These two days have been spent exploring all sorts of backroads and desolate country, including the famed Magruder Road Corridor. We have ended up tonight at Arco, Idaho.
Day 8 (MT-ID)
Leaving Dillon, the plan was to drive the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, then try to find a place my brother remembered called the Christensen Ranch, where he thought his geology class may have come in 1984. From Dillon we took I-15 south to MT 278, followed it north to the Pioneer Scenic Byway, which comes out on MT 43. A slight diversion off MT 43 took us on gravel roads (North Fork and Lower North Fork) back to MT 43, then US 93 north to local routes to the Magruder Corridor.
The Christensen Ranch did not look familiar to him, as it was more open country than mountains.
It's not signed, but maps indicate that MT 43 dips ever so briefly into Idaho as it comes to its end at US 93, so that gave me another new Idaho county for my collection.
We made surprisingly good progress on the Magruder Road. Once we crossed the river and started the really treacherous portion, we only met four ATVs, and two full-sized vehicles which were at a pullout. We ended up camping at a makeshift spot near the western end of the road, after finding that a campground listed in the Forest Service literature didn't have all the amenities listed (no running water or picnic tables) so we continued on a little farther.
He had a two-person tent and two sleeping bags and a small cot, but I decided I would rather sleep sitting up in the truck (I'm used to sleeping in a recliner at home). During the night, it came a thunderstorm. The water ran under the bottom of his tent since we weren't in a developed campsite, so his sleeping bag ended up getting wet because he didn't use the cot, but instead used a thermal pad and a small inflatable pad under his sleeping bag. Meanwhile, I was high and dry.
I honestly don't see the appeal of camping like that. It's not something I would voluntarily do, that's for sure. I know lots of people are into it, but not me. Unless I end up on another adventure with him sometime where that's our only overnight option, I doubt I'll be doing that again.
Day 9 (Idaho)
Much of today was spent driving in the rain or cloudy conditions getting from the Elk City area to Arco. We finished up the last few miles of the Magruder (a good gravel road), then FS 222, ID 14, and ID 13 took us to Grangeville. From there we picked up US 95 south, a good, fast route, then ID 55, ID 44, and a local street to I-184 to I-84. From there, we exited at Mountain Home and took US 20 (picking up US 26 and US 93) and ended the day at Arco after visiting Craters of the Moon.
Gas is consistently at or just slightly below $4 a gallon in Idaho, which seems awfully expensive. I'm really surprised it was as high as it was in Montana, but Idaho is even higher. Is it taxes? Other than one place with a captive audience that had gas priced at $5 a gallon, this is the most expensive gas I've seen in many, many years. I'd hate to live out here, considering how far you have to drive to get anywhere.
The roads here are quite scenic, even the ones that go through a lot of rolling prairie with occasional ridges like US 20. The 80 mph speed limit on I-84 is nice, but I didn't get to take advantage of it because I was driving in the rain in my brother's truck, so I exercised caution and slowed down.
Speaking of rain, the next time there are fires in this part of the country, just bring me out here. We have dealt with rain on and off for three days. A storm with lots of lightning was off to our east when we exited I-84 at Mountain Home.
Tomorrow, I think we're making a beeline for the Mexican Hat area.
