think of any family event we might have been at together, but he is a warm and outgoing person, so we felt like friends right away. This is so great for the cousins to reconnect and we are looking forward to a couple of days of just hanging out with Rob and his girlfriend Kimmi.  They are temporary caretakers at a 12,000 acre ranch, the
Crazy M.  Kimmi is responsible for cooking and light housekeeping duties for the owners, a 90 year old couple from LA, who made their millions in real estate and spend their summers here at the ranch.

Smoky haze on the Crazy Mountains

Rob has yard work, vehicle maintenance, and rodent control (rabbits and marmots and mice, oh, my!) priorities, but he helps Kimmi with her chores, as well.

As we travel the road to the ranch, we are glad to be in a big four wheel drive truck....it is a very narrow, curvy road, that has frequent very steep inclines and declines....now we know why he recommended that he pick us up!

David and Rob compare road trips on the map

We find out that the 'fog' that we see lying in the hills is actually smoke that was blown in from a fire in Wyoming, by a strong wind  the night before, making the whole valley very misty and mysterious.

The main house and caretaker's house, and a few out buildings are situated in the most beautiful valley, completely surrounded by hills, it is  perfectly secluded, idyllic even...and there's 12,000 acres of it!
We arrive, unload, Rob shows us to our room, a bright airy, attic room in the cozy caretaker's house, he shares with Kimmi.  She is still at work in the main house and so we sit outside and wait for her to join us.  It's a great place to relax and soon David and Rob are talking non stop about motorcycles and riding and adventures they have been on, the places they've been, they are two peas in a biker pod...definitely speaking the same language!  Soon they have an atlas out and are showing each other routes they taken and will take.  Soon enough Kimmi comes home and there are more introductions and greetings and stories etc.  She needs to take the Jeep into town to shop from the Hutterites who come to town once a week for 2 hours, to sell their produce.  I offer to keep her company and it's the long trek back up the 14 miles of gravel road and into little Martinsdale again.

We stop at the post office first, and chat with Connie the Postmistress, who is really going to miss Kimmi when they leave in September, and I buy some stamps and Kimmi picks up some priority mailing boxes.

Across the street the Hutterites have set up their produce and we head over to do some shopping.
There is a Hutterite community in the area and it is possible to go there to shop, but Kimmi says it is easier when they come to town.  I will say that it was a very interesting experience, the Hutterites are a very unique sect....I will leave it at that. We buy some veggies at exorbitant prices ($8 for a quart of pickled beets?!) and hop back in the Jeep for the slow ride home.  Kimmi is a person of varied talents and experiences...and we are already talking non stop...so the trip goes fast...and it seems as though we have known each other for a long time, it is so easy going.

Kimmi has to make dinner for the ranch owners, and so David and Rob and I get the wine out and sit around the table telling stories and laughing till she comes back.  It was really fun to get to know Rob after all these years, and I am still amazed how much he and David are alike and have similar interests and outlooks....how is it they haven't kept in touch?  It's a guy thing I guess, who knows, but I hope that changes.  When Kimmi returns she makes dinner, there's more wine and we have more stories and find that Kimmi spent a lot of years in around the Twin Cities, working as a chef and creating the recipes and menus for many local establishments (among them Maud Borup Chocolates!).  She and Rob were both dividing their time between the US and Mexico for many years before they met, so when they did, they found they were kindred spirits with a love of adventure.  I had to say to Kimmi, that she didn't look old enough to have done all the things she's done!
(I asked Kimmi if she preferred Kim or Kimmi, and she said she pretty much answers to Kimmi now.  In the part of Mexico where she has lived the most, they do not have a 'K' and so when she said her name was Kim they called her Tim.  But there is a nickname 'Qemi' (sp?) and so when she started to introduce herself as Kimmi they could understand it, and so the Kimmi stuck!) I will say again, that it felt as though we were with lifelong friends that we just dropped in on.

Sunset over the Crazy Mountains

We were hoping to see some elk activity tonight,  Rob says the elk are in rut and they face off in the field just a few yards from the house, and so normally they can sit on their deck and listen to them bugle and watch them fight.  Not tonight!

Today's quote: Everyday, Kimmi's 90 year old employer writes up a menu for the day, inevitably he requests "Lots of Gravy!!!"...it is our new mantra!

And so the lesson for the day, #32, from the mouths of nonagenarians: Always ask for more gravy in life and you'll often get it!

Road Lessons/Day 20

This morning Elizabeth had a meeting and Bob had an appointment to give a colleague a fly fishing lesson.  David and I made a breakfast with Harriet and Pearl's fresh eggs with toast and coffee. We thought we'd take another hike, and checked the guide for something a little shorter and less up hill, and opted for a "leisurely stroll" up to the giant "M" that is up on the mountain overlooking Bozeman.
There is a choice when you get to the trail head: easy or hard, we chose the easy trail......
This trail turns out to be just as steep and up hill as the previous day's trail, but, it was more in the open, with views of the valley and city beyond.  Today is hot and the air is hazy in the valley.

We stopped frequently for water and to catch some intermittent shade and had conversations with some of our fellow hikers.  We met a woman from Whitefish, MT, who had dropped off her son at the college for his first year; he was planning on a major in photography.  We chatted about life in Montana, she prefers it to Arizona; which might be better: Missoula or Bozeman...she likes Missoula...more liberal, lots of culture.

We got almost to the top, and the trail became confusing...it appeared to continue straight ahead, but there were obstructions that looked purposeful...a trail to the left indicated that it was a link to another trail that is 21 miles long, so we sat on a log, looked at the view and decided we didn't need to see the giant M.  We started down the "quick" route, and ran into the most hyperactive pair....a mother and son coming pellmell down the slope gripping each other's hands, with good reason....the boy, who looked to be 8 or 9,was slipping and sliding because they were moving too fast, he slipped and she yanked him right up off his feet, but kept him from falling! The boy cried out to us "See, that's why we're holding hands!"  They zoomed on by us almost at a run, still clinging to the other's hand.  About 5 minutes later we ran into them again coming back up the hill saying..."Don't go this way! It's the wrong way! It's a dead end!"  They came up to us panting and agitated saying that they had made the same mistake last time they were there, the boy was concerned because 3 other hikers had continued on that path, he was sure they were going to get in trouble. "Are we going to die?" he asked his mom.  So we all started back the way we'd come to find the other trail and take the long way, but sure way back down.  They took off at their crazy fast pace and were soon out of sight....as they ran on the boy cried "I hope we see you next time we come here!"  I can't imagine what the hurry was, but it seemed they needed cram this hike into a very busy day.

Old Ellen Theater, downtown BoZo

We got home, made some salads for lunch, and got cleaned up for an afternoon of shopping in downtown Bozeman.  I had hoped to find a nice piece of jewelry on this trip and to replace my shabby coin purse that has a broken zipper. I am still carrying the shabby coin purse, and have not found any unique jewelry items...so far I have the T- shirt from Sturgis and some postcards, a few bumper stickers and coasters for the collection at the cabin, and the cheap bottle opener/fingernail clipper we bought out of necessity at the Crazy Horse Monument gift shop.  I know we can't carry much on the bike, but really!  Oh, well, I am trying to accumulate less, right? I do enjoy the shops in Bozeman, though.

Bob and Elizabeth dropped us at our very favorite Bozeman shopping experience: Murdock's Ranch and Home Store, while they went to Costco. They were having a sidewalk sale!  It was very hot this afternoon, 96 degrees, so we didn't last long in the hot parking lot so went inside to look around, David found a good cowboy belt, his shopping list for the trip now fulfilled, and then we sat in the big cushy chairs they have next to a big stone fireplace, surrounded by their Pendleton blanket and accessories department, while we waited for Bob and Elizabeth to come back: the heat and hike did us in!

Tonight we drank cold champagne and sat on the grass while Harriet and Pearl had their dirt baths: chickens spend the day spreading oil from a gland on their feathers with their beaks.  Later they wallow and flap in the dirt to clean away bugs etc, and when they are done, they shake like a wet dog to remove the dirt, which sloughs off easily, due to their beautifully oiled feathers, and now they are very clean and fluffy chickens!

We enjoyed another fabulous meal, sadly nearly our last in this lovely Bozeman home with these lovely Bozeman friends.  Grilled steaks and veggie sausages, salads and corn.  Another evening on the deck, this time without the comforters.  This house, due to proper situation and design, needs no air conditioning even in this heat....they use cross ventilation and well timed opening or closing of windows and drapes.  It's astounding! Oh and no bugs either.

Quote for the day

Lesson #31:  You can't always believe what you read...you have to find out for yourself.

Road Lessons/Day 19

Wall at UM Bozeman

Bob and Elizabeth scheduled an appointment today with their architects....

What took me a while to realize, is that this appointment was meant for US!

After breakfast today, our early  :)  10:30 meeting at the University of Montana, Bozeman in the
Architecture Department was with two faculty members who have conceived of a revolutionary (seriously: some of this is going to be hard for people to get their minds around),  new way to build a green, prefab house that has applications for almost any environment: they are earthquake and hurricane proof, are adaptable and flexible, easily conforming to local tastes and materials,  and easily moved, expanded, and reconfigured,.....and Bob and Elizabeth will be the prototype builders of this new home on their land at Poison Creek.  It will be like Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water, or Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House. The Ranch at Poison Creek could be part of architectural history!  And for some reason they wanted us to get the full picture!...of course, David had input as far as lighting and systems controls may go, and he was given the opportunity to give his spiel  and they responded to all our questions and observations with enthusiasm and respect. Having been involved in the construction and design worlds for some time, we gave them the impression that we, too, were architects, I guess we just speak the language well enough to get along! I did not take pictures and I will not describe it further, because there are patent issues and privacy issues, but suffice it to say...it was very exciting and I felt very honored to have been given a couple hours of valuable time, so that we could become familiar with this new design and technology, ask a zillion questions, and give our friends our two cents worth of opinion! Elizabeth is fond of saying "let me staff you on that," meaning let me get that for you, we hope that, in return, we can staff her and Bob, and that some of our thoughts and reflections on this new project may be of value to them....Stay tuned for future road trips when we return to Montana and check on the progress of construction.  They are hoping to begin next spring.

After this exciting meeting, we had sandwiches back at the house, and while Bob and Elizabeth caught up on some of their own duties, David and I went for a hike up Sype's Canyon Trail just outside of Bozeman.



This was a rugged trail UP all the way...a little bit of weeding in the garden was not enough exercise for this workout, but it was mostly in the trees, so cool, and the pay off at the top was phenomenal. The altitude was a factor and so we took our time, stopped regularly for water, and had a great time.  The vistas were spectacular...like I said, this is BIG country out here....

The trek down is always easier.

Back in Bozeman, we stopped at the Montana Ale Works for a local brew and called our friends to come down and join us, which they did.
We decided to sit out on the patio and stay for dinner, as Elizabeth said they had great food here.  And she was right again!
David had bison chili rellenos that he loved... which is amazing, because it is hard to get rellenos right, and I had a tofu soba noodle salad that was very tasty too.

At home, retiring to the deck with wine and down comforters, (yes, it was cool),we had a lovely evening....we will miss this lovely air and light filled home and it's amazing occupants...including Harriet and Pearl...
(Pearl by the way, has had a consultation, via telephone with our own able Dr. Lisa, and has been prescribed rest and observation.  She is still limping a little today, but seems perky enough).  Since they slept in the garage last night, just below our room, it was fun to wake up to the girls clucking and cooing this morning).

Bozeman Grain Elevator

Chicken Yard

Right Angles

Jack, the architect, kept quoting Mies van de Rohe's: 'Less is more' today... there is just plain more and more out on this road we're on...and I have less encumbrances. I think I am ready for less and feel that I need and want  less to feel balanced...I know that I definitely want more light and space, and that means less stuff, less noise, less distraction.  We are really full with our experiences, and all of them came to us because we put ourselves in the path, and said ok, go.  We are almost at the end, just a few more days, and maybe we are ready to go home....I am not sure....Less busy-ness and more experience is a lesson I hope we have taken to heart.

Road Lessons/Day 18

Harriet and Pearl

A busy day in Bozeman:

Coffee and Breakfast: Fruit, including locally grown cantaloupe that was perfect, and yummy frittatas. Did I mention Elizabeth used to run a restaurant?

Good Morning! visit with Harriet and Pearl, the most pampered chickens ever, but also the most well mannered and friendly as well! And I might say, the most well traveled: they have taken road trips to and from Minnesota, among other places. These ladies are definitely members of the family, and obligingly provide Bob and Elizabeth with delicious eggs in exchange for their plush living arrangements.  Their chicken condo, the Omlet, is predator proof, which is necessary in this area, and is very stylish.  In the winter they live in a heated garage and in all seasons they "free range" in the gardens and grass, or snow, of the back yard.

Dave and Laurie do some work for a change!

David and I volunteered to do some weeding while Bob and Elizabeth went to an appointment,
and it felt good to sweat a little for once.  We are definitely going to need a serious fitness regimen after this vacation to work off the excess flab we have accumulated over the weeks on the road.
We were able to get quite a lot done in their absence and, what with altitude and total lack of stamina, we were ready to quit when they got home.  We got cleaned up and jumped into the car for a road trip up Livingston way to tour the new property: the Ranch at Poison Creek.  We packed a few essentials and treats for the numerous dogs and goats on the property that belong to the current tenant, a 50 something year old Dutch transplant named Pebbles.

Pebbles' Goats

On reaching the remote property, down a winding, climbing, gravel road, the first order of business is to give the numerous guard dogs and goats their treats.  Biscuits for the dogs and carrots for the goats.  The goats were hysterical and very friendly. I guess Pebbles actually rents some of them out as pack animals, they can carry up to 70% their own weight in cargo...I did not know that goats were used as pack animals!  They have tiny little saddles for kids to ride as well on these back country trail rides.  Some of the goats are rescue animals that Pebbles (her real name!) adopts and takes care of.

The front yard

Essentially, Bob and Elizabeth will have a front yard 'viewshed' that extends for miles and miles
to the mountain ranges beyond.  The property is totally surrounded by a huge ranch, which used to include this 10 acres too, but a family member sold it off, so the 'backyard' is equally expansive and free of obstruction.  They may someday have a wind farm that violates this pristine landscape, but this remains to be seen.  There is a spring that brings water to the sight and so they hope to eventually have a pond with feeders to pastures for a horse, a cow and goats of their own.  Of course Harriet and Pearl will live within the house surroundings....too many critters up here to keep them safe from.

The back yard

Bob and Elizabeth are in the process of discussing possible plans for the site with a local architect and tomorrow we get to go along to the University of Montana, Bozeman campus, to see what the architect/professor has so far.  We are very excited about that, now that we have seen the site.  The vision so far is really amazing, and it is great to be able to see everything at this infant stage, with the property, basically undeveloped , except for Pebbles' trailer and goat sheds, and when we come back it will be a work in progress, and in future years it will have been transformed: a home and workshop for Bob to build his classic cars.

Bob and Elizabeth survey their property

We took the scenic route back down to Livingston, along the crazy gravel road and every road that was the driveway for some ranch was miles long and there was rarely any sign of the actual dwelling, but up that way is Tom Brokaw's house, and Michael Keaton lives down there a ways.  It is really big country out here.  Big. Really BIG.




I can't wait to see what winter is like out here.......

We had lunch in Livingston and did a little drive around the town and then drove back to Bozeman.

We had naps and blogging catch-up while our hosts went to check out a new oldies car venue nearby in Bob's own custom built 30's Roadster, which is a thing of beauty and true labor of love for Bob. He has had a hand in executing every detail including sewing the upholstery and hand rubbing layers of paint and top coats.

Ailing Pearl gets a lift to the Garage 

When they returned we sat on the porch watching the sun go down and the moon come up...Harriet and Pearl had a walkabout on the lawn and found the ants we dislodged in the garden this morning.

It is apparent that Pearl is under the weather, she seems to be limping and her nose is running! I guess you can tell if a chicken is sick if the comb and area on their cheeks and around their eyes is paler than normal, and in comparison with Harriet, Pearl seems significantly less red! She also, uncharacteristically wanted to snuggle in Elizabeth's lap, Harriet is usually the lap chicken.  So the girls will sleep in the garage tonight.

Sunset from the porch

We had a little pizza, (we were all still stuffed from our huge lunch in Livingston), and some champagne on the porch. Finally, one by one we started off to bed, reminded that we have an early wake up call tomorrow:  we have to be on the way to the U of M by 10:00 :)

The moonrise

A blurry shot of the sunset watchers

One last look at the ranch property and beyond

Quote:  I can't stop repeating what Marlene said when she sipped her favorite wine every evening during Grog at 5: "hmmmmm! that's really good!" I miss them already.



Lesson: Today's lesson refers back to an earlier question regarding the correct pronunciation of the town of Lead, So. Dak. Per my friend Noreen who grew up in the state I have just learned that it is in fact pronounced LEED. Thanks Noreen!

Road Lessons/Day 17

The Reunion Tour Continues!

Jo made us really yummy corn meal pancakes with choke cherry syrup for breakfast, to send us on our way well fed!  Like I said it was fantastic to see them and catch up.  Joining us for breakfast, was their youngest son Mitch's girlfriend, Sammi. A lovely young woman working as a veterinary tech; she is trying out the profession before she goes to college so she doesn't waste her money on getting a degree, and then finding she doesn't really like it.  In Montana, vets can train techs without any schooling, so it works out great for her. We are finding so many of the young people we meet are so practical and forward thinking...we don't remember being that together when we were that age!

Jo and Les are newly retired teachers and this is the first fall they are not preparing for classes and it is a little strange, but they seem to be adjusting well and have lots of plans for projects and trips to keep them out of trouble!  It was really good getting their perspective on making big changes!

The Wagonwheel
in Drummond, MT

We got a fairly late start, but are only going a couple hundred miles today stopping at Bozeman.

In Drummond, known for being  "World Famous Bullshippers," (whatever that means), we stopped for lunch at the Wagonwheel Cafe, gassed up and hit the road again.  We had another beautiful drive through glorious  landscapes, saw several signs for the upcoming Testicle Festival,   but alas, we'll miss it.

Talk about a welcome with open arms!

We've been to Bozeman a couple of times now, but had not come into town from the west before and were wondering if we'd be able to make it to our friend's house without calling for directions.  But suddenly we saw a couple of prominent landmarks (you can't miss the Montana Life Building and the hospital) and got off I90 and drove right to their door, our home away from home in Montana.   Bob and Elizabeth have opened their house to us in the past, when we have come out to ski with friends Toni and Lisa, and it is always  a great  time....only this is our first visit Without  snow. I guess there was snow on the mountains this morning though....winter's coming!  It feels so good to be here and we know we will be spoiled, once again!  Aaah...our life is so rough.....serious fitness programs must be enforced when we get home to work off this vacation!  For now, we will enjoy every second of  our stay with the Degenhart/Scholls!!! They have purchased a property up in the mountains, which we will tour tomorrow, and this may be our last visit to this amazing house, again with our own private guest suite! (Did I mention we are so spoiled?)

Drummond, MT

Today's quote is this sign:
Evidently Meth is really a big problem here.
People break into remote barns, cook the stuff and leave,
making the barns useless, & they have to be torn down
Big ad campaign going on: "Meth, Not Even Once" is the tag, I like the handmade signs.

Road Lessons/Day 16

Yes....that's what it sez!

I am checking with my dad to see if he is aware of a connection to the Haycraft family with Coeur d'Alene.......but there it is!  

We made a very leisurely departure from Hayden Lake and the Wogsland's hospitality this morning,  it was hard, but we persevered.  9:00 became 11:00 and Jim and Marlene finally had the kids out of their hair and their house back to themselves.....speaking for myself, I was reluctant to leave...I have grown VERY attached to these two....

We couldn't resist a return to the Snakepit for lunch...it was so good the first time!  We each had the same thing we had before...and managed to save room for the complimentary huckleberry ice cream!!!!

We had planned to go north to Sandpoint and around Pend Oreille and south to Bozeman, via Plains, MT, but it was pretty cool so we opted to travel back south on I90 towards Missoula.

For your coffee, veggie and cement art needs....

We stopped at a little road side coffee stand/vegetable stand/cement art stand, to warm up and get some extra clothes on, and grab some hot cappuccinos.  The couple that owns this place are in a very heated battle with the enterprise across the freeway "50,000 Silver $"

who are doing everything they can to put them out of business, even though they are family, their grandkids are best friends, and they had agreed many years ago never to try to do what the other is doing:  If you're a casino, I'll sell coffee. I won't sell coffee, if you don't sell fireworks. etc.  

All hell has broken loose and the big guy is trying to kill the little guy and the little yellow 

shack is having a hard time....

Support your local coffee/veggie/cement art stand!!!! Or the big, cheesy, tacky, casino wins!

Cement Art

While warming up with cappuccino and zipping into our extra layers, I got a message from my long lost step sister, Jo.  We have been playing communication tag, and we had hoped to connect with them this trip and were afraid we were going to miss them.  It was perfect timing, as the warm- up spot we had chosen to pull off the freeway was the turn off to head to Plains, where Jo and her family live.  They had been to their place in Glacier for the last few days and we just kept missing each other.  We drove to Plains, got some directions, and were soon pulling up to their house and Jo was out to greet us like we had just seen each other last week...not 30 years ago!  They have a classic red painted log house in Plains, where they were both teachers, and they have lived there with their 3 kids, and are now newly retired.  Of course, those kids are now all adults...and moving on to college and grad school, etc. I am sorry to say that due to inexplicable circumstances we have never met Jo's husband, Les, of 28 years, let alone her children.  But we are making up for  that now!  We spent an extremely enjoyable evening sitting at her kitchen table, after a great dinner of burgers and produce from the garden, looking at pictures and getting each other caught up to date with how our respective families are doing.  (David and Les and middle son Kenny, went to watch football while Jo and I  lingered over tea and photos and stories).  

They set us up in the camper to sleep and we had a very cozy night...interrupted only by the occasional train, (I love trains!) dog chorus, and visits from a skunk that we heard, and smelled, snuffling under the camper...it was cool and perfect for a camp out....glad we were in the camper 8 feet off the ground though....far from mister skunk!

I last saw Jo when she was 24 and I was 20.....everything is different, 30 years later, and everything is the same.  She is the same lovely, kind, generous, person I remember as a big sister....and  now it is great to reconnect as friends.  Again we have been shown the most amazing hospitality and generosity....we are so blessed and amazed by it.

Les and Jo Carpenter, David and I

Lesson #27: It is never too late to change your direction

Lesson #28:  In the face of overwhelming generosity, it is best to just give in.

Road Lessons/Day 15

Marlene's (Bob's) Garden
Bob is the gardener extraordinaire
who tends the grounds for Marlene and Jim
Marlene has let Bob take over the gardens,
so now she calls them Bob's Gardens 

Today we walked down to have breakfast on the deck at the Club.  Another perfect day.  There was just a little rain in the night, thank you very much, and now another sunny, balmy day in northern Idaho....who knew it was so temperate  here?

David and Jim are golfing and I have just been typing away the day on the terrace, enjoying the breeze and the hummingbird that has been keeping me company all afternoon.  I have been doing a couple of loads of laundry, just to get us ready for the road again tomorrow.

Marlene has gone to take a nap, but not before baking some cookies...it smells divine in the house....

So, not much to report today so far...





Marlene just brought me a big latte in a bowl....with raw sugar....very continental...yum.......



I  REALLY don't want to go........can I stay?




Excuse me while I enjoy my coffee........



David and Jim finished their round of golf and we successfully congregated for Grog at 5.

Jim had made reservations for dinner at a local Japanese restaurant for dinner and so we made our way to Syringa for another fabulous dinner (ask David about the Chilean Sea Bass).  I am sorry if it seems that I am exaggerating, but everywhere we go the food is amazing...in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho!  It is beautiful, temperate, and, well beautiful......

We are not prepared to leave, but leave we must....


We went back to the house, had one last night cap and star gazing loll on the terrace...

Close up of the gate closure

View of the front entry to the main house
Our private suite is to the left (not in view)

Road Lessons/Day 14

A memento of Jim's year's with
Caterpillar

SalvationArmy/Kroc Community Center

This morning after breakfast Jim drove us over to the Kroc Center, built with an endowment, plus community commitments, by wife of MacDonald's founder Ray Kroc (sorry, can't remember her name now).  She donated millions to the Salvation Army to create a series of community/fitness centers around the country.  Communities that were vying for the centers had to raise a portion of the funds, $8 million in this case, and the remainder provided by the foundation: the building cost $32 million to build.  It is quite the impressive place and for $436/year(!) you too, can be a member...which Marlene is.  She really enjoys the pools and the water workouts.  The pools were really amazing. The fun pool actually has a river with a current, which is good for resistance training. There is a lap pool which is waveless the water is flush to the edge and has a drainage lip all the way around so other peoples waves do not affect you. There is a theatre and meeting accommodations, a room just for birthday parties, and separate day care facilities for different age kids.  Of course the workout areas contained all the best and newest equipment and they offered dance, pilates, and yoga classes.  Pretty impressive...good thing some of that MacDonald's money is going to help people work off their food!

View from the floating dock:
The resort headquarters on piers over the water

Next, Jim took us to the local hot spot and historic 100 year old establishment: Hudson's Hamburger's. Just like that classic SNL skit, they serve hamburgers, with cheese, onions and pickles. That's it.  No fries, chips or cole slaw...only burgers.
Just counter seating, this is a diner that operates like clockwork...one guy cooking and two staff taking orders and resupplying the cook, extremely efficient! The people were stacked 3 and 4 deep waiting for orders.  They did accommodate me, the vegetarian, by giving me a bun with cheese, pickles and onions.  What makes the burgers, are the toppings: ketchup, of course, spicy ketchup and spicy mustard...no yellow mustard or mayo, thank you very much!  Hudson's is right downtown Coeur d'Alene and after lunch we walked over to the Coeur d'Alene resort and took a walk on the floating dock that encompassed the entire marina.  You can climb the tower that leads to the bridge that allows for boats to exit the marina, and continue on to the rest of the boardwalk.

I liked this little 2 seater
called Cracker Jack

There is a Wooden Boat Show at the marina this weekend and they were starting to line up during our walk, lots of old Criss Crafts, which David loves.  There is also a show of Hydroplanes as well.
Evidently, there used to be hydroplane races on Lake Coeur d'Alene, until the late 60's, but the city put a stop to them because the crowds got too rowdy!  While we were at Hudson's, they brought in a man who, back in 1963 crashed his hydroplane and they thought he was not going to survive but he did.  The owner of the burger joint had asked for his uniform to display with his collection at the diner and had promised him a hamburger, and yesterday finally repaid that debt.  It made the front page of theCoeur d'Alene Press.

View of resort marina
on Lake Coeur d'Alene

We had a nice leisurely stroll around the dock and got back in the car and went back to the house, where we just relaxed and I caught up on this blog.
(I can't let more than a day go by, or I start to forget...oh, my age is showing!)

Jim and Marlene were heading out in their yellow and black Caterpillar golf cart, which I love, (old allegiances die hard, I guess...Jim was an executive at Caterpillar for many years) to play in an ongoing summer tradition: the Friday Night Fights.  Three couples team up and each couple alternates hitting the spouse's ball, and so they proceed down the course...hence the Friday Night Fights title.  It's all in fun, but Jim says now and again a couple gets a little too serious about the others playing. *~*

While Jim and Marlene were golfing, David and I took advantage of the invitation to use a friend's dock to have a swim in Hayden Lake.
Just a short walk and down the hill to the lake, we jumped into the cool, extremely clear water. The lake is fed by an aquifer and has no outlet, no streams, or rivers.  It is deep and crystal clear, and because the only public dock is not very regularly used, there are few boats on the lake.  Bing Crosby's old getaway is directly across from us, Jim later tells us, and it has been empty for years and sadly in disrepair.

Dock on Hayden Lake
Amazingly clear water!

The lake and it's surrounding pine covered hills and smattering of homes has a very European feel, it is just lovely.  We can see why they knew this was exactly where they wanted to retire.  They tell us that there are many California transplants here in this area, and we understand that too: this place has a definite California vibe to it.   The summer weather and environment feels a lot like central to northern California, and we understand the winters are not too harsh here as well.

After our refreshing dip in the lake, we went back up to the house to get ready for dinner.  But, not to disrupt a tradition, we had Grog at 5 on the terrace, with cheese and crackers set out for us by our fab hostess, Marlene.  Always thinking about her guests, this lady is!  Again I say, Martha Stewart could learn a thing or two!

At 6, we were instructed to meet the golfers at the Club for a buffet dinner on the deck over looking the lake.  We met their fellow team members and we all shared a table for another fabulous meal.  We had a couple of high roller real estate people, a retired Neuro-surgeon turned photographer, and his professional violin playing wife (She plays with the Coeur d'Alene Symphony). Quite the ensemble...which made for very interesting and lively conversation.  The buffet was excellent, with salad and dessert bars.  David is trying to get the recipe for the meatloaf it was so good!  After dinner, back at the house, we sat on the terrace with Jim and Marlene, with nice little snifters of lovely liqueurs, blankets, and more stories to tell as the light faded on the green.
 Do we really have to leave?

The view from the terrace

 We really are getting comfortable here.

Today's Quote and Lesson # 26 are the same:

Per Jim: "It is important to have something to
retire TO"

You, too, could retire to this:

Another terrace view

Road Lessons/Day 13

The oldest building in Idaho

After breakfast, today, Jim drove us up to  Old Mission State Park at Cataldo, north of Coeur d'Alene.  The mission is the oldest building in Idaho still standing.  There is a brand new visitor center here and we watched an informational video about the history of the place before we walked through to tour the site.  This is a very unique place in that the Coeur d'Alene Indians actually invited the Jesuits (black  robes) here, because they hoped that the Catholic Great Spirit could help them against their enemies. They found that there were many similarities in their traditional spirituality and the practices of Catholicism. The building was really beautiful in its rustic and handcrafted construction.  One of the founding priests was an amazing renaissance man: he did designs for the building, did all the paintings, carved the chandeliers out of tin cans, painted newspaper for decorative trims, and it goes on....the ceiling was wood with some simple decoration but the cool part is that they stained the wood with huckleberries to get this amazing soft blue to mimic the sky.  Local tribes still come here for ceremonies commemorating the friendship they experienced with the priests at the mission. They were setting up tepees when we were there for  a rendezvous this weekend.

The Old Mission interior
Check out that soft blue huckleberry stained ceiling

It was a very small and intimate church and felt so personal due to all the handcrafted details and art work...not done by the best craftsman available, but by a talented and dedicated priest who believed in creating this mission in remote Idaho.  In the future it also was a refuge for the many silver miners in the area.  

The Snakepit

We left the mission and drove on down the road to the Snakepit for lunch....my favorite kind of place...wacky, quirky decor  and amazing food, and so far off the beaten track only a local can tell you where it is!  It has been there literally forever and caters to rafters, fishermen, and bikers...and by bikers I mean bicycle bikers.  There is a paved bike trail that goes right by here that was the old silver mine railroad track.  David had a BBQ pork sandwich that he said was excellent, Jim had Hot Roast Turkey and I had a veggie burger.

Interior: the Snakepit

After lunch Jim took us to see the Settler's Grove stand of Cedar trees.  We don't know why it is called Settler's Grove, or how old these trees are, there wasn't any kind of information at the site.

But the trails were good with several little bridges over the stream that winds through the grove and it was spectacularly beautiful and quiet.  These trees were enormous, like redwoods, we did a rough measurement of one and figured it was about 30' in circumference.  Why they decided to save this one stand of trees, we don't know, but we were glad they did...they are letting this grove be completely natural, and only remove downed trunks if they impede the trail, so it is rugged and primeval.

So, after some lunch and some great sight seeing, we headed back into Coeur d'Alene.  Jim wanted to show us the memorial park that the city was building dedicated to fire fighters and police officers.  There were some interesting sculptures depicting first responders all done in rebar, they were large but not imposing due to this medium,  but even though the figures were essentially transparent they depicted strength due to the material used in their construction.
There was a 9/11 memorial, of course, with stone monoliths standing in for the twin towers and a layout in the ground showing the placement of the surrounding buildings at the ground zero site.  There was also a slice of T beam from one of the towers.
My favorite part of the site was the playground area for kids:
the big slide, climbing structure was based around a giant red fireman's helmet.  I'm sure that helmet is a big draw for local kids with dreams of being a fireman when they grow up!

We made our way home, had a rest, and later went to dinner at a little place called The Porch....once again, an excellent meal...David had a Ruby Red Trout fillet...Ruby Red's are unique to Idaho, I believe, we had never heard of it before, but I guess it was delicious!
To cap off a perfect day, we stopped at the Baskin Robbins on the way home for some ice cream!


Jim and Marlene are really taking good care of us and we are having such a wonderful time here enjoying the country club life!  It is really great to hear all the family stories and I love hearing about David's father, Gordon, who passed away such a long time ago.  David is learning things he didn't know about his father and his uncles, and I, of course, am hearing this all for the first time too.  We feel so fortunate to be here and more than a bit chagrined that we haven't done this sooner.

Rebar sculpture  

Marlene's winking Beetle