15 Years

A huge part of our lives has been shaped by our love of venturing out in the truck camper. Over the years I’ve written more than 350 blog posts about our home away from home and all the adventures that come with it. Every trip feels like a small reset, a chance to breathe a little deeper and enjoy the outdoors.

Back in 2011, I wrote about one of our favorite hidden campgrounds on Bell Bay overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene. We visited that spot many times and got to know the camp host, Jim Vallintine, quite well. Jim was one of those rare hosts who made camping easier — he’d let us call ahead to see if any good sites were open. Knowing we had a spot waiting for us made the drive down a lot less stressful.

That all changed about 15 years ago when the campground switched to a reservations‑only system. Jim wasn’t interested in taking on the extra responsibilities, so he retired, and with the new system came a lot more traffic. Without Jim and without the ease of dropping in, we slowly drifted away from Bell Bay and started exploring other places.

Fast forward to our latest trip. Rayelle and Mike Anderson had reserved two nights at Bell Bay and invited us to join them if we could find a site. We checked online, found an opening for the same two nights, and just like that, another adventure was on the calendar.

In the days leading up to the trip, we prepped the camper and gathered supplies. On Friday morning, we loaded up and hit the road. We took I‑90 to the Rose Lake exit, turned right, and headed toward Harrison. Bell Bay Campground sits 7.2 miles north of this town along the lake.

When we arrived, we drove to our reserved site. It wasn’t the nicest spot, so we slowly cruised through the rest of the campground. As we passed our old favorite site, Linda noticed it was available for both nights. That was all the encouragement we needed. We headed straight to the camp host’s site, explained the situation, and were able to switch to the best site in the campground. Even better — the Andersons were camped just across from us.

It felt like a lucky score, and we wasted no time getting settled in.

Rayelle and Mike arrived around 5 PM, and while they went about setting up, Linda and I grabbed our chairs and took in the panoramic view from our site. It has to be one of the best views we’ve ever had — wide open lake, quiet shoreline, and soft evening light. Once both camps were settled, we gathered out on the point and enjoyed drinks and snacks as we caught up on the past few weeks.

The next morning we wandered through the campground to see how things had changed. Even though we hadn’t been there in 15 years, it was almost exactly the same. Bell Bay is still a rural campground — pit toilets, downed trees, and a general low‑maintenance feel. The restrooms were clean, and the trash was emptied regularly, but beyond that it could use a little TLC. Still, the simplicity is part of its charm.

Later that morning my Watch Duty forest fire app sent an alert. A small fire had popped up about ten miles upwind from Bell Bay. Within a couple of hours, four firefighting seaplanes began making runs, scooping water from the lake and flying right over our site to drop it on the fire. It was an impressive response — ten rr eleven passes in total — and then the skies quieted down. A short while later, the app announced that the fire was contained.

As we were sitting out chatting afterward, we had a surprise. Larry and Mary Wright, who have a lake cabin just down the road from the campground, came strolling by our site. They were with a couple, Bill and Kim, who we had met back in our running days. We all stood around for a while, catching up on each other's lives. It was a nice, unexpected reunion and added a little extra warmth to the day.

The weather, on the other hand, wasn’t quite as warm. It was windy and noticeably colder than the past few weeks — the kind of chill that makes you realize fall has quietly arrived. The breeze kept at it, but we were still able to sit out and enjoy our visit.

Sunday morning came quickly, and we all packed up and headed for home. As we drove back over 4th of July Pass, Linda and I agreed that the site we ended up in was absolutely worth the drive — one of the best views we’ve ever had. And as always, Rayelle and Mike were fun to be with, making the whole trip feel easy and familiar.

It was good to be back at Bell Bay after all these years. Some places just stay part of your story.

DB/AI

Devils Elbow Birthday

Over the many years Linda and I have been together, we’ve tried to celebrate her July 24th birthday with a river float or some other little adventure. This year we took the camper and headed up the Coeur d’Alene River to Devils Elbow Campground, where we met up with our good friends Mike and Rayelle Anderson.

We’d made our site reservations four months earlier, and as the date got closer, our group kept growing. Rayelle found out that her sister and brother‑in‑law, Rhonda and Kevin, already had a site reserved for the same weekend. Then her brother and sister‑in‑law, Ron and Sharon, decided to join in at their campsite. Finally, the crew was rounded out by Rayelle’s niece Malina and her husband Darby.

In the end, everything worked out perfectly, and we were able to gather everyone at one site each evening for conversation, laughter, and the kind of easy storytelling that comes naturally around a campfire.

Our days were spent sitting in the shade or cooling off down in the river. Meals were excellent, and Mike treated everyone to one of his famous breakfasts — the kind that somehow tastes even better when you’re camping.

I managed to sneak in one day of fishing, but the heat had the trout in full “not today” mode. They ignored every fly I offered them, and I couldn’t blame them.

We spent four days and three nights relaxing out of the worst of the heat, surrounded by friends and the steady rhythm of the river. It was a simple trip, but a good one — exactly the kind of birthday weekend Linda loves.

Linda spotted this owl on one of her walks.

DB/AI

Let's Go to Florida!

From South Beach to the Seven Mile Bridge: An Idahoan’s Journey Through the Keys

The Andersons pulled up at 1:30 a.m., which is a time of day I normally reserve for sleeping or regretting late‑night snacks. But off we went, bleary‑eyed, to the Spokane Park‑n‑Ride and then on to the airport. Security was smooth for most of us — except Linda, who apparently didn’t make the TSA’s Preferred Human List that morning. She got the full “please remove everything you’ve ever owned” treatment, but she handled it like a champ.

Two flights later — Spokane to Portland, Portland to Miami — we arrived in Florida feeling exactly like people who had been awake for a week. The flights were long, boring, and mildly uncomfortable, which is to say: perfectly normal.

South Beach: Art Deco, Estefan Style

Our first two nights were spent at the Hotel Cardozo on South Beach, a beautifully restored Art Deco landmark owned by Gloria Estefan herself. The building dates back to 1939, and like many of the pastel beauties along Ocean Drive, it’s part of the largest concentration of Art Deco architecture in the world.

The room was… minimalist. Stark. Cold. And there wasn’t a single picture or bit of décor on the walls whatsoever. But it was clean, stylish, and perfect for two nights.

We wandered South Beach, people‑watching and marveling at the outfits. Idahoans are not built for this level of fashion risk. I’m pretty sure some of the swimsuits we saw were held together by hope and dental floss.

Our two‑day adventure in South Beach was packed with fun, food, and more people‑watching than any of us were prepared for. On our last night, dinner revived us, and then we collapsed into bed and faded into dreamland.

The Great Rental Car Saga

The next morning our Uber driver delivered us to the Mex Car Rentals lot. Mike had taken the recommendation of an internet vacation discount site and Mex Car was the one provided by his research. Arriving at Mex, Mike was leery about the rental service when he was directed into a cubicle and was greeted by a very hard‑to‑understand video image of a woman who desperately wanted to rent us a car. Things did not go well, and the final straw was when the woman told Mike he needed to provide a $2500 deposit. For a car. Not to buy it — just to borrow it.

By 1:00 p.m., we were at Avis, enjoying air‑conditioning and chairs that didn’t leave imprints on our backsides. Mike and Rayelle returned triumphantly with keys to a brand‑new Chevy Traverse. We trekked from Level 4 to Level 2 because the escalators were broken and the elevators were packed. When we finally reached spot A18… no car. Eventually Mike found it in H18, which is basically the same thing if you’re dyslexic or optimistic.

On to the Keys

Our first stop was Alabama Jack’s, a legendary open‑air bar perched on the edge of the mangroves. It’s been around since the 1950s and is famous for conch fritters, cold beer, and the kind of characters who look like they’ve been there since the late ’60s. We took photos and moved on before we became part of the décor.

Next up: Betsy the Lobster, a 30‑foot fiberglass crustacean guarding the Rain Barrel Village in Islamorada.

At Robbie’s Marina, we watched brave (or foolish) tourists feed tarpon — giant, prehistoric‑looking fish that can grow to 8 feet long. One guy tried to be cool for his kids and walked away with a bloody hand and shaken nerves. At the entry gate, a kid got ambushed by pelicans who had clearly perfected this attack over many seasons. Bait fish flew everywhere and disappeared off the dock in seconds.

We then made our way to our VRBO rental in Marathon — a four‑bedroom, three‑bath home with a big, comfortable living space, a well‑equipped kitchen, and a backyard pool overlooking a peaceful boating canal. It became our home base for sunning, relaxing, talking politics, solving silly issues, and planning future adventures.

Fishing, Beaches, and Weather That Couldn’t Decide

Monday was fishing day, so we drove north to Islamorada where Mike, Ron and I met our guide, Juan. The weather was windy and scattered showers moved across the sky. Juan took us out to net our live bait, and then we hung on for our lives as he weaved us through the mangroves at 35 mph. When the rain caught us, we ducked under the highway bridge and fished the currents.

Snapper were caught by all of us, but I got lucky and hooked a 36‑inch snook — a once‑in‑a‑lifer, according to Juan.

The ladies spent their day at Sombrero Beach, which was windy and rainy but still beautiful.

The four ladies had a delicious lunch at Herbie’s which included clam chowder (Linda gave it a 7, Julia an 8), conch fritters, conch chowder, and wings.

That night we cooked half the fish we caught and ate like responsible anglers.

Some day I'll get a photo with the top of my head in it!

A Manatee Named Grace

The next day I stayed home while the group went to a farmers' market. Linda returned with a beach towel and treats.

Later, while everyone was gathered by the pool, one of our top bucket‑list hopes appeared: a manatee. She heard the spray from the hose and glided over like a gentle gray submarine. She stayed for about 20 minutes, drinking fresh water and washing her face while the ladies gave her a spa treatment.

We named her Grace, because she moved with it.

Seven Mile Bridge, Fred the Tree, and Key Deer

The next day we took our big drive south. We crossed the Seven Mile Bridge, spotted Fred the Tree growing stubbornly out of concrete, and visited Big Pine Key, home of the tiny, adorable Key deer.

Key West: The Grand Finale

In Key West we walked Duval Street, visited Mallory Square, and stopped at Margaritaville for shirts. Dinner at Harpoon Harry’s was excellent. We visited the Southernmost Point Buoy, which is neither the actual southernmost point nor a buoy, but it’s iconic and makes for a great photo.

Mike did a great job driving us back to our cottage. We appreciate all the driving he did on this adventure.

Fred the Tree!

A Big Pine Key, Key Deer.

Welcome to Key West!

The southernmost point buoy 
That is not at the southernmost point.

A Quiet Friday and a Grateful Goodbye

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It was Friday, and we spent an easy, relaxing day around the pool — packing a little, visiting, laughing, and heading out for one last meal together before the evening settled in. It was the kind of slow, gentle day that lets a great trip sink in

As we settled in for our last evening, I couldn’t help but feel grateful — for the laughter, the surprises, the weather that kept us guessing, and the good friends who make every mile of the journey worth taking. It had been a week of stories, sunshine, unexpected moments, and the kind of shared experiences that stay with you long after the suitcases are unpacked.

A special thanks to the Andersons, Sharon, and Ron for making this trip so memorable — their laughter, energy, and good company turned every day into something worth remembering.

DB/AI