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Idaho Memories in the Rain

By
Real Estate Agent with Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified #1 in Forest Land Mgmt

Idaho Memories in the Rain

Tonight I am seeing a lot of AR posts from Northern Idaho, Rain Silverhawk is on a selling streak with lots of recently sold posts, Mark Don McInnes, Associate Broker tells us about a very rainy week that they are having.

Seeing all of these posts reminded me of my own pleasant memories in the northern tip of this fine state.

I was just finishing up my 4th year of college and heading out there to work my second season with the Forest Service.

My job was not exactly a forestry position, rather it was a hiking position.  I was hired as the lead man on a two man crew to hike as many miles of remote trails as possible, checking for problems like rock slides and fallen trees, then repairing the damages before moving on to a new trail the next week.

Occasionally we would get a few days off from these long marches in areas with very thin air to help with problems on the crews that were constructing new trails. 

Like the YCC crew that found about a thousand yellow jacket nests while digging a stream-side trail near a campground.  Or drilling rock and blasting out a mountainside in preparation for the Sierra Club volunteers that would be constructing new trail there later in the summer.

My partner on these long hikes was a high school kid who was also the local football star who made me feel like a bit of a wimpy flat-lander when we got up into the higher elevations, but with him along we were sure to cover a lot of miles, even if it nearly killed me.

We did not instantly become close friends, he had little respect for a college kid, and I was a little shocked by some of his militia stories.

Stories like the day that he and his buddies put on their cammo and brought their guns to school to do a school takeover, I knew that I was in a different land when he told me that not only were they not arrested but the administration thought it was kind of amusing. 

Clearly this was a unique place and a different time than the one we live in now.

My boss here was a very impressive woman who made my partner and I along with wonder woman look like wimps.  I still remember her nearly sprinting up 5 miles of steep mountain with a full pack to the sight where she was doing the blasting.  Yes, she was also the blasting expert.

It was a great summer, with lots of sights to see, lots of steep mountains to climb, and lots of good people to meet.

One day my boss took me to a remote campsite that she said was recently used by the guy from the movie "the falcon and the snowman", while he was trying to escape to Canada.

My partner and his militia group were not afraid of much, not even the government, but he did tell me that everyone was afraid to go near the pot growing hippies who camped out in parts of the mountains growing their crops.

When I was not camped out on the trail somewhere, I lived in a bunkhouse in Bonner's Ferry with a great group of people from around the country like Eva, an Eskimo girl who was a forestry student at the University of Idaho at Moscow, and Billy and Kenny from Tuskegee University who were a little freaked out about grizzlies, and another Bob who introduced me to Christian Rock music.

I sure wish that we had Facebook back then, maybe we would still be in contact.

Well at least I have a few AR friends from this great place, maybe I should stop by and see what Marte Cliff and Janna Scharf are writing about today.

 

 

pic credits

Though I took lots of great pics while out there, none could be found tonight so enjoy these from the morgue files.

Comments (19)

Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Bob. What a fascinating story and terrific experience. Your pictures are wonderful too.

Oct 29, 2014 05:39 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

Thanks for the great stories of years gone by Bob. Pretty good photos too! 

Oct 29, 2014 05:58 PM
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Bob. Thank you for sharing some of your history from way back when. It sure does sound like a time of adventure and learning about life and some work of course.

Oct 29, 2014 06:22 PM
Potranco Realty
Potranco Realty - San Antonio, TX
"Sold with Potranco Realty"

Bob, thank you for taking us back to your adventures, that high school kid was an interesting character. Beautiful photos capturing the moments in time, I could almost see you hiking and the guys running from those yellow jackets....lol

Oct 29, 2014 08:51 PM
Lise Howe
Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC
Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

Bob Crane, I have been to that area in Idaho - what a beautiful part of the country it is! Thanks for sharing your memories and photos!

Oct 29, 2014 09:10 PM
Dale Poll
Dale Poll Photography - Colorado Springs, CO

Bob, great photos. Thanks for sharing.

Oct 29, 2014 11:56 PM
Joe Jackson
Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty - Columbus, OH
Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert

Good morning Bob. I always enjoy reading your stories and seeing your photos. Thanks for sharing.

Oct 30, 2014 12:37 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Bob - Great story and photos. I would have killed for a job like that when I was going to college. I can't imagine a better way to spend a summer, and northern Idaho is a beautiful place.

Oct 30, 2014 05:17 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Bob- yours was the most interesting first job almost out of college I've ever heard of.  I think that Larry would have loved it.

Oct 30, 2014 12:04 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Bob

I have to tell you that I have not been in Idaho . . .  . maybe I need to put it on my list.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Oct 30, 2014 01:03 PM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Bob - it sounds like quite a summer and one to remember.  Things were really different back then.  I would not even think of describing what you did to be in any way for wimps.

Oct 30, 2014 09:28 PM
Peter den Boer
Atlanta Communities - Woodstock, GA
MBA,GRI, Associate Broker, Realtor

Bob - Very cool story. I enjoyed it all except the Yellow Jackets. I hate bees.

Oct 30, 2014 11:47 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thanks, Bob, for sharing your memories. When I finished college, I began three years of law school. Your experience provides better stories!

Oct 31, 2014 01:23 AM
Wayne Johnson
Coldwell Banker D'Ann Harper REALTORS® - San Antonio, TX
San Antonio REALTOR, San Antonio Homes For Sale

Bob Crane now that's a summer job not duplicated by many college students. Obviously the memores stayed with you. Maybe you're lucky the militia kid has not stayed in contact with you.

Oct 31, 2014 05:04 AM
Tom Braatz Waukesha County Real Estate 262-377-1459
Coldwell Banker - Oconomowoc, WI
Waukesha County Realtor Real Estate agent. SOLD!

Bob Crane

Great memories. Super State. Have to been to Utah yet? Beutiful stateas well

Oct 31, 2014 09:23 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

What I learned

Nov 01, 2014 11:37 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

What a delightful romp through time, Bob. I really enjoyed reading about the summer you spent discovering a lot about people and the state of Idaho. 

Nov 02, 2014 12:33 AM
Joanna Cohlan
Fresh Eyes For Your Home - Chappaqua, NY
Designing, Decorating & Staging Westchester Homes

Your trip back to Idaho is so exciting to me.  I am dying to visit this beautiful state and since my husband is very active in maintaining trails for the Sierra Club, I know we would find wonderful and pristine trails to hike!

Nov 02, 2014 09:53 PM
Beth Atalay
Cam Realty and Property Management - Clermont, FL
Cam Realty of Clermont FL

Hi Bob, I came over from Kathy Streib's post, having such a great first job is a dream come true for many. While reading your post, I couldn't help but letting my mind take to the mountains..I hope to visit this great state one day soon.

Nov 03, 2014 05:02 AM