July 15-18, 2013 Payette River, Idaho

We are camped at Hot Spring Campground on the Payette river in Idaho. We are meeting friends of John’s at the end of the week so he can kayak hairball whitewater and I can relax in the bus in the forest.

Our campsite at Hot Spring Campground on the Payette. The hot spring and the river. During the day it is too hot to soak, but after dark soak in the spring, soak in the river, repeat is very nice.

Whew, it was 102 degrees today.  I like that this thermometer  has what day it is on it, many days I don’t know anymore. The heat is not so bad if you stay in the shade and wet. We hung a sun shower on the back of the bus for wetting purposes. The real cure is total immersion in the river.  That is John’s hat and sunglasses on his hand, not an alien head sticking out of the water. The river  is about 45 degrees. the air cooled to 64 at night, so it was pleasant for sleeping. We have no hook ups for the AC. We could run the generator and the AC, but it is kind of pointless since as soon as you turn it off it gets hot again.   Besides who wants to stay inside in such a beautiful place.

Sunset from the campground Monday. I think it is now Tuesday. I spent the day reading in my lawn chair, dozing and swimming in the river when I got hot. John went to town, the battery  in the car died, he had to wait for someone to come by and jump him, then he went to another town and bought a new car battery and a few other chores, then sat in his chair and read and dozed. There is a fire near by and there was smoke in the valley. A huge helicopter flew over a few times with a water bucket under it. There was  a thunder storm. We sat in the hot spring and watched this sunset. I thought at first the fire was getting closer, but it was just another lovely sunset.

After sunset we watched a thunder storm pass over while laying in the  hot spring. Lightening, rain, thunder. Very nice day. Today we went to Crouch, Idaho.  Here is a shot of downtown Crouch.

The mercantile in Crouch was a bunch of craft booths.  I loved the Redneck booth. Redneck wind chime-a beer can with shells underneath, Redneck dream catcher-a lace thong, Redneck briefcase-a handle on a pair of tighty whities. Next to it was hand sewn items, Hand sewn by Crouch Cowgirls.  Mostly I spent the day in my lawn chair reading, and since it was 97 degrees, swimming in the river. I acclimatized so quickly to the hot weather when it got down to 74 I was freezing and had to put on fleece. The car is still not starting, so John is taking it down to Boise today. Don’t want it to not start when we are in the wilds of back country Idaho.   I will hold down the bus while he is gone.

The thunderstorm the other night ignited another forest fire closer to us. I saw all this smoke this am. I guess it is about 10 miles away and going the other direction, but it is still scary. Meanwhile I am keeping cool in the river.