July 21, 2010

Woke early to the scurrying of some critter outside the tent. It scurried into the wood when I emerged from the tent. Struck the tent and hit the road by 7 am. Headed to Boise to Hwy 95. Hwy 95 in Idaho is a winding mountain road which didn't make for great driving time; the scenery more than made up for the slow driving time. 

Glenn's Ferry, ID

I stopped in the small town of New Meadows had a chai in a quaint little coffee shop then headed to Riggins. 

The wind was kicking up again. Passed the 45th parallel just south of Riggins. Continued through some construction and into Riggins. A small town on the Salmon River. 

Stopped and walked around a little, then headed up to the Nez Perce National forest. Went for hike up to White Bird Battlefield, the first battle of the Nez Perce war. I headed to Nez Perce National Park climbing up more mountain roads. Walked around the Nez Perce park, then started looking for a place to camp for the night. 

I saw signs for the Hell's Gate State Park. Was able to find a site fairly quickly right on the Snake River. It was too hot to set up the tent, so I sat on the picnic table had a drink of water and read. I looked to see I could find a way down to the river, but did see a path. I started setting up the tent. A couple walked by and said hello. I saw them walk down a path and disappear. When the man re-emerged I asked him if there was a path to the river. He said there was and that I was welcome to join them. So I followed him down to the river. 

He and his wife were traveling from Washington state to Kansas.  It was their twenty eight wedding anniversary, high school sweethearts. Very interesting, cool, open couple. We sat on the Snake River talking about life and travel. He offered me a beer. We sat and had a beer on the river talking more. At times soaking our feet in the river to cool off.  They told me about the trip they took down the Snake River looking at the petrogylphs and the bluffs along the river. He told me Hell's Canyon was the deepest gorge in America. The man asked me where I was heading and where I had been so I told them about my trip, my sister and the crazy year I had.  Interesting guy. He said an interesting thing sitting there on the river, that my niece had said to me before I left, but he said it so eloquently that it touched me.   

"When you lose a child, man it's like -- your life is gone, you lose your parents and shit man you think 'where did I come from?' No evidence of who brought you here. But …. (long pause, heavy sigh, he looked out at the river, took a sip of his beer, and then looked at his wife) a close sibling, that is your present, your past and your future--poof, gone man!, just GONE! forever--your future I mean. Wow that's a tough one. Why does life dish this drama out to us." I never forgot that conversation with him. It rolled over in my head several times during my travels. 

We both headed back to our sites and eventually retired.