Time to move on and after going through Lewiston, ID we headed west to the Columbia river and landed at LaPage COE RV park right on where the the John Day river connects above John Day Dam. 

BTW none of these are our boats... I wish... NOT.  Ya all know the best day in the life of a boat owner as they say... Is the day he sells it. One guy said the one in the center was about $65 K.  Guess I could get a nice pool at our house in AZ for that. We stayed here for again two nights. Might have stayed longer but site #6 was reserved for Friday night. Again good satellite from this site. $11 a  night with my old people's pass. They had a no burn in effect but lifted it the second night. 
On Thursday we took a day trip west along the Columbia River all the way to the Bonneville Dam and then back on the WA side on HW 14. We have been here in the past and this drive is one of the USA great ones. 

A little rain on the windshield... But with views like this who cares. Another who wants to pull, or should I say break a trailer down this road to the river to a 200 ft elevation. Our 5er was parked at the COE RV park..... As we took this day trip. It was bad enough coming down from on top in WA via US 95 to get to Lewiston to get to US 12 at the bottom and head west on it.  I do downgrades VERY slow with flashers blinking. Some may not like me but I get to the bottom in one piece... and that's what it's all about. I can kick it up with the diesel and go uphill much better than down. But if you pull anything you already know that... 

Next move was south on US 97 going high up across northern OR. 

We made it to Madras, OR at about 1 PM and normally I would just keep going but common sense took hold (Damn) and we pulled into the Jefferson County RV Park which has 66 full hook up sites for $23 50 amp, $20 30 amp. Open all year. Thier fair is at the end of July. UPDATE: after reading their rules flier.etc It said 10% discount for Passportamerica. So with the bad weather with us staying 3 nights they gave a the discount for all the three nights. Cool. 

We and the host were about the only ones here. We had the pick of any site but all are gravel and one looks like all the others. We keep getting Severe Weather Warning alerts about heavy rain and very high winds through the weekend on my smart phone so we are here again tonight, Saturday and may stay Sunday night as well. The only thing, the bad weather just has not materialized yet. Me thinks we are south of the rough stuff.  Will watch the Bend, OR TV news tonight to see what gives. We did do a day trip to the canyons to the west of Madras. 

You can see all the clouds.

They had some campgrounds in the canyon, but by looking at the pictures you can imagine the steep grades on the roads to get down to them. Like my tag line sez.  A big rig looking for a tent experience.  BUT not steep hard pulls and can't see the road over my hood downgrades to get there, Thank You.

So where to from here, Think I'm going after some of Terry's treasured rocks he has found along the way and has stored under the back seat... so I can have him stack them, rub them, or just plain pray to the rock gods so as to improve the weather as we head further south.  Speaking of south, here is the route. 
From Madras in the top of the first map down US 97 through Bend. 
Then down to Klamath Falls and on into CA on HW 39. 
 

South of LaPine at Gilchrist and Crescent is Cy Bingham Co Park 16 sites 10 No electric but water no dump Fee $3 Max Length 30' (but we all know these ratings are never true till they are.) Than it's a Ops moment. Open Mar-Nov. Tel: 541-883-5121 UPDATE: WE DID NOT STOP HERE

HW 39 changes to HW 139 in CA. So now in CA what do we do. Read below the maps.

See Tulelake in the NW corner is Lava Beds NM - Indian Well  43 sites W  No Dump Again max 30' (we shall see) Fee $10 Open All Year Tel 530-667-8113  We stopped in Tulelake at the county park which has full hookups for $18. We got their about 2 PM so drove to the Lava Beds as a day trip.  Found their campground not big rig friendly at all. Glad we found the county park.

On down HW 139 is North Eagle Lake BLM 20 RV sites Water No Dump Max 35' (that ought to work) May- Nov RV Fee $8 1/2 price as an oldie $4 Close to Susanville and then on down that old familiar route on into Reno, NV.

Update: On Tuesday we will head on down HW 139 and go past Susanville adn on into Navada. 

Now final thoughts for the days here in Madras, OR.  The wind is coming up, we are warm (with our heat pump on the roof) and with satellite DirecTV and Datastorm Hughes internet service what's not to like. And with 50 amps which we don't need, but nice. Guess it is good for this: Just set our Magnum 2000W inverter/charger to the equalizing setting. We have 4 12V AGMs and they do need to be equalized from time to time even though some say not. My experts say yes they do... Now to remember to turn it off later when going ot bed. Terry put a note on the steps up to the bedroom... that will work. 

Now for the not so lucky thing today... We have been needing haircuts after travels all summer. So we saw a small barber shop in downtown Madras... Went in and noticed all the hair all over the floor. Don't most places sweep after every few cuts. Not this one. All seemed friendly with two cutters on duty, third one at lunch.. I got the nice woman who as I watched took a long time with each client. 

Terry got the VERY heavy set skin head biker looking guy with LARGE tattoos up his arms. This guy was open next and I pushed Terry to go for it as I didn't want him. Boy did I screw up.  As I wanted the woman. He got a great cut even after he (Terry) brought up politics while I just cringed as to what was going on. Me by the way with the nice lady got a skin job haircut. 
I can't even find any hair to even grab onto.  Was close to being shaved.   I didn't protest when she said how about 1/2 inch all around. Missed that concept as I just sat there.  I do remember saying taper the back. Taper... there is nothing left to taper. I guess the baseball caps we bought as souvenirs this summer might well be a used to cover my shaved head. Such is life... As like all  things it will grow back and I can now save on shampoo. Although Terry still needs it.  At least he is still a cutie, at least one of us should be....  He has alwas been cute and me not so much... if ever...  I'll just hide under the cover of darkness of a baseball cap for the next few months... And when in Quartzsite, AZ  later who cares... they all look like me. 

Sunday Sept. 22
We left YOGI at Jellystone RV Park and tried to befriend Smokey
The Bear at the Forest Service.
But we found out he like all bears, does his thing in the woods AND on us.

We wanted to head up the Coeur d' Alene River in Idaho and called the Forest Service to find out which campgrounds were still open. It's hunting season so surely some are left open for hunters.
We were told the Meadows Loop in the Bumblebee USFS Campground (upper right in map northwest of Kellogg) would be open till snow shuts it down. It's as the name implies should be good for sun and satellite. (checked Google Earth) So off we went on Wednesday morning leaving Missoula, stopping to get my meds and mail at St. Regis USPS. All was going smoothly until we got way back to the campground and found it closed. You can bet when we later got cell service one gov't agency got a polite earful.
So by now it was raining and we had to go to plan B... Keep on going up I-90 and go east on ID HW 3 and look for ID fishing access sites like we had stayed at in Montana. I had done some research and kind of had an idea which ones we could get into and a prior call to the state told us these sites never closed. 

Time to insert the trusty map.
We found FS dispersed camping at Medicine lake just off HW 3 at Medimount, right about at the top on the HW 3 sign. 

We would later take day trips back up the river past the Bumblebee area for future reference and another day trip up US 97 to Cour d' Alene and back down US 95 to St. Maries. BTW the city RV park in Harrison wanted $42 a night. Och. HW 97 was steep up and down road and would never want to take a big rig over it.
St. Maries is a cool small city and as county seat doing well. They have a RV park at the fairgrounds E/W/D for $15. We will use their dump and move on, on Monday heading to Moscow as they also have a city RV park 5 sites E and on site water for $10 (told they take golden age pass for $5).

Now for the details...
Our boondocking dispersed site on Medicine lake. The campfire is up on a hill over looking it all. Behind me is another marsh/lake where we have campground friends again. Remember the bears in Bighorn National Rec. area. Fort Smith, MT. Well we have moose here... A bull, a cow, and two caves. They wonder right through our campsite. We have to look out before we go out. Don't want to get between Moma and her younguns. 

This view is right behind where I am sitting looking down onto the other marsh.

It must be mating season as this bull is staying close to the cow.

This calf is walking right past our fire ring.

We did drive south of St. Maries scouting for campsites and took a Sportsman access road and found why this area is so big on lumbering.

Terry sez they will go back, gather this up and shred it for particle board.

Guess we don't have to wonder what the high school mascot is.

Monday we're off to Moscow down  White Pine Scenic Byway. HW 3 to HW 6

Of course we have to stop in Moscow as Terry wants to buy Elk Ivory at Moscow Hide and Fur.
He wants to craft more bling. 
Terry asked me to include he is taking orders for these Elk Ivery pendents. 
He sez the perfect gift for your hunter friend. His statement not mine... 
Email him at tpaulsen AT hitchitch.com for details.

Not only that but even with it cold and rainy out he managed to bake another loaf of bread.
Good Terry... 

I hope the moose don't decide they like bread better than green marshy grass.

Oh and remember me talking about bears doing it in the woods... They have to, because as soon as the FS concessionaire campgrounds were closed early, they also closed the dump stations and locked them up so you can't even PAY to dump. So we ALL have to do it in the woods, I guess.
Notice the release latch that allows you to dump ater you pay the consessionaire. When in season that is.

Saturday Sept. 14
We have come in from the wilderness...

That is after we spent last weekend at  Bevertail Hill State Park where we took a day tour of Rock Creek Rec Area down Rd 4296 acroos to Philipsburg, up to Drummond and back over to Bevertail Hill SP. We had strayed there in years past in a pop up camper and wanted to relive the area. If in the area Drummond has a city park right on the Clark Fork river for $15 with electrric and water on site. 

As you can see this is no place for a big rigs. Tents and pop ups are the rule. 
Much of the road is one lane.

Terry thought he could see a smoke plum and sure enough up ahead we came across these guys.
A Hot Shot crew.

We asked if we should turn back and he said no problem... just a few strikes and they had it under control.

As I said up front we came out of the wilderness  and landed in Missoula at where else a 

Terry has Quartzsite Rock Club friends here in Missoula that he wanted to spend time with, so we are staying a week with YOGI. They are getting up in age and not going back to Quartzsite this winter. They are true artists and have been mentoring Terry on water color painting, etc. 

That gives us time to plan ahead as the Forest Service in its great wisdom gave all the campgrounds to concessionaires and when camping starts to recede they close most campgrounds after Labor Day. To us fulltimers this is prime time. So that means we have to do serious planning and call the forest service and ask which ones are still open and plan accordingly.  In our case I have also ordered mail order meds and they are being shipped to a post office up the line from us so we have to see when they get delivered. They were sent first class with USPS tracking so I can track and know when to expect them.

So now about here in Missoula... It's Saturday and we ventured downtown to the Farmers Market, Art and Craft Fair, and another Market and food event at at another location under the bridge next to the river. All downtown at three separate locations.  Missoula sure does know how to throw Saturday events. They run till Oct. 26.   Huge crowds at all three. Now for some pictures.

There were street musicians on most every street corner. She was selling CDs fro $8. Look in heels.

Now this is how to serve Pizza at a downtown event.

 

Terry bought three large cucumbers for $1 and is going to put one in a sour cream sauce and the others in vinegar and onions. I love them that that way. I bought three big slicing tomatoes and we had two of them when we got back on BLTs. Yummy.  (Did I use that word?) They were $2 a lb. Tasted much better than store bought but not quite like I remembered as my home grown ones of many years past. Yes the mind might have better memory, than my taste buds these days. Green beans were $7 for a bag... not in my price range. Sweet corn was like three for $2. Terry sez his friends in town have told him they will have some personally homegrown tomatoes when he goes to visit them again on Monday. Oh and Huckleberries which everyone had for sale were 5 lb. for $35.  Och. But a good time was being had by all. 

Vendor booths were set up everywhere.  One had a very overweight belly dancer who was showing it all as in mid section. Terry couldn't get up the courage to shoot her picture. It was pretty gross or beautiful, all in the mind of the viewer. I wish I had that picture as she was doing her thing for all to see and having great fun. More power to ya.

If you pay close attention you might recognize someone in the above picture.

After the walking all over downtown... Ugh. We went to the fairgrounds as it was advertised a Vintage Market 9 to 4.   Better known as  Flea Market, Junk Sale.  Parking was tight and after we walked a great distance we came across a entrance booth with a $5 entrance fee.  Not me will I ever pay to go to Flea Market.. Thank You. You can read the story in the local paper Missoulian

So about Wednesday we will head up tp St. Regis, MT for oyur USPS mail and continue up I-90 into Idaho to Bumblebee FS campground witch has a north  (Meadows loop) staying open which has open sites for sun and satellite access on the Little North Fork of the Coeur D' Alena River. 

And later on over across Idaho on HW 3 with more just like MT with ID ST fishing access sites (that are open all year) again along the Coeur D' Alene River. ..

So a ID fishing lic. may well be in the cards, if fishing looks good. That's the paln anyway.
Stop back and come along for the ride.
 
 

Wednesday Sept. 4 

Another fine (mess) campground I've gotten us into.

Left Norris, MT and drove to Lewis and Clark State Park to dump for $5, which is just the entrance fee. Good deal. 
HW 2 by the state park.

In this picture I was in lower gear with my flashers going doing it slow and easy. I don't go fast but I get there. Coming down from over the divide with Butte ahead where we picked up stuff at Walmart and got a new Canopy as our old one broke in the wind at Red Mountain campground. Wallmart came out and took the old one to put in their trash bin. 
So now the campsite we found...
Stuart Mill Bay FAS Yep another Montana fishing access site, and again $7 with MT fishing Lic.
FA Sites have no water or trash... but just up the road is a FS campground with water and trash. And  RV park and marina for propane and dump is close by. . We've got it made for another week.

Oh and you know I love fire wood. They have been thinning the forest and so much wood I don't know what to do with it all. We drove through three FS campgrounds and picked up left cut and spit wood leftover from the holiday weekend. The FS sites are for the most part empty. 

We have not run into any campfire restrictions except that you must use an in place fire ring. 
No Problem, me thinks. I love my campfires and Terry loves his fishing.

Right on Goergetown Lake west of Anaconda, MT

Red dot marks the spot.
While checking out the three Forest Service campgrounds look what we came across. A moma and bzaby Moose. They had not a care in the world and it was like we were not even there. Just strolling across the road chompping on the grass.

BTW the FS campgrounds around the lake mostly have heavy tree cover so not a choice for us as we need solar and satellitre access to the sky.

Off to explore Anaconda and who knows what else.
 
 

Sunday Sept. 1

Labor Day weekend finds us in a new campground. 
I hear Ya, another week another campground.  That's what we do and it has been working pretty well.
It's Red Mountain just a few miles northeast of Norris, MT, yet another BLM park for $4 water, no trash. 

Just a mere few steps from waters edge. We got here early to beat the rush and got the best site closest to the water.

We are only 35 miles from Bozeman, MT so took off last Wednesday to do laundry, get stuff from Walmart, (my drugs) and oil change in the diesel.
We stopped at the big GM dealer as they had a quick lube and were not busy. Now for the rest of the story.  Asked them if they checked tire pressures and Oh Yes we do. When all done and the truck was sitting outside I went to pay. I asked about the pressure readings.  He flipped the page and it showed front 53 and rear 55. I said that's not good. The counter guys agreed, need more than that with pulling a big 55 th wheel.  He offered to have a tech come out and recheck.  After only checking one front tire, it was 53 lb... Well they decided to take it back inside and add air.  While doing so, I said to make sure they checked the inside duallys.  They hadn't as the right inside one was flat, at 30 lb..
Now I ask you... They were about to have us leave with a flat tire after they said they had checked  them. Not good. 
Attached to the Quick Lube was their tire center and of course they fixed the tire without any question or charge. We drove off with 65 in the front tires and 70 in the rears. Seems to make handling better. 
This is whar they found. About two inches.

So after all that we didn't do laundry... did that later in the week in Ennis, MT.
On our way to Ennis stopped at the Norris Post Office as I had a new tail light shipped there.  Things not going well this week as you can see in the below pictures (the new one on top and orig. one on the bottom) don't look the same. 

When they put the sections together with glue they didn't press them, thus the gaps between the parts. They have to be tighter together as in the orig... to fit correctly in the truck body. Who wood thunk they would mess this up this bad. Made in Taiwan. Well Amazon got a piece of my mind since it was shipped by one of their affiliates. You can bet my review did not rate 5 stars. 

We didn't try to install it till we got back from the Ennis, MT Fly Fishing Festival on Friday put on by the Madison River Foundation.  Terry went back to the Saturday events. I stayed back at camp, relaxed watching the floaters go by on the river and working on other web sites I do.
Presenting the program for those fly fishing aficionados. 

You can tell by the speakers this is taken seriously, but then if you fly fish you know that.
Downtown Ennis, MT

Ennis takes this fly fishing thing to a whole new level... 

Terry did spend the $10 for a raffle ticket. Would turn around and ask for an offer as I don't think we would want to pull it attached to back of the 5 th wheel. He didn't win so there ya go.

Who wouldn't like to tie flys on this table. 

On the way back to camp we stopped in Norris for a BBQ Rib Dinner at this place. Kind of a dive with atmosphere. Food served in big oval paper plates with plastic utensils.  But like the barmaid said the ribs  (with their homemade sauce) will fall off the bones and they did. At $17.50 I would hope so. We enjoyed our not so very often eat out event. 

This was right next to the one room above mentioned Norris Post Office. Along with a gas station that's about it for Norris, MT unless you count the Norris Hot Springs just ouside of town. 

Google picture

Terry is at it again make lima backed beans in his dutch overn and abou time to head outside and watch the tubers splash on down the river.
 

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