Salmon, Idaho (2022) (Patreon)

In the same way yesterday's photo is my definitive image in my head from Reno, this is the image in my head from my time in rural Idaho, specifically the town of Salmon. I took this photo for my partner who lives here; that is their truck. 

By the time this one is getting posted, I'm packing up my car and driving to Seattle, so I can finally just say online where I lived. 

That's it right there. 

The mountains in this shot are the biggest feature in town and the entire range is clearly, perfectly visible off my porch; I've had a perfect view the whole time I've lived here. My reasons for moving here are distillable pretty easily (love), my reasons for leaving are also distillable pretty easily: Look at that map (and also, the state of Idaho's politics, generally). 

Idaho Falls and Missoula are the closest airports. It is roughly two hours to Dillon, which is the nearest interstate on-ramp. The largest wilderness area (wilderness in Nat'l Forest terms means no motorized vehicles except for airplanes on grandfathered-in airstrips, and emergency jet boats) in the lower 48 is about six miles as the crow flies from my front door. Also everyone fucking stares at me all the time everywhere I go and I cannot wait to not feel like a freak in the grocery store.

I do not think there are actually many places more remote or isolated than this left in the lower 48 states; in that way, living here has been fascinating. I think it will take a little while of living somewhere in civilization to fully quantify everything I've missed and everything I've enjoyed, but I am ecstatic to not spend another winter in Salmon. It's so, so hard to leave once the snow falls, because the passes snow shut and the cold is bitter and because my partner leaves for work for half a month at a time, I get very lonely. 

I hope this move works, but I guess time will tell.