Stop-over in Riggins

Last week was our first roadtrip of the summer. We drove the scenic route through Idaho on Highway 95, which they say takes longer than I90/84, but in my experience, it takes the same amount of time. Besides, it's hard to get bored when you're driving along a river through towering canyons, and along brilliant-yellow fields of canola. There's something different to look at every hour.

After Lewiston, there's also not a fast food joint to be found. That gives you a great excuse to park the car in some small bit of civilization and look for the restaurant that offers the least questionable menu items.

Riggins, Idaho is a neat little town right on the Salmon River. It's a haven for whitewater enthusiasts and, it seems, meat-eaters.

We ate at Shelley's Back Eddy. Clearly it is a favorite spot for folks to recharge after spending the whole morning riding the river. The place was packed, which seemed a good sign. They had fresh salmon, elk, bison and beef on the menu.

After eating spicy barbecue (we split a beef barbecue sandwich - quite tasty) on a 100 degree afternoon, I discovered the best thing to do is to dip your feet in the freezing cold river and refresh yourself before getting back in the car for another few hours.