Hello Wanderers!
Wow it has been a while since I’ve been able to go anywhere! Between work and just life in general, I’ve been trapped in the city. The RV has been parked and I have been extra bummed about it. I was supposed to visit some more small towns and cities along Washington State’s sprawling roadways, but I found myself struggling to find anywhere that truly spoke to me. Add in the high cost of fuel and extra hours I was working, and I let myself lapse into the humdrum of a boring, life sucking routine.
Until, the decision was made.
A family member bought some land in Idaho. My husband was asked to help build a home, shop etc. on the property and offered a chance to live there as well. So naturally, we had to make a choice, are we moving? We’ve wanted to for years, but didn’t know exactly where and weren’t able to buy in such a high housing market. He went to the property and of course, fell in love. I wasn’t able to visit the property until recently. I fell in love.
The nearby townships are ALL small towns nestled along a mountain highway. Each one is a little different and a lot country. The cities are far away from this slice of heaven and the air is so fresh its hard to not breathe in deep and slow every time you step outside. But the journey there was not an easy one.
We hit the road after closing up the tip-outs, loading up three nervous cats and hooking up the rig. We made it over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 to a great little town called Cle Elum and a rear tire started to develop a serious problem. We’d hit a hole in the road on the pass and it gouged out a chunk of tire! We needed a replacement fast and luckily the good people at a little tire shop down the road from where we landed at the local Safeway, had a couple used tires. They truly saved us. Our rig is HUGE and without good tires the pickup could end up with serious damage. This whole debacle added 3 hours to our drive. Which meant arrival well after nightfall.
Between the wildfire smoke, bumpy roads, lack of food and anxious kitties, it was a long ass drive. I tried to keep my spirits up but sometimes it’s best to just nap during a road trip. So the fluff butts and I napped until we got closer to Orofino Idaho. Orofino is just one of the great little towns along highway 12 outside of Lewiston Idaho. I didn’t get a chance to really check it out while visiting on this trip but once I’m living there I’ll have so many new places to explore! Once we landed safely at the property and got settled enough to go to bed it was well after midnight.
The next day I woke up to nothing but the sound of birds chirping. I’d forgotten what it felt like to hear only nature in the morning. No humans, no cars or planes, no sirens or squealing tires. Just quiet. It’s the most beautiful sound.
We spent the days working on the property and exploring the area as much as time allowed. We hit up a local swap meet and market in Kamiah. A gem shop with tons of custom items made from local stones and explored some stops along the Clearwater River. If you can take a trip to Idaho, I highly recommend taking scenic routes and learning to read a map since GPS isn’t always available. Idaho is still wild in many areas so be safe and smart. Highway 12–which will take you all the way to Missoula Montana—or the 95 have excellent little towns along the way and definitely worth exploring.
I will have so much more to tell you about when I’m there exploring new stuff all around a place where nature is still wild and free. It’s the adventure I’ve been waiting for and come spring, I’ll be discovering new places to check out! Stay tuned.
Until next time, keep them boots wandering!
With My Boots On 