After 2 weeks in the city of trees, it was time to get back out into the wilds of Idaho.
Our wandering direction was a bit limited due to the amount of snow in the Sawtooth and Owyhee mountains that surround three sides of the city. So south it was to the Bruneau Sand Dunes.
Bruneau Sand Dunes boasts the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America rising 470 ft above 2 small desert lakes in south western Idaho. The park's dunes are unique because other american dunes form at the edge of a natural basin but the Bruneau dunes form near the center. The basin has acted as a natural trap for over 12,000 years after a massive ice age flood in the area. Sandboarding and climbing the dunes is a popular activity in the summer, but in early April, we were the only ones in the park! We enjoyed the rising of the "pink moon" , the solitude and sand moving over the dunes.
One cold and windy afternoon, we scouted nearby CJ Strike Reservoir for some boondocking over Easter weekend. Was great to get the truck down dirt roads that would be difficult with the trailer in tow and dine with the locals at Bruneau's Cowboys Pastime Bar and Saloon. Here are some of the fun we had that day.
We settled on Jacks Creek Campground on the shores of the reservoir, a large level spot at the end of the road. After a bit of rain, the weekend turned beautiful. It was so nice not to be cold!! Loads of fun as Mike, Steph and their dog, Osso, joined us to enjoy the warm sunshine. The guys tried their hand at fishing on shore and in Deane's old fishing boat but all we came up with was one large Sucker despite seeing many fish jumping just beyond their lines.
Eric had a few chances to ride his motorcycle. Not my idea of fun but you can't help but feel happy when you see his smile at the end of the video.
We saw a bunch of other wildlife here: Mule deer, two pheasant hens, a muscrat, flocks of american pelicans and swans, osprey hovering over us looking for their next meal, and snow geese that would not stop honking! Unfortunately, there was also ticks that seemed to think Osso was delicious. Overall a great weekend.
The coming week will be different for us. I will be wandering home (by plane) to be with my mom who is having surgery Friday to fix a large hiatal hernia. Doctors are confident the long surgery will be a success but please keep her on the good side of your thoughts! Once she is recovering at home or in rehab, my sister will stay with Mom and I will return to Eric and Nellie to finish our family visits out west and start our journey home.
Since we will not be on the road, I'll close with bouncing Osso fetching a stick. Enjoy!
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