we left montana as early as we could get our shit together on the 22nd of June and packed the dogs up for the long drive to Challis. Okay so 5 hours isn't
that long, but this girl gets terribly car sick on windy mountain roads, so 5 hours is a very long time for me.
about half way there we had an excessive amount of dead bugs splattered to my windshield, and we ran out of washer fluid.
(even after 2 carwashes, my windshield still looks buggy too)
Renji, who is normally a good car rider, had been a holy terror. But after about 3 hours calmed down and laid down for a nap.
(yes i know, my dogs should be restrained, but we had no way to kennel or buckle them up with all the camping gear in the car. At least they aren't hanging out the window)
Aiko found her comfy spot too.
The scenery changes on the drive were just spectacular.
Just after 4 we arrived to Challis. We quickly set up our tent because Paul had to report to a briefing before dinner. We were very lucky to have the last campsite. There was no one beyond us. It was very quiet.
our closest neighbors were seen but not heard.
the ground was hard as rock, well it was rock, we discovered after bending two tent stakes.
we also discovered a new use for our extra water jug. Since we couldn't get the dog stakes into the ground to tie them up we found an ingenious way to keep them on a short leash.
simple and cozy, and right on the river, so if it floods we die first.
Shortly after setting up camp it began to storm.
Thankfully it was a shortlived storm.
the dogs love camping
the Salmon River.
Night one was spending drinking, a lot. And day two was spent (me) being hungover, a lot, and napping, while the guys did their Marine training stuff.
The dogs got settled in.
when I wasn't napping i was chillaxing
and enjoying the scenery.
After the guys got out we started our fire and hung out.
(my jeep is the last one on the R, the one with the speakers hanging down. we were the stereo for our campsite because my jeep rocks.)
People and their dogs came to visit.
Paul shared his ice cream cone.
we spent the evening relaxing, chatting and snacking fireside.
(paul used my giant wine glass as a water glass because he didn't want to wash a cup)
Last full day- Marine Mandatory Fun Day
The next day was the ECO challenge, where all the Marines got together and did a bunch of silly Marine stuff in the blazing sun. While all of us women just watched.
Aiko laid around and showed off her sexy frog legs
Paul is up front in the yellow on the raft. notice how he is wet? yeah, someone tried to drown a few times.
hot dogs
Team Montana lost the challenge :(
And that was it, that night we had dinner, a few drinks and went to bed. The next day we broke down camp and went home.
Goodbye Challis Hot Springs, See you next year!
middle of no-where Montana. A sign at a service station says "open till closed"
