Carey, ID & Silver Creek BLM

Silver Creek BLM (Bureau of Land Management)—When we can, we like to stay on BLM land. First, it’s free. Second, you usually are not sandwiched in with other RVs, and it’s quiet. However, the downside is that you have no facilities—no electricity, water, or sewer. Thankfully, we are self-contained and can boondock for about ten days. It is often interesting getting to these areas. The roads are gravel, usually not grated, so we jiggle in the truck as we cross uneven paths. As much as Mitch likes staying in these sites, he hates the dust accumulating on the truck and rig. He is a regular Tony Randall when it comes to his truck. However, this was one of those times when they said to be prepared for anything on the road. Since these areas are open, nothing can block the winds when they decide to shake the trailer. One night, the wind was howling, and we decided to minimize the rocking by putting all the slides in. Unfortunately, the slides would not retract, and we couldn’t do anything until morning.

Bad news! The nearest town is 40 minutes away, and we had to get some hydraulic fluid to fill the reservoir. Upon our return, Mitch filled the reservoir, but nothing happened when he tried to activate the slide. Inspector Mitch ruefully found a busted hydraulic hose. To repair it, he had to drop the underbelly of the trailer to gain access to the hose. Another trip to town to get a new hose and more fluid made for a very long day. I am grateful Mitch is handy and was able to fix it before we traveled to our next destination.

Shoshone Falls—The falls are 212 feet tall and 900 feet wide and must be seen when you visit Twin Falls, ID. They are higher than Niagara Falls and are on the Snake River. The best time to see the falls is in the spring when the snow begins to melt. In summer, a portion is diverted to irrigate the farmland, and by the fall, there is minimal water flow, making it look almost dry. We were there during summer when the falls were still impressive, and kayakers were seen in the river. Slide the arrow to look at the spring falls compared to our view.

Crater of the Moon National Monument & Preserve—This park is a combination of lava and sagebrush. Our first stop was the Inferno Cone Overlook. You hike up a barren, steep hill, except for the black, grainy rocks. As I reached the top, I wondered how a lone tree survived in this environment. Our next stop was viewing the splatter cones. These are holes where the lava spewed its way to the earth’s crust. The surrounding rock is very porous, almost sponglike. Next, off to the lava cascades, where it solidified and left its tracks. We compared this to visiting Hawaii with the kids and witnessing live lava flowing down. Lava is red, but as it cools, its color turns gray until the end process is the black rock we saw in the fields.

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