Three week off-roading road trip week one

We just rolled into Idaho sand dunes after stops in Marysvale and Mantua Utah.
Idaho Sand Dune RV park is like a bootleg drive in movie theater. No wifi in spite what their website says and our kids sent us on the road after they burned through all 45 gigs of our data. We are on 2g and pic just ain't uploading until tomorrow.

Maynard didn't make it, sadly his depression has defaulted him to rainman status and he's in the good care of our adult children. But that's another thread for some other day. Instead of Judge Wapner it's Cash Cab reruns. Yeah, that condition is real.

Was able to pick up our 2018 X3 RS a few days before our departure. Dave at Sand Tires Unlimited came through with some nice 5 - 5 Methods and paddles. Always monkey business with pricing from FST/STU so write down your quoted OTD price and hold them to it. This is 20 years experience giving that advise, never fails with price shenanigans. But that's another thread for another time.

In Marysvale we stayed at the South 40 RV park. With the exception of flys and a heavy manure smell (a issue with all Marysvale RV parks) as perfect a RV park as you will find. Owner couple have a mean reputation but I didnt find them that way at all.

We skipped staying there with a group last month because one couple in our group likes to stay up until 2 AM blasting music while screaming F bombs 20 ft away from other families kids tents and they don't clean up after their dogs. After 7 days their space and others was a dog shit sandwich everyone's ice chests and chairs covered with infected custard like dog piss.
That is minor to the other crap they do you all would not believe.

They flip the script and blame the park owners claiming they have the problem. This couple has other issues and has perfected crawling inside a bottle of Vodka and ignoring them but that's not for this thread. My point is one couple can spoil everyone's trip because we all had to camp at a difficult to navigate your Toy hauler, older, RV park that is asshole tollarant and they complained about that BTW.

I highly recommend South 40 and the well maintained trails of Marysvale.

Our new $300 GoPro hero broke first trip out so that's a goner we'll shoot some pix and post them when our data resets tomorrow.

80" wide


My wife has St Anthony sand dunes navigation down.
I get my directions goofy and she always knows exactly where we are. GPS ok but doesn't give points of interest to ping off of.
The X3 is a screamer on the Dunes, no tipsyness and sticks like a fly on the wall on the steep angles. Power galore.

Mostly eclipse campers here and a few duners. Telescopes everywhere.
We passed these folks on the way back from Choke Cherry Hill.


Videos tomorrow.

Idaho Sand Dunes RV park has a no refund policy.
"Most our guests are from Cali and no one make this a spur of the moment last second decision trip" the owner told me. "A cancilation means lost money and at a 30% no show rate I'd go broke otherwise."
Looking around it's about 30% no shows that will cost the derelict $75 a night.

The Utah visitors are a mix of mostly Mormons who arrive on Monday's and always leave by Saturday. They sometimes camp with non Mormons we're told by couples walking by. I offer the non Mormon who walk by a mimosa or beer or a Titos bloody Mary and they always accept.
Wifie says the mix camps are probably dry camps.

The X3 is a real steamer. You're going faster than you think and it gets to 100 mph real quick. Hits the whoops with ease and the steering is precise. Perfect. Makes our XPT feel clunky and sloppy.
You can tell who the southwest duners are from the locals. Local rides are plain maybe with off the shelf paddles and no extras.
Southwest duners are far more dialed in and equipped.

Thanks TPC! I'm looking forward to this thread.

The eclipse was a blast on the Dunes.You can tell who my my Swiss girls are they look like their pic should be on a label of Swiss Beer.


From Idaho Sand Dunes we crossed over to Jackson Hole Wy.

The Million Dollar Cowboy bar now has bartenders Akmed, Sayid, and Akbar and they make it a point to let Americsns know they hate them. The whole town is defaulting that way.
We moved on th Paradise Utah for some scenic off roading.

Awesome adventure!! Thanks for posting TPC! If you're bored take everyone down to Thermopolis, Wyoming and stop in at "The Fountain of Youth" RV park. It has one of the largest natural mineral spring swimming pools second to Glenwood Springs. Even if you don't take a dip it's a cool spot for the kids to hang out and float while working on a tan. We spent weekends there in the winter and would enjoy the 105 degree water when it was snowing!