Memories of Idaho

When I look back, what I will recall about Idaho will not be the wildflowers that grow everywhere by the side of the road, nor will it be Idahoans propensity to put narrow curving roads on the sides of mountains (well, maybe this... the sheer drops on the other side of the guard rail on those twisty curves traumatized this boy who is afraid of heights), but what I will remember is how the mountains were largely missing, eery silhouettes behind the haze and smoke from the fires that were burning just north of where we passed. The acrid smoke smell and taste were everywhere and at the end of the day it lingered, having embedded itself in our clothes. Firefighter camps abounded, I spotted one heliport and even one helicopter running off to the front.

I am thankful to not have to live in the middle of such a thing.