July 2001

What an interesting, busy, and satisfying month July has been for us "U.S. National Forest Campground Guide" folk. We completed the Uinta, Ashley, Caribou and Salmon National Forests. That means we are out of Utah and now well into Idaho. There is something about moving on to a new state that is really exciting. Not that we didn't see some great sights and meet some wonderful people in Utah but we were ready for a change.

While at a campground in Duchesne, Utah, we made friends with Pat and Don, the host and hostess there, and shared our Fourth of July celebrations with them. The day started with a Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, an annual fund-raiser for the evening's firework display. It was great fun and the best part of the day which was another hot and sunny one. As we devoured our stacks of fluffy pancakes, Pat remarked she couldn't understand Don's need to move on every time they get settled in some place. She complained, "We stay someplace for about a month, start to get to know the place, and he's talking about moving on." We looked at each other and knew exactly how Don felt. There is something about seeing what's over the next hill that is exciting and very addictive. Who will we meet? What wonders will we see? Where does that road lead? What challenges will be faced? It was nice to learn we aren't the only ones who felt this way.

We did have a few challenges this month. One was heat. Temperatures in Utah were consistently into the upper 90's or higher. That wouldn't be too bad if there was some shade but there wasn't. Using the trailer's awning helped but by mid-afternoon a stiff wind always seemed to pick up, so up went the awning. We were looking forward to shade offered by Idaho's forests but like they say "Be careful what you wish for." The last few days of the month found us digging out our woollies and rain gear. Great snuggling weather but shouldn't changes be a little more gradual?

Another challenge was really for Tory. Besides the unrelenting heat, there is a weed out here known as Foxtail that has been giving her problems. (It may also be around Bisbee but has never been a problem.) This weed produces a nasty seed that migrates up the animal's coat to lodge itself under the skin. One of its favorite sites is between a dog's toes. After a couple of trips to the vet, Tory is now regularly subjected to the indignation of being searched for these invaders. We try to provide her with relief from the heat with dips in every creek, stream, or lake we find at a campground. It does seem to help her but we must deal with the smell of a wet dog - Yuk!

As you may remember, we started this season in the Dixie National Forest which we found to be delightful. We ended our stay in Utah with Ashley National Forest's Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. It is very different from the Dixie but seemed an appropriate "bookend" experience for our work in Utah. The Flaming Gorge NRA is actually comprised primarily of the 42,000-acre Flaming Gorge Reservoir formed by damming Green River. The southern end of the NRA is a lush Ponderosa pine forest which grows on land towering 1,300 feet above the reservoir's surface. The northern portion, which reaches into Wyoming, is called "high desert." With an elevation of 6000 plus feet it is all sagebrush and a few juniper. And there is nothing, absolutely nothing, for miles and miles except barb wire fences and oil well pumps. When you drop down from high desert to the reservoir you find yourself surrounded by the most magnificent geology of multi-colored buttes, spirals, and cliffs. Flaming Gorge got its name from John Powell, of Grand Canyon fame, when he saw the Gorge in the sunset light but it is equally magnificent just about anytime of day.

So you may ask, "How can you tell when you are in Wyoming?" There are three ways: the oil and gas pumping rigs, the price of gasoline drops some 40 to 50 cents per gallon, and most of the sagebrush is replaced by grass.

Idaho has a much different appearance than either Utah or Wyoming. Around Pocatello and Idaho Falls, cattle are replaced by horses and the sagebrush by fields of hay, alfalfa and potatoes. And everywhere the main topic of conversation is the drought. Most lakes are near empty in Idaho. According to local news, most farmers have planted only half their usual crops because they are receiving only half the water. Those who planted "dry land" crops aren't in as much trouble but everybody else is hurting. It will be interesting to see how this all effects grocery stores in the coming months. In central Idaho, specifically along the Salmon River were we end July, the river's level is a primary topic of conversation. After the fires of 2000, this second bad year is causing local businesses and outfitters great concerns.

Campgrounds in the Salmon National Forest are very scattered, with long stretches between them and any community. Although tourism is the major industry today, the area was settled by miners but you don't need a history book to reach that conclusion. The number of little taverns tucked into the far reaches of the Salmon National Forest is amazing. After a day of work, we enjoyed the crowd gathered at Panther Creek Inn, built 100 years ago, located some 30 plus miles from the nearest crossroad which is 20 miles from next cluster of human beings! Earlier in the week we stopped at the M T Saddle Saloon for information and a cold one. The place was a clap-board,12 by 12 foot room, loaded with antiques and memorabilia and a half dozen local folk happily jawing with each other about a variety of topics. This Saloon is about 35 miles from North Fork, a truly bustling community since it has the only gas station in a 20-miles radius.

August will find us focusing on the remaining National Forests in Idaho but it is doubtful we'll get through them before mid-September. Darn, the sacrifices we must make for our project (GRIN).

Suzi and Fred