Coeur d'Alene by way of Blanchard

Way back on July 6th, we decided to go to Coeur d'Alene and chose an RV park in nearby Blanchard. By choosing StoneRidge Motor Coach Village, we lucked into another unplanned adventure.

 We drove into our assigned spot which was next to a lovely golf course with a fish pond and a view of the 18 hole golf course. Most people own their site here and return every summer to meet up with old friends and play golf and hang out at the clubhouse, where they pop popcorn and watch movies on the big screen TV.  The pool and spa area is really nice and the pro shop is attached to a restaurant. Some build extravagant patios with kitchens, fire pits, bars and entertainment centers next to their coaches. 

And some form a band.  

We met Jim who was on his way to jam with his friends at a nearby home on the lake.  When I mentioned that Fred played guitar he kindly invited us to his friend's house to "join the basement band."  Of course he didn't think we would show up, but heck, we are parked in a place where we know no one and we miss all our friends back home, so, yea, we show up, guitar and booze in hand.  We got introduced to all the people there that had been placing bets as to whether we would show up or not, mixed up a bunch of drinks and headed down to the basement to play music.  I was Fred's groupie and a few other friends were there to play the role of supportive audience and the band played on and we had a ball.

So, Jim's wife, Patty is now my new best friend and wants me to have a good time in their community.  The big plan is for Patty, Jim, Fred and I to play golf the next day.  I carefully and repeatedly explain that I have just started playing golf and my skills are inadequate to play well with others as yet. (Chris Noell told me that in Florida last March and I have yet to improve.)  Sweet Patty and Jim tell me not to worry, that they don't care and I can just do what I can and pick up my ball anytime I am slowing the group down and just have a great time.  OK, I agree.     Skip to the next day at tee time.......

Four more players have joined us and it is now the men playing together and we four women playing together.  Oh.....my......God.  Remember, this is a golf community where people take this stuff seriously and are really, really good at this frustratingly hard game.  So, I am pretty sure that no one told Linda and Mary that I stunk at golf and that I knew NOTHING about how to walk on the green properly and other, oh so important rules of decorum. Mary decides to teach me how to play instead of ignoring me and letting me take a few swings and then picking up my ball and tucking my tail between my legs and sculking to the cart, mute and miserable. So, my fun, carefree day of golf becomes a string of humiliating attempts at competence and repeated failures.  Wheeeeeeeeeee

Our Basement Band hosts, drummer, golf instructor and guitar player

We were invited to the Park potluck party that evening.  By the time we arrived, everyone I met, knew who I was and how I played. Hmmmm I wonder how that got around so quick?  I guess if you are going to do something, you should do it in such a way that everyone is aware of your attempt. Mission accomplished!  Later we went back to Mary's house (she was also a fabulous, self-taught drummer) to jam again and she advised me to go take some golf lessons.  Gee I was going to do that before I got wisked away on a bus tour of the United States and wound up with a new set of clubs and no lessons. Never the less, I think we met some new friends that will be glad to see us again as long as they don't have to play golf with me!

 The next day we did drive to Coeur d'Alene and it was fabulous.  Lots of folks enjoying all kinds of water sports.  We walked the streets, had lunch and wish we had left enough time to rent a boat of some kind to enjoy the water there. The town was quaint and we enjoyed walking the boardwalk.

Remember my feature of Lessons learned?  I learned some recently:
1)  Never sit on the little shelf in the shower to shave your legs....
2)  Never play golf with folks who think the score at the end of the game is more important than fun   found with friends along the way.
3)  Make new friends, but keep the old...one is silver and the other gold..I miss my gold friends.


Click here for the pictures...

from the road:
-robin