GeoTracker90
Adventurer
I took the boys out this past weekend and ended up making a nice loop north of Rexburg. I had planned to go out to Meadow Lake, but at the last moment a good portion of my gas money evaporated and I had to decide on a shorter trip.
With the teardrop trailer loaded and hooked up we headed north out of Rexburg on Red Road past the St. Anthony Sand Dunes and towards Kilgore. My initial plans were to spend the night north of Kilgore where Forest Service roads #026 and #027 converge. That changed when I stopped just past Idmon to look at and show the boys some stupid chickens in the ditch.
After watching them from as close as 3 to 5 yards I decided to turn back and take the Idmon Road west towards Spencer. I hadn't been down this road before, but from the map I could see that FS road #177 wasn't too far and it took off to the north into the hills and mountains. Good enough for me, let’s give it a try!
We were lucky enough to find a little camp site with a fire ring along a small stream and thought that it looked good enough for us. We pulled in, and I set the boys to work gathering wood for a campfire while I leveled out the trailer and cut some sticks to roast hotdogs with. We took our time preparing the fire and we were able to light it with one match. I don't know why, but the only time hotdogs are appealing to me is when they are cooked over an open flame.
We had gotten a late start so after dinner was over and it was getting dark we decided to call it a night.
Saturday morning we were welcomed by a wonderful day with great blue skies, and a cool stream running next to us.
As I cooked hash browns and bacon for breakfast the boys wanted to start the fire again. I told them that if they could do it with one match they had my permission. I gave them some guidance from time to time but for the most part it was their gig. One match later and with a little tending and they had what they wanted.
After breakfast was over the boys thoroughly doused the fire and we piled into the van to explore further up FSR #177. We crossed paths with an older fellow from Spencer in a Dodge diesel with his little lap dog and swapped stories for a while. We talked about the great stands of Lodge Pole Pines in the area and listen to stories from his earlier years logging the area. He told us about a couple little lakes that were supposed to have good fishing, which we never found in spite of a couple miles hiking and looking, and about the five head of elk that he had seen the day before. After a while we went our ways, having enjoyed our conversation.
While the boys and I were looking for the lakes that he had mentioned we came across many chipmunks as well as Thimble Berries and Wild Raspberries. And had a wonderful view of the valley to the south of us.
We made our way back to camp and cleaned things up, hooked up and headed out towards Spencer.
As we traveled along the Idmon Road we could see to the north where one of the opal mines was located up on the side of the hill. I would love to go up there and poke around, but as to be expected the area was posted "No Trespassing" and we thought it would be better to head the warning.
We ended up trying our luck with the fish in Beaver Creek a few miles north of Spencer near the Stoddard Creek exit from I-15. Well, there is a reason as many say that they call it fishing and not catching. We could see the fish in the creek, we could see and hear it when they went for a bug on the surface, but we just couldn't get them to bite what we were throwing in front of them.
After spending a pretty good chunk of time there we (I) decided to give up and call it a day. We loaded back into the van and took the express way back to Rexburg via I-15 to Sage junction and then HWY 33 into Rexburg.
What a great way to spend the weekend. Just for the record the outside air temperature dropped to a low of 42 degrees and the teardrop interior air temperature dropped to a low of 50 degree. Inside the sleeping bags it was much warmer.
Mike
With the teardrop trailer loaded and hooked up we headed north out of Rexburg on Red Road past the St. Anthony Sand Dunes and towards Kilgore. My initial plans were to spend the night north of Kilgore where Forest Service roads #026 and #027 converge. That changed when I stopped just past Idmon to look at and show the boys some stupid chickens in the ditch.
After watching them from as close as 3 to 5 yards I decided to turn back and take the Idmon Road west towards Spencer. I hadn't been down this road before, but from the map I could see that FS road #177 wasn't too far and it took off to the north into the hills and mountains. Good enough for me, let’s give it a try!
We were lucky enough to find a little camp site with a fire ring along a small stream and thought that it looked good enough for us. We pulled in, and I set the boys to work gathering wood for a campfire while I leveled out the trailer and cut some sticks to roast hotdogs with. We took our time preparing the fire and we were able to light it with one match. I don't know why, but the only time hotdogs are appealing to me is when they are cooked over an open flame.
We had gotten a late start so after dinner was over and it was getting dark we decided to call it a night.
Saturday morning we were welcomed by a wonderful day with great blue skies, and a cool stream running next to us.
As I cooked hash browns and bacon for breakfast the boys wanted to start the fire again. I told them that if they could do it with one match they had my permission. I gave them some guidance from time to time but for the most part it was their gig. One match later and with a little tending and they had what they wanted.
After breakfast was over the boys thoroughly doused the fire and we piled into the van to explore further up FSR #177. We crossed paths with an older fellow from Spencer in a Dodge diesel with his little lap dog and swapped stories for a while. We talked about the great stands of Lodge Pole Pines in the area and listen to stories from his earlier years logging the area. He told us about a couple little lakes that were supposed to have good fishing, which we never found in spite of a couple miles hiking and looking, and about the five head of elk that he had seen the day before. After a while we went our ways, having enjoyed our conversation.
While the boys and I were looking for the lakes that he had mentioned we came across many chipmunks as well as Thimble Berries and Wild Raspberries. And had a wonderful view of the valley to the south of us.
We made our way back to camp and cleaned things up, hooked up and headed out towards Spencer.
As we traveled along the Idmon Road we could see to the north where one of the opal mines was located up on the side of the hill. I would love to go up there and poke around, but as to be expected the area was posted "No Trespassing" and we thought it would be better to head the warning.
We ended up trying our luck with the fish in Beaver Creek a few miles north of Spencer near the Stoddard Creek exit from I-15. Well, there is a reason as many say that they call it fishing and not catching. We could see the fish in the creek, we could see and hear it when they went for a bug on the surface, but we just couldn't get them to bite what we were throwing in front of them.
After spending a pretty good chunk of time there we (I) decided to give up and call it a day. We loaded back into the van and took the express way back to Rexburg via I-15 to Sage junction and then HWY 33 into Rexburg.
What a great way to spend the weekend. Just for the record the outside air temperature dropped to a low of 42 degrees and the teardrop interior air temperature dropped to a low of 50 degree. Inside the sleeping bags it was much warmer.
Mike
