From Oregon to Idaho June 2015

On the road by 10:00 AM- the time for which we were aiming! Traffic getting to HWY 22 wasn't bad, though we missed our turn and had to turn around. Interesting how your brain has you go the way you last went somewhere, even if that isn't where you want to go this time. :-) We opted to take the southern route, since Cabbage Hill has a reputation for burning up rigs pulling travel trailers. Also, we didn't want to be the vehicle that was slowing everyone else down- since we have followed those before and it isn't any fun! Not too much traffic to get out of Salem; a few idiots that seem to think a truck pulling a travel trailer can stop on a dime- but pretty much normal.

Heading into central Oregon, through Bend (with a stop at REI for a new floor tire pump for the bicycles) and into the great sagebrush covered desert. We stopped at the gas station/market in Riley to use our trailer for a rest area and headed on toward Burns. About 9 miles out, just before the rest area, we were stopped by a long line of cars/trucks/motorcycles.

There had been an accident (a ghastly one with a motorcycle hitting a 3 quarter ton pickup head on) so there we were. There really isn't any way out of that area except that highway. They said it could be as long as 3 hours. (I was worrying about all of our food in the fridge.) So we sat for an hour- cars turning around and heading back west; hoping to go around, I guess. Finally, Joe had a section of road next to a gravel driveway into the sagebrush. He called the market at Riley to ask if there was any other way east. The Riley guy was very helpful. Apparently, the gravel drive (more like two tire paths) was into BLM land and it could be taken to get around the section of the highway that was blocked, if we were willing to bounce along for about 5 miles. With the other choice being sit still for 3 to 5 hours, we pulled into the driveway and undid the barbed wire "gate". There was a woman with a horse in a trailer that said if we went, she would follow us, so at least we would have company out in the middle of nothing. Luckily, before we got started, the incident guy (who was setting out signs indicating the accident ahead) said that it might only be a couple of minutes before the eastbound traffic could move. So, Joe backed out onto the highway again just in time to slowly pass the accident site. (It was horrible. They had to wait for the coroner to get there from Burns before they could reopen the westbound lanes. Our prayers to the person who lost a life and the pickup driver involved.) So we finally got into Burns and got gas and food, and had time to take a photo of a deer who was waiting out the heat under a tree before heading on east.

Our goal was a small RV park not too far into Idaho. We had called ahead and reserved the last spot for the night. The nice lady that answered the phone was very cheerful. I called when we heard that we would be delayed and she said it would be okay (after commenting that we would have to wait out in the heat!) for us to get in that night- however late it was. I had completely forgotten the time difference- so we were an hour later than I told her we would be- but she was there, all cheerful, as her husband directed some late comers to an adjacent parking area and came to direct us to our spot. (They had lovely showers- hot and private!) We got up the next morning (at 5:30) and were on the road by 8:30, having filled the gas tank for the second leg of our excursion.