Thursday, 28 July 2022
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| today's route |
I wanted to stop in Moscow for several reasons, the main one being that it's the only CVS in northern Idaho and I needed a refill on my blood pressure meds. But I also wanted to dump my collection of recycling and stop at a grocery and pass by the University of Idaho.
But first, the drive.
I noticed a Biden/Harris poster not far out of Coeur d'Alene, which surprised me in this area known for being tolerant of militias. In fact, this past spring the Idaho House passed a bill to repeal a law currently on the books that bans private militias. The State of Idaho says "a well-regulated militia" means the government regulates it. Nonetheless, the House passed it on party lines, but I can't find that the state Senate has made a decision on it yet.
I came to Worley, pop. 254, then Plummer, pop. 1,044, where I stopped for gas when I saw a Conoco station was offering gas for $4.39.
In Oregon, marionberries were the big thing. In Idaho, it's huckleberries. I bought some huckleberry jam at that produce stand I stopped at a few days ago, because they seem to be an expensive commodity for buying fresh. They're much like blueberries, only more tart. Huckleberries are the state fruit of Idaho.
I came to Worley, pop. 254, then Plummer, pop. 1,044, where I stopped for gas when I saw a Conoco station was offering gas for $4.39.
In Oregon, marionberries were the big thing. In Idaho, it's huckleberries. I bought some huckleberry jam at that produce stand I stopped at a few days ago, because they seem to be an expensive commodity for buying fresh. They're much like blueberries, only more tart. Huckleberries are the state fruit of Idaho.
All over the state I've seen lots of "Bridge May Be Icy" signs. The thing though is that these are all permanent signs - they don't fold down for the summer. Maybe the non-icy season isn't long enough to justify the expense.
I saw vast hillsides planted with grain, mostly golden. It was really pretty. As I drove on I saw fields where grain was growing, some where it had been or was being harvested, some where it had been baled, and some where the fields had been cleared for replanting. I'd imagine the growing season is pretty short up here, so they'd want to get as much crop in as possible, not being able to count on a start date for frost.
And back through Tensed, pop. 125. Soon after that I stopped at a rest area to give Dext a break. The designated dog area was uninviting, but I found a "Nature Walk" so we went on that for a bit. I think the walk has that title because every now and then they had signs giving the common and Latin names of various plants. It was up a steep hill but it was paved, so it was pleasant for a while, but I started to get nervous because I had no idea how long it was or if it was a loop or what - so I turned us around.
Back on the road, I saw the Wild Rose Mennonite Youth were a volunteer litter crew.
Moscow calls itself "Heart of the Arts" and include in that slogan tree planting, rehabilitation of native grasslands, and "a community-wide love of the arts."
I passed the Appaloosa Museum. Yes, for the breed of horses. I told you there are a lot of horses in this state.
The University of Idaho, founded 1889, is an attractive campus that's spread out across town. State boundaries and identities are curious things. The University of Idaho is 533 miles from Idaho State University (per Google). Washington State University is 292 miles from University of Washington. But Washington State University is 6.7 miles from University of Idaho.
I found the recycle place no problem and got rid of most of my stuff (except my growing collection of #1 plastics that aren't bottles), and had a nice conversation with one of the employees who said he and his wife were thinking of buying an RV to make it easier to visit their son in the military stationed in New Mexico.
The folks at the CVS had my drugs ready (it was the pharmacist's birthday). And I took Dext in to a nearby Petco to see about a new collar. He'd had the old one for some years and, now that he's an only dog, I thought he deserved a nicer one. So I found one that was padded and had reflective stripes, and then treated myself to a leash with reflective stripes. We don't walk much in the dark these days, but it's past the Solstice and the days are getting shorter. And like an idiot, I knuckled under and bought him a bone. A real bone, because I don't know which of those rawhide or whatever things are safe for him.
Driving through town I found another pet supply store, this one called "Pets are people too."
Google gave me a choice (and I could see for myself from the map they were the only 2 choices) - either take back roads for miles or go back through Lewiston. The smell from that paper mill was so truly awful that if I never have to go through Lewiston again it'll be too soon. Not to mention having to go down that really steep hill without a name or elevation sign. I opted for the back roads.
Doing that, I found another really steep hill between Troy, pop. 862, and Kendrick, pop. 369. This hill had a warning sign saying, "Truckers: 9% grade in 8 miles." Well, I didn't much like the sound of that but still liked the conditions in Lewiston even less, so I went on. It was called the Kendrick Grade, and it was a 9% grade lasting 3 miles. I took it slowly and carefully and was lucky there wasn't much other traffic. I found when I got to the bottom that just ahead of me had been a pickup pulling a long camper and wondered why on earth an outfit like that would choose to go down that steep hill.
A little ways down the road I came to Juliaetta, pop. 595, and wondered where that unusual name came from. The first postmaster had 2 daughters - Julia and Etta. You know, the US Postal Service seems to have had as much to do with what America looks like today as the railroads.
Idaho has a lot of small towns, as you can see.
I turned onto US Highway 12, on the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway.
We stopped at another rest area, and after I'd taken Dext out I stopped at the dump station there. I knew there'd be one at tonight's campground but after my experience with last night's leachfield, I figured I'd play it safe. Besides, though it was hot, it'd be a lot hotter by the time we stopped. The flags at the rest area were at half-staff for some reason, though I had no one to ask. As many shootings as we have in this country these days, it could be for almost anything. Which is a truly depressing thing to say.
US 12 ran along the Clearwater River, and several towns were built on both sides of it.
Lenore was one, Orofino, pop. 3,140, was another.
Signs told me I was first on the Lewis & Clark Trail, and later on the Nez Perce Trail.
Then I came to, and through, Kamiah, pop. 1,160. By then it was getting on in the day and instead of driving around town a bit as I'd thought, I just went straight on to the campground.
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