Missoula to Clarkston, WA

The drive from Missoula to Lewiston, ID was very scenic. We had a mountain pass (Lolo Pass) to get over. When you reach the summit, there is a sign that says 77 miles of curvy road and it is all downhill. The 77 miles is considered the Clearwater River Scenic Highway but you must travel at least another 100 miles winding your way along the river to get to Lewiston/Clarkston area. The first two hours of the drive was wonderful but the next two hours only made you want to get there. We also know that we would not want to head east to Missoula on that road as it would be all winding uphill road. Talk about a fuel guzzler!

We went past Moose Crossing signs, Deer Crossing signs, and Game Crossing signs all the way down the pass/river. All we saw was one deer at the top of the summit. As winding as the road was, I think we are very grateful that was case because you wouldn't want to be surprised coming around a corner.

For miles and miles, trees came down to the waters edge.

This photo was taken when we stopped for a snack as didn't have breakfast. The river was running full and fast and there was a lot of whitewater. Again, notice how the trees come down to the waters edge - just beautiful.
We went past thick forest that had sections loaded with ferns all along the roadway. It really was a beautiful drive. As we got closer to Lewiston, trees got sparser and the land became dryer and more desert like.

We were glad to get to our new home for next two weeks, the Hells Canyon Resort (http://www.hellscanyon.net/). The owner came out to greet us upon our arrival (we actually thought we had parked in the wrong place but he just came out to welcome us). Jock gave us a tour of the facility which is very top notch. Their hookups are set up so that you can pull in to your site in either direction based on your personal preference. There are four utility pedastals (two on each side) to choose from based on which works better for your rig. This was the first time was have seen this done and what a great idea. They did not spare any money in setting up this RV park. We've paid far more for a lot less.

It took us a while to get set up and it started sprinkling on us which felt wonderful because it was warm and muggy outside. We were starving and to let the air conditioners do their thing, we walked over to the restaurant near the park, Roosters. The food was good and view of the bay of the Salmon River was very nice. They have a deck that looks out on to the Salmon River which would be very enticing for watching the sun set and enjoying a cool refreshment. We will have to do that before we leave. Here is a picture from our window on the west side:

Upon our return to the rig, we saw that another Excel was parked across from us. I told John that it looked like the rig we saw last night in Missoula. No one was home so we went inside to do our thing. I was having problems with my cell phone so I called AT&T. That whole process went on for quite a while. John decided to putz around outside while I was on the phone with AT&T. I ended up having to switch SIMM cards between John and my phones. It wasn't difficult but with two different phones and having to be careful how you install the SIMM cards, you had to be careful. With that done, now we have to wait and see if the problem is with the SIMM card or my phone. I can tell them now, it is my phone. They are suppose to call me on Thursday to see what happend with the switch of cards.

John never happend back in so I knew where he was. Sure enough, he was over visiting with the Excel couple. I joined them and was introduced to Terry and Judy. Yes, it was them in Missoula. They are traveling with a golden retriever and two cats. They have been fulltiming for two years and are ardent birders. They also are attending the Life on Wheels conference and it will be their second time also. What a nice couple. They showed us their birding book they got from the Idaho Fish and Game. It was very nice and they gave us their map to help us get there. After an evening of very nice conversation, we returned home around 10 p.m.

You meet the nicest people in this lifestyle.