2019 Fall Western Trip: East to Fort Collins

Saturday 10/12:  278 miles and parked at Burns RV Park,  Burns, Oregon

Site 51

We were up at 4:30, and got Terri to the Eugene airport about 5:15.  She had a 6:00 flight.  We start our trek back east towards home.  It was a smooth drive on the Willamette Highway to Rt. 97, and then to Rt. 20.  We have stayed in Burns before.  It is a small, family run park right off Rt. 20.  With a good selection of long pull thru sites, this is a great overnight travel stop.

Sunday 10/13: 255 miles, parked at Three Island SP,  Glenns Ferry, Idaho

Site 39

It was a cold 30 degrees this morning, but sunny and 71 when we arrived about 2:30.  The drive was pleasant, taking Rt. 20 to Ontario, Oregon and then I-84 to Glenns Ferry.  Eastern Oregon-Idaho is the largest onion growing region in the US, followed closely by Washington and California. Ontario is the center of the Oregon-Idaho production.

We entered the Mountain Time Zone today, we so moved clock ahead one hour.  Now only 2 hours difference from home.  Three Island Crossing is a beautiful State Park with water and electric only.  The park appears to be about half full.  There are lots of paved biking and hiking trails around the park and along the Snake River.   Three Island Crossing was an important crossing of the Snake River on the Oregon Trail.  The nearby Oregon Trail Interpretive Center was closed.  Damn!!!  It would be nice to stay here for a few days sometime.

Monday 10/14: 180 miles and parked at Pocatello KOA

Site 44

It was a very chilly 28 out this morning at Glenns Ferry.  We have a short drive today, so didn't leave until 10:30 and we arrived at Pocatello about 1:30.  This is a very nice stop over park, with an excellent laundry.  It is also one of the very earliest KOA's to join the system.  The weather was bright and sunny,  and very windy.  The laundry was near by, so we did a couple loads.

Rose, the manager chatted with us about the potato harvest this year.  There was panic last week because of a heavy frost.  Farmers were harvesting all night, and farmers were helping each other.  Because of the effort, most were harvested successfully.  She even gave us some freshly harvested potatoes that friends gave her.  Idaho produces about a third of all potatoes grown in US.

Tuesday 10/15: 240 miles and parked at the Rock Springs, KOA in Wyoming.

Site 43

Gorgeous patio sites.  We'd pick one of these if staying a few days.

It was a brisk 30 degrees this morning in Glenns Ferry.  We were out of the campground by 9:30.  Most of the drive today was on US Rt 30, a beautiful 2 lane road.  Also called "The Lincoln Highway" Rt 30 had very little traffic.  It was an enjoyable drive through rangeland land of grazing cattle, occasional wheat fields, and a section of numerous natural gas wells.  It was sunny all day and 65 when we checked it at the Rock Springs KOA by 2:00.  We have stayed here before, and it is a convenient spot to stop along Interstate 80.  Because of the windy, dry climate, there is almost no lawn here.  They are just gravel.  But in general, the sites are large and spacious.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10/16, - 18: 278 miles, Lakeside KOA, Fort Collins, Colorado

Site 29

This is a great park that contains a small lake with a three quarter mile walking trail around it.  Since we are staying for 3 nights, we opted for a patio site.  After setup, we sat outside for a beer, until Judy got bit by a yellow jacket wasp.  Ouch!!

Thursday, we hunted up the O'Dell Brewery for lunch.  It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and sat out on their patio and had wings from the food truck.  At 4:30 friends Stan and Betsy picked us to go out for dinner.  They took us to the Next Door Restaurant in The Old Town section of Fort Collins.  It was warm out, so we sat on the patio.  We haven't seen them in a couple years, so we had lots to catch up on.  It was a really fun evening.

On Friday we made arrangement to meet Tanya Victor at the New Belgium Brewery, where she works, for lunch.  Tanya is the daughter of friends Dan and Ann Wright, who we visited in Wisconsin.  Tanya was free from 11:00 to 12:00, so we met her for an early beer and got caught up.  After Tanya left, we grabbed lunch at the food truck at the brewery.

Back to the camper to walk the dogs, and then at 4:00 we met Judy's cousin, Denise at the CooperSmiths Brewery in Old Town for dinner.  Denise is another one of those folks we don't get to see very often, so we had lots to chat about.

Tomorrow we pack up and continue east some more.