Monday 16 May 2005

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Awake: 6:02am Temp 56 Low clouds Elevation 1027 ft. Overnight@
Orofino, Idaho

We have no cell phone coverage in this canyon across the road from the
Clearwater River, plus the campground office is unattended and on the
honor system during the week. When I talked with Jim yesterday, we agreed
to make contact mid morning & arrange a time for a visit today. They live
near the town of Juliaetta so I figure why not drive up there & give Jim &
Betty a call… turns out its 33 miles & still we have no cell phone
coverage. Ok, so we stop in town, park & walk to the Pizza Bank store (not
open until 4:00pm), the Palace Hotel (closed) & another building, a bar
that hadn’t opened yet. Hmmm, next we try the Shell station down the
street. They had a minor fire in their building this morning & their land
line phone system was shut down. Yikes! I try the post office & finally
am able to use the lady’s cell phone. Jim’s been waiting for our call,
gives directions to where they live & says he’ll be standing by the road
to steer us in.

We met Jim & Betty in the middle of March @ the Newell factory when they
were waiting to pickup their 1st Newell motor home. It was an exciting
time for them & we were able to share some of their anticipation &
frustration also. Now, 2 months later, they have their high tech beautiful
machine parked just 30 ft from their home in its own garage. Jim & I waste
no time in comparing technical notes about our rigs while Betty gives
Kathy a good tour of their home. These people live @ the base of a steep
mountain on 200 acres. What an awesome view when sitting in the great room
looking up toward nature’s massive creation. We spend the next hour
scrutinizing the inside of their motor home from bow to stern. What a
ship!

Then Jim & Betty tour us around some of their property; we see the nearby
homes of one of their daughter’s & one of their son’s + the family
airstrip where Jim’s father kept his aircraft during the ole days. Next we
tour some highlights in Lewiston, Idaho: the new campground overlooking
the Clearwater River only 500 ft from a Costco (where we would have camped
if we had known about this); the state park, Hell’s Gate, also over-
looking the Clearwater River just down the road from Costco; and a drive
past Jim & his partner’s former business buildings closer to downtown. We
stop @ Effies on Main Street, Jim’s favorite burger spot, for a late lunch
of the biggest hamburger we have ever eaten & the best in a long time. It
was literally the size of a dinner plate, advertised as 1#; so big that
Kathy & I HAD to split it. Jim and Betty have an evening commitment so
it’s back to their home where we say our goodbyes. Then back to our canyon
hangout for a few minutes before driving further into the old town of
Orofino which appears to be very much alive & well. They must be doing
something right as there is a new & larger hotel being built downtown as
well as a new & larger campground.

No dinner for us tonight….the BIG burger was plenty enough. We watch a
cable movie: “Waters Edge” … A real thriller that almost kept Kathy awake.

Today’s high temp=63 Lights out: 11:13pm

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This page contains a single entry by George Monte Kirsch published on May 21, 2005 12:23 PM.

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