Arrived in Coeur D'Alene

June 14 – Thank goodness we only had 246 miles today to Coeur D’Alene, ID.  I need a break!  We gained another hour today so arrived plenty early.

 

Bill hadn't slept well so he was on the couch and I was leisurely driving and checking out the mountains and scenery.  As usual there were cones and signs directly us into a single lane on the interstate.  I complied as usual and continue on in my one lane.  Then at an exit ramp they had put more cones and a sign that was rather misleading and I had to make a snap decision on which lane to chose.  I thought it was routing us off and then back on.  WELL, it did route us off and behind me was a car and another motorhome.  I hadn't gone 30 feet and there was a sign warning about 11 ton bridge limit.  I'm on a narrow road with NO turn around and I out weight 22,000 pounds.  I start calling for Bill, like he can instantly do magic and make it OK.  Well I put the pedal to the metal and raced as fast as I could across the bridge!  It did not crumble behind me like in a movie!  Once the 3 vehicles crossed, the car had room to turn around and go back.  Well it was a tiny 2 lane road and bumpy as all get out and I had no choice but to see where it took us.  The other RV was right on my tail and the GPS was telling me to make a left turn in a couple of miles so Bill was doing his best to keep me calm.  All I can think is there is NO place to turn around and what if this road dead ends.  Well it finally had me turn left and there was the ramp to get back on the interstate.  I could have jumped out and kissed the ground!  Further down the interstate was another setup so Bill could see how confusing it was.  I said I'm NOT getting off again! 

The 50,000 Silver Dollar shop

At it approached lunchtime there was a gift shop advertised for miles and miles along the highway as having the largest number of souvenirs in Montana and that they possessed 50,000 silver dollars so we thought we’d see what the parking was like and give it a shot!  It’s a huge complex and there was great parking right in front.  We went it first and looked around and they have a diner, a bar (where there are 50,000 silver dollars in cases and mounted on the walls and ceiling), and every kind of souvenir you could want.  Bill found a coaster with a buffalo on it that he liked so that was our big purchase.  We ate lunch in the RV and got right back on I-90. 

We stopped to get fuel as there are no Pilot or Flying J’s in Idaho on I-90 and we didn’t want to worry about it later.  The last station is on a hillside and it is very dicey getting out and turned around.  We ended up going past it once we filled and turning and driving thru the pumps on the other side of the building to get back to the way we came.  It was that or try and turn around in a dirt lot further down.  So it worked fine and we got back on I-90 and

Bill did a little video

then other than one final mountain climb and descend, we cruised into Coeur D’Alene.  The highway from the west brings you in at the lake and it is gorgeous.  You get to view it from lake level and from up along the mountain.  There were boats on the lake and of course there are tons of cottages and homes around it.  I imagine it hums there in the summer!

Our campground is in town and was easy to get to.  Tamarack RV Park has 123 sites SQUEEZED in, and I mean squeezed.  The lots are plenty long and there are tall straight pine trees but the spaces are close together.  We have no one beside us on eithere side.  Each site has a small concrete pad and picnic table and a little patch of grass.  It is a nicely maintained place

Our spot

and they have lots of rules.  It is across from a Safeway Grocery and lots of restaurants and other shopping within 4-5 blocks. 

Once we got settled, I started laundry and Bill took the truck to the car wash. 

Bill had scheduled Safelite to come fix the windshield between 3 – 5 and she (the tech was a young woman from SC) finally arrived at 5:30.  She appears to have done a good job.  She came in and out as we were having dinner and was very polite.  She still had other customers to get to after us!

After dinner I wanted to go to Dollar Tree and one is 3 blocks away.  It was big and a really

Across from us

nice Dollar Tree.  Saw stuff we don’t have at home and got the items I was looking for.  Then we stopped at Fred Meyer grocery store I was excited to get fresh rhubarb!  I’m hoping to find it at a stand at a good price and I’ll freeze some to take home.  Can’t grow rhubarb in Florida and I tried to years ago!

Bill did up the dishes while I was typing so now it’s time to read my book for a while!