Pecos Bill and the Lost Treasure of the Idaho Panhandle

Pecos Bill Presents Peculiar Panhandles: Idaho Tales Bonus Substack Chapter

Pecos Bill Presents Peculiar Panhandles is available as an ebook or paperback on Amazon.

I figured I’d throw in a little something special for all you folks over on Substack—a bonus chapter that didn’t quite make it into the main book, but one that’s got the same wild energy as a tumbleweed on a windy day.

This story takes place deep in the Idaho Panhandle, back when the gold rush was still fresh in the minds of all the fortune hunters that came through these parts. They came from all over, lookin’ to strike it rich, diggin’ holes like they thought the earth owed ‘em somethin’. But there was one thing these folks didn’t reckon with: Pecos Bill.

Now, as it happens, I’ve spent more time in the backcountry than most folks would care to admit—mostly because I like to be where the wild things roam, and where the world isn’t quite so… civilized. One day, I was out by the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, wanderin' around with Widowmaker and a little too much time on my hands. That’s when I found it—a map. Not your typical treasure map, mind you, but one with a strange markin’—an X, of course, but one with a twist. It wasn’t just an X where the treasure was buried—it was an X that pointed toward Spirit Lake.

Now, Spirit Lake and I have had our run-ins before. You’ve heard the stories about the ghostly figures and phantom canoes, but what people don’t tell you is that the lake’s got more buried secrets than a prospector with a hidden stash. This map, though—well, it didn’t just lead me to the lake. It led me to a cave. And inside that cave? Let’s just say I wasn’t the first to find that treasure.

I headed out toward the lake, the map tucked into my vest, but when I got close, I felt it. The air got thick, almost like the wind was whispering secrets to me. Widowmaker got antsy, and I knew right then something was about to go down.

Sure enough, as I got closer to the shore, I saw them—those dwarves, the same ones I’d run into before. They had a way of showing up when you least expected them, and this time, they were guarding something far more precious than a few shiny rocks. They were guarding the Lost Treasure of the Panhandle—an ancient hoard, hidden away by a long-gone tribe that used to rule these lands before they disappeared into the pages of forgotten history.

The treasure was more than gold, though. It was magic, old as the land itself. And those dwarves? They weren’t just guarding it—they were trying to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

But you know how I deal with people who try to keep me from something I’ve set my sights on. I walked right up to them, tipped my hat, and said, “Well, boys, looks like you’ve got somethin’ I need to take a look at.”

What followed wasn’t pretty. They attacked, of course, thinking they could take me down with their little claws and tricks, but Pecos Bill don’t run from no one. I pulled out my lasso, twirled it like I was ready for a rodeo, and next thing you know, I had one of the dwarves tied up tighter than a drum. The others didn’t last long. I grabbed the treasure, and just before the last dwarf could make a move, I said, “I reckon you should keep your paws off what doesn’t belong to you.”

The treasure? Well, it didn’t just shine—it pulsed with an energy that made the air buzz. But I didn’t take it for myself. Oh no. I knew better. I took it to Spirit Lake, where it belonged, and threw it back into the water, letting the lake swallow it whole. The legends say that treasure can change a man, and I wasn’t about to let it change me.

Now, the dwarves? They’ve been quiet ever since. Maybe they learned that when it comes to the Idaho Panhandle, you don’t try to mess with the land. You don’t try to hoard its magic. And most importantly—you don’t try to keep it from a man like me, especially when I’ve got Widowmaker at my side and the land itself backing me up.

So, that’s the story of how I helped keep the Lost Treasure of the Panhandle where it belonged—deep in the heart of the land, where only the truly wild can ever reach it. And if you ever find yourself near Spirit Lake at night, you might just see that phantom canoe gliding by. It’s not the treasure you need to worry about, partner—it’s the power that the Idaho Panhandle has, the kind of power that keeps its secrets safe, even from the likes of me.

Pecos Bill Presents Peculiar Panhandles is available as an ebook or paperback on Amazon.