It has been 8 months since we last took Cali-alto, our trailer out and a good cleaning was in order, followed by a dry run hitching and unhitching, and a sigh of relief that all appears to be in working order. Despite our efforts to be minimalist, the essentials for this 3 week trip filled the trailer cabinets, trunk and back seat of the car. I think much of the gear is related to flyfishing and I can’t imagine how we would manage if we were flying.
Livingston, Montana is our first destination and we spend nights at rv parks in Winnemucca Nevada and Pocatello Idaho, all quite nice with clean hot showers. Spring in Nevada is quite different from the hot dry brown landscape we usually see. The vegetation is green as are the surrounding mountainsides which makes for an enjoyable drive.
Once we hit Idaho, we see acres and acres of potato fields, courtesy of McDonalds’ Simplot, watered by long moving sprinklers. We arrive in Livingston in the early evening, detach the trailer and meet a former SJ Flycaster acquaintance for dinner. Downtown Livingston’s Main Street is charming, with restored historic brick buildings housing restaurants, shops and many art galleries. Bob gives us a tour of the town and the outskirts which are framed by the Absaroka mountain range, sporting snowy peaks and bright green cliff sides. The Yellowstone River runs through town, still muddy from recent rains. Livingston, about the size of Truckee, is still a safe enclave, free of crime and traffic, and the quality of life is good if you can handle -20 degrees and many winter days that don’t get above 0 degrees! It is the reason why there are so many part-time residents. We have to admit the setting is incredible beautiful and housing very affordable.