Monday, July 17, 2017

Wild Horse Mercantile/Saloon Bonners Ferry Idaho

Wild Horse Mercantile/Saloon 529503 HWY 95 Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 located approximately 3 miles from Robinson Lake Campground.
The Wild Horse Mercantile/Saloon is a one stop shop for just about anything you may need even if you did know you needed it.  As you enter the establishment there is small and well stocked mini general store.  Off to the left they have a small craft shop full of interesting things that are just waiting to find a new home.  The Saloon is off to the right of the general store area there they have bar seating and tables for your convenience.  The Saloon area is rustic with some unique posters and signs displayed very tastefully around the room.  They have fire wood, ice, gasoline, diesel, and propane (for filling your tank) all at competitive prices.
I had lunch at the Wild Horse Mercantile on a lazy July afternoon at the Wild Horse Mercantile.  I ordered their Cubin Pork sandwich with a house salad.  As usual the service was great and the environment was very comfortable they make you feel at home.  The sandwich was piled high with pork that reminded me of southern pulled pork with a little different taste it was very good and filling.  The pork was tender and moist with a sweet and tangy taste topped with red onions and a hint of dill pickles.  The salad was a house salad and I have had house salads before but this was one of the better house salads I have had.  The salad had a good mix of greens along with cucumber, tomatoes, and shreds of carrots.  The dressing I had was raspberry vignette walnut it was fresh and very tasty.
There breakfast is to die for I had the French Toast and my friend Otto had the Heavenly Sheepherders breakfast(bacon & onions cooked in hash browns with 2 eggs nestled in topped with cheddar jack cheese covered with sausage gravy).  Otto had stopped in to visit with me on his way to visit his brother in MI and thought he was hungry so I took him to the Wild Horse Mercantile…he ordered the Heavenly Sheepherders breakfast and found that he was not hungry by the Wild Horse’s standards.  He tried to eat the whole breakfast but could not do it.  The French toast with sausage was delicious and portioned perfect.  Their coffee was strong and fresh the cups stayed full thanks to the staff.
Not only do they serve great food and lots of it they have a full service Saloon for that refreshing adult beverage you desire.

If you are any were near the Wild Horse Mercantile you have to stop in visit with my friends Beth and Ray.  A word of warning don’t order anything to eat unless you are hungry and not afraid of possibility becoming addicted to the great food at the Wild Horse Mercantile/Saloon








Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Camp Host Robinson Lake Update

Robinson Lake Campground

I have been at Robinson Lake for 2 months about halfway through my first summer of camp hosting.  Is it what I was expecting?  I like to say when I visit a new location I never have any real expectations.  When you put expectations on a place to me it makes me think of judging a place against your expectation that may or may not be realistic.  With this outlook/view of life I am never disappointed all is good and every day is a new and exciting experience.

I have had a great time met a lot of interesting people and made a few new friends.  The biggest challenge I have had is keeping mice out of the camper.  I am working on a post just on mouse abatement but for the present I am winning but the war is not over and complacency is my biggest threat at present.

It is early July summer is here with temperatures in the mid to upper 90’s the last few days.  The good part is nights are cooling down to 50ish and the humidity is low.  Fishing has slowed down and swimming has increased so the lake use is pretty steady.  Early in the season the campground was staying close to full with retirees spending several days to a week on a visit.  Now I am see more of the younger group and they are only staying a day or two.  My data shows that I am renting more sites now but with the shorter stays and turn overs it makes the camp ground look less utilized. 

For a snap shot of being a camp host at Robinson Lake Campground I have put together the following pictures of the campground and campers. 

Here are some of the memorable events of my camp hosting to date. 

The order is chronological more or less:

Sighting of a monster Large Mouth Bass living under the fishing dock

Moose swimming across the lake

One almost case of two missing children
The bridge they were walking to and the bridge mom thought they were walking to were two different bridges in the end all was good.

An 8 year old camper had a bicycle accident ending with dislocated elbow…ouch

Someone took hand sanitizers and air fresheners from the restrooms

Learned how to identify and harvest Morel Mushrooms…delicious

Not having cellphone or Wi-Fi was an easy adjustment for me

Learned how to catch mice in a 5 gallon bucket 69 total to date

Tasted my first French Toast Special
French toast coated with Sugar frosted flakes then fried in coconut oil

Dutch oven ribs

Dutch oven huckleberry cobbler

Met a 76 year old man touring and tent camping on his motorcycle

Met a couple that had been camping together over 55 years in tents and still camping in a tent
                They use a walker to help them get into and out of the tent

Met a family that took an 18 mile bicycle ride with a 6 and 7 year old in the group

                Wallace ID 18 miles Rails to Trails all downhill shuttle back to start


An evening of music and fun

Dutch Oven Cooking

Huckleberry Cobbler

Coffee and Cobbler on the Fire



Rainbow Trout Robinson Lake

Gillan Creek Robinson Lake

Gillan Creek Robinson Lake


Fishing Robinson lake

Fishing Robinson lake

Fishing Robinson lake

55+ years of camping together and still going strong


 Enjoying the water at Robinson Lake

Enjoying the water at Robinson Lake