Pocatello, ID 9/12/11

Our last stop in Mountain Home, ID was intended for a trip to Wal-Mart for spare tubes for both our bikes as well as propane for our pocket rocket stove.
After constant uphill touring with a fierce head wind, we made it to Mountain Home.

Mountain Home is a medium size town that is mainly there to support the Air Force Base down the way. We arrived the day before a huge parade honoring all veterans of the Armed forces.

The cheapest RV Park was Cottonwood RV.
Cottonwood RV had one spot for tent campers for $10 which included a shower as well.
There was also a Laundry room we could take advantage of for $1 to wash and $1 to dry.

The manager of the Park was a retired Vet of the Air force, but we believed that he wanted to really be a Cop.
After Harassing us 3 times by telling us that he could have the cops there in 1 minute and that he had detectives watching the park as we spoke, he left. Not sure if he was jealous that we were able to ride where he was not, or he just didn't like us.
Yoshi didn't like him.

The price was good, but the water had chloroform in it as was posted in the laundry room.

We were going to go to the parade where there would be free food, but we needed to get out of town and on out of Idaho.

Thankfully, my Father did come through with some sponsorship $ where we would otherwise have to find quick jobs to get us through. (There are not many if any in Mountain Home, we looked). Sooo, Thank you DAD!!

We continued on to Three Island State Campgrounds where we had called ahead in Mountain Home to check on the price and if they had a "Hike and Bike" campsite like they do in OR.
Vesper explained to whoever answered the phone what we were doing and was told that all we needed to do was pay the entrance fee to the park.

Get to the park around 7:30pm
There is NOT a hike and bike, there is NOT a designated place for tent camping and we had to pay the same amount as the campers with big RVs did. $23.25.

After a long talk with the Ranger, we went on our way towards Bliss on the old Hwy. 30
What should only be a 25 mile ride, ended up turning into an all day fight against the grade and head force wind from the East, which brought with it a rainstorm.

Sheldon Bluestein, a former Topographer for the entire state of Idaho stopped and offered us a ride into Bliss. He is the author for Exploring Idaho High Desert and published in 1986 and is in the process of updating that book with a new one for today's Idaho. He ended up being the perfect person to talk with on how to get out of Idaho.
He liked us so much, that he changed his plans so that he could take us as far as Pocatello thus avoiding the rainstorm and the winds that came with it.
Thank you Sheldon for introducing us to Costco, Cloverleaf Creamery- Ice-cream and tons of good information on Idaho.
We were going to tell all to avoid Idaho, but if ID does become more bicycle friendly there could still be hope for this Agriculture State.
Better roads, hike and bike sites at the parks and overall knowledge of sharing the roadways with cyclists.

More tomorrow, from Pocatello, ID

Woman of Scars