Idaho: This post has nothing to do with potatoes.

Day 1 in Idaho we ate cheap Mexican, visited Craters of the Moon National Park and set up camp in the most undeveloped campsite yet.  They had a porta-potty and a pump water well.  It was beautiful but without flushing toilets and the promise of a shower after a day of serving kids sticky marshmallows and letting them roll around in dirt I was unable to right myself.  I spent a good bit of time thinking about brushing my teeth in a real sink, sleeping on a pillow and cleaning my hair.  We all have limits and I found mine.  The kids, on the other hand, LOVED every sticky, bug-sprayed, filthy second of it which was a little contagious, I'll admit.  

Milo got sworn in as an official Junior Ranger at Craters of the Moon National Park, we whitewater rafted on the Salmon River and enjoyed some serious alpine lake fun.  We waded through creeks, jumped into rivers (under the close supervision of our whitewater guide) and mucked about in the beauty of Idaho.  Eventually I forgot about the dirtiness and less than stellar sleep accommodations. 

Cheap, tasty Mexican!  

Craters of the Moon National Park.  Milo videoed his hike.  Ask him to show it to you.  It feels like you're riding a roller-coaster through the moon (not recommended for those who are prone to motion sickness).  

Wiggly tooth and lava rocks in Idaho.

Here he is videoing.  Lots of quick, sharp turns make his videography what it is. 

Some rain came through...tent fun. 

Reading, waiting, reading, card games, waiting...sunshine!

They are making their own card game.

This is photo documentation of my bathroom.  

Chilly morning by the fire.  Stanley, Idaho is the coldest place in the lower 48, so they tell us.  International Falls might have something to say about that.

Pumping our dish water.

Catch.

Milo and I went for a jog.  Love that boy!  

We didn't get a picture of us on the rapids because Odelia fell into the middle of the boat when the photographer took the pictures (during a big one!) so it looked like she wasn't with us.  So this is it, our whitewater rafting picture in which Odelia declined to be photographed.  

Stanley Lake
We could see the beach but couldn't find the access to it.  We finally found a camper who pointed to the creek and said we had to get across it somehow (by vehicle or trudging).  We opted for trudging as the Prius didn't seem like the appropriate footwear for this job.  

After we waded through the creek but before we made it to the lake.  

Aaaannnnnnd, we have a lake beach!

Doing Odelia's dirty work for her.  

Water fight 

Milo wins!

Happy Big Trip 4.0!
Stanley Lake, Idaho

After whitewater rafting and a visit to Stanley Lake we got a hot tip from our rafting guide that the Red Fish Lake lodge had a good happy hour and a great lake.  Off we went...
The kids built their very own Crater Lake.

It's a pretty good diorama of the lake given they were working with two small buckets and no working knowledge of the lake.  

Red Fish Lake, Idaho

World Center for Birds of Prey, Idaho
Milo is demonstrating the wing span of a California Condor.  9 Feet, y'all!

Odelia, the hawk.

The Condor!

A hawk.  He hails from Arizona, enjoys dining on small animals and is 7-years-old.

A real bald eagle.  For real!  

This is not a real bald eagle.  Or even a bird, for that matter.

Peace out, Idaho!  You were worth furry teeth and greasy hair!