Aug 10th to 12th - Idaho Falls/Pocatello

Aug 10th – Tues – Idaho Falls/Pocatello
Georgia has a list of “the biggest landmarks” in every state and wants to view as many as possible so we headed to Blackfoot this morning to see The World’s Largest Baked Potato which is in front of a potato museum. The potato needs a little TLC but the museum was very interesting especially to a potato farmer’s daughter like me.
Luckily (for Georgia?!), Blackfoot is right on the way to Pocatello so when we finished at the museum we went to look at the truck as the salesman had called and said it was available.
It was a long, stressful day but we ended up buying the truck. The salesman told us right away that there was only one 5th wheel hitch that might fit on the 2011 truck and later we thought the deal would not happen because of the hitch but the dealer made a lot of phone calls and found a hitch that would work and a company that could order it and install it on Thursday.
Bill & Georgia were so patient while we looked, talked, went to a bank, etc. The salesman/manager treated us all to lunch at 3:00 at a tavern with good food just down from the dealership. We moved all our junk from the old truck to the new one, the service department removed the CB radio & storage box for us and we were off in our 2011 Chevy Silverado, one ton, single wheel, blue-granite-metallic super truck. Yeah!!!
We stopped at Costco to exchange our new GPS as the sound would quit and I would have to “reboot” to get it going again. The price was $10 less than we paid and the tax is less so we have a cash card with $16.80 in addition to the new unit. Bill also bought the same unit as Georgia was having all sorts of problems with their not-so-old one and Bill wanted the elevation to show on his GPS.
Georgia & I thought dinner would not be required but Terry changed that idea. We put chicken burgers on the BBQ, enjoyed the buddy burner and turned in fairly early. I didn’t get to sleep that early, however, as I talked on the phone for an hour to brother Bob and 45 minutes to sister Marg. They are in Pacific time so it wasn’t as late for them as for me.

Aug 11th – Wed – Idaho Falls
We got going fairly early today so we could empty the storage box and have Bill help place it correctly in the truck before they left to head north. Of course he also lifted all the stuff back in while Terry stowed it in the box. This was a good thing as I cannot lift the tackle box & tool box onto the tailgate!
Goodbye hugs to Bill & Georgia about 11 and then we sorted out all the “inside” junk for the truck. It is amazing how many old insurance papers, tire warranties and registrations can pile up. We went shopping for a few items, had lunch and I got a long overdue haircut. Then it was time to do laundry here at the park. Terry thought a swim sounded good but the pool was cold so he ended up in the hot tub while I read waiting for the laundry to finish.
It cooled off quickly tonight so we spent the evening inside watching TV & reading.

Aug 12th – Thurs – Idaho Falls/Pocatello
I gave Terry a haircut this morning before we left at 7:30 to go to Pocatello (50 miles) to get our hitch installed. We stopped at the Chevy dealer to get a loaner car and were early for our 9 o’clock appointment for the hitch.
We went for breakfast and then just bummed around until the hitch was ready just after noon. They also put in a plug in the truck bed for the 5th wheel and gave us a $250 credit for our old hitch. When Bill & I left Costco, Bill commented – and I agreed – that everyone we dealt with in Pocatello was great. The company that installed the hitch continued that tradition.
On the way back we detoured to a little town called Shelley to visit a dollar store to get 2 plastic cups to use in the door cup holders to hold pencils, sunglasses, etc. I spent way too much time putting some fleece fabric inside one cup so my sunglasses would not get scratched. It is lovely having time to do mindless tasks like that!
I was lazy so we went to WalMart for some deli chicken (General Tsao). I added packaged teriyaki noodles and salad for a great, easy dinner. The weather was much cooler today and the wind picked up this evening so we spent a brief time with the buddy burner and then headed inside.