July 29, 2026 (Wed.) - Nothing but Travel Prep.
Today was our final day in Rollins, MT. The plan was simple: finish travel prep and maybe wander down by the lake to admire the fancy homes we’ve been meaning to check out.
Lynn was up later than usual again at 7am and still wasn’t feeling well. The morning was beautiful, and she enjoyed sitting outside with her coffee, but by 8:45 she was back inside for more sleep — definitely not her usual style. Kirk was also on the “late start” train, getting up around 10am.
We had a late breakfast in the RV and headed to Kalispell around noon to wash the truck. Since full‑service car washes apparently only exist in California, we ended up at a do‑it‑yourself wash bay but had to wait 20 minutes for one to open up. While Kirk scrubbed the truck back to respectability, Lynn wandered the grounds and discovered a small memorial garden dedicated to someone’s daughter (19 years-old), complete with a cherry tree. It was a quiet, unexpected moment — and a rare chance to see a cherry tree up close. Didn’t expect to see that at a car wash!
By 1pm the truck was clean and it was time for lunch. We found a Freddy’s nearby, and Lynn was able to eat it since it was soft enough. It was delicious – or maybe she just hasn’t had real food in a while, which made it taste even better! On the way back to the RV, we finally stopped at a roadside cherry stand — Cherry Haus — so Kirk could pick up more cherries. He’s been hoping to find Rainier cherries, but they’ve been sold out everywhere. Even without them, the cherries he bought were delicious. Since it was our last day here, we were glad to finally find a stand that was open and accessible.
We were back at the RV by 3pm and ready for a nap. After two hours we were groggy but finished our travel prep. The air quality was unhealthy from wildfire smoke, and Lynn still wasn’t feeling well, so the lake walk was officially canceled. Another day, another plan surrendered to smoke.
The rest of the evening was quiet. We watched a movie, and once the sun went down and the temperature dropped, Kirk finished cleaning up the truck. It’s now clean and shiny, ready for the road tomorrow as we head toward Idaho.
Not a big‑activity day. Not many photos. But everything’s ready for the next leg of the trip.
Weather – High 83*, Low 63*. Winds 3-6/11 mph. No rain, no humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers – Delicious.
Notable – Nothing to report.
Screen time – How to Make a Killing movie (very good).
July 30, 2026 (Thu.) - Travel to CDA, ID.
Today is travel day! We’re headed to Coeur d’Alene (CDA), Idaho — a state we’ve visited plenty of times, but never the northern part. New territory for both of us!
Lynn was up just after 5am, and Kirk rolled out around 9am, a little later than usual for travel day. Packing was easy since we prepped everything yesterday. We skipped breakfast and hit the road at 10:10am — a bit later than usual thanks to Kirk’s extra sleep. The drive to Coeur d’Alene is 183 miles, about three hours, with an ETA of 1:13pm.
It was a smoky but scenic drive: haze hanging over golden fields, mountains, lakes, bridges, and even a hitchhiker along the way! By noon we crossed the Idaho border — and learned something new. We had unknowingly entered the Pacific Standard Time zone, which meant we were suddenly an hour early. We could’ve slept in longer! Every time we’ve been to Idaho, it’s been Mountain Time, so this was a surprise.
We arrived at Blackwell Island RV Resort at 12:50pm, right at check‑in (1pm is check-in). It’s a huge RV park right on Lake Coeur d’Alene. We had hoped for a lake‑view site, but those book out six months in advance. Since we’re more of the “fly by the seat of your pants” type, we didn’t snag one. Our site (#139) was decent — all gravel, a bit narrow, and not much room for the truck — but the campground itself is great, with a private beach, walking trails, pickleball courts, volleyball, horseshoes, and plenty of water activities.
After settling in, we researched tire stores and hair salons. Kirk found a tire shop in town, and Lynn booked a hair appointment for tomorrow. Kirk’s tire shopping turned out to be very successful — maybe too successful. He found the tires and wheels he wanted, placed the order, and paid the deposit. We joked that we’ll be eating beans and rice for the next year to make up for the cost. Afterward, we walked a few doors down to a Chinese restaurant, Chopsticks, which was surprisingly good. The crab rangoon, orange chicken, broccoli beef, potstickers, and sweet‑and‑sour chicken were all delicious.
We returned to the RV around 4pm and relaxed. Lynn’s allergies kicked in (new state, new environment), so she took half a Benadryl while Kirk shopped online for new mud flaps — because new tires and wheels apparently require new mud flaps too!
Around 8:15pm we took a walk around the campground, snapped a few photos, and enjoyed a pinkish‑orange sunset to end the day.
Weather – (Coeur d’Alene, ID) – High 86*, Low 57*. Winds 5-7/15 mph. No rain, no humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Chopsticks – very good.
Notable – New tires & wheels ordered! Hair appointment booked!
