Sandpoint, Idaho – No internet for foreigners

At the gas station of the village we draw much attention. People make bets what kind of vehicle Arminius is. Is it from the United Nations, a kind of test vehicle, or even a camper? Some of them embrace us spontaneously, for them a trip like this is just unbelievable.

We spend a couple of hours trying to activate the internet connection with the data SIM card from AT&T we received in Sequim. After many trials – phoning, going to a shop, phoning, shop, phoning again – we have to realize: AT&T will not connect us to the internet without having an American ID card. We are just travellers, so of course we don’t have one. No internet connection for us poor foreigners. We postpone this problem since we might have to buy a new internet stick when working with a different mobile phone provider, and who knows, will they connect us as travellers?

A short hike brings us to Kootenai Falls at the river with the same name. The scenic combination of waterfalls, rapids, and pools protected from the current invites to swimming on summer days. A group of kayak drivers with short, duck-like boats paddles – one after the other – to an eddy where they skilfully remain against the current nearly without paddling or even twist pirouettes.

After reaching Montana we rest at a truck stop in the town of Libby. We park between two trucks, but our happiness doesn’t last very long: Soon more trucks squeeze in and the tanker besides us keeps its engine running for any reason although the driver quickly falls asleep in his berth. Perhaps he hasn’t got a parking heater, and the night seems to become cold. But we can’t ask him because he’s already asleep. Anyway, we change position after supper to a quieter corner of the area.

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