Driving Days … From Washington to Utah via Oregon and Idaho

Thursday, 21 June 2018
JB Hill FamCamp — JB Hill, Utah
Temps: 89F (32C) / 60F (16C)

Four days of driving … three one-night stands in campgrounds.  That’s what it took to get us to  Utah.

More specifically, we are at the famcamp at Joint Base Hill … still referred to by most people as Hill Air Force Base … just as it was back in the 1980s when Mui was stationed here for a couple of years.

Our driving days were uneventful … as they should be.  Our first overnight was at Memaloose State Park in Oregon.  It was a short drive from Gig Harbor … planned specifically that way because we were hoping to visit Multnomah Falls en route.  There’s a parking lot in the middle of the east- and westbound lanes of I-84 that makes it easy for travelers to check out the falls area.  Alas, electronic signage along the way indicated the parking lot was full and suggested using a different exit from which a shuttle was being operated to the falls.  Not knowing what the parking situation would be for a big rig at the alternate location, we scrapped our plans.  Maybe next time.

Site 43 at Memaloose State Park was our home for one night.

Note:  This state park is off I-84W.  Those traveling east have to back track three miles to get to the park and the campground.  And then continue backtracking another 3-4 miles when they leave in order to catch I-84E again.

Our second night on the road was in Fruitland, ID — at the Neat Retreat RV Park.  The sites are mostly occupied by residents in either RVs or park models … some well-maintained … some not.  The few sites reserved for transients are extra long, designed to be shared by two rigs parked back-to-back.  We were given an entire site so we wouldn’t have to unhook.  Decent enough place for an overnight stay with good wifi and cable TV … the latter important since there’s no way to get a satellite signal through the trees.

Signage at the Deadman Pass Rest Area where we stop for lunch.

Left: Oregon Trail emigrants typically reached Deadman Pass, then known
as Crawford Hill, after three days of travel over what an emigrant in 1844
described as "steep but not sideling."  It was so long, however, that another
emigrant thought she "would never get to the foot of the mountains."  Once
down the hill, they camped along the Umatilla River where in 1852 one of
the emigrants found the valley "literally dotted with Indian ponies.”

Right: "Hard times.  Many cattle are failing and all are very poor and good
many get lost among the thick timber.  A good many wagons are left, some
broken and some good and sound because the cattle are not able to take
them along."  Oregon Trail emigrants Cecelia Adams & Parthenia Blank (1852).

Neat Retreat RV Park … be aware that the sites are oddly numbered,
It’s easy to miss your site … we speak from experience ;-)

Our third overnight was at the Twin Falls 93 RV Park … in Filer, Idaho … a suburb of Twin Falls.  We got an electric and water site in the new section … gravel roads with gravel pads that are separated by grass patios.  A decent place for an overnight stay or to use as a base for exploring the area.

A popular park … it was empty when we first arrived … not so much later in the day.

This was a special stop for us … scheduled in order to meet up with a friend from when Mui was assigned to the AFROTC Detachment at the University of Utah.  It was great to see Larry again after 27 years.  We met up at his house and then went to Elevation 486, a restaurant on the rim of the Snake River Canyon … good food, nice views … and excellent camaraderie.

Visiting with Larry and reminiscing about our days in Salt Lake City.

Our stop in Twin Falls also gave us an opportunity to squeeze in a bit of sightseeing … at Shoshone Falls … which we last visited when we were in Twin Falls in 1989 to celebrate Larry’s parents’ 50th anniversary.  To see the falls, one needs to pay an admission of $3/car … well worth it … especially if one has time to do any of the walks.  We didn’t.  But we did drive over to Dierkes Lake, also located within the fee area.

A barely visible rainbow graces our visit to Shoshone Falls.

There’s far more water flowing today than there was when we visited in 1989.

Dierkes Lake is a popular swimming spot for the locals.

Our final day on the road started with a sightseeing stop at the Perrine Memorial Bridge, which spans the Snake River and affords excellent views in both directions.  A long pullout just after crossing the bridge when leaving Twin Falls was perfect for parking the Phaeton.  From there, we walked under the bridge to the viewing platforms.

There is a nice rim walk that can be accessed from either side of the canyon, but no time to do it today.

Snake River Canyon from the Perrine Memorial Bridge.

We were welcomed to Joint Base Hill by the Thunderbirds — the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron … practicing for this weekend’s Airshow.  Located just off the South Gate of the base, the famcamp was easy to find.  Larry, the host, greeted us just as I was leaving the Phaeton to head into the office.  He checked us in then and there and escorted us to site 31.

The famcamp set up here consists of long sites that accommodate two rigs … parked back to back.  Paved and level, with gravel separators between the 50A FHU sites — $20/night.  Wi-fi only available in the rec center adjacent to the office.  No problem getting a satellite signal, and though there is no cable, off-the-air TV signal is strong.

We’re next to the host’s site, with facing patios since they are parked reverse to accommodate their fiver’s utility hookups.  They work a seven-day schedule, and use their fiver’s balcony when they are at home, so it will work out OK, and our shade curtain will give us privacy when we sit outdoors.  Our roughly east-west orientation guarantees shade on the patio from mid-morning to late afternoon … longer with the awning and umbrella open.  As long as the temps allow, I plan to spend my days at home on the patio … enjoying the views of the Wasatch Mountains to our east.

Site 31 at the FamCamp will be our home for two weeks.

We’ll be at the famcamp for two weeks.  During this time, we’ll be checking out the nearby areas for future settlement, and doing some sightseeing as well … probably mostly to reminisce about the good old days before the urban sprawl took over the deserted areas of the valley and the foothills of the mountains.

T-Mobile Update:  Mostly good 2-4 bar LTE signal all four days.  The few dead spots we encountered along the way were brief.  Here at JB Hill we have 2-3 bar LTE.

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