To Hells Gulch and Back

I know I wouldn’t. But, maybe this last adventure will help me remember to pack the camera, even if I think we’re just going to the local post office!

We live 7 miles down a gravel road, then 15 miles off the major highway. Not much in between, a dumpster and a quick mart. So, that means, trips into town need to be planned. I needed to pick up a package at the PO, and get stamps. Lance needed to restock his cheap cigs, and we needed to run by the bank for some cashola (I think he’s going to an equipment auction tomorrow, yee haw, I hope he’s able to sleep with all that anticipation running through his veins).

Ok, uneventful trip to Saint Maries PO, the usual nice nice people here and there. Ready to head home when Lance asks me to plug in an address for GreenTech Solutions in St Maries. A place he found on the internet that specializes in alternative energy. Ah, cool, I think, on the way home and it means we can see some new areas of the town, rather than taken the same route home.

I should have been a wee bit concerned when Ms. GPS had us turn right onto Hells Gulch Rd. Oh, my goodness. I think secretly Lance knew it was a road less traveled. Equipped with his new Dodge 3500 duly truck, we set course for a business that helped you get off the grid, and they were WAY off the beaten path. Mr. Pickup trekked up narrow, winding, bumpy, steep, dirt roads, headed skyward. What kind of business was this? When we finally got to where the GPS said, it was a vacant field. The vacant field actually looked inviting after the timber forest and the junkyard lot. Keep in mind, I get unnecessarily anxious being on narrow dead end dirt roads. Thankfully I didn’t hear the gas gauge ding, or I would have been in worry-overload.

Lance decided to give up and just call the guy later (THANK YOU JESUS). As we’re heading home, Lance sees a sign that MIGHT be this guy’s other business and with a quick turn off the road, we’re headed up to some gigantic house on the hill. We pull up into this strangers driveway as the somewhat perplexed owner comes out to greet us. ‘Hi, I’m Lance’, my husband announces, then quickly jumps out of the truck to shake his hand. You could see the homeowner search his memory bank for a character he should know, named Lance.

Long story short, they have an informative discussion on alternative energy. They exchange cards and we set sail for home. We met another nice Idahoian, saw several amazing views and survived the winding road through Hells Gulch…. Dang, will any trip ever be ‘mundane’? Me thinkith not.