In The Middle Of Nowhere

Number one of two blogs posting today, Sunday, July 31.  We are spending the night in Grangeville, Idaho with full hookups before starting up Highway 12 into Montana.

Our current boondocking location is less than twenty miles outside Elk City, Idaho and less than twenty miles from the Red River community.

After our 120 mile roundtrip ATV trip, we decided to take a day off.  Geri had read about a hot springs and restaurant located at Red River—so off we went.  We just thought Elk City was in the middle of nowhere!  Eleven miles of gravel road leads you to an off the grid hot springs in the middle of nowhere!  There were children swimming in the pool when we arrived and I asked one of adults if he lived near Red River hitting the jackpot!  His great-grandparents were the original owners/developers of Red River Hot Springs--

The young man told us the resort was very busy in its hay-day but has seen better days.  In the early 70’s (I think that’s the date he said) the restaurant literally blew up.  Someone left the automatic ignitor on the gas grill open all night—when the owners opened the door the next day the gas exploded—luckily no one was injured.  The gas line fire then spread to the 5000 gallon propane tank—the folks in the town of Elk City, 10 miles as the crow flies felt that explosion! 

The new owner has a food trailer on site and served us a passable hamburger—he is trying to bring life back to the resort--unfortunately, he has his work cut out for him!  The original owner’s great grandson told us people just don’t want to drive the distance any longer preferring instead to take their children to water park resorts.  The resort has no electricity or phone and runs with satellite internet and a huge generator.  The owners would like to have a full service restaurant and bar as the original owners did but with today’s regulations, that may not happen. 

We wish them luck!