OR to ID

After Washington, it was back to our beloved Oregon State Parks. We wanted to check out a WA State Park before leaving the state...but the camping fee was too pricey for us (for a state park. That isn't California). We like to stay as far under $30 a night as we can. So it was back south to Oregon where the state parks are the best we've ever seen. One of the reasons being that, along with local government grants, incredible support from the community and support from local businesses, they are so smart with their resources and infrastructure design. These antique appliances were saved and installed in newly constructed picnic shelters. You see things like this all over the parks in the northwest. Use what you got!

This is just charming decoration on a refurbished electric stove. Form and function :)

Emigrant Springs was a place along the old Oregon Trail where people would stop to fill up on water, and enjoy the shade (or lose their oxen in the thick forest). This was the first forest the travelers saw since leaving Missouri (and the last we would see for awhile since we are headed eastward). Fascinating history along this whole route. It's pretty wild reading diary entries and personal perspectives from those traveling 2,200 miles through the wilderness, towards a new life, in a place they had not yet seen.

We found an original Meeker marker

Biked into Meacham, population...<100? Got some food and friendly conversation from the folks at the general store. We were told “This is the town” it's the diner, post office, bar, town hall, you name it - for this little settlement along the trail. In 1923 it was the “Capitol of the U.S. for a day” when president Harding stopped into town for the commemoration of the 18^th anniversary of the covered wagon migration. Best apple pie we've found west of the Mississippi. I grabbed a town newsletter, the Meacham Gazette, authored by Mountain Millie. It included the September birthdays, local announcements, a pineapple salsa recipe I'd like to try, and recipes for homemade tick and insect repellent among other interesting and handy info.

old oregon trail

new oregon trail

And on down the road. We are officially headed eastward. On our way to Boise, we pulled over for a hardy brunch at this saloon. I can't even remember the name, but it had those old west swingy doors you can see over Ed's shoulder. Which, I assure you, we gracefully and casually entered through. Eat (and drink) like the locals!

Then we finally made it to Boise Idaho where we settled down in our dear friend Whitney's driveway for a few days, and visited with her little family. My gosh, it was nice to see a familiar face after so long. We've made a lot of new friends in our travels, but it was SO great to spend time and swap stories with an old one. We didn't go anywhere! We didn't want to! It was awesome! We just stayed home. Hung out, ate, drank, watched the baby be cute, and caught up. Chill to the max. Only baby pictures were taken. It was so so wonderful and we really enjoyed our time there. Baby Jasper is easy-going and cute. Just like his parents. haha