In the segment, Roamer visits places around Grangeville, Idaho.
Grangeville, 15 miles and 15 minutes from Dog Bark Park, is the largest town in our county, Idaho County. The county, about the size of the State of Massachusetts, has a population of 16,500 people. What we do possess lots of in the county is mountains, trees, prairie lands, rivers and streams. This means plenty of places to explore without the hustle and bustle of people always about.
In advance of heading to the mountains of the Nez Perce National Forest, Roamer stops at the visitor center in the US Forest Service Nez Perce Nat’l Forest Office on 104 Airport Road, Grangeville, Idaho. There he was able to get information about hiking trails in the forest above Grangeville as well as info about historic sites on the forest he might want to visit later this summer. 
Roamer spotted an Idaho Dept. of Lands Fire Management Division car in the lot reminding him the offices here also house the Interagency Fire Dispatch Center that coordinates fire fighting details on the area’s federal, state and county lands. There’s a Smoke Jumper Base located adjacent to the airport where visitors can watch all the comings and goings of fire fighting helicopters, smoke jumper planes and aerial bomber planes when fires are in the area.
Roaming south from Grangeville on the old White Bird Hill Road Roamer stopped at this vista to enjoy the view across the prairie below. The Mountain in the center of the photo is Cottonwood Butte mountain that overlooks Roamer’s home place at Dog Bark Park. 
The prairie, called the Camas Prairie, is named after the blue camas wildflower that blooms on open meadows and undisturbed fields. We have a few plants at Dog Bark Park that bloom in May. Native Americans, including the Nez Perce people whose country we are in, harvest the bulbs for edible and ceremonial uses. 
A short while later, Roamer stops again to sniff in the clean fragrance of the mountains and to get a close-up view of dogtooth violets on the bank above the road. This plant is also sometimes called adder’s tongue or trout lily. Interesting that it is not a violet but rather in the lily family. They typically grow in woodlands and mountain meadows. We’re always happy to see their yellow dipped flower heads some springs at Dog Bark Park.
Cresting the top of the hill, Roamer suddenly is treated to a much different view. Now he gazes into White Bird Creek country and the Salmon River drainage beyond. Even further out are the snowy mountains above McCall, Idaho. This is sure big country with rivers galore and spectacular lakes, like Payette Lake at McCall. Not many people are on the roads or in our small towns. It’s country big enough for those who take the time to ponder while they wander to let the mind roam free. But be sure to have plenty of gas, water, and kibble in your vehicle in case time gets away from you!
Roamer’s Hint:
Let the mind wander
as far as
the eye can see!
