Summer is quickly coming to an end. We've been enjoying our time thoroughly, with plenty of trout, snakes, and memories. My dad and niece came for a month to visit and to tour some of the national parks. Then Tyler's family came for a week and rented a trailer to be riverside next to us in our environment. An abundance of family time is such a blessing for us. We are usually the ones having to make the trek to our loved ones, this year it was a treat to get to enjoy and share our lifestyle with them in our new favorite spot. I was hoping to have narrowed down a town or area that we would like to call our future home, but we have yet to come across it in Idaho. I think we may have to compromise on what we are looking for, or maybe we just haven't found our spot yet. In the next few weeks, we will mosey on towards Montana and see if we possibly like that area more. The west is experiencing serious drought, along with mismanagement of our forest lands, fires are becoming more prevalent. Last week I had a few anxious days as we visited another location I thought we would like but wasn't impressed. Meth seems to be a recreational activity for some of these smaller mountain towns which is sad to see.
We are striving to find a place with a drier climate, yet we enjoy and love our rivers and creeks so it is difficult finding a happy medium between desolate dessert and humid jungle. Also, there's a balance we are struggling within the towns. Usually, they are either extremely rural or tourist overload. We are searching for that sweet spot that I hope we find soon, room for growth but not a huge tourist attraction so that we may still enjoy our city during the peak months. I have faith that we will find our forever place, and I am also open to the fact that it may not be Idaho where we finally settle in. It seems the locals are angry that Californians are moving to the state in droves to escape communism. I'd rather not live among citizens who voted themselves out of their home state and who will most likely repeat the same mistakes. Idahoans seem to not like out of staters, we can usually tell by their irate driving or they will simply flat out tell us to our face.
Either way, our family has enjoyed seeing this great country's national parks and public lands. They are fewer people here than in Colorado and it seems the locals know these lands because they've spent their whole lives outdoors. Every conversation was always filled with an abundance of knowledge of the area. Each lake and what species it holds to the peaks and valleys tucked away in the mountain ranges. We rarely came across campers that were nonresidents. It was like a totally different world than Colorado and the streams were never really packed, someone may beat you to your favorite hole but the next spot is just as good.
School will be starting up shortly for us and the fishing will be picking back up again. This summer was rough on my gear. I have yet to send in my waders for repair or my rod that I broke. My pack is slowly deteriorating its way out of my life which I am so sad about because the company it is made by is no longer in business and it has been by far my favorite. Plus I don't feel like paying the outrageous price for a new one, hopefully I can squeeze another season out of it. My boots are still holding strong so that's a plus! Speaking of things wearing out we just put our third set of tires on our trailer in the last 2.5 years. Our truck shows that we've pulled our trailer 57k miles so far, though we have seen that number increase when we haven't pulled the trailer. So that number could be is inaccurate.
I hope everyone is happy and healthy and enjoyed their summer this year. We have rarely had access to wifi so writing and posting pictures is difficult for me. We are still alive and well and surviving the plannedemic very nicely.... without masks or a vaccine....crazy. Think for yourself.