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Where are the most friendliest/neighborly small towns around CDA area?
That are safest...could leave doors unlocked.
Could walk in a door and people know your name.
Could be stranded on the road out of gas, flat tire and someone would stop and help.
Less phony/yuppyish and more down to earth/real. Not afraid to admit yeah, my poo stinks too!
All still within a 20-30 min drive of a great hospital
Good fishing of course, but I think that goes with the territory of CDA.
I know no place in perfect and you will find crime and jerks everywhere, but generally speaking what is your list of cities/towns for this kind of a place?
1) Most folks we know don't lock their doors. I haven't seen my house keys in 3 years. (literally) But that's in a rural area. If I lived in a crowded neighborhood where some knucklehead can walk around and try front doors, I'd lock up.
2) Sandpoint/Ponderay is more like that than the CDA area which has 50K people. If you get out into really small areas (Spirit Lake, Athol) you'll find everyone is more likely to know you.
3) This is pretty much EVERY part of North Idaho. There's an unwritten rule in rural areas that you never just drive by without stopping...since that could be YOU someday...
4) I've run into more phony/yuppie suburbanites in CDA (city) than anywhere else in the area. But not NEARLY as bad as most suburban areas I've been. People are just nicer.
5) 30 minutes from KMC gives you a LOT of options. Pick a 20 mile radius...there's a lot of real estate.
6) Good fishing and hunting...ayup.
1) Most folks we know don't lock their doors. I haven't seen my house keys in 3 years. (literally) But that's in a rural area. If I lived in a crowded neighborhood where some knucklehead can walk around and try front doors, I'd lock up.
2) Sandpoint/Ponderay is more like that than the CDA area which has 50K people. If you get out into really small areas (Spirit Lake, Athol) you'll find everyone is more likely to know you.
3) This is pretty much EVERY part of North Idaho. There's an unwritten rule in rural areas that you never just drive by without stopping...since that could be YOU someday...
4) I've run into more phony/yuppie suburbanites in CDA (city) than anywhere else in the area. But not NEARLY as bad as most suburban areas I've been. People are just nicer.
5) 30 minutes from KMC gives you a LOT of options. Pick a 20 mile radius...there's a lot of real estate.
6) Good fishing and hunting...ayup.
Where are the most friendliest/neighborly small towns around CDA area?
That are safest...could leave doors unlocked.
Could walk in a door and people know your name.
Could be stranded on the road out of gas, flat tire and someone would stop and help.
Less phony/yuppyish and more down to earth/real. Not afraid to admit yeah, my poo stinks too!
All still within a 20-30 min drive of a great hospital.
Good fishing of course, but I think that goes with the territory of CDA.
I know no place in perfect and you will find crime and jerks everywhere, but generally speaking what is your list of cities/towns for this kind of a place?
Once I have been lost in Northern Idaho forest, and I've read plenty of very, very elaborately written "NO Trespassing" signs (in the middle of nowhere), offering to shoot me than shoot me again, gut me, skin me .... for the terrible crime of setting a foot on the square foot of wilderness some nut thinks was made personally for him by sweet baby Jesus. I can't do justice to the language of the signs in my post, they were masterpieces in its own kind. The fact that fine N. Idaho folks put so much time, expense and creativity into the signs like that tells more than my post. Very welcoming and friendly. I think you would fit in the compound paradise of N. Idaho just fine. I have not seen many people helping each other or just being outside, if not for tourists it would be quite ghostly. Of course I stuck in N. Idaho for 3+ days because arseholes at the lumber plant I was supposed to pick a load at, left warp speed for memorial weekend well before quitting time while seeing a truck at the yard and knowing perfectly that somebody will be stuck in the middle of nowhere for days. Norhern Idaho nice. Idaho trooper broke in my truck (parked legally on the side of a road, 30 ft from roadway) and left no parking/tow away after 48hrs note, I would not think troopers patrolling the roads like that. Everything was topped off with a N. Idaho road marital drama, a woman driving SUV decided to show how desperate&unhappy she is (to the guy flashing lights behind her) and she just went head on with my truck, she didn't swerve, I did. Sure, she didn't want to die, because she picked a rare road spot with a shoulder to show how desperate she is. Hopefully, they lived happily ever after.
Not to pick solely on Idaho folks, state trooper called my company (apparently they expect drivers to chain themselves to a steering wheel while parked) and told something about "body search" he did, company got excited (about their truck, naturally) and they paid pretty penny for a wrecker to tow my truck (to the hell with a driver, naturally) same day. I returned from my relaxing and educational N. Idaho stroll just to see a wrecker pulling in 20 minutes later, had I enjoyed views and signs 30 minutes longer I would have stuck in the middle of nothing without even a wallet. Of course, I could have experienced some N. Idaho hospitality in person. I still keep wondering, in Northern Idaho, do you shoot a stranger knocking on your door no questions asked and save the rest of hospitality to the folksy types you know? Is there a slight chance of getting help instead of a bullet?
Last edited by RememberMee; 12-23-2011 at 08:19 AM..
Sorry to hear about your bad experience! From what I gather from your post, you visited N. Idaho for 3 days. Have you been there again?
When you say plent of signs, really? How many?
There is actually a man across the street here and this is a subdivision kind of neighborhood and he has all these handmade carved Charlie Brown characters in his yard all year round. Added to those cute characters is a sign that reads " no trespassing or you will be shot dead" nice huh, attract kids attention, then add a sign like that.
I guess I chalk it up to some people are just crazy. That neighbor is crazy and mean and I will add strange to that.
I doubt the whole area of N. Idaho is as you described. Otherwise I wouldn't be reading so many other posts that sound the opposite.
What area specifically were you in, CDA?
Is your take on N. Idaho really that if you knocked on someone's door you would be shot? That is sad that that is the feeling you came away with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RememberMee
Once I have been lost in Northern Idaho forest, and I've read plenty of very, very elaborately written "NO Trespassing" signs (in the middle of nowhere), offering to shoot me than shoot me again, gut me, skin me .... for the terrible crime of setting a foot on the square foot of wilderness some nut thinks was made personally for him by sweet baby Jesus. I can't do justice to the language of the signs in my post, they were masterpieces in its own kind. The fact that fine N. Idaho folks put so much time, expense and creativity into the signs like that tells more than my post. Very welcoming and friendly. I think you would fit in the compound paradise of N. Idaho just fine. I have not seen many people helping each other or just being outside, if not for tourists it would be quite ghostly. Of course I stuck in N. Idaho for 3+ days because arseholes at the lumber plant I was supposed to pick a load at, left warp speed for memorial weekend well before quitting time while seeing a truck at the yard and knowing perfectly that somebody will be stuck in the middle of nowhere for days. Norhern Idaho nice. Idaho trooper broke in my truck (parked legally on the side of a road, 30 ft from roadway) and left no parking/tow away after 48hrs note, I would not think troopers patrolling the roads like that. Everything was topped off with a N. Idaho road marital drama, a woman driving SUV decided to show how desperate&unhappy she is (to the guy flashing lights behind her) and she just went head on with my truck, she didn't swerve, I did. Sure, she didn't want to die, because she picked a rare road spot with a shoulder to show how desperate she is. Hopefully, they lived happily ever after.
Not to pick solely on Idaho folks, state trooper called my company (apparently they expect drivers to chain themselves to a steering wheel while parked) and told something about "body search" he did, company got excited (about their truck, naturally) and they paid pretty penny for a wrecker to tow my truck (to the hell with a driver, naturally) same day. I returned from my relaxing and educational N. Idaho stroll just to see a wrecker pulling in 20 minutes later, had I enjoyed views and signs 30 minutes longer I would have stuck in the middle of nothing without even a wallet. Of course, I could have experienced some N. Idaho hospitality in person. I still keep wondering, in Northern Idaho, do you shoot a stranger knocking on your door no questions asked and save the rest of hospitality to the folksy types you know? Is there a slight chance of getting help instead of a bullet?
Once I have been lost in Northern Idaho forest, and I've read plenty of very, very elaborately written "NO Trespassing" signs (in the middle of nowhere), offering to shoot me than shoot me again, gut me, skin me .... for the terrible crime of setting a foot on the square foot of wilderness some nut thinks was made personally for him by sweet baby Jesus. I can't do justice to the language of the signs in my post, they were masterpieces in its own kind. The fact that fine N. Idaho folks put so much time, expense and creativity into the signs like that tells more than my post. Very welcoming and friendly. I think you would fit in the compound paradise of N. Idaho just fine. I have not seen many people helping each other or just being outside, if not for tourists it would be quite ghostly. Of course I stuck in N. Idaho for 3+ days because arseholes at the lumber plant I was supposed to pick a load at, left warp speed for memorial weekend well before quitting time while seeing a truck at the yard and knowing perfectly that somebody will be stuck in the middle of nowhere for days. Norhern Idaho nice. Idaho trooper broke in my truck (parked legally on the side of a road, 30 ft from roadway) and left no parking/tow away after 48hrs note, I would not think troopers patrolling the roads like that. Everything was topped off with a N. Idaho road marital drama, a woman driving SUV decided to show how desperate&unhappy she is (to the guy flashing lights behind her) and she just went head on with my truck, she didn't swerve, I did. Sure, she didn't want to die, because she picked a rare road spot with a shoulder to show how desperate she is. Hopefully, they lived happily ever after.
Not to pick solely on Idaho folks, state trooper called my company (apparently they expect drivers to chain themselves to a steering wheel while parked) and told something about "body search" he did, company got excited (about their truck, naturally) and they paid pretty penny for a wrecker to tow my truck (to the hell with a driver, naturally) same day. I returned from my relaxing and educational N. Idaho stroll just to see a wrecker pulling in 20 minutes later, had I enjoyed views and signs 30 minutes longer I would have stuck in the middle of nothing without even a wallet. Of course, I could have experienced some N. Idaho hospitality in person. I still keep wondering, in Northern Idaho, do you shoot a stranger knocking on your door no questions asked and save the rest of hospitality to the folksy types you know? Is there a slight chance of getting help instead of a bullet?
To be quite candid, it sounds like you entered Idaho with a huge chip on your shoulder and then sound surprised at where it got you. But you're entitled to your opinions. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
RememberMee...as a Seattle-ite living in northern Idaho for pert-near a year now I take no offense whatsoever from what you wrote. I would say I'm sorry for how you were treated. I would describe the Silver Valley area which includes my present hometown of Kellogg, ID, as a beautiful slice of country. About as pretty an area as I've seen of the U.S. And I've lived in lots of different places and worked in lots of different places.
When I started working here in Kellogg at a doctor's clinic one of my patients looked at me one day and said "You know the people in this Valley are crazy, don't you?"
I replied with a big smile "Nope-I didn't know that. How do you mean crazy?"
"Oh, you'll see what I mean."
"Oh, OK."
"They're just plain crazy. Have been for years around this place. You'll see!"
"Oh, all right."
Here's my 11-month assessment of Kellogg, the Silver Valley and northern Idaho. In perty much of a nutshell for ya all. This is gorgeous mountainous country. Wildlife abounds here. Pretty views everywhere. Very snowy, cold and icy. Mountain people...simple people. Now this is really important. If you get to know these people and let them get to know you a bit, you will eventually be accepted and things will go all right for you if you want to live here. They are a conservative bunch. They love their 4-wheel contraptions in the ice and snow. Kellogg's roads are treated pretty well to ready them for car, SUV and truck travel after the snow storms.
These people employ the use of nepotism right down to a science! It abounds around here. It is hard to find work here but in all fairness I do have a part-time job here still, my wife is working part-time and the State of Idaho is helping by paying a very generous uemployment amount every week. Thanks taxpayers! Really I'd rather be working fulltime in my field-it pays pretty well and offers good insurances.
They look out for their families to the maximum here and I believe that is a really good thing.
RememberMee, your experience here was very bad and I am sorry it went that way for you. As I work here in the Silver Valley and continue to look for work in the western states I would say that my wife and I and our animals may not get to stay here in the long term...but I would say that after nearly a year of living here I can not garner up intense hatred for anyone or anything here. In fact, I just became friends of the guy who runs the Wardner Museum and who was Wardner's Mayor for several years. I told him (Chuck Peterson) that I loved history and we got together for some cheeecake topped with blueberries and blueberry sauce (oh it was so good!!!) and I got my own copy of 'Stories About Wardner' from Chuck and it contains priceless stories about Chuck and Wardner. I will tour the Museum in Wardner once Chuck opens it up-when the weather gets nicer. I can't wait to enjoy that slice of real area history coming alive in front of my eyes!
And my wife and I could be very happy here in Kellogg if the gig would just take off better.
So life is good here in Kellogg...the people didn't know you, RememberMee-and you hit some of the "crazies" talked about earlier. Sounds like one can include the Coeur d' Alene area in with the "crazies" of the Silver Valley, then. Your story leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Oh, another good story. When our son was still here in the Valley he was driving his '85 Ford T-Bird up 4th of July Pass one sunny hot summer day and got a flat tire. Someone in that boat weigh station building that watches I-90 there heard and saw him pull off the freeway with the flat. They called me on my cell and described what was going on. Even though I needed to get to work soon I drove on over there from Kellogg to help him. There already working to change out the flat was a Idahoan...we finished replacing the tire and got him on his way...but that was another example of how helpful people in Idaho can be.
You just seemed to hit some real doozies all in a row, RememberMee.
I still keep wondering, in Northern Idaho, do you shoot a stranger knocking on your door no questions asked and save the rest of hospitality to the folksy types you know? Is there a slight chance of getting help instead of a bullet?
I've been here for ten years and I've never seen anything like what you describe.
I've had folks show up at my door in winter looking for a pull out of the snow and once had a man show up at my door early in the morning, covered with blood because he flipped his car off an embankment, and my place was the first place he could get to after he crawled out of the wreckage. I can assure you we help always help people out and no one has ever been threatened with shooting. And almost all have been out of staters.
Once I have been lost in Northern Idaho forest, and I've read plenty of very, very elaborately written "NO Trespassing" signs (in the middle of nowhere), offering to shoot me than shoot me again, gut me, skin me .... for the terrible crime of setting a foot on the square foot of wilderness some nut thinks was made personally for him by sweet baby Jesus....
I still keep wondering, in Northern Idaho, do you shoot a stranger knocking on your door no questions asked and save the rest of hospitality to the folksy types you know? Is there a slight chance of getting help instead of a bullet?
In this season of good Christmas cheer I just ended up finding RememberMee's post amusing in a twisted sort of way . In Clark Fork there's a nice field with a big sign, "No Trespassing--this means YOU, MORON!" We just laugh every time we drive by, at the enormous level of frustration that it must have taken to put up the sign, and at the morons who don't respect it. We, too, have No Trespassing signs on our trees--all that means is that we cherish our property right. Sweet baby Jesus has nothing to do with, Thomas Jefferson and the gang set that up for us.
Oh, and we actually also have one of those signs that say "Trespassers will be shot; survivors will be shot again!" That's a joke, bought in a joke shop...
There is such a thing as having a bad day, and I think Mr. Grump had three of those. I have never, ever met such helpful people as in North Idaho--our new neighbor who didn't even know us showed up with his lawn mower and cleared our entire meadow. Now we all look out for each other. But if you approach others with the attitude that they owe you, and they'd better hurry up, it becomes a different matter...
Wow sounds like you had a great trip, hope we see you again!
People who post something like that you have to take with a grain, make that a ton, of salt. There is always two sides to every story and it sure sounds like his story was blown up a lot larger than it should have been because he was lonely sitting in his truck ticked off he parked illegally and was caught on it by ISP.
If he would like to defend his claims lets get a lot more detail such as exact location of the truck, time, date and weather condition. All these play a huge role in how the ISP will act toward a semi truck parked on the side of the road.
It sounds like they found your truck abandoned on the side of the road and were doing a welfare truck on the driver and informed your company they had found a body inside or near the vehicle. If you think their actions were so wrong file a complaint with the ISP.
I also do not believe his claims of those signs unless he has photographic proof of all the signs and not just one sign someone put on their land because they were tired of people poaching deer on it or something.
To the original OP and his latest question:
If you live in town I would lock your door when you leave because you just never know who may be out and about, whether it be some kids or some person out to get some items so they can pawn them and go buy more pot.
If you have a flat tire it usually will not be too long before someone will stop or call the Idaho State Police and they will respond and help you out.
Most people are friendly and easy to get a long with. You can easily identify the people who have lived in Idaho for a number of years and the new "California" transplants into the area. It is great to see a 70 thousand dollar car with a Obama sticker sitting next to a thousand dollar truck with two rifles in the back window and dead elk in the truck bed at the local walmart. You get the best of both worlds here I guess you could say.
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