OCTOBER 4 - 7 IDAHO and INTO OREGON

I HAD NEVER BEEN ON THE "BACKSIDE" OF THE TETONS WHICH IS IN IDAHO AND FOUND IT MUCH LESS DEVELOPED THAN THE JACKSON, WY SIDE. WENT UP A DIRT ROAD AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AND RAN INTO A FAMILY WITH SEVERAL DOGS ABOUT TO HIKE UP A TRAIL AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAINS. THEY LEAD ME ALONG A BEAUTIFUL CREEK THROUGH A DENSE WOODS OF VIRGIN PINES TO PLACES WITH BREATHTAKING VIEWS OF THE MAJESTIC PEAKS. BUNGEE  ENJOYED THE COMPANY OF OTHER CANINES AND WE BOTH COULD HAVE STAYED THERE FOREVER.

SWALLOW NESTS OF MUD BY THE RIVER

The Tetons fall off onto vast, gently rolling wheat farms in Idaho with tiny towns like Driggs, Tetonia and Felt that haven't changed much in 100 years. On a back road along the pristine Henry Fork River I spotted a group of families looking and pointing into the river from a wooden platform. When I stopped to see what was up I found about twenty Mexicans throwing tortilla crumbs to the very large and very hungry rainbow trout churning in the clear waters. It felt good to be among Mexicans and watching them having such a great time doing such a simple thing and hearing the Spanish made me yearn to be back in San Miguel. As I talked with them I found out that they all were from the Guadalajara area and had migrated to this idylic spot to work on the wheat farms fifteen to twenty years ago.

   AFTER MEANDERING ACROSS THE BLEACHED BLOND OPEN WHEATLAND AND DENSELY FORESTED SNAKE RIVER RANGE, I DROPPED DOWN INTO THE MORE POPULATED I-15 CORRIDOR NEAR IDAHO FALLS. I HAD MET A FRIENDLY YOUNG COUPLE AT MESA FALLS WHO WERE FROM NEAR-BY REXBURG AND THEY SAID IT WAS A FAIRLY PROSPEROUS, CLEAN LITTLE CITY..... INDEED IT IS AS IT IS DOMINATED BY THE LARGE, MODERN BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO WITH 14,000 STUDENTS AND THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS WERE PERFECTLY GROOMED, THE DOWNTOWN LOOKING GOOD AND THE PARKS IMMACULATE.

A HUGE NEW MORMON TEMPLE CAPS THE HIGHEST HILL IN TOWN, JUST ONE OF SIX NEW TEMPLES BEING BUILT IN THE REGION.

 WANTING TO GET AWAY FROM THE BUSY INTERSTATE, I HEADED SOUTH ON A DIRT ROAD TOWARD SOME INTERESTING HILLS AND RAN INTO THE FIRST CLOUDY DAY OF MY TRIP SO FAR. 

  IN THE VERY SMALL TOWN OF ELBA I NOTICED THIS COKE SIGN ON THE SIDE OF A GENERAL STORE.

 UNLIKE THE CLUTTERED COUNTRY STORES OF NEW ENGLAND, THIS PLACE WAS NEAT AS A PIN AND MURIEL AT THE CASH REGISTER SAID THAT THEY GET VERY FEW TOURISTS AND THEN ASKED ME IF I WAS LOST.

I GOT A KICK OUT OF FOLLOWING A YOUNG GUY ON AN ATV BOUNCING ALONG WITH HIS DOG BEHIND HIM DOING ACROBATICS TO STAY ABOARD. I WENT AROUND HIM, THEN PULLED OVER UP AHEAD TO GET A PICTURE AS THEY PASSED BY. INSTEAD, BLAKE WITH HIS DOG FRANK PULLED OVER NEXT TO ME AND WE HAD AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL, UNDISCOVERED PART OF IDAHO WHICH HE OBVIOUSLY LOVES. SEEMS THAT I HAD PARKED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIS FARM WHICH WAS DEVELOPED BY HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER IN THE TIME OF THE CIVIL WAR AND HE INVITED ME IN TO SEE THE ANIMALS AND GARDEN. HE TOLD ME NOT TO MISS THE "CITY OF ROCKS' JUST DOWN THE ROAD.

CITY OF ROCKS

THESE HUGE, STRANGE MONOLITHS SIT IN A FERTILE VALLEY WITH ABUNDANT FRESH WATER THAT MADE IT A FAVORITE CAMPING SPOT FOR THE PIONEERS ON THE OREGON TRAIL.

I DIDN'T SEE ANOTHER PERSON AS I EXPLORED THIS WEIRD AREA FOR OVER AN HOUR, BUT THERE WAS A FEELING OF HISTORY AND PRESENCE OF THE THOUSANDS OF WEARY TRAVELERS WHO RESTED HERE ON THEIR LONG TREK WEST.

COMING BACK NORTH FROM THE PEACEFUL ALBION MOUNTAINS I MADE A PLEDGE TO RETURN AND SPEND MORE TIME ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE AND THE UNCOMPLICATED, PLEASANT PEOPLE. 

THIS COMFORTABLE HOUSE IN OAKLEY (POP 668) STOOD OUT AMIDST A RATHER DUSTY, DISMAL SPOT ON THE MAP NEAR THE INTERSTATE.

PULLED INTO BOISE FOR THE NIGHT AND HEADED DOWN INTO THE BASQUE PART OF THE DOWNTOWN. THERE ARE MORE THAN 35,000 BASQUE PEOPLE IN BOISE WHO FIRST CAME TO HELP BUILD THE RAILROAD 160 YEARS AGO, THEN STAYED ON AS SHEEP FARMERS. WHEN I WAS HERE 20 YEARS AGO AS PART OF A PLANNING EFFORT TO REVITALIZE THE CITY CENTER, I MET WITH THE BASQUES AND WE ENCOURAGED THEM TO DEVELOP A COMMERCIAL CENTER SPECIALIZING IN THEIR CULTURE. IT HAS HAPPENED QUITE WELL AND HAS BECOME AN ATTRACTIVE VITAL PART OF A NICELY RESTORED CITY. A WONDERFUL LITTLE "BAR GERNIKA" WAS ONE OF THE FEW ESTABLISHMENTS THERE  IN 1990 AND REMAINS AS AN INSTITUTION IN THE AREA. THE FOOD IS AUTHENTIC BASQUE AND I RELISHED A FINELY SLICED LEG OF LAMB SANDWICH WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS.

 MY CAR BATTERY WAS ACTING UP IN THE MORNING, SO I GOT A LATE START FOR OREGON SIXTY MILES DOWN THE ROAD. THE OVERNIGHT RAIN PASSED  TO THE EAST AND THE SUN CAME OUT FULLY AS I CROSSED THE BORDER  AND HEADED UP TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOWNS, JOSEPH, OREGON IN THE WALLOWA MOUNTAINS,

MAIN ST IN JOSEPH

AFTER SEVERAL BRONZE FOUNDRIES THAT CAST LARGE ART WORKS MOVED FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO JOSEPH 15 YEARS AGO, THE TOWN SPRANG TO LIFE AND WORKED OUT A DEAL WITH THE FOUNDRIES TO HAVE THEM CREATE AN EXTRA CASTING OF APPROPRIATE STATUES AND PLACE THEM ALONG MAIN ST IN WELL DESIGNED PLANTING AREAS. THERE ARE AT LEAST A DOZEN PIECES NOW.

THE RESULT IS AN OUTDOOR MUSEUM THAT REALLY GIVES THE TOWN A BOOST.

THESE TWO STATUES THAT ARE COYLY EYEING EACH OTHER ARE AT OPPOSITE CORNERS.

WALLOWA LAKE IN JOSEPH IS FED FROM THE HEAVY SNOW FIELDS OF THE MOUNTAINS AT THE SOUTH END OF THE LAKE WHERE BUNGEE AND I SPENT A COZY LAKESIDE NIGHT IN A SMALL, COMFORTABLE  LOG CABIN WITH A WOOD STOVE THAT WAS NEEDED THAT NIGHT AS IT WENT BELOW FREEZING. THE PLENTIFUL DEER WERE OVERLY FRIENDLY AND BUNGEE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THEM COMING RIGHT UP TO US ON A SHORT HIKE ALONG THE LAKE.

BOB, A RETIRED 6TH GRADE TEACHER FROM PORTLAND OPENED A TERRIFIC BAKERY IN DOWNTOWN JOSEPH THREE YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL SELLING OUT HIS SOFTBALL SIZED PECAN CINNAMON BUNS AND FRESH RASPBERRY ALMOND PASTE BEAR CLAWS EVERY MORNING. I HAD TO TRY BOTH!