Our Last Camp

August 22, 2022 – Monday – No Name Campground

We left Upper Payette Lake Campground at 10:00 AM this morning and drove a short eight miles south arriving at our new camp that will be our last camp in Nature. I call it “No Name Campground”, because I don’t think it has a name. It is a piece of land that is part of the Idaho Endowment Trust Lands.

I have passed this camping area many times and only stayed there for a quick over night camp a bit over four years ago. It covers only the basics – land to camp on for free. There are no Pit Toilets, no trash bins, and no drinking water, and no picnic tables, (there was a rock fire ring, fires weren’t allowed back in 2018) and it has a 14 day stay limit. I found out later the 14 days starts when the people that checks the camping areas of these lands takes your license number down to keep track of time there. The nice thing about the camping area we picked is that we were only two mile south of Northwest Passage State Park, where it has Pit Toilets, garbage disposal, and drinking water that we have access to.

When we arrived only a few campers were there – perfect! For the past two weeks it was packed with campers. I picked a large camping spot next to a smaller one where a small two person tent laid. I found out later it had been there for a good month and a half with no occupancy. It was deserted. Once in a while people will leave there camp and there stuff for whatever reason. The tent was left, with an air mattress, a tent rain fly, and a car battery, as with some litter. It was later removed by two Fire Fighter employees. I usually don’t like dispersed camping, but this place was very appealing, especially with few campers here. And it was easily accessible for our needs.

The camp we chose was definitely used by hunters and used for bleeding out cooling off, and cutting up deer and elk with racks built on the site. There were a couple of other sites in our area, but weren’t taken, and jumping ahead, we had the whole area pretty much to ourselves for the whole time of our stay, with the exception of some campers I told about the site available with the abandoned tent. Before I said anything to them I sized them out to make sure they would hopefully be good neighbors. The abandoned tent served a purpose for me to keep other campers away.

The clouds begun rolling in while we were, rather I was, setting up camp. The boys were supervising me as they always do. We got a few drops coming down on us, with little wind. Upper Payette Lake, and Payette Lake got some good wind. We must have been in a good spot where the wind was diverted from us.

Once I got the tent set up and furnished with my bed, and the boys three beds, we left for McCall to resupply on food. McCall is about a 14 mile drive south from our camp. A nice drive taking us along the Payette River and Payette Lake with a beautiful view of both. When I go into town it gives me the opportunity to check emails, facebook, and post some photos or writings on facebook.

I got a message that my renewed Driver’s License is ready to pick up in Cascade. This is good news and it will free me up to leave anytime for our final destination to Washington. I will pick it up on Tuesday.

Returning to our new camp, I put the food away and just relaxed with the boys for a bit, and enjoyed our beautiful camp and surrounding woods of Lodge Pole Pine, Fir, and some Aspen. Because I didn’t think or I hoped the campground wouldn’t be busy, I could enjoy the quiet for the week. The road 55 getting here ran right next to this camping area, and was not bad with traffic noise. It is always nice camping along side a river, next to a lake, or even in the forest. I would be happy with any of them. And even better with few people.

The forecast for the day was suppose to be a 40% chance of Thunderstorms coming our way with rain in the afternoon. We got a few drops in the morning while setting up the tent, and enjoyed a beautiful clear afternoon and evening.

Evening Entry

On our evening walk we met two guys camping at a different site and chatted for a bit. One was in a Motor Home, the other sleeping in his Van. The guy in the Motor said he knew us from Ward Mountain, in Ely, NV. I didn’t remember him.Then another guy pulled up, talked with him for a bit. He moved into a spot across from us. He lives in a camper. He moves around a lot and knows Idaho well. He was the one who told me about the tent story on the tent next to us. There were two signs stating how long one can stay, one was for 10 days, the other for 14. I found out later it was 14 days maximum stay.

During the evening two doe Mule Deer walked by our camp and a little bit later a young Buck came by to check us out. He was very curious about us. I did discourage him from getting too close to our camp.

August 23, 2022 – Tuesday

I was told about a writers group at the Library in McCall. C Marie who conducts the writing group focuses on Poetry. I attended the group and found it helpful. I found C Marie a good teacher. The group was a small group of six people including me, and the size can vary from week to week.

After class was over I loaded some photos from my Smart Phone to my laptop. We then headed south to Cascade to pick up my new Driver’s License. Then back to McCall to pick up some food, then back to camp.

It was a pretty nice day. The mornings are starting to cool off, but Boise was in the high 90’s into the 100’s. The whole summer was hot and much hotter than usual. Usually August feels like the beginnings of Autumn in the higher elevations.

Steak for me and the boys for dinner.

August 24, 2022 – Wednesday

I had a bad morning, thinking about our journey in Nature, and how I felt little was accomplished, for close to five years. This of course wasn’t true. I did accomplish a lot, just not what I had hoped for. Having high expectations, oh what a tangled web we weave, comes to mind. I have been dealing with these thoughts every morning for over three and a half years, thoughts of no purpose, doubt, fear, uncertainty, feeling hopelessness… but once I step out into nature, nature brings me back alive once again.

It has been a long journey we have been on and surprised we have made it this long. I began getting tired of constantly moving camp every one to two weeks, dealing with the weather, and people having their dogs off leash in the campgrounds, and campers just being disrespectful to others and to Nature. I was also getting little writing done. With climate change here and impacting the whole world, it was becoming more dangerous, more uncertain how the weather will react being in Nature and in a tent.

These thoughts of, “this could be the end of our journey living in Nature,” began when my thoughts drifted to us heading back up north into Idaho from Southern Nevada. It was a feeling of this is quits. And yet, I couldn’t think of leaving this lifestyle. Nature was our Home, a place where we wanted to be.

The thought of being able to write for a whole winter in Washington State, got my mind into writing in camp with a sense of inspiration. We decided to stay for at least two more weeks. The boys also agreed.

At around 7:30 in the morning, Nanook was alerted to some sounds outside of the tent. I looked out the tent window and saw a doe walk close by, then a fawn, then another came following their Mother. Nanook was curious, I was excited to see them in the stillness of the morning.

We took our time getting up to Idaho. I had no idea where we would go in Idaho. We did find our way, staying in campgrounds we have never stayed in before.

On our walks we found the narrow river of the Payette moving slowly by our side of the roadway. The campground was still quiet from human noise, and no issues with dogs being off leash. It was peaceful here.

For being a dispersed camping area, it is pretty clean from trash, with the exception of toilet paper found here and there. There are little signs of garbage, and broken glass, which is nice, considering the use this camping area has. Returning to camp from our walk, the scent of Fir, and Pine filled the air.

On our evening walk we wandered on some dirt road in the area, and we crossed a bridge. I noticed a plant on one side of the bridge growing in a dry stream bed. and thought it might be a mint, then on closer observation and doing a Stinging Nettle test by rubbing the back of a figure on the leaf and waiting if I would experience a sting. It was slow coming, but I finally felt it. It was nice seeing one of my favorite plants. I looked in some other areas away from the road, but with no luck. It has been a long while since I have had Nettle Tea.

Walking back to camp from our walk I spotted a plant with beautiful red berries, the Red Baneberry, which is also poisonous. Back at camp, Nanook spotted a buck close to camp. It was an exciting walk. Another beautiful evening in Nature.

August 25, 2022 – Thursday

For the last couple of mornings I believed I heard the sounds of a Great Horned Owl. Always nice to hear the sounds of Nature.

During our morning walk we dropped by the guy’s camp with the camper that is camped at a site close to us, but is hidden by a nice tree covering that surrounded the campsite. While I was talking with him, Nanook reacted to some sort of bite or sting in his mouth, as if he tried to eat a yellow jacket, which he has been known to do. He started with horse flies and progressed to yellow jackets that were not so friendly or tolerant of being eaten. Something I was very concerned about. But Nanook seemed to feel it was very necessary. The guy I was talking to said, it was an Ant that he got a bite of, and the Ant took a bite out of him.

At our last camp at Upper Payette Lake before here, I was walking the boys in a different area, and Nanook reacted like he was bit by a nest of yellow jackets. But I could not see anything that could have bitten or stung him. When he got bitten by the Ant this time, I thought maybe it was a nest of Ants at out last camp that he got into.

August 26, 2022 – Friday

We awakened to another beautiful morning in the Idaho mountains.

Last night, the buck that came in twice the past couple of night didn’t show last night. But the boys were picking up a real strong scent behind our camp. Observing them it was a very strong scent. I was wondering, could it be a bear(s)? Maybe a moose, or elk? I also heard some crackling in the woods behind us. I took a peek walking back there a bit, but couldn’t see anything. The boys were definitely focused on the scent for a short time. I am as well when they tell me there are critters around. Nanook is really good at telling me to stay alert. Soon the mosquitoes were buzzing, so it was time for bed. The evening became quiet.

It is Friday, and I expect this camping area will be crowded for the weekend. Usually camping picks up on Thursday for the most part, and it does depend on the time of year and campground.

August 27, 2022 – Saturday

Last night we waited for the buck to come for a visit, but must have had other plans. The campground was also pretty quiet for a Friday, which I am not complaining. Not many campers came in last night. They probably went to Northwest Passage and Upper Payette Lake.

This morning it was cooler, but is suppose to heat up again back in the 90’s. This high heat is very unusual for this time of year, it is usually much cooler weather. In the west it has been much warmer than usual weather.

Before we got up this morning Nanook was looking out the tent window and was alert to something, maybe some critter near by. Outside the tent, we saw a white tail doe with two young ones romping around. The two young fawns full of energy. The doe looked at us carefully, Nanook and I returned that intent gaze. The doe standing perfectly still blending into the trees behind her, her body facing us minimizing her profile, making her almost invisible in the shadows of the forest.

I notice a lot of traffic on the road, many speeding way too fast for that road and all the animals that cross it – bear, deer, moose, fox, and elk. Must be a lot of road kill along 55. Do those driving this road think about this? Do they really care? I was careful on our walks not to spook any deer that may be in the bush when we were close to the road. On most of the road side there was zero visibility from heavy brush from both sides.

I had a feeling of uneasiness and restlessness about leaving our home in Nature, but then, I was tired. Not tired of Nature, just tired of all the other stuff we have been dealing with for these almost five years in Nature. I wasn’t looking forward to the city life, the traffic, the constant loud noise, the toxic air pollution, the foul smells in the air, the water pollution, and people – lots of people – everything that make city life undesirable to me. But, the convenience of getting things done, and being able to concentrate on my writing over came being in Nature, as with dealing with weather, and the cold. And I was out of money – at least close to out of money.

Our camping experiences consisted of constantly moving from camp to camp, state to state, dealing with short summers with never ending biting bugs that can irritate the hell out of me and the boys, and the very long, dark, and cold winters that seems like an eternity, before spring shows it’s slow presence.

Yesterday a butterfly visited our camp which is not too unusual, but this one landing on my chair arm rest. And was visited by a yellow jacket hovering over the ash in the fire pit creating a wash of wind stirring up the ash. The force of the wings blew the ash every which way. Never have observed that before.

Thinking about when to leave this camp to avoid the possible crowds of Labor Day. We will play it by ear.

When I mentioned to the boys, saying, “Do you want to go see Mike and Dundee?” They immediately perked up, their large ears erect focused on me. I was watching Nanook, and he was laying down, head up, and crying a low cry. I believe they understood what I was saying. We met Mike and Dundee while camping at Clear Lake State Park, in California back in January 2018, and occasional

we would meet them at different campgrounds mostly in the winter months throughout the years we were camping. Every time we would meet them at a campground, the boys would get really excited. Mike told me Dundee would recognize our truck with the big red canoe on top of the truck, and get all excited. I when I say, “Do you want to…” any time to them they will get excited. I think they know it when I am referring to Mike and Dundee. But how do they know, how do they process this information in their brains? Do they have an image in the brain of our friends, do they hear them, or smell them? Is it in the tone of my voice or in? I found it interesting how dogs just know things. They have a very keen intelligence, and maybe this is why we love them so much. I have noticed that we communicate too each other in silence at times.

While sitting in camp, in any of our many camps we have been at, I feel a sense of peace within, being in Nature. I can just observe in silence and experience the simple, yet magnificent wonders of Nature. Feeling, a sense of Being in Nature brings us closer to a deeper connection, and relationship with the natural world. And on occasion when my mind gets in the way, it can be unsettling, especially dealing with people.

We went into town for a few things at the grocery store and while getting some cash at the ATM, I guy came up behind me and when I turned around he got in my face saying, “your dog killed my dog! And you did not even say you were sorry. That is the kind of person you are.” The reason I did not was I did not know, and there was no way I could have known. I obviously felt bad about this. It was another issue with people not having their dogs on leash in the campgrounds at all times. This is a story I will write about later, but basically the people were camping across from me, their two small dogs came into my camp, and my dogs attacked them. My dogs were restrain as they always are. This was an ongoing problem for the time we have been camping, and with many conversations with Rangers, and campground Hosts both on Federal and State campgrounds.

Luckily we haven’t had any problems our first week here with any dogs, but this will soon change.

August 28, 2022 – Sunday

We awoke to a beautiful morning and much cooler typical for a late August in the high country in Idaho. It is suppose to warm up again in the 90’s tomorrow We are enjoying this camp, especially with very few people here.

August 29, 2022 – Monday

This morning I awoke once again to the emotions of fear, doubt, and uncertainty. (For those who are new and just joining my blog, I have been experiencing this pretty much for over three and a half years.) These unsettling feelings have been with me for way too long. They began after our winter camp in Idaho when I was dealing with cabin fever in the winter of 2018/19. And every Morning when I step out into Nature it seems to vanish. The healing powers of Nature.

So far we have not had any issues with dogs off leash or any dogs for that matter. It makes for a peaceful camp for us.

We went into town today and found out hunting season begins this week. The hunting season will be for deer, and elk for bow hunting. Our camping area should start filling up with hunters and for camping for the three day weekenders on Labor Day. I met a hunter later today pulling a pony trailer. It is loaded with large goats he uses for pack animals. I found him to be a really nice guy. I just hope he keeps them in camp and does not tangle with the boys. I found out he lets them loose to graze at night. We had no problems with them.

August 30, 2022 – Tuesday

I talked with some friends in Oregon and while they were camping near La Grande in their motorhome, the town and my friends got hit by a bad hail storm with baseball size hale, and 90 mph winds. Something that never happens there. It did a lot of damage to their motorhome and to their Jeep. It also destroyed the small town, leaving devastation in it’s wake. The weather extremes are becoming much worse throughout the world due to climate change. Climate change is here.

Idaho got hit with a late wet Spring this year creating a lot of biting, stinging, blood sucking, and irritating bugs. We had yellow jackets, Bald faced hornets, horse flies, deer flies, house flies, small flies, tiny flies, and of course the mosquitoes. They never seem to disappear during the Summer months creating a miserable time to be outside. We had very little rest from them the whole Summer. In the morning the mosquitoes come, when it begins to warm, the flies come, then at dinner time the hungry yellow jackets are out for a meal, my meal.

The beauty of the clouds against the blue sky background, the sweet smell of the clean fresh air of the woods, the magnificent beauty of the forest, and the sounds of Nature that always consumes me in gratitude.

August 31, 2022 – Wednesday

We will stay in camp most of the day and later do a garbage run a couple of miles to Northwest Passage Campground. We will begin packing up for our departure towards Washington tomorrow. When I looked at the weather the day before it looked halfway decent for travel.

We have this one butterfly that has been flying around camp, and that we have seen in other camps in Idaho. It is about medium size. It is mostly orange on the top side of the wings and dark gray on the bottoms of the wings. The back edges of the wings were roughly serrated. I did not pay much attention to this until I saw the butterfly land on the bark of a pine tree. It had it’s wings closed, and resembled the bark, blending into it as a perfect camouflage. I thought maybe this is why this particular butterfly likes my chair, since it is a dark gray color.

I was talking to a fellow camper this evening and he told me we are heading for another warming spell tomorrow and lower elevations will be getting into the triple digits. So this will put a hold on our departure until after Labor Day weekend. He got on the subject of tires on trailers and said the trailer tires are more impacted with higher temps, and having the right air inflation is important. Also the asphalt could be 20 degrees hotter then the air temperature. Since my trailer tires are wearing thin, but still legal tread, and we will have a long drive, I thought it wise to delay our departure until to cools down a bit. We are dealing with very unusually warm weather for late August.

Whether I stay in a State Park Campground, a USFS Campground, or in very rear circumstances, dispersed Camping, I always look at potentially having greater problems with campers with dogs not following the leash laws, campers coming to camp just to party, or campers that are just to loud, and usually they are the three day weekends that seem to be the worst.

September 1, 2022 – Thursday.

Once in a while I would notice these large shadows flying over the trees above us. I never saw what they were. Today I saw them again was able to follow the shadows passed the trees and the shadows appeared as a pair of Bald eagles. Seeing them are always a treat.

September 2, 2022 – Friday

There was some heavy equipment behind our camp when we arrived here, and when they were working it was loud. Luckily they did not work everyday. They were moving large rocks and breaking the boulders into smaller rocks for places unknown. Maybe creating a clearing in that area, possibly for parking next to a trailhead. This morning I was listening to the extremely loud rumbling of the heavy equipment of metal to the ground, scraping, and grinding, filling the silence of Nature with the irritating noise of man on this early morning. They were moving the equipment to a spot close to State Highway 55 where they could trailer them out. Good thing, no more loud equipment noise. I am sure the birds, the animals, and possibly the plants, and trees prefer not having it.

This morning was cool and smokey. It was also smokey yesterday and last night. More campers moving in as I thought, on this three day weekend.

On our morning walk we decided to walk highway 55 along the Payette River, while zigzagging through the forest, and open meadows winding its way to Payette Lake. It was a nice walk with very little traffic and traffic noise. I heard the beautiful sounds of the pair of Bald eagles screeching away, calling to each other.

The usual thing locals are doing now is going into camp grounds early and saving a spot for the weekend. They may come in a couple of days early or a week early to save a spot, parking a trailer or tent indicating the spot is taken. Most of the time they don’t even stay until the weekend. This is obviously unfair to those who need a campsite, and against most Campground Rules. Simply stated, campers must stay that night it occupies the site. Usually this is never enforced.

September 3, 2022 – Saturday

The camping area was full and we did have some close

encounters with loose dogs coming close to our camp. Because of the boys possibly meeting up with other dogs at camp, I took them for walks near Northwest Passage Campground.

Since Takota is blind in both eyes, I have been watching him closely to see how he is doing with getting around. He is doing amazingly well. He likes leaning against the outside of the tent, and prefers going into the tent for his hiding spot, but because of bugs, I keep the tent closed up. Takota gained the title and responsibility of Camp Protector, and although blind, he still takes on that role very seriously, and does very well at it.

September 5, 2022 – Monday

It was a cool morning, the feeling of Fall in the air. We are dealing with smokey days most of the weekend.

Most of the campers should be clearing out today. So we will stay in camp most of the day and enjoy the peace and quiet.

I was thinking about our journey we have experienced for close to five years, living in a tent, and traveling through eight states. And very soon it will be over. We are the Three Old Boys, Takota the blind one, Nanook with his skin allergies, and me getting too old for this, although I loved it for the most part even with all its challenges. I am ready to leave, but I will also miss Being in Nature with the boys. Overall, Nature has been very good to us. She was a good teacher.

September 7, 2022 – Wednesday

Checking the weather (NOAA), it looked pretty good for today and tomorrow. Tomorrow we will begin our two day trip to Washington.

I talked with our neighbor this morning and he told me 40% chance of rain from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. At about 9:00 AM a light rain and some thunder began. I had my rain fly off, and with the coming rains this afternoon I decided to get the rain fly back on. And just in time for our surprise light rain this morning. The skies were gray with the occupational rumbling of thunder in the distance. So far no signs of any wind. We will stay in camp today and prepare for our departure tomorrow.

Most everywhere in the mountains I am always aware of the dangers that can fall upon us, such as high winds, microbursts, lightning, and widow makers. We have a lot of widow makers in this place we are residing, with many dead standing trees. There are signs everywhere in this area of dead fallen trees. A very dangerous place to be if lightning, high winds, or microbursts appear.

I was feeling a little frustrated with the weather this morning, then I directed my focus on the present moment and my focus changed from frustration to the beauty in everything around me, even the weather.

It is nice having easy access to the weather reports so as to try and prepare accordingly, but, weather forecasts can be wrong, and shouldn’t be totally relied upon. Weather can always change, as for what happened to us this evening. In this weather event we were getting up to date forecasts from our neighbors wife in Oregon.

Our neighbor came by early evening and gave me a current weather report for our area. It did not look good. A large thunderstorm cell was heading for us with predicted extreme high winds. He was thinking about moving to another area with no trees.. This report go me very concerned. I have been in this situation many times and obviously we survived them. But this concern seemed to haunt me with potential falling trees. Should we leave too? I did have my trailer hitched and would be easy to leave camp. Going back and forth in my mind, should we or shouldn’t we?

Then the neighbor mentioned, we could go to the area behind our camp where they cleared it with the heavy machinery. I knew we could all fit in there with his Van, and my truck and trailer, so we headed up there. It was only a short distance to go from our camp. We parked and waited. We were still getting weather updates from our friend’s wife. She said it is right over us and moving fast and with high winds. We both looked up to the skies and it didn’t look bad, and we were not experiencing any wind. It was calm. I forgot to mention, large hale was predicted as well. And we both laughed, and commented, “time to go back into camp.” A big relief and calm replaced the fear trembling in our bones.

We did find out from a camper that just came in, that he saw a Mama black bear and two cubs going through the camp. I did see sign of bear in scat, but did not see any. Maybe it was the bear the boys were intently sniffing the other day.

During the night, it was peaceful outside, unfortunately my mind was not. We left the next day for Lewiston, Idaho for one night. It was like going into a different world, that I learned to despise and avoid at all cost. A world that was blind to the natural world. A place of noise pollution, air pollution, and water pollution, a place void of Nature, and replaced with concrete, asphalt, buildings, and houses. A place our natural humanness of love, grace, beauty, and truth for Nature and for all life have been lost and replaced with empty materialism, empty gratifications.

We then stopped at a quaint mountain town in Washington, named Cle-Elum. Cle-Elum means “swift water,” in the language of the Kittitas Indians. We stayed for a night, then moved onto our winter home in Lynnwood, Washington.