14 October 2016, Friday

The weather spirits are laughing at us. I view the weather map as we eat our complimentary breakfast at our hotel. Here we are, in the dry eastern part of Oregon, about to drive into the high desert plateau of southern Idaho, and the entire US is enjoying sunshine, all that is except the northwest which is experiencing blustery wet weather. O and I are concerned there will be no trees for a tarp hang at Craters of the Moon, so we wimp out and I begin trying to find motel accommodations near Arco, Idaho, the closest town to the national monument. Arco is a pretty small town and my first two inquiries meet with no success. Everything is booked. I finally find a phone number for the DK Motel. Yes, they have rooms. The woman who takes my call seems a bit surprised that we want to stay for three nights.

We are soon packed and on the road again. We stop briefly in Boise, Idaho to buy more fuel for our Coleman stove. We also stock up on some quick and easy breakfast goodies as we are not sure what dining opportunities might be available in Arco. The closer we get to Craters of the Moon, the harder the rain falls and the more the wind blows. O and I are very happy we decided on the indoor option for accommodations. The little motel is dated, but cozy and warm. We find a restaurant called Pickles nearby and have very good burgers, salads and beer for a grand total of about $20.00. Back in our room we study up on the national monument. The booklet I am reading states that fall is a great time to visit because of generally sunny weather and light winds.  Oh well…