Campfire

Each night, as the flames crackled and the smoke drifted into the darkening sky, the camp host, Sonny, and his beautiful dog Zilla would wander over and settle in by our fire. Zilla immediately launched into play mode, chasing Whiskey—Ben and Sherma’s dog—around the trees while Sonny stood quietly, sipping his nightly beer. For all three nights at Devil’s Elbow Campground, this became our familiar routine.

With a group of retired educators gathered around a fire, you can imagine the questions that came Sonny’s way. His answers were short and efficient—never too much, never too little—just enough to satisfy the curious minds in our circle. We learned he was originally from Thailand, that his parents had come to the United States on “the Golden Ticket,” and that they’d built a life for him and his siblings. He was 48 years old, though he looked much younger, and he planned to host at Devil’s Elbow for one more season before taking time to explore Asia and Europe.

While we peppered Sonny with questions, Zilla and Whiskey crashed through the brush, taking turns marking every tree and bush they could find. Zilla, a huge mixed breed—part Bernese Mountain Dog and part mystery—was clearly the dominant one, despite being female. Whiskey did his best to keep up, but by the end of each evening both dogs were worn out.

On our final night, Sonny and Zilla appeared as usual, but this time they came bearing gifts: bumper stickers commemorating our stay at Devil’s Elbow. A small gesture, but one that made the place feel even more special.

With Terry and Bill joining Sherma and Ben in camp, we had quite the artistic group. Bill and Sherma played guitar and ukulele in the afternoon sun, and our three lovely wives used their talents to create rock art for everyone to enjoy. We all took time to read, relax, and mostly sit around the fire chatting. Simple days, easy company, and a campground that gave us exactly what we needed.

As the fire settled into glowing coals and the river quieted for the night, I found myself thinking about how easily a simple campground can become a small community. Three nights isn’t long, yet it was enough for familiar faces, shared routines, and the easy comfort that comes when people fall into a rhythm together. Sonny with his quiet presence, Zilla and Whiskey with their nightly chaos, the music drifting from Bill and Sherma’s instruments, and the rock art our wives created in the afternoon sun — all of it blended into a trip that felt both peaceful and full.

Devil’s Elbow wasn’t a place of grand adventures or dramatic stories. It was a place where the days slowed down, the conversations stretched out, and the evenings gathered us around a fire that seemed to burn just a little brighter because of the company. As we packed up the last morning, I felt grateful for the small moments — the laughter, the dogs, the music, and the unexpected friendships that made our stay feel like more than just another stop along the river.

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

Devil's Elbow

Our mid-week adventure led us up the Coeur d'Alene River to a Forest Service campground called Devil's Elbow. This was our first visit to this small campground and we had a very enjoyable time. 

Linda and I drove up on Tuesday and the Anderson's, Mike, Rayelle, and Julia joined us on Wednesday.  Julia brought with her a friend to spend the camping trip with, her name was Lucy. 

We had a great time together, did some hiking, visited Fern and Shadow Falls, and played games of Cornhole and cards.