Resting in Featherville

All night at the Abbot Campground our closest neighbor was running the generator for his RV, while during the day his 10 year old boy was driving through camp on a grumbling ATV. We also chose a campsite that didn’t have a lot of trees protecting us from the afternoon sun. The idea of resting in these conditions didn’t sound appealing.

Looking at the Adventure Cycling map, we noticed that only a few clicks up the road were a few more campsites. I decided to reconnoiter the closest, Chapparal, to see if there was a more peaceful and shadier site for us. As luck would have it, the first vacant site I came upon matched our wishes perfectly, so I headed back to tell Carrie the good news.

We broke camp at Abbot and made camp at Chaparral while only riding one mile. Not too shabby for a definite campsite upgrade. After chatting about the prospect of moving to Boise, we made our way to the river for some quality R&R. I grew up playing at beaches, but I believe rivers are more pleasant. At beaches you’re exposed to the sun all day, baking and sweating until even a dip in the freezing Pacific Ocean sounds inviting. Rivers provide shade so you’re not forced to bake. You can have a dip in the water without the threat of being bitten by a shark, manhandled by a rogue wave, or swept away by a rip tide. The soothing sound of crashing waves is replaced by the swishing of the rushing current. Salt water is replaced with fresh. I’m ready for a nap.