2017 Epic Road Trip Westish Northish: Part 3 Idaho

IMG_0390

part1part2

It was a day on the road for the most part, we did get some lunch at a brewery, got great MPGs,

IMG_20170629_114340489_HDR

hit up a walmart to reload the cooler and saw some crazy neon yellow fields.

20170629_130635

Eventually we made it to the campsite.

IMG_20170629_193010886_HDR

We took a break from roughing it in the national park and now had a yurt, and access to showers and toilets that flush.

IMG_20170630_084122327_HDR

The yurt had electricity, including a big box fan and big screens we could open for a breeze during the day but it got really cold at night and we could seal it up and stay warm.

We started out with a quick bike around the campsite to see the surrounding area and then got busy making a fresh meat and veggie dinner.

IMG_20170629_203627374_HDR

It went over pretty well

IMG_20170629_204013425_HDR

The girls set up a little cards/game area in the woods.

IMG_0355

Peanut helped heath and I cook dinner while we taught him about Johnny Cash.

IMG_0363

We took our time again in the morning sleeping in and then enjoying the site

IMG_0366

and making a big breakfast.

IMG_0367

The Castle Rocks state park where we were staying was right next to the City of Rocks National Reserve where we were going so we had like no driving.

IMG_20170630_110214966_HDR

At least in the car

IMG_20170630_110349294_HDR

City of Rocks was awesome and just what I had hopped it would be.

20170630_113634

A playground for the kids

IMG_20170630_115707958_HDR

and the adults

20170630_113956

After climbing around all morning we found some shade and cooked lunch.

IMG_0401

After lunch we headed back to the visitor center for a pre Independence Day party. 20170630_144901

They had watermelon and several arts crafts and other activities but mostly the kids liked the water balloons.

IMG_20170630_150532164_HDR

IMG_20170630_150516632_HDR

It was darn hot out but we decided to do some more rock climbing after the party.

IMG_0447

IMG_0434

IMG_0440

IMG_0442

Once we were worn out from the rocks we headed to camp to cook up a big pot of chicken tortilla soup.

IMG_20170630_191710059_HDR

While we were cooking the kids entertained themselves. Pumpkin had gotten really interested in curin trail markers on the hike and decided to make a few leading to the yurt.

20170630_195300

We all rode bikes a bit with Peanut.

IMG_0455

And Bean thought the table needed some curins also.

20170630_191115

IMG_20170630_185723296_HDR

After dinner we made an apple cinnamon oat bake thing and ate it all. IMG_20170630_210004586_HDR

After showers we tried to get to bed a bit early and get prepared for leaving the next morning.

I woke up too early and made a big breakfast and got as much stuff cleaned up as I could. Eventually we got everyone else up and packed the van back up and drove over to Craters of the Moon National Park. We stopped in the visitor center for Jr. Ranger books then headed out for some hikes. Right away we found a ranger program we wanted to do but had some time to kill

20170701_144008

so we did a few hikes.

20170701_150119

20170701_151915

IMG_0469

It was a crazy place formed from lava and pretty interesting. There was a lot more people around then the City of Rocks and it was really hot on all the black lavarock.

IMG_0460

We made it to the ranger program a little early and visited with a really cool ranger geologist. Then we started the guided hike.

IMG_20170701_160852871

There was a huge group of folks but we were always right next to the ranger.

IMG_0480

I think we hiked about a mile on the surface with several stops to learn about stuff before she took us down a stairwell into caves the lava made.

IMG_0485

20170701_164437

The space was pretty huge in the first ones but obviously only pictures taken near holes turned out.

 

IMG_0492

The program ended with us all in the cave and we were left to wonder around it and the 4 other caves we had passed on the way out. First up we asked for Jr. Ranger badges.

IMG_0496

So off we went looking for more holes in the ground.

IMG_20170701_171722394_HDR

IMG_20170701_171713567_HDR

IMG_0510

Then we explored them,

IMG_0507

Some went a long way and some did not.

IMG_0504We had a few headlamps and lanterns but not really enough for major exploration.

After everything was explored we filled up our water bottles, used the bathroom and hit the road.

20170701_204548

We stopped at a greesy spoon for burgers fries and shakes and then drove through the night squeezing in as much sleep as we could.

part4

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply