Almost Trailside: A True Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

them. They were very nice people.
    We stayed two nights with Kristen and Rod. They both were gracious hosts. We didn’t see any blatant signs of marital problems, but obviously they were present. A few years later, they divorced.
    From
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
we continued on to Tommy’s grandmother’s house. She lived in
Kamiah
,
Idaho
, a small town along the Clearwater River that followed the Lewis and Clark Trail.
    On the beautiful tree lined drive, we stopped along the gently winding river to have lunch outside in nature. Colorful butterflies and busy bees floated among the wildflowers and wild mint near the sparkling river’s edge.
    Continuing on the pretty road to Kamiah, wide-eyed little chipmunks scampered across the highway. We slowed down and drove carefully to avoid hitting them.
    It was early afternoon by the time we turned into the quaint little river side town of Kamiah, ten blocks square in either direction, and easily found Tommy’s grandmother’s charming vintage white board house. She was standing out on her front lawn just left of the porch, with arms folded across her chest, waiting for us. The skirt of her lovely mid-calf length floral print dress softly ruffled in an occasional light breeze. Her wavy salt-and-pepper thick gray hair, gently brushed back from her face, glistened in the bright sunlight. I fondly remember her pretty smile and natural beauty. She was a sturdy woman who wasn’t afraid of work.

    C
oeur d’Alene, Idaho is the largest city and county seat of Kootenai County, located on the beautiful north shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene. It is 30 miles east of Spokane, Washington and 259 miles from Seattle, Washington with a population of 35,000. Coeur d’Alene is a resort town located near two major ski resorts. The town sits on the western edge of a National Forest surrounded by trees, lakes, and campgrounds and comprises a total area of 16 square miles. The city is named after a tribe of Native American Indians who lived along the rivers and lakes of the region when discovered by French fur traders in the late 18th and early 19th century. The name Coeur d’Alene translated into English means “Heart of an Awl” perhaps a reflection of the tribe’s very tough trading practices
.
    K
amiah, Idaho is the largest city in Lewis County with a population of 1300 residents and a total land area of a little over one square mile. The city is nestled on the banks of the beautiful Clearwater River in a narrow valley surrounded by scenic foothills, downstream is the Snake River. Older than the recorded history of the west, Kamiah was the winter home of the Nez Perce Indians. It was here they came to fish for steelhead and to manufacture “Kamia” ropes, hence the name Kamiah, meaning the place of “many rope litters”. The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped for several weeks during the early spring of 1806 in the Kamiah Valley waiting for the snow to melt before they could continue their journey east. It was here, among the Nez Perce Indians that the Appaloosa horse was first bred, primarily for use as a war animal
.

    First, Tommy’s grandmother took us on a tour of her lovely backyard garden full of flowers, vegetables, berries, and several fruit trees. A small cottage structure out back where she did her canning was heated only by a wood burning stove.
    Inside of her adorable country home, the rooms were small but everything was neat as a pin. On the wall above the over-stuffed floral sofa in her living room, she uniquely displayed a collection of porcelain plates from every state positioned in map formation of the United States. Intricate off white doilies she crocheted were neatly placed over the arms of every chair. Colorful patchwork quilts, blankets, pot holders, and more of her handiwork were lovingly evident throughout every room of the tiny house.
    We spent a glorious memorable afternoon reminiscing about days gone by and listening to her wonderful stories of life in the little