Great Adventure - Part 18: Exploring Idaho, Montana & Canada скачать в хорошем качестве

Great Adventure - Part 18: Exploring Idaho, Montana & Canada

Part 18 begins on August 20th, as we leave Newport and make a short 63-mile move to Blue Lake RV Resort in Naples, Idaho, just south of Bonners Ferry and only miles from the Canadian border. A tight, hairpin entrance off busy US-2 provides an early reminder that even short drives can demand full attention when you’re piloting a long motorhome and tow car combination. Blue Lake turns out to be rustic in every sense — from spongy forest debris under our jacks to improvised electrical hookups and the realities of a mom-and-pop operation. But its location makes it an ideal base for exploration, especially since we can’t take Buzzie across the border. Instead, we plan day trips by car into both Montana and Canada while keeping him safely at home in G2. From this base, we explore widely. Trips take us south to Sandpoint for supplies, WiFi, and great food, and north to Bonners Ferry, where we visit the Boundary County Historical Museum, walk along the Kootenay River, and explore the nearby Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. We spot birds, hike trails, photograph bald eagles, and visit Myrtle Falls, soaking in the quiet beauty of the region. Mountain adventures follow with a trip to Schweitzer Mountain, where we ride the chairlift to the summit and hike our way back down through huckleberry country — keeping a careful eye out for bear signs. Other drives loop through Montana, past Cabinet Gorge Dam, and along the eastern shore of massive Lake Pend Oreille, where glaciers carved out one of the deepest lakes in the region. Two major international day trips round out the episode. One takes us to Nelson, British Columbia, following a spectacular route along rivers, mountains, Kootenay Lake, and a free ferry crossing — ending in an eclectic town known for its arts scene, government buildings, and its role as the filming location for Roxanne. Another trip heads deeper into British Columbia to Kimberley, a Bavarian-style town and home to the Underground Mining Railroad, where we tour recreated mine workings and learn about the region’s mining history. Interwoven with the travel are real-world responsibilities: managing our business property in Coeur d’Alene, extending leases, shopping for Buzzie’s medical supplies, and spending time with family. Meanwhile, the less-romantic side of campground life makes itself known — constant freight trains shaking the ground, a nearby noisy sawmill and cattle operation, and some of the worst WiFi of our entire journey. Part 18 captures a beautiful corner of the Pacific Northwest and southern British Columbia — full of scenery, wildlife, history, and adventure — while reminding us that not every campsite is as peaceful as the places it allows you to explore. Thank you for following Life on the Strait. Please consider subscribing (it’s free) to continue the adventure.