On The Lewis and Clark Trail--US 12 to Missoula

Apple and cheese sammos will sustain us for the drive along US 12, the Lewis and Clark Trail, from Winchester Lake State Park to the Wilderness Gateway US Forest Service Campground in Idaho's Clearwater National Forest, where we relaxed for a couple of days.

 The mountains rise to greet us.

Soon the Lochsa Wild and Scenic River parallels the road east, and with every bend the view is more extraordinary.

Ladies and gentlemen, a new camping low to stay here: $2.50 per night.

Art picks up his axe and gets to work. Plus...new science details surprising benefits of this vigorous effort. Nice cut, honey!

Some people better get late lunch underway. The eagle-eyed among you will note the secret ingredient in this our second grassfed-beef concotion...beets. One lonely, squishy beet longing to be part of the grand scheme (spinach and broccoli included).

Studying short-term spikes in the testosterone levels of Tsimane men, UC Santa Barbara anthropologists Ben Trumble and Michael Gurven have found that the act of chopping down trees –– a physically demanding task that is critical to successful farming and food production –– results in greater increases in testosterone than does a directly competitive activity such as soccer.
Read more at http://scienceblog.com/65788/chopping-wood-boosts-testosterone-more-than-soccer/#YmSqOZRkJEiIqct5.99

  

A toast to the axe-man.

You know you're camping when

this is your cocktail table (Gwen).

One last log won't be cut. Easier to burn it in half. Does this seem like a replay of previous posts? All in a day's camping...

Studying short-term spikes in the testosterone levels of Tsimane men, UC Santa Barbara anthropologists Ben Trumble and Michael Gurven have found that the act of chopping down trees –– a physically demanding task that is critical to successful farming and food production –– results in greater increases in testosterone than does a directly competitive activity such as soccer.
Read more at http://scienceblog.com/65788/chopping-wood-boosts-testosterone-more-than-soccer/#YmSqOZRkJEiIqct5.9

Studying short-term spikes in the testosterone levels of Tsimane men, UC Santa Barbara anthropologists Ben Trumble and Michael Gurven have found that the act of chopping down trees –– a physically demanding task that is critical to successful farming and food production –– results in greater increases in testosterone than does a directly competitive activity such as soccer.
Read more at http://scienceblog.com/65788/chopping-wood-boosts-testosterone-more-than-soccer/#YmSqOZRkJEiIqct5.99

Studying short-term spikes in the testosterone levels of Tsimane men, UC Santa Barbara anthropologists Ben Trumble and Michael Gurven have found that the act of chopping down trees –– a physically demanding task that is critical to successful farming and food production –– results in greater increases in testosterone than does a directly competitive activity such as soccer.
Read more at http://scienceblog.com/65788/chopping-wood-boosts-testosterone-more-than-soccer/#YmSqOZRkJEiIqct5.99

The Most Likely Cafe

Early morning at Blue Lake Campground finds Art using one of Sev's cool lanterns to adjust the fan. We love these, Sev, and use them for everything from reading outside in the dark to lighting the path to the loo. Thank you!

You know you're camping when...

this is all you have in the larder

(eagle-eyed readers will spot the beets)

And yes, they're on the raw menu for snacktime in the truck today. Beets: people either love 'em or hate 'em.

 

Heading out of Blue Lake Campground on a beautiful Sunday morning. I promised Art I'd buy him breakfast if the cafe in Likely is open.  I'm crossing my fingers it is.

This is the type of cafe we dream about, says Art.

 

Hooray, it's open at 9 am Sunday morning. It's quiet and at any moment I expect Rod Serling to step out with a ciggie dangling from his fingers: this is no ordinary cafe. Cue the music.

There's a smattering of locals joining us. How could a town of 99 people support this place? Our waitress tells us it's been here for 60 years. Her mother's cooking in back.

The Most Likely Cafe has provocative arrangements of things scattered about.

And cozy tables for two near the window.

But the proof's in the eggs over easy, bacon/ham, hashbrowns and burnt rye for me...

 ...and biscuits and gravy plus homemade sausage for Art.

Whatta meal! Next door is a saloon and yes I believe it's operational.

This fake door is adjacent to the saloon entrance.

Happily full, we hit the road to Oregon.

Good Morning, San Bernardino National Forest

Breathe deeply the crisp pine-scented air. Good morning from the forest at 7000 feet.

 

We're being booted from our campsite today--they're all reserved for the weekend. So we'll mosey down the road a few miles to Hana Flats, another national forest campground where they have a dozen or so first-come first-served sites. We'll also look into new batteries for the camper so we can get away from crowded plug-in sites.

Last night, the campers next to us threw horseshoes while we checked our options online.

 You know you're camping when:

this foot attire seems stylish

(also, check the size of that pinecone!)

Until next time...

Big Bear Lake, CA

Our first day at Big Bear Lake's Serrano Campground started yesterday, with a trip to Whole Foods in LA for provisions that will carry us down the road, starting with duck liver pate on whole grain with olives and banana. It feels like it's 100 degrees outside and there's no air in the Ford.

Just 100 miles outside LA, but a different world altogether. Getting to Big Bear Lake's ultimate 7000-foot elevation requires navigating some twisty roads. Can you smell the pine air, cooler by the elevated foot?

Finally nestled in the San Bernardino National Forest, it's time to unpack, re-pack, and organize.

You know you're camping when:

you have a single skillet for eggs, bacon, and shitake

and

you use the leftover olive oil from oiling the washed skillet on your legs

Art echoes Big Bear Solar Observatory, which judging from this link could take greater advantage of this teaching moment. Fractal-like solar granules as large as the state of Maine, which are actually mini granules?

Walked to the marina store for ice. Do they all look like some version of this?

Cooler maintenance is Job 1 around here. Actually, truck maintenance is, but cooler maintenance comes in a close second.

Art's looking particularly fashionable in his koi shirt, a gift from Bruce before we left. Those fish look as good on a shirt as they do on a sidewalk. I haven't broken out my matching one, but I will...