Friday, December 6, 2013

Idaho

I confess to a love affair with Idaho, of an unusual sort. The sort that has grown over time and distance rather than faded. The younger version of me spent several summers in Idaho and Montana as a mediocre student and a far more enthusiastic river guide. A bit of a telemark skier as well. At the time, I didn't realize what I was in the midst of.  Flash forward a few decades or so and now I know what I had then. And I appreciate it. The benefits of hindsight I guess.

River and Ranch is full of Idaho with a little bit of Montana thrown in as well.  Places.  People I met. Towns in which I lived and spent time. And rivers.  Big gorgeous wilderness rivers. Main Salmon and Middle Fork of the Salmon.  Lost Trail Pass, Lolo Pass, Lemhi Pass.  On and on.  There's all sorts of incredible places.  At least to me.  I hope through the adventures my characters encounter in River and Ranch, that you will also embrace these wonderful places hidden away in the middle of the wonderful flyover state that is Idaho.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Just what is River and Ranch?

What's this book about? Stream of conscious answer:
Idaho, rafting, ranching, daughters, geology, guiding on the Middle Fork, Stanley, hot springs, Lolo Pass, Bitterroot Valley, Jimbo Meador, University of Montana, dating a ranch woman, falling in love with a ranch woman, teaching in a small town, Salmon Idaho, paddleboarding, surfing, Chinese espionage, Lemhi Pass rare earth minerals, opening a new mine, critical materials for high tech manufacturing.

And more.