Three Island Crossing State Park - Glenns Ferry, Idaho: New alarm clock: leave the blinds up overnight. By 6a the RV is as bright as a movie set. It worked and we were on the road by nine o’clock this morning, when we usually can’t get our act together until 10 or 11a. (Coffee, New York Times crossword, exercise.) We are following the Oregon Trail - via I-84 East - in our covered wagon, just going in the wrong direction, and instead of two oxen, we have 200 horses.
Tech update: Around 1p, we entered the mountain zone just before reaching Idaho, the fourth state of our trip. Our phones - and DTs Apple Watch - automatically switched to the Mountain Time Zone. Our not-working RV GPS still thinks we are in the midwest. No matter how often I manually changed the time on the dash clock, a few minutes later it flashes with NEW TIME ZONE DETECTED, and returns the dash clock to the Central Time Zone. Finally, I switched our Mercedes to the Honduras time zone and it stayed. Yeah, Honduras! Dave is so curious about why the dash info is always correct to warn about speed & construction zones on I-84 when it thinks we are in the Dakotas, and I am curious how our Mercedes app knows how many miles we have covered in a day. How?
We stopped for a short break to make/eat sandwiches, then continued on I-84 as we had many miles to cover today and it was best to stay on the easy interstate. Maybe everyone was at their aunt and uncle’s house having a BBQ party for the 4th, because traffic was eerily light. Also, the speed limit on I-84 in Idaho is 80mph! (My Driver keeps it between 60-65mph.) Our search for fuel was luckier today. In Nampa, Idaho, we stopped at a service station at the off-ramp. The green handle said DIESEL, but that just isn’t enough information. DT went inside to check but the clerk dispensing sodas and snacks had no idea. She asked her boss. Boss only knew it was biodiesel. Again, no help. Next station was Chevron with a nice sign reading ULTRA-LOW SULPHUR DIESEL! Jackpot!
We pulled into Glenns Ferry, Idaho around 4... or was it 5?... to find our reserved site at Three Island Crossing State Park. We have stayed at this campground a few times previously and have really enjoyed the pretty park. The park museum is interesting and it is fun to imagine how the pioneers crossed the river here in their covered wagons.
A potato salad was prepped yesterday. Potatoes and egg (just one egg and two Yukon Gold potatoes) were boiled. After they cooled a bit, I added the warm potatoes and diced egg white to a sauce with the mashed egg yolk, cornichon brine from the pickle jar, Dijon, mayonnaise, pepper, salt, a dash of sugar, and dried dill. This mix rested overnight in the fridge. This morning I tossed in chopped onion, celery, and cornichons. It needed a bit more mayo this morning, and was garnished with celery leaves. Pretty and really pretty good.
There was a chicken-basil sausage grilled for each of us, and a tomato, onion, Kalamata olive, and basil salad. Maybe not very traditional, but I could not find watermelon, nor corn. Too early in these parts.
We continue our eastern journey tomorrow. Until my next update, I remain, your Independent correspondent.
Happy 4th of July! Leo is with Lenny’s parents tonight at the fireworks in DC, and we are watching on PBS.
Campground Information: Three Island Crossing State Park - near Glenns Ferry, Idaho, Exit 120 on I-84. Many sites have power and water. Restrooms, bathhouse, picnic pavilion, dump station, small store with ice. Most sites are shaded. We paid $46, for a paved back-in with 30/50 amp + water. We have a picnic table and firepit. We are required to also pay a $7 park entrance fee, but the booth was closed. Maybe we can pay on the way out tomorrow?