After our sea side time in Tillamook we established ourselves in Fort Hall at the Buffalo Meadows RV Park, It is only a few miles from Blackfoot where Walt was born and raised. Was Thomas Wolfe right? "You can't go home again." Walt seems to try. He drives the familiar roads and laments how things have changed. He stops at the Arctic Circle and orders a hamburger, a hot dog, and fries (he did omit the milk shake) just like he did in high school every day for lunch and is sad that it no longer costs just $1 for all of them. Time marches on.
We spent a couple weeks staying pretty close to GypsyII and getting plenty of rest. We visited with Walt's brother who has been ill and are happy that he seems to be on the mend. We had a wonderful dinner with Steve and Sandy. He is Walt's long time friend and it is so fun to see them reconnect. Sandy is so amazing. When I grow up I want to be her. She is beautiful, has a career, does all those admirable homemaking things, loves her dogs and is adventurous too. We went to or drove by places we went when we were dating. But it was time to have an outing.
We took a drive to Lava Hot Springs.
We have been to Lava over the years and it is another place that continues to evolve.
Walt can still remember when it was just one huge indoor/outdoor pool.
Now it is a large resort with a huge outdoor pool and waterslides on one end of town and the multiple hot springs on the other side of town. There is also an indoor aquatic center.
The hot pools are next to the Portneuf River and I was impressed by the wall they built with flowers planted all along the top.
We spent several hours soaking in the hot pools. There are 5 pools with varying temperatures of 102˚ to 112˚ degrees. It was enjoyable but so many of the other hot springs we have been to seem to work better for me. It was nice to soak but the pools do not have many jets and all the pools just seem like big bath tubs to me. I guess I am a hot springs snob. I love the rustic multiple level pools with varying minerals and temperatures.
I do have to give praise to their beautiful landscaping. I really enjoyed seeing how they incorporated the lava rocks.
The nice soak sent us home relaxed and limp as a just boiled noodle.
The drive back to GypsyII again showed the smoky skies. Those wildfires are still burning.
What a wonderful world we live in. It is full of beauty and each area has its own special charm.
Next up a wedding.