I got a late start getting out of town on Friday, but I had sort of planned it because I knew that Marsha, my host for the evening, wouldn't be home until late. Upon turning north on US-95, I discovered what I had not noticed in my wanderings around town: Sandpoint does not waste your time with car dealers, chain stores, supermarkets, and billboards advertising the gospel as you leave town. There is instead a creek marking a discrete boundary where the city of Sandpoint ends and Ponderay begins. Ponderay has an unfortunate variety of those things, and a few gas stations to boot.
I walked north through Ponderay and exited town in a picturesque environment. The landscape was nice, lush and green, with a meandering stream that afterr a few miles came up right next to the road and provided the perfect setting for me to take a little break. As I was taking my pack off, I paid scant attention to the dark green SUV driving up the highway toward me, until I heard a shout and saw an object fly out the window. It proved to be too light and have too much surface area to fly along what was presumably its intended trajectory toward me, however, and fell lamely to a highway, making a sadly benign clatter as it landed. I wandered over ti investigate, and it was a Full Throttle can. As if I need more reason to dislike energy drinks.
The rest of my break passed without interruption, and after 15 ninutes or so I got uip and walked another 5 miles or so. I found a good spot and started hitchhiking. It wasn't a great hitching day, compared to my luck so far, and it took me about 45 minutes to get picked up. I didn't really care about the delay, though, because I knew that I would beat Marsha to Bonners Ferry.
Once I was in Bonners Ferry, I found Mugsy's Tavern, which had a much better beer selection than I expect from a town that size. In addition to that, it was certainly the friendliest bar I'd ever been to in a small town. Servers, owner, clientelle -- everyone -- all wanted to talk to me just to say hi, and once they discovered what I'm doing it was non-stop questions along with wishes for a safe journey. I was impressed, and after a quesadilla and a beer I left pretty happy.
I walked the mile or so up to Marsha's place and beat her there by about ten minutes. While I was waiting, one of the neighbors called the police and said I didn't look like I belonged there (no shit!), but fortunately the deputy arrived just after Marsha showed up and she assured him that I was okay.
Surprisingly, that's been my only brush with the law so far.
Marsha threw together a dinner of hors d'oeuvres -- pita chips, baguette, smoked salmon dip, crab & artichoke dip, and grapes. I contributed a bottle of red wine, and we relaxed and watched a movie. After the movie we chatted idly for a little while and then went to bed.
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