day 1
190 miles
190 total
I-80 to Winnemucca
Nevada is very pretty sometimes.
Nevada is very pretty sometimes.
day 2
127 miles
317 total
more I-80
drinks and dinner with Cassie and Matt and Cindy
drinks and dinner with Cassie and Matt and Cindy
day 3
190 miles
507 total
Mountain Highway to Idaho
breakfast with the deLeons. coffee at Cowboy Joes, wide open drive to Wild Horse Resevoir, curvy canyon of Oynwhee River outflow, wide open Duck Creek Indian Reservation, the very wide Snake River valley. long afternoon
breakfast with the deLeons. coffee at Cowboy Joes, wide open drive to Wild Horse Resevoir, curvy canyon of Oynwhee River outflow, wide open Duck Creek Indian Reservation, the very wide Snake River valley. long afternoon
day 4
68 miles
575 total
Snake River plain is empty
Leave CG 1-ish, easy drive to yummy lunch in Hagerman, Miracle and many flies
Leave CG 1-ish, easy drive to yummy lunch in Hagerman, Miracle and many flies
day 5
127 miles
702 total
Twin Falls
Easy drive to Twin Falls, spend a long time at Java - good food, good wifi, view the Falls, then drive through the rain up I-86 to my campground.
Easy drive to Twin Falls, spend a long time at Java - good food, good wifi, view the Falls, then drive through the rain up I-86 to my campground.
day 6
72 miles
774 total
Pocatello
Up the muddy hill from my quiet spot, I=86 to Pocatello. Big town! Idaho State U! nice breakfast+wifi, then I-15 down the valley to Lava Hot Springs.
Up the muddy hill from my quiet spot, I=86 to Pocatello. Big town! Idaho State U! nice breakfast+wifi, then I-15 down the valley to Lava Hot Springs.
day 7
97 miles
871 total
Montpelier
Explore Lava Hot Springs, a really cool little town. Drive the wide valley to Soda Springs, miss the geyser by 12 minutes, crappy late breakfast in Montpelier, find my campsite.
Explore Lava Hot Springs, a really cool little town. Drive the wide valley to Soda Springs, miss the geyser by 12 minutes, crappy late breakfast in Montpelier, find my campsite.
day 8
163 miles
1,034 total
Star Valley
Up the east side of Bear Lake again, then the east side of the Wildlife Refuge. Quality internet time at the Montpelier Arctic - my Montpelier refuge. Propane at the KOA, then the long drive up the beautiful Star Valley, which has surprisingly few services. Palisades Reservoir, then the Snake River Valley to my destination.
Up the east side of Bear Lake again, then the east side of the Wildlife Refuge. Quality internet time at the Montpelier Arctic - my Montpelier refuge. Propane at the KOA, then the long drive up the beautiful Star Valley, which has surprisingly few services. Palisades Reservoir, then the Snake River Valley to my destination.
day 9
124 miles
1,158 total
Idaho Falls
Leave my strange campsite noon-ish, spend a wonderful afternoon at the falls of Idaho Falls, then a rather crazed drive to the edge of the world, i.e. Craters of the Moon
Leave my strange campsite noon-ish, spend a wonderful afternoon at the falls of Idaho Falls, then a rather crazed drive to the edge of the world, i.e. Craters of the Moon
10
114 miles
1,272 total
Arco
Tour Craters for an hour or so, spend some time just being thankful that it's open! Breakfast in Arco, 80 miles of cattle country to my hot springs. These mountains are very reminiscent of Nevada Basin and Range.
Tour Craters for an hour or so, spend some time just being thankful that it's open! Breakfast in Arco, 80 miles of cattle country to my hot springs. These mountains are very reminiscent of Nevada Basin and Range.
11
125 miles
1,397 total
Salmon River
Pretty drive out of the Challis Hot Springs valley to the town, where I had a really nice meal at new-ish place where they didn't really seem to know what they were doing - but the food and wifi and waitress were excellent! With the peak-ish fall colors the Salmon River valley to Stanley was picture perfect. The final 40 miles along the Salmon were very pretty but I'm ready for my campsite.
Pretty drive out of the Challis Hot Springs valley to the town, where I had a really nice meal at new-ish place where they didn't really seem to know what they were doing - but the food and wifi and waitress were excellent! With the peak-ish fall colors the Salmon River valley to Stanley was picture perfect. The final 40 miles along the Salmon were very pretty but I'm ready for my campsite.
12
128 miles
1,525 total
Crouch
Leisurely driving day. Very dramatic drive on Idaho 21 along the South Fork of the Payette River. Stopped for yummy grilled trout and eggs and wifi in Crouch. Turn north on Idaho 55 which continues the Payette River Valley, which suddenly opens up into a huge valley, home of Cascade Lake and Payette Lake.
Leisurely driving day. Very dramatic drive on Idaho 21 along the South Fork of the Payette River. Stopped for yummy grilled trout and eggs and wifi in Crouch. Turn north on Idaho 55 which continues the Payette River Valley, which suddenly opens up into a huge valley, home of Cascade Lake and Payette Lake.
13
163 miles
1,688 total
Riggins, Salmon Rver again, White Bird
I've done this run before, and it IS beautiful (until Grangeville). Riggins is a funny little one street river town. White Bird is breathtaking and interesting historically. Grangeville sucks. The Nez Perce Reservation looks happy and prosperous. Lewiston/Clarkston are bland little places. Nice people, but kind of awful.
I've done this run before, and it IS beautiful (until Grangeville). Riggins is a funny little one street river town. White Bird is breathtaking and interesting historically. Grangeville sucks. The Nez Perce Reservation looks happy and prosperous. Lewiston/Clarkston are bland little places. Nice people, but kind of awful.
14
104 miles
1,792 total
Clarkston, Snake River
Spent a while at the Clarkston Library planning the next three days, then because of the time zone change I ran out of daylight way quicker than I thought I would.
Spent a while at the Clarkston Library planning the next three days, then because of the time zone change I ran out of daylight way quicker than I thought I would.
15
174 miles
1,966 total
Tri-cities, Columbia River
The same road I was so stressed to drive at the end of the day yesterday was wonderfully pretty and interesting and even relaxing this morning. But by the time I got to Pasco the sun was starting to addle my brain. Found a perfect coffee spot in Kennewick, then drove too long into the glare along the Columbia.
The same road I was so stressed to drive at the end of the day yesterday was wonderfully pretty and interesting and even relaxing this morning. But by the time I got to Pasco the sun was starting to addle my brain. Found a perfect coffee spot in Kennewick, then drove too long into the glare along the Columbia.
16
103 miles
2,069 total
Hood River, Horsetail Falls
Cruise down I-80, past The Dalles, get sidetracked checking to see that they National Forest campgrounds are closed (they are), enjoy Horsetail Falls. Decide I deserve better than Ainsworth State Campground, and so end up at Edgefield a day early, and a day happier!
Cruise down I-80, past The Dalles, get sidetracked checking to see that they National Forest campgrounds are closed (they are), enjoy Horsetail Falls. Decide I deserve better than Ainsworth State Campground, and so end up at Edgefield a day early, and a day happier!
17
107 miles
2,176 total
Portland metroplex
Traffic in the Portland suburbs appears to nearly always SUCK! My noonish drive from Edgefield to the van place along 99W was stop and go the whole way :<
Traffic in the Portland suburbs appears to nearly always SUCK! My noonish drive from Edgefield to the van place along 99W was stop and go the whole way :<
18
50 miles
2,226 total
Central coast
I totally overreacted to the need to get to Tillicum early to get a place, but hey, that just meant I got to a great place early! I drove slowly through the lingering southern edge of Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport. I took my time and soaked it up, but didn't stop for many sites, I wanted to nail down a spot at Tillicum.
I totally overreacted to the need to get to Tillicum early to get a place, but hey, that just meant I got to a great place early! I drove slowly through the lingering southern edge of Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport. I took my time and soaked it up, but didn't stop for many sites, I wanted to nail down a spot at Tillicum.
19
89 miles
2,315 total
Yachats and Florence
ah, a lazy Sunday on the coast in the off-season! Coffee and wifi at the annoying place in Yachats (still annoying, and I keep coming back every time!). Watch the voilent waves at Cape Perpetua, then another coffee at the pleasant, un-annoying place in Florence (I shoulda gotten tea this time). Somewhere around Reedsport was a really depressing run of 'harvested' forest. You know it happens, but it's awful to actually see it.
ah, a lazy Sunday on the coast in the off-season! Coffee and wifi at the annoying place in Yachats (still annoying, and I keep coming back every time!). Watch the voilent waves at Cape Perpetua, then another coffee at the pleasant, un-annoying place in Florence (I shoulda gotten tea this time). Somewhere around Reedsport was a really depressing run of 'harvested' forest. You know it happens, but it's awful to actually see it.
20
109 miles
2,424 total
Bandon, Port Orford, Gold Beach
Note to self, check out Bullard's Beach SP next time, close to Bandon and not an hour of extra driving off 101.
Note to self, check out Bullard's Beach SP next time, close to Bandon and not an hour of extra driving off 101.
21
118 miles
2,542 total
Crescent City
Beautiful drive down the Redwood Coast that I am becoming familiar with.
Beautiful drive down the Redwood Coast that I am becoming familiar with.
22
0 miles
2,542 total
Eureka
hanging with the family, looking at houses
hanging with the family, looking at houses
26
165 miles
2,728 total
140 miles of exhausting road
Saw the family off, then took off myself. Had lunch at Eel River Brewery in Fortuna, which was really good. Then settled in for three hours of hell in the form of endless mile after mile of very curvy, narrow roads. Very pretty area, followed the Van Duzen River for the first 80 or so miles, but it was hard to enjoy because I couldn't take my eyes away from the road.
Saw the family off, then took off myself. Had lunch at Eel River Brewery in Fortuna, which was really good. Then settled in for three hours of hell in the form of endless mile after mile of very curvy, narrow roads. Very pretty area, followed the Van Duzen River for the first 80 or so miles, but it was hard to enjoy because I couldn't take my eyes away from the road.
27
203 miles
2,931 total
even more slightly less exhausting road
Very, very pretty, but long drive. Still lots of fall colors.
Very, very pretty, but long drive. Still lots of fall colors.