I figured few rigs would attempt that mountainous squiggly road and I'd have the campground to myself. So when I got there, I was surprised to see about forty large rigs! and I also saw this . . .
Uh oh, a handy bear trap! So I asked Alice, one of the campground hosts, about it.
She told me a Black bear wandered into the campground a few days ago and sat on one of the picnic tables (in broad daylight), so just in case . . . . . To be safe, I asked if I could buddy-up with her on her daily hike.
We saw lots of wildflowers.
I've probably traveled up through eight plant zones since leaving Texas in April, so every week further north I get to see a bonus of spring wildflowers.
The campground is located on the Dworshak Reservoir.
Alice affectionately calls the steep up/down trail "Tough Little Trail"; she grooms and walks it almost daily.
The 15-mile dirt road north of Dent Acres was more squiggly than the dirt road approaching Dent Acres from the south. Took me more than two hours to drive 21 miles to Elk River, Idaho, population 125.
View of Dworshak Reservoir from a look-out.
The problem is the rock formation under the roads; it deteriorates and cracks easily with freezing wet weather.
And on slopes, it tumbles down when it deteriorates. I hope the head honcho of Idaho's Transportation Department sleeps well at night. Don't think I'd like that job much.
More wildflowers . . .
More Idaho roads to savor!
Spent a night at a boat launch area along "Medicine Lake" which is remote and peaceful. Even the White Pelicans agreed it's a good spot to rest.
The Lake Coeur d'Alene Scenic Byway is spectacular. Lake Coeur d'Alene is resortish with many homes, condos, and lodges built on its steep hills overlooking the large bodies of water. See the boat slips? They too can be rented or purchased at a steep price.
I took a walk on a trail near "Beauty Bay" on the Lake.
Also hiked the short nearby Mineral Ridge Nature Trail.
It's not technically a boreal forest, but it's close!
I love the texture of the pine tree bark.
Deep luscious pink . . .
I've determined that I'm partial to hikes in boreal forests or almost boreal with huge "old growth" cedars or pines.
I wondered about this "structure" on top of a mountain, in below photo.
I suspect the residents of swanky Lake Coeur d'Alene said "Let's build and erect a cellular tower that looks like a pine tree". Anything else would look monstrous, eh?
Left today at 6:08 am. 550 miles so far. Slower with the big rig. Will stay at cousin's near Hammon. Dog Lily traveling fine so far.
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