7-13-2025 Eagle, ID

Our friends Ada, Bob and Gus have been our hosts and entertainment for the last couple of days.  A year or two ago, I saw a segment on TV about the Old State Saloon in Eagle, NV.  One of the owners, Mark Fitzpatrick, gave a pitch.  You know how June is Gay Pride Month?  Well, Mark decided to counter that with, “Heterosexual Awesomeness Month.” 

My new t-shirt!

Any hetero couple who comes into the bar gets free beer!  OK.  I gotta see this.  Well, it’s July so we didn’t get free beer but we had an early dinner of bar food at the Old State Saloon.  That one was on my bucket list and now, I can check it off! 

The Old State Saloon, Eagle, ID

Bob, Ada and Rob in the Old State Saloon

 

Gus, the golden hunter, is the most beautiful, trained dog ever:  Loveable, full of energy, polite, quiet and playful, all at the same time.  This morning, Bob and Gus met us at the park to show off Gus’ skills.  First, Bob gave commands at the water’s edge, then in the park.  Gus went leaping into the lake, swam back and forth obeying the whistle and hand commands and finally he swam ashore with his trophy.  Then, he let Rob and me try it and Gus obeyed our commands without blinking.  “Heel.  Stay.  GUS!”  That means, ‘Go get the decoy and bring it to me!’”  Gus sat to my left and would stare intently, then launch like a shot, out to the far reaches of the park.  He rushed full speed back with his treasure and never seemed to tire.  It was fascinating to watch Bob work with him with his signals.  His full title is Sky River Sawtooth Gus Senior Hunter with the ribbons and trophies to prove it.  Gus and Bob are working on Gus’ Master Hunter rank but if he makes one mistake, he’s out and they have to try again another time. 

Heel.

Stay/

GUS!

I got it, Dad!

Got it!  I'm comin!'

Bob, Gus and Lindy

Ada and Gus at home

 

We spent a bit of time at the big farmers’ market in the park, then went back to their home.  Amid a lot of raucous, hilarious conversation, Ada worked to create the best German dinner for us!  Pork schnitzel, sautéed cabbage and garlic-parmesan pasta, all washed down with cold brews, naturally.  These are my people!  She knows us by heart!  An altogether fantastic visit.

 

At our camp in Twin Falls, the sites
were so close that our neighbor's
slide was about 3' from ours.
This is our current campsite.

Oh deer!  Makes me hungry!

Pretty drive along the rivers
and through the mountains

Inside the teepee

Yes, you can stay in this teepee!
Bring everything but a mattress,
including money.

Today, we are parked in Burns, People’s Republic of Oregon.  We drove the back roads through the fields, mountains and two passes on narrow roads with about 6 inches of shoulder between Noobee and a drop-off on some stretches.  (Hwy 20 most of the way.)  It was really a beautiful drive but windy and windy.  At times, it stopped my heart a little bit.  Typical signs read, “Snow Zone,” “Chain-up area,” and, “Do not pass snowplows on the right.”  That tells me that the green beauty of the scenery around us is definitely seasonal!  At 35-40 mph, the trip was a little longer than the GPS gods say, but that’s OK.  We have a nice big site and there are trees and lots of grass around us and the occasional deer!  Tomorrow, we’ll see what’s shakin’ around here.

No, we didn't necessarily need to
 buy eggs but I had to have this carton.