I have been off the grid since leaving Missoula on Wednesday, July 27. I will try to catch you up with the last week as quickly as possible. Leaving Missoula is never easy. It is just such a cool and easy town. I agreed to meet my Mom one more time down at Caras Park for the Out to Lunch event. Jax and I also wanted Columbus to experience the Carousel, Dragon Hollow and Brennan's Wave. We arrived around 11 and had a bite to eat and then showed Columbus the sites including the Herky Jerky's. After a few pictures with mom and a long hug goodbye, we were off to meet up with friends in Stanley, Idaho. The drive from Missoula to Stanley is only about 4 hours and is incredibly scenic. You pass through Hamilton and Darby before heading over the Lost Trail Pass. After that you are in Idaho and the landscape instantly changes. You no longer feel on top of the world with a vast sky above. The hills become less green and cast more of a desert feeling. This is the land of Lewis and Clark. The explored Idaho and southern Montana and there are plenty of historical landmarks to stop and read. Once you hit Salmon, Idaho and head towards Challis, you turn west on 75 and follow the Salmon River all the way to Stanley. Here the landscape becomes plush and rich with river life. I love the drive into Stanley from all directions; Challis from the east, Boise from the west, and Sun Valley from the south. We arrived in Stanley around 4 pm and went to find our friends at the cabin. They had not arrived yet so we waited a few and then we were reunited. I haven't seen my best friend Isa in a month and it was a warm welcome. We immediately got down to business, monkey business that is! We started in with a glass of wine and a few laughs and before you knew it, we were crashing the bonfire party across the street. I heard the guitar playing and saw the fire, and thought, "We should go over there." So Twyla, Isa's 17 year old daughter and her friend Tatianna agreed to come with me. We told the other's we'd whistle back for them if it looked fun. So here we are, me and two 17 year olds, wandering into a small intimate party of about 7 people. 2 of them were young handsome cowboys playing their guitars. One of them looked like a young Elvis but sounded like Johnny Cash. The other people turned out to be Sonia, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Jeannie, the head wrangler for Mystic Saddle Ranch. We were welcomed in with open arms, especially after sending the 2 girls in first to ask, "Can we join your party?" Those 2 young cowboys had no problem with that! The girls borrowed their guitars and played a few lovely songs for all of us. Eventually Isa and Anouk walked over because I forgot to whistle. We all stayed up way past our bedtime and had an amazing first night. Before leaving to head back to our cabin, Sonia had told me about the Stanley Street Dance the next day and invited us to come. Off we went to bed with another amazing day under our belts!!
And there are more to come...
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