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7/3
This wonderful campground is closing at the end of season. It will rise up again transformed into condos & homes. Since this is a favorite area for Ted & Anne, we are on a search for a replacement. They have already seen the other campgrounds here and they are not an acceptable substitute. We heard about a campground in Bonner’s Ferry, about an hour from here, so we drove over to have a look. Bonner’s Ferry was a larger town than we expected and even has a very large Safeway & other necessary shopping for long-term campers. Seeing the sign directing us to the Twin Rivers RV Park we turned onto the access road and began the descent down a switchback dirt road. The campground is settled at the base of a gorge where the Kootenai & Moyie Rivers join. Old growth trees shelter the RVs and the campground is as neat as a pin. The steep hillsides of the gorge are lined with evergreens. There is a swimmin’ hole, a grass playground & miniature golf. Looks delightful & Ted & Ann have put it on their list for next year. Returning to Hope, Gary & I walked to the lake to watch the sunset. It is very warm and extremely humid at 8:30 pm. Perspiring, we return to enjoy the Roadhouse’s A/C. Lots of threatening clouds.
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Sunset
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7/4
Happy Birthday USA!! What a great country we are fortunate enough to live in! We pray for our soldiers for their safety & our leaders for wisdom.
The four of us hung our patriotic spinners from the awnings to complement the spinner already dancing from the pole. Lazy day and then a drive to Sandpoint to watch the fireworks. The humidity remained high, but the temps were significantly cooler. 70’s. We had reserved 4 tickets on this 2 level tour boat before we left home. There were such crowds expected at Sandpoint City Beach, we had reservations for dinner at a lakeside restaurant so we would have parking for the car while we cruised on the boat. As we made the drive over, it appeared that every boat that could float was out on the lake & every car that could make the trip was parked along the road. (The 16 mile drive to Sandpoint follows the border of the lake). The restaurant was built to showcase the view of the beach and the lake. As we watched the crowd size swell while we had dinner, we noticed how the view of colorful bathing suits & bright patterned beach towels, the interesting inflatable float toys and the boats beyond the swim area began to change as the sunset was getting close. The suits were replaced with warmer clothes, the toys were put away and, oddly enough, many boats disappeared. Some came back to the boat ramp to return to their trailers. Others went to the docks they live at. The beach was packed solid with families and groups of friends, all in a festive mood as they waited for darkness. We walked through the large city parking lot passing a contingent of the local gendarmes to reach the boat. At 9pm the boat left the dock and as we settled out on the lake with some other boats, the 1st mate commented there were normally hundreds of boats that this big boat had to thread its way through to get in position for the lakeside fireworks. There were not hundreds of boats out there. She thought it may have to do with the price of fuel. As I sat there waiting for the show to begin, I thought it odd that, while there is this huge celebration for our country and my head is full of patriotic thoughts, I am sitting next to some young Canadians who just want to enjoy the fireworks for entertainment only. Kinda strange. Anyway, the fireworks began around 9:30pm. A delightful fireworks display augmented by many private fireworks shows going on around lakeside at hotels & private homes. The evening was balmy on the water and it wasn’t until our cruise was over halfway done before we needed light jackets. By the time we returned to the dock, a good many of the crowd had left so it was pretty easy to get out of the parking lot to head home. All in all, a very enjoyable evening. I highly recommend watching fireworks over the water. Just lovely.
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We’re sitting window side slightly higher than the deck diners, so our view to the sand & water is unimpeded.
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Ted is using the old ‘stretch your arm out and take the family photo’ technique.
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We adjourned to this area of deck after dinner while waiting for darkness. Lovely evening!
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The big kids with the large inflatables, the pretty young lady in her bikini with a flower behind her ear, the mom hauling towels, the young lovers seeing nothing but each other and the children playing in the sand just say Beach Holiday!
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The other thing that says ‘Beach Holiday’ is groups of police officers being watchful of the public safety. For this writer who is used to being on the west coast, it is strange to see a sign for a beach where there is no ocean.
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The crowd just keeps growing. By dusk, this beach is full.
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The upright poles in the foreground are markers for the swimming area at City Beach. I just liked the gracefulness of the sailboat on a perfect summer evening.
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This species came into my view as he was bent over & I honestly thought he had a small windchime suspended from his nose. Once he straightened up, I realized that my initial view was incorrect. However, I did think his jewelry & slender chest’s elaborate tattoo warranted the honor of this slot. Sorry his elaborate lower arm, hand & fingers’ tattoos escaped the camera lens.
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