Day 1 - Sandpoint, ID

We started out our journey by picking up Colby & Grady at their aunt Stephanie's house. They had stayed there for the past 2 nights to have some fun with their cousins while giving us a break and time to spend on Erin 's golf tournament and packing.

We officially hit the road at 11 AM and made our way across I-90 and the state. The boys did really well and the first half of the trip went quickly. Not only were they satisfied and quiet with coloring and listening to the radio, they actually took a nice nap.

We stopped in Ritzeville to fuel up and stretch our legs. One goal for this trip is to avoid eating out as much as possible. So I had packed a light lunch and munchies, which everyone ate gratefully early in the trip. By the time we stopped in Ritzeville, the kids were clamoring for a little more to eat so I allowed them to get a small snack and drink.

Mistake #1: Never ever give a 4 year old anything liquid unless you are within 60 minutes of your final destination. We ended up having to stop a few times to let Grady water the bushes.

We hit traffic just east of Spokane and the kids started to get restless. The traffic obviously slowed us up but in addition to that, our time is at least 10 miles/hour slower than the Bing map because we have to drive the truck speed (60) instead of the car speed (70). So the last part of the trip felt really long.

In Couer D'Alene we headed north on 95, passing Silverwood along the route. We arrived in Sandpoint about 5:45. The "resort" is really an unpaved parking lot in the Best Western. The bathroom/showers are in the hotel pool area and while there are full hook-ups, not one of the 20 sites is a pull-through. The lack of pavement or gravel and torrential downpour of rain have combined to create a slick, muddy mess for a yard. But the very best part of our Worst Western experience has been the trians.

Mistake #2: Always remember to research your destination in detail before traveling. A few quick searches online may have revealed that Sandpoint is actually a major convergence zone for 4 railroads. As luck would have it, our park is situated directly below one of the busier tracks. About every 10-15 minutes we are abruptedly halted from all normal conversation by large bulky engines thundering oast us on tracks no less than 50 yards away. The boys thought it was quite charming at first but son lost their sense of wonder.

By far the BEST part of our trip is that Rod & Debbie are staying in the park with us. They have borrowed their RV from their daughter, Laura and are learning how enjoyable RVing can be. We shared some drinks. munchies and s'mores earlier by the fire. The boys are now unwinding in the trailer while I am struggling to keep my eyes open...

Tomorrow is Larry's wedding at the top of Schweitzer, where it will be unseasonably cold and rainy. Hope they are worng and the warm sun is shining.

:) Erin