Sunday, August 7 we arrive at Lolo Hot Springs RV Park. I plan to stay here for a week. I’m not much a fan of donning a bathing suit, but I’ve been considering it for the possibility of the hot springs helping my back. So maybe. (BTW, my back IS getting better. I’d say it’s at about 75% now).
But wait. I get here and see that there are some nice sites and I am able to nab one of those. But….there are also some areas here that put me in mind of the movie “Deliverance”. Mind you, I never saw that movie, but I heard about it and well…it just doesn’t feel right here… with some dilapidated old RV’s and old school buses with cardboard in the windows passing for permanent homes, yards full of junk and trash, overflowing garbage containers and piles of trash where trash shouldn’t be. Hmmm.
But my site is so sweet, backed up against Lolo Creek with wildflowers all around, and I AM trying to focus on the good….
And yes, I did back in! (and managed not to end up in the creek!)
Our own daisy bouquet.
Joy has a soak in the Lolo Creek
So I decide to stay.
I find that there is no need to concern myself with the bathing suit issue, the pool is closed. The hot spring pool at Lolo Hot Springs is closed? Odd.
This is Sunday afternoon. Fast forward to Tuesday morning. I wake up to the sky threatening storms and no electricity. No water either. (as you know I have my own power and water, but in this case I’ve paid for it to be supplied.)
When the ‘resort’ bar and grill opens at 8am I’m there asking what’s up? Why no electricity? “Well, someone ran their car into the main electrical thingie last night.” And why no water? “Well, they rammed into that too, and also our propane tank, and my cook didn’t show up this morning, and….”
So I’m thinking things just keep on feeling less and less right around here and this just might be a good time to LEAVE. I ask for a refund on the rest of my time here and by gosh, I get it! So I hook up in the rain and head west on Hwy 12 in a downpour.
Happily the rain stops rather quickly and I am able to drive this beautiful road under mixed skies. I drove (without towing) this route many years ago and remember it as being one of the most beautiful places ever. It still is. Lewis and Clark made their way across this route with the help of Indian guides over 200 years ago and it’s still wild and scenic and mostly undeveloped even today. Much of it follows the Lochsa River. Absolutely beautiful.
The Lolo Pass Visitor Center/Rest Stop is very nice for a rest or a picnic or having questions answered.
After some hours I find myself on the Nez Perce Reservation in the little town of Kamiah, staring at the KOA Campground.
My site at the KOA
I’m not always fond of KOA’s but this one looks pretty decent with lots of big old trees and it’s in a good spot right across the street from the Nez Perce park that holds the key to their creation legend, “The Heart Of The Monster.”
(I won’t try to tell the story about the monster here, but if you want to learn it, just Google “Nez Perce, Heart Of The Monster”.)
I sign up at KOA for 5 nights and every day we go for a walk around the ‘heart’.
The Heart Of The Monster
The heart from a distance
Joy and Shiloh have a dip in the Clearwater River behind the Nez Perce park.
I felt relief when I left Lolo Hot Springs. I feel contentment here.
I’m far, far from any AT&T signal so am relying completely on free internet. KOA has it, but it’s so weak I couldn’t even add one picture to my last blog. I find the Visitor Center in Kamiah and ask about free internet. I’m told it’s right here, just for visitors, at the center! So here I sit,,at a little desk, writing to you, while Joy and Shiloh wait in JR, parked under a tree.
The next place I’m planning to stay is a COE Campground called Dent Acres about 44 miles from here. Finding internet there may be another challenge, so it might be awhile before I post again. Or not. Who knows? 🙂
My sweet boy Shiloh had a birthday yesterday! He is 10 years old!
Such a sweet boy!!
Wandering Spirit 
Micky, you have good instincts, and, most importantly, you listen to them. I think you developed this skill from your R.N. years! Happy trails to the three of you, Happy Birthday to Shiloh, what a sweet boy!
Hi Maureen. Listening to that intuitive voice has always been difficult for me. I tend to doubt myself…but I’m learning….I think!
Shiloh thanks you for the birthday wishes! 🐶
Beautiful pups. Enjoy reading your blog. Such a beautiful area . Over 60 and planning to travel
With my black lab Ebony. After my husband died I purchased a small motorhome to continue
Traveling. Enjoy reading about your experiences. Safe travels and Happy Birthday Shiloh !
Hi Deb, nice to have you here. That makes 2 of us over 60…well I’m way over, and it seems like just yesterday I was contemplating that 6th decade!
I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. You have some gumption to continue on with Ebony. Way to go, girl! Sounds like you have some experience…always a good thing.
Shiloh said to tell you thank you for the birthday wishes!
I’m glad that you followed your instincts and high tailed it out of there before anything worse than a utility outage. Love the last photo of Shiloh!! Virtual birthday hugs and rubs are headed his way!
Yes it was a strange place Sharon. But you know I was sleeping like a rock with the sound of the creek babbling over the stones. That sweet little spot deserves much nicer surroundings.
Shiloh is loving the virtual hugs and rubs!
Again, Dent Acres! We were there in 2010 camping in our van! It is a beautiful campground and I think you will love staying there.
Our excitement there happened around 11:00 at night, when a party boat on a trailer rolled out of its site, crossed the road, and slammed into the power transformer for the whole campground. A huge crash and multiple explosions brought us wide awake to find the whole campground in darkness! Needless to say, with no power, there was no water, and no restrooms, so we had to move on the next day.
Congratulations on your two years of solo travel and to Shiloh for his milestone birthday! I love his birthday photo, what a happy dog. I found your site in the summer of 2014 and have been following along ever since always enjoying your great blog. I first commented on your struggles to back into your site at Nehalem St. Pk. No doubt by now backing is second nature, or close to it.
Kitt
Hi Kitt. Yikes I have a terrible memory.
Oh boy, that back up at Nehalem….with the line of cars waiting after just a moment or so…thank goodness my neighbor came along and did it for me. I might still be there holding up traffic! 😂
Well no, backing up is still anxiety producing for me, and depending on the angle and my state of mind it could take me 5 minutes or 45 minutes. I am missing the back up gene. That’s all there is to it.
Wow you had a power outage too! That was a major one. Glad they hit the pole and not someone else’s RV! I keep hearing good things about Dent Acres. The man in the laundromat just told me ‘if you’ve never been there you have a pleasant surprise coming.’ I forgot to ask him if there is internet up there. I think that’s probably a long shot though.
Shiloh and I both thank you for the congrats! 😀🐶
Happy Birthday sweet Shiloh!
So glad you are attentive to your instincts! Enjoy the beautiful place!
Hi Velda, Shiloh says the Hank you! Arf!
Yes, lots of beauty to enjoy.
I always think it best to follow your instincts!! The KOA sounds/looks much nicer!!
Happy Birthday, Shiloh!!
Woof! Thank you Gerri!
Ins instincts and intuition are always with us. ‘Red flags’ , ‘gut feelings’…we just need to listen.
We were in the Kamiah area waaaay back in 1998. Very pretty area, although I can’t remember anything specific about it. That whole area was just too gorgeous in every direction!
Virtual hugs,
Judie
Hi Judie, you know I was here once before too….long ago. The only thing I remembered about this little town ( other than remembering like you, that the whole area is beautiful) is that I visited The Heart Of The Monster back then, also. 😀
So glad you followed your instincts on that one! Definitely sounded like bad news. And what an awesome KOA…I’m surprised. Am going to check out The Heart of the Monster!! Happy Birthday to Shiloh…what a beautiful picture of him..and such love in his eyes for you!
Pat my reply to you looks like it went under Marcias comment.
Happy Birthday, Shiloh! Love your portrait ❤️
Hi Pat (Freespirit), you might also want to check out Long Camp RV Park, bordering beside ‘The Heart Of The Monster.’ It’s nice and it’s smaller. You might want to make reservations there though, unless you don’t mind being without shade. The area in the middle is all grass but not much in the way of trees. Around the edge there are lots of trees but the sites are all in use right now. I think it’s less $$ than at the KOA.
Woof! Arf! Thank you Marcia!
I am glad you trusted your intuition. This illustrates one of the beautiful aspects of this lifestyle…it is so easy to change the situation when it does not suit.
Hooking up in the rain sounds no fun, but good for you for following through in spite of the challenge.
It’s great to hear that you’ve landed and a good spot for the week.
Michael your reply put me in mind of one of my favorite movies, called “Instinct” oddly enough. I haven’t seen it in a LONG time, but Anthony Hopkins plays an Anthropologist studying the apes. He began to relate to them as his family, then someone came poaching and he defended his family, killed poachers, and was considered insane. Cuba Gooding JR played his attorney, but became his student more than lawyer. The point though is that when Hopkins was studying the apes, he was always trying to avoid getting wet in the rain, as we civilized types tend to do. Then he realized how the apes never do that, they don’t mind the rain…and he found a certain freedom in stopping his struggle to stay dry. Then if I remember correctly, at the end of the movie, Gooding is visiting Hopkins human daughter and he leaves her house in the rain. He’s trying to avoid getting wet when all of a sudden it occurs to him that it doesn’t matter if he gets wet, and he also finds a certain freedom in stopping his struggle to stay dry.
Sooo I said all that to say this….I always think of that when I’m in the rain, and I try to remember that it doesn’t matter if I get wet, and I find a certain freedom in stopping my struggle to stay dry. 😀☔️
I highly recommend the movie. And in fact I haven’t read the book in ages, I think I’ll check and see if it’s on Kindle.
Just checked Amazon and there seems to be no book. Could have sworn I read the book after having seen the movie, but apparently not!
Oh I’m gonna look for that movie. Love those life lessons!
Cindy the DVD is on Amazon. Not expensive either. It’s now on my wish list. I’ll buy it when I make my next Amazon order. I used to have it but I think it was on VHS format. Guess that was awhile ago, huh? I feel that you will enjoy it as much as I do. There is at least one area that is difficult to watch though. (The poachers) 😪
Happy Birthday to Shiloh, Beautiful picture of your sweet boy. Are those bluebonnets in the background?
Hi Able, sorry to take so long to answer. Just got wifi again.
Yes, Bluebonnets, also known as Lupine where I’m from in California, which is where that picture was taken…one of my favorites of him. Shiloh thanks you for the birthday wishes. 🐶