Pearls On Wheels

McCall is a small town in the heart of Idaho, near lake Payette and the mountains. It feels like Queenstown to us. Come and find out a little about life here. In the garden is a huge rock with corn grinding holes which would have been used by Nez Perce women centuries ago. We head off to the Ridleys supermarket. I don't believe Joe when he tells me that I can buy a gun at the supermarket. Sure enough. Inside the supermarket there is an Outfitters department with hunting and fishing gear, including guns. Meet Mike, a lovely gentleman. When we tell Mike that we are from New Zealand he said, "You lost your rights a long time ago." I ply him with many questions about how gun ownership works in the US. "Can I buy a gun today?" He tells me "an armed society is a polite society." Gun ownership in Idaho is a human right. Rifles Semi automatics. I could shoot as many bullets as my finger can press the trigger until the magazine is empty. A magazine holds fort...

We are having two days in McCall.We are thrilled to be with Anne and Joe at their northern hemisphere home in McCall; and to be sharing our visit with Mark 'Radioman' Donham. We are all going on a road trip to Yellow Pine , a very isolated village in the back country . The 80km journey from McCall follows the Lick and Salmon rivers on gravel roads. We are going to meet some characters. We stop occasionally along the way There has been a huge forest fire in the valley. The granite hills are exposed. Elly has come along for the ride. She is a very clever collie/blue heeled cross. She has us all trained, especially Anne. We arrive at Yellow Pine and settle in for a late lunch. Joe was hoping to meet up with a local who he has played golf with in McCall. As luck would have it Barry Bryant came in to have lunch. A happy reunion. Barry and his wife have a house on Stewart Island, New Zealand. We learned a little about outfitting and guiding in the area. Barry is an en...

  We set off early this morning. We have an extra special destination today. We ride over the Lolo Pass through extensively burned forests. In 1804 Lewis and Clark and their guides walked through these Bitterroot Mountains on their expedition to and from the Pacific Coast. First stop is Lolo. Kevin and Bill Idaho bikers waiting for coffee at Lolo. Meet Olga and Brian who live in the wilderness. Brian is an artist and makes kaleidoscopes. We had an other worldly conversation about life here and synaethesia. They are attending... The Shanty moon festival combined with an Alien Abduction Festival. Electronic music and laser art. It is 8.00am and music is wafting across to the store. We are riding alongside the Lochsa river. It is very cool-hovering around 50degF The valley widens and the temperature rises 20degF at Kooskia... Where we meet David who is on a ride from Oregon. Lily is cooking western hash browns for Dick's lunch. First peel and parboil baking potat...