Lucas Gebhart
Editor-in-Chief
I walked into the bathroom of O’Malley’s Sports Pub and Grill, a popular sports bar in Rathdrum near Coeur d’Alene, to find a middle-aged man looking deep into my soul.
He was tall, bearded, wore camo jeans, a bright orange hoodie and a Cabela’s ballcap. He could have whipped the floor with me in 30 seconds if he wanted to, so naturally, I was very uncomfortable.
I diverted my eye contact from him, but he was still looking at me like he wanted to say something. I eventually cut my losses and nervously said, “how’s it going.”
His response was something that I will never forget. He looked me dead in the eye and said, “Well, I’d be a lot better if I’da killed somethin’ today,” in one of the strongest, most North Idaho redneck accents I have ever heard in my life.
For a moment, I thought I was going to die right then and there in that bathroom.
“Saw three deer run,” he continued without consent. “Couple moose and some bulls. But you can’t shoot ‘dem bull.”
He then stumbled his way out of the urinal, nearly falling over and I realized why he was acting this way. He was drunk. Much too drunk for it to only be 4:30 p.m. This realization came with a wave of relief as I realized that my chances of making it out of the Rathdrum bathroom significantly increased.
This is the event that both highlighted and capped off my North Idaho experience, one that was filled with rain, beauty and interesting social interactions, all of which never happen in southeast Idaho.
I’ve lived in Idaho for a little over three years. As a result of a high school broadcasting job I’ve held since 2015, I have gotten the opportunity to travel to every corner of the state. This last weekend, I took a trip to Moscow, Coeur d’Alene and Spirit Lake to broadcast three state football games that were decided by a combined 12 points. This was my second trip to the north since I have been living in Idaho.
North Idaho is whole different ballgame compared to Southern Idaho. Most people from here already know that. Everything, including the time, is different. The interaction I had with this guy was something that I don’t think would have ever happened to me in Southern Idaho. I think that’s why I was so taken aback by it. I have never had my life randomly threatened in a sports bar in Pocatello only to find out that they guy was talking about his hunting trip.
This interaction is an example of how different, yet still somewhat similar, these two parts of the state really are.
These differences stretch much farther than the climate or topography while the similarities stay within Idaho’s identity.
No matter where you go in Idaho, the north, the south or Boise, you will find people who are proud to be from Idaho. You will find outdoorsy people who will be more than happy to tell you about their hunting trip. That is a strong part Idaho’s identity and you will find that no matter what part of the state you are in. Both area of Idaho have mountains, but the mountains in the north are postcard-worthy. The lakes, trees and cloud cover make for unforgettable views that Southern Idaho simply cannot compete with. Southern Idaho is pretty, but North Idaho is gorgeous. While looking over Lake Coeur d’Alene, I felt like I was in Switzerland. I have never gotten that same feeling while in Pocatello.
Both these things, the social interaction and the scenery, are things that you simply don’t get in Pocatello.
