Hampton Inn & Suites Coeur D Arlene Coeur d'Alene

Here I am trying to pack for yet another trip. Everything out ready to put 1/2 back....then another 1/2 back in a day or so. The good news is that we have really no restrictions on weight (other than the standard 2-bags at 50lbs each) and neither Southwest nor Mexicana is charging for baggage. No way I'll need that baggage limitation but I still worry about having to carry the stuff around!<br ...

Finally got the truck back, all fixed and running beautifully. Decided to get on the road, though it was already 2 pm. Headed south along Flathead Lake through green forests and valleys to I-90, then west, west, west. All uphill, what a climb, to Coeur d'Alene in Idaho, then downhill into Washington State. Spent almost two hours trying to find Riverside State Park in the city of Spokane, finally set up the camper and tried to settle down for the night.

... and to thank the veterans at the fair and finally that we should show our support by singing the &#8220;Star Spangled Banner" and with that a recorded version of America&#8217;s national anthem shook through the speakers with such tear-jerking emotion that  everyone around us (with exception to those unable to and the Priest family) stood and placed their hands on their hearts and belted along with our 'Whitney Houston&#8221; singer.  Now I think it is fair to say you cannot ...

... actually Ian in a dreadful wig) put us through our paces.  Everyone in the group &#8211; myself, Nancy, Sig, Elizabeth, Fred and Travis (the wrangler at the rear) went for about four amazing long loping runs.  We went up and down the steepest of treks, which you had to rely (hope) that the horses knew what they were doing.  We finished at a meadow for a barbecue and then rode the horses back to the ranch.  <br><br>While this ride took place the boys (Tim ...

The golf trip was organised by Steve and I was looking forward to a decent round of golf at a local course to see if my game could recover from the disastrous run I'd been having in England. So four of us (Tim, Rob, Steve and I) set off at lunchtime in Jim&#8217;s hire car to drive the supposed 45-minute route around the lake with Tim driving. Tim normally drives an Aston ...

... a less glaring light.  We started trotting and then loping which seems faster than a canter but not quite a gallop however for some exciting reason my horse was charged decided to race Alison&#8217;s horse and we were racing along the small mountain treks so close to Alison&#8217;s horse that I was being pelted with stone chips flying from her horse and ripping into the soft branches of the trees and bushes we flew along. Ian&#8217;s horse ...

... br>Ufem wäg zrug hämm** no amene see ghalte, das isch dänn äs panorama gsi. Ab** lueged doch sälb**, ich find äs chunnt sogar uf dä fotene ei*****masse üb**e au wänns in ächt no viel schön** usgseh hät.<br><br>Am zweite tag hämm** eus dänn id wildnis gwagt und händ drum fascht 10km schott**strass uf eus resp. Und** d'räd** vo eusem 'toyota 4runn**' gno. So hämm** en ändlich mal chli a sini gränze bracht, isch ja ...

... and never grip the side of the horse with your legs.  The stirrups were longer and you bottom wedged into the saddle pretending that you were balancing a bowl of punch between your legs with a curved back &#8211; as if you were riding a Harley. Forget posture, slouch those shoulders and you are off.  The only similarity was that the balls of your feet were on the stirrups.  <br><br>It was hard to erase all that we learnt and we looked a couple of ...

... the kids were cooking smores (called smores from the term &#8220;do you want somemore &#8211; s&#8217;mores)  This is a gooey cocktail of charcoaled marshmellows  with a layer of chocolate wedged between two sweet biscuits  - great for the kids as they roasted their own marshmellows on twigs.  Fun evening finishing with us all crashing into the crisp linen and soft mattress after a warm, clean shower with crisp towels (things we used to take for granted. 

... and all my attempts to quiet them down were like swatting at the mosquitoes...they kept coming back. You've gotta love kids :-) Stayed tuned for the next day's update to find out hold this night turned out.<br><br>Our internet connectivity hasn't been as advertised so the updates will be a little late, but they'll eventually make their way to you and we hope you enjoy them. The kids should be taking this over and it'll be interesting to her them tell their daily story. Until next time