September 6, 2017 Driggs, ID

Hi everyone.  Since we left Portland Oregon, we have covered 800 miles on the road.  With more seat time than anything else, we didn't stop to see much along the way...not that there isn't anything out there, there is plenty.  However, when traveling through Washington and Idaho, there are onions to grow, alfalfa to grow, Maine potato rivals to grow and harvest, as well as seed potatoes, and hay to bale.  Farm country.  Out here, the large bales are more popular, and as you go by farms, it looks like they are having a hay bale contest.  I'm not sure how many smaller bales make up a larger one, but for those really interested...  Hay Bales

The day was still hazy and the mountains were hard to see.  Yes the mountains were there.

There were markers like this one along the way to identify areas of historical significance.

Really needing an opportunity to get out and walk around, we chose to visit the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.  Craters of the Moon
The ground in this 84 square mile area is the result of volcanic activity where molten lava rose to the earth's surface and  leaked out rather than violently erupted.

 

Some of the formations rose somewhat higher.

There are flowers and plants that grown around the area, but much of is is still bare rock.

Dwarf Buckwheat grows and its root system is so large that it is not clumped together.  It likes to spread out.

When the lava broke the surface, it contained air as it cooled.

Grammie decided that she didn't want to venture to far down.

We did go into Indian Cave.  This particular tunnel was about 800 feet but there were several places where the roof had collapsed.

We didn't go in far enough to see any bats but there were 2 pigeons in there.

We did pass through the town of Arco, ID.  The town of Arco became the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power on July 17, 1955 from a reactor built nearby.  The town also the site of a Nuclear accident fatality.  Click on link  Arco fatality

Thanks for keeping track of Grammie.