Took a drive

[Dave]

I was mistaken, miscalculated, misinformed, and just plain wrong in my thinking. I decided we needed to take a drive to somewhere that the wife had never been. So yesterday I decided to make a loop through Idaho. Payette to Emmett to Horseshoe Bend, then north through Cascade and Donnelly to McCall. Have lunch in McCall. Then to New Meadows, Council, Cambridge, finally to Weiser. Then back to I-84 and home. I forgot that this was the first day of a three day weekend. Of course when you are retired every day is the first day of a three day weekend. When we went to turn north on highway 55 at Horseshoe Bend it was bumper to bumper traffic for as far as you could see, people escaping Boise headed north. At McCall we stopped at the first place to eat we saw. When we left there a short distance to the main down town area of McCall. Both side walks were solid people and there wasn't a parking place for a mile. I was amazed at how much McCall had grown since I was last there. The population for the town is listed at about 3,000. There was probably twice that many tourists in town. Here we were a couple of people who live in a very remote area out for a scenic drive. We run into thousands of city dwellers who think they have really gotten out into the hills. We were sure glad to get home. Lessons learned. 1. Stay home on holiday weekends. 2. Stay away from tourist areas on any weekend. 3. 8 hours is a long drive when you get to be our age. 4. Stop more often to get out and stretch the legs (which is difficult to do when driving in solid traffic) 5. We already live where it is peaceful and quiet. Why would we want to get away.

 

[bird dog]

Close your eyes and taps your heels together three times and say....

 

[Dave]

Close your eyes and taps your heels together three times and say....

So true there is no place like home.

 

[wbvs58]

My family doesn't understand why I never want to go anywhere. Doctors appointments are my main reason for going to a metropolis.

Ken

 

[Bestoutwest]

I haven't been to McCall in years. The last time we went it was a playground for Ada County. It was awful. Worst was the folks zipping around town in their UTV/side-by-sides. I don't think I'll go back, and I hate that b/c it's beautiful, just not worth the drive.

 

[Dave]

I haven't been to McCall in years. The last time we went it was a playground for Ada County. It was awful. Worst was the folks zipping around town in their UTV/side-by-sides. I don't think I'll go back, and I hate that b/c it's beautiful, just not worth the drive.

The last time I had been there was 18 years ago and in the middle of the week. Actually I was taking the scenic route to Salmon to be on top of Lemhi Pass on the 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark walking from the Missouri drainage to the Columbia drainage. At that time I thought that McCall was a beautiful place in the mountains. Now it is a tourist trap. As you said a play ground for Ada county.

 

[Travlr]

I was mistaken, miscalculated, misinformed, and just plain wrong in my thinking. I decided we needed to take a drive to somewhere that the wife had never been. So yesterday I decided to make a loop through Idaho. Payette to Emmett to Horseshoe Bend, then north through Cascade and Donnelly to McCall. Have lunch in McCall. Then to New Meadows, Council, Cambridge, finally to Weiser. Then back to I-84 and home. I forgot that this was the first day of a three day weekend. Of course when you are retired every day is the first day of a three day weekend. When we went to turn north on highway 55 at Horseshoe Bend it was bumper to bumper traffic for as far as you could see, people escaping Boise headed north. At McCall we stopped at the first place to eat we saw. When we left there a short distance to the main down town area of McCall. Both side walks were solid people and there wasn't a parking place for a mile. I was amazed at how much McCall had grown since I was last there. The population for the town is listed at about 3,000. There was probably twice that many tourists in town. Here we were a couple of people who live in a very remote area out for a scenic drive. We run into thousands of city dwellers who think they have really gotten out into the hills. We were sure glad to get home. Lessons learned. 1. Stay home on holiday weekends. 2. Stay away from tourist areas on any weekend. 3. 8 hours is a long drive when you get to be our age. 4. Stop more often to get out and stretch the legs (which is difficult to do when driving in solid traffic) 5. We already live where it is peaceful and quiet. Why would we want to get away.

My dad bought three properties in McCall in the sixties, thinking the place was due for a growth spurt. I forget what he paid, but one was on the main drag across from the lake and it was once a car dealership. We spent a night in the camper there before going on a wilderness fishing trip. I remember the properties were hard to get sold and Dad was disappointed in his investment. I went a couple of years ago and didn't recognize anything. It's turning into another Jackson Hole or Park City.

Dad was a little early. If he'd held on another five years he might have decided to hold the properties, lease, and they would be worth the big bucks.

 

[Bestoutwest]

My dad bought three properties in McCall in the sixties, thinking the place was due for a growth spurt. I forget what he paid, but one was on the main drag across from the lake and it was once a car dealership. We spent a night in the camper there before going on a wilderness fishing trip. I remember the properties were hard to get sold and Dad was disappointed in his investment. I went a couple of years ago and didn't recognize anything. It's turning into another Jackson Hole or Park City.

Dad was a little early. If he'd held on another five years he might have decided to hold the properties, lease, and they would be worth the big bucks.

When we moved to Idaho in 2009, you could have bought something there for about 1/4 of what it's worth now. It's disgusting what this area has become. Too much money, too many people, and too quickly.

There was an interesting piece on Jackson Hole yesterday on CBS Sunday Morning. I think that Sun Valley and McCall will become that at some point soon.