Salmon, Idaho

Grrrr. Had started to write this post, left it and lost everything. So this is somewhat abbreviated.

Unusual bi-color lilac at the Inn.

The scent of lilacs perfumes this little town, especially in the evening.

Sacagawea Inn

I'd booked a room at this little motel so that I could participate via FaceTime in a book club meeting.

The proprietoress was friendly, there was a resident black "motel cat" named Lily, a German Shepherd, too. I felt right at home!

I was given the "Bear Cub" room, complete with a mural of a mama bear and her two cubs in a forest scene on the wall above the bed. There were even sculpted bears on the toilet paper holder and light switches!

It was nice to get a shower and have unlimited power for once. I'm always having to be conscious of a draining battery!

Bathroom at the Sacagawea Inn. Note the origami towels!

The bathroom was charmingly dated with pink tile and pink ersatz marble formica around the sink. The towels were folded like nothing I've ever seen! I thought it was very comfortable and homey, complete with handmade afghan thrown over a sitting chair, a small garden with flowers, and a $3 breakfast with eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast and coffee.

The book club connection was not as successful as I would have liked — while FaceTime worked for a time (I was a disembodied Cheshire presence on Becky's phone), the video was jerky and kept dropping off. We opted for audio instead, but I still missed about 20% of the meeting. I'd like to try Google Hangouts or Skype next time.

Lilacs and hawthorne in Salmon

I ended up staying in Salmon for a few days (two nights at the motel and a couple "camping"). There was a brand-new library in town, just completed in 2015. In fact, they were just placing the sign for the library outside!

The library seemed to be something of a crossroads for locals, with topics of conversation ranging from the weather ("All my tomatoes froze," lamented one gentleman), to fishing, town politics, and cars. The library was well outfitted with computers, sitting areas, books, and best of all: tables to work at with ample plugs for power and fast wifi. I ended up working there, writing and researching for a couple of days.

Evening history walk

The library is also a great source of town information. You don't find everything online!

There was a great little brochure on a history walk, highlighting a number of historical structures around town. So as the sun set, I went for a walk to get to know the town a bit better. Dusk lasts for a long time — the sun sets about 8:30pm, but it doesn't really get dark until after 9:30pm.

Sunset over the Bitterroot Range; Salmon River in the foreground

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As I walked, the scent of lilacs perfumed the air. They were flowering exuberantly everywhere: deep purple, lavender, maroon and white. The aroma will always bring back memories of Salmon, Idaho.

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This home wasn't on the tour, but is typical of homes in town.

History Park was tucked away between a pizza joint and a real estate building, and it was interesting to read the exhibits about the native Americans, trappers and explorers, Mormon missionaries, miners and merchants, including those who became prominent citizens of the area, like George Shoup, a merchant and rancher who became territorial governor and then senator of Idaho.

Idaho and Montana (and South Dakota, too), have had boom and bust years from gold, silver, lead, and copper mining, as well as from logging. 

Main Street, Salmon, Idaho

I think the earliest building on the tour was from the 1880s. Most buildings featured were from the turn of the century since there was a building surge then, mostly fueled by mining interests.

Lemhi County Courthouse in Salmon, ID

Lots of brick, with interesting pediments and ornamentation. Of course, churches were important, too, and the courthouse, a massive brick building built in 1909, is on the National Register.

Salmon River and Island Park

The other thing about Salmon, Idaho, was that it seemed to be a safe, friendly small town. 

Kids were laughing, shouting and playing outside, riding bikes and skateboards until dark, with nary a parent hovering in the background.

Rafters on the Salmon River at dusk.

There was a skateboard park on Island Park, located between arms of the Salmon River and accessible via a sturdy pedestrian bridge.

Dog walkers made good use of this park, too. Curiously, the only hours that were posted as "on leash" hours were 11:30am-1:30pm. I wondered if that was because people often took lunchtime there and didn't want to be accosted by exuberant, wet dogs?

The Salmon River was running high and swift. A few rafts were running the rapids and passed by faster than I was walking.

I had to laugh at a couple of mallards that looked for all the world like they were enjoying running the rapids, too. They sped downriver, bouncing up and down the waves, and as soon as they passed into relatively still water, paddled furiously to get to the side of the river where the current was less so they could swim back upstream. I swear they were going to do it all over again, just for the sheer enjoyment of the speed and an adrenaline rush.

The area is on the Idaho Birding Trail, and the trees and brush were full of twittering birds, especially at dusk. I spotted an osprey, too. It was pretty magical!

Heron at dusk

Osprey at dusk

Sawtooth Mountains!

Boulder Mountains from the Wood River

I have always wanted to come to the Sawtooth area. Often when I've seen a picture on a calendar of a beautiful spot that I don't recognize, often as not the caption has said "Sawtooth Wilderness."

I can't believe I'm really here!

Morning in the mountains

Woke up to weak sun and cold temperatures. The car thermometer was reading 32°F.

But OH, what does the temperature matter when you can see such sights? The Boulder mountains border the Wood River valley on the east, and they are gorgeous mountains... especially with new snow! This route is known as the "Sawtooth Scenic Byway," and boy, is it ever!

Looking back at the Boulder Mountains from near Galena summit

State route 75 follows the Wood River generally north, climbing gently. Instead of getting warmer as the morning went on, the temperature dropped to 27°F. (probably in part because of gaining altitude), but at least the sun was out part of the time, and it wasn't nearly as windy as it was yesterday.

If it hadn't been so cold, I would have stopped more frequently, but instead just drove slowly and drank in the beauty of the place. (I was also feeling a little uneasy at this point, as the tire-pressure light came on... the tires didn't look under-inflated, but it was worrisome. I thought it might have to do with the cold weather, but even driving and the heat of friction didn't make the light go off.)

I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of cranes flying overhead at one point. At another meadow there was a herd of deer gamboling in a meadow — they looked like kids out of school or dogs at the dog park, jumping stiff-legged and scampering off then shaking their heads and looking behind to see if their friends would play chase. Totally made me laugh. And the next time (yes, there WILL be a next time), I'll check out the "Billy Bridge" that's supposed to be a place where you can view mountain goats. I'm sure I'll see more in Montana and Alaska, so I didn't stop.

Galena summit: looking to the headwaters of the Salmon River
and the Sawtooth mountains in the distance

Galena Summit 

Once over the summit, the valley on the other side opens up. Here are the headwaters of the Salmon River, also known as the "River of No Return," so called because on their way west Lewis & Clark found the river unnavigable. This forced them to abandon their boats and get horses from the Shoshone to continue their voyage.
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The Sawtooth range lies to the west, and it is beautiful. What is it that makes some mountains so pleasing?

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Apparently a lot of other people think it is beautiful, too. While there obviously are working ranches, there is also increasing development: a few monster homes, some "ranchettes," and a number of what appear to be "vacation" developments encroaching onto the National Forest land. I've seen this pattern in Nevada and Utah, too, and it's a little unsettling to see the demarcation lines between private and public lands so evident. 

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Pronghorn! (before it started running)

I felt lucky to see a herd of pronghorn grazing in the valley — the first I've seen on this trip. They are actually fairly common, but it's always a treat to see them. They are very, very fast runners, reputed to be able to maintain 55mph for a half mile.

Alturas Lake

It wasn't getting all that much warmer, despite coming down in elevation and also being later in the morning, so I decided to just go ahead and stop for late breakfast at Alturas Lake.

Beaver lodge & pond. Yes, that's ice on the water!

It's a pretty lake, and had it been warmer, I would have been tempted to put the kayak in the water; as it was there was about an inch of snow on the outhouse roof! Everything is still closed for the winter.

I hiked around a bit nearby the lake and discovered an extensive beaver pond with a lodge in the center. There was ice on the water! No beavers swimming around (not sure how much they come out now), but it was still fun to see. Once again, I marveled over the sturdiness — or foolhardiness — of the mountain men who willingly entered the freezing water in order to trap them.

Snow falling on the Sawtooth across the Salmon River valley.

A woodpecker was hammering on one of the trees, but only heard it, never saw it.

I next tried to get into Fourth of July Lake, as I'd heard there was a nice hiking trail there, but... I hit snow on the road, and it was evident from the tire tracks that the previous person who had tried to come in this route turned back. Between this, and the fact that the weather was turning a bit for the worse, following their example seemed the prudent thing do.

On the way out, there was a bright flash of blue — a mountain bluebird!

Falling snow obscuring the gorgeous view

Redfish Lake

Redfish Lake is named because of the number of chinook salmon that used to spawn here. Legend has it that you could walk across the lake on the backs of the fish!

The salmon that swim up the Salmon River have one of the longest migrations of fish anywhere in the world — over 800 miles from the Pacific Ocean upstream to their spawning grounds, fighting eight major dams on the way. Of course, there are far fewer of them now, but they are making a comeback. Salmon fishing season here is for three weeks in July.

Not what one expects to see... dead bird in the WC

Redfish Lake is a gorgeous lake; it must be crowded during the summer. There are many campgrounds and picnic areas around it, but now pretty much everything was closed. On this day, only one other couple, and their dog, was here.

Just one men's toilet was open (none of the women's), and it held a surprise and something of a mystery: HOW did that dead bird get in there? (Or, presumably the bird was alive when it got in, and then succumbed to... something. And then the question is, what ate it, and how did IT get out, since the door was quite securely closed?)

By this time, the snow was falling in more earnest, and it seemed like it was time to move on and spend some time driving in the warm car, even if I was getting somewhat used to it by now. It's been quite some time since I've driven in snow, but the experience comes back — the "tick, tick-tick" of frozen water hitting the car. It's like being inside a swirling snow globe! Fortunately, the snow wasn't really sticking, and I knew I'd be going lower, so it wasn't a big deal. And kind of a good introduction to what may come next fall...

Flowers near a hot spring

Down the River of No Return

The scenery after the town of Stanley was actually not what I expected (I thought it was going to be more similar to the broad valley upstream), and I wished that I'd had the book Roadside Geology of Idaho along. The rocks kept changing: slate, breccia, heavily folded beds, stream and moraine deposits. I keep telling myself that I'll be back to spend more time here on another trip; it's not that far. I need to get going north and spend more time there, further away.

The route, now the "Salmon River Scenic Byway," passed by hot springs, bubbling out from higher on the hill. It was reminiscent of Yellowstone, which lies maybe just 200 miles to the east. Hot springs are relatively common here, but I still get a thrill out of them. This one had been used to heat settlers' cabins in the winter, but was no longer being used for anything — it was a historic curiosity spilling into the river, along with an unused stone bathhouse structure that was built by the CCC in the 1930s, preserved as a testament to the program and the people who participated in it.

A sign flashed by "45th Parallel: Halfway Between the Equator and the North Pole." I guess I am making my way north!

Cliffs at the Challis Bison Jump Site

Challis Bison Jump Site

The valley opens up to more agriculture, and there were more places that enticed one to stop. I did get out at the Challis Bison Jump Site, a place where bison were driven off a cliff. I've heard of these, of course, but this is the first actual site I've visited.

The site was discovered in the 1970s, but it is still being studied, and there is some controversy as to the age of the "big kill" of 20-30 bison. It's hard to comprehend that many animals going over the edge of a cliff, but it surely would be more efficient, not to mention safer, to hunt this way than pick off animals one by one.

Of course subsequent excavations (2004-2007) have been covered over, so there's not really that much to see, except a surprising number of dead rabbits, and a blooming Larkspur!

Larkspur blooming!

But being in a place like this, feeling the breeze on your cheeks and sun on your skin, allows you to close your eyes hear the yelling (there must have been yelling) of the hunters, and see the panic of the animals as they plummeted off the cliff to the people waiting below to butcher the dead and dying animals.

Perhaps we have not come so far...

(Thankfully, by this time the tire-pressure indicator light went off, so I figure it was due to the cold weather that it went on. But I'll keep my eye on it, and ask the techs when the car goes in for servicing at its 15k checkup.)

Idaho Hermits

Driving through the volcanic rocks above the Salmon River, you can see small caves hollowed out in the cliffs. Apparently this area was known for its population of single men (and some women) who chose to lead "socially remote" lives, and some occupied these caves. Some were failed prospectors, others were hunters or miners, or even some families lived this way during the Depression. "Dugout Dick" supposedly had quite a number of these rough homes; he would move from one to the other, but they were all reputedly neat and clean. Now, Dugout Dick* is gone, and houses are encroaching on the wild lands.

Mailboxes along the Salmon River, near where Dugout Dave lived 

I had a reservation at the Sacagawea Inn in Salmon, where it was nice to get a shower, access to wifi and power, and I had an scheduled conference call with my book club.

I've actually spent the last few days here in Salmon, writing, organizing and researching. It's been a nice interlude, but I'm getting antsy to get on the road. One more entry about Salmon, and I'll be on my way to North again.

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*You can read more about this colorful character in this article from the LA Times.

First wind, then snow

A room with a view.

For those of you who are curious, this is what my "bedroom" looks like (looking toward my toes; the driver's seat is just behind me). It's light and bright, and everything is <ahem> close at hand. Some might call it cramped, but the idea on this trip is not to spend a lot of time inside!

WIND!

I left Twin Falls in the morning after my usual battle with technology.* It was quite chilly, and the wind was blowing pretty fiercely. I checked the weather on my trusty NOAA radio, and was a little alarmed to hear that there were wind advisories: 30-35mph sustained west winds with gusts to 45mph, with admonishments for "high-profile vehicles" on "north-south roads." N0MAD and I have been through pretty severe winds before, so I wasn't particularly worried, but it does make for interesting driving.

Driving over the Perrine Bridge and leaving Twin Falls behind, we headed north along US Hwy. 93.

Gassed up in Shoshone, next to a truck pulling a life-sized lion sculpture in a trailer. It was made of gold and brass metal, with delicate detail on the lion's mane. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough on the draw to get a picture, but it's good to see there are local artists who have patrons who are paying for their work.

Driving in a cross wind is... a little nerve-wracking. 
You know it's blowing hard when you try to open the car door and nothing happens. The kayak and bike are securely hitched onto the car, but I do keep checking to make sure that all the lashings are tight. Tumbleweeds and bits of flotsam and jetsam flew across the road — it reminded me of the scene in "The Wizard of Oz" before the tornado hit! Birds in the sky flapped energetically, making no headway against the wind. Every time a truck went by in the opposite direction, there was a loud "WHUMP," and N0MAD would jump to the side of the road. The trick is to slow down and move as far as possible towards the shoulder to lessen the effects of the wind. The wind was supposed to increase as the afternoon went on, so it seemed like a good time to stop and do some sight-seeing.

Sawtooth Botanical Garden

Sawtooth Botanical Garden

This was an idyllic stop. Somewhat sheltered from the wind, the garden features plants that grow well in the local area (alpine, sub-alpine, riparian, and sagebrush steppe). Some are native plants, but not all, so it is a pleasant mix. It was a little early in the season, so only early plants were blooming, but it was a lovely place to wander and have a late lunch. It would probably be spectacular in another month or two, with peonies, columbine, phlox, dianthus, asters and more.

A schoolbus full of young schoolchildren noisily clambered out and, attached to their teacher's rope, toured the garden. It is one of the missions of the non-profit that runs the garden is that it be used for educational purposes. There is a large central building that has a greenhouse, classrooms and a larger event space with a flat lawn outside. Great place for weddings in June!

The garden features several "mini" gardens: a wildflower garden, an alpine garden, a couple of stream-side gardens (one of these is "natural"), an ornamental garden. Some medicinal plants are highlighted, as well.

Tibetan prayer wheel in the stream-side pavilion

One of the special gardens was the "Garden of Infinite Compassion," which featured a stream-side pavilion sheltering a gigantic, 400-lb. prayer wheel. This intricately carved prayer wheel, and the Garden itself, was blessed by the Dalai Lama during a visit in 2005. It's a beautiful, serene space, thoughtfully planned with large rocks and a small stream splashing down into a pool and prayer flags fluttering.

A well-designed garden is more than just plants: 

it leads you from one space to another, and offers treats for all the senses.

(ASIDE: It took three tries to get this picture. I'm sure the nearby magpie family was laughing at my antics of bending over and peering through the camera and then franticly running down the rock path!)

Saucy magpie

Probably a desert mallow

One of my favorite flowers: blue columbine

I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and it was nice to get a break from driving in the wind.

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There was also an interesting bike path along the back of the garden, but it was too windy for an enjoyable out-and-back bike ride. I have since found that this is the "Wood River Trail" system (of course, not noted in my vehicle-oriented guide books). This is just the kind of thing that I enjoy discovering in an area, and why I could easily take a month just getting north of the border!

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Somewhat reluctantly, I got back in the car, and continued on my way. I wasn't sure where I was going to stay the night.

Did a brief stop at the post office in fabled Sun Valley (ski fame) to send off some postcards and get stamps. The locals in were commenting about the cold weather: "What about this weather?" says one, and the other replies, "Yes, but that's the way we like it!"

Also tried to get online for the last time in awhile, as I was heading into the mountains and didn't think I'd have cell service for the next 150 miles. I couldn't, and I didn't.

With the weather in the late afternoon looking decidedly worse, I took off again, but stopped at the first available campsite. I saw no need to go higher in elevation; it was getting quite cold enough!

Found a lovely campsite just inside the Sawtooth NF boundary, beside the rushing Wood River. Only one other party was there at 5pm in the afternoon.

Got out supplies to make an early dinner, but... it started snowing. Feeling like a genuine California girl, I retreated and put everything away, deciding that it was a really good time to read a book. In the car. Snuggled under the sleeping bag.

Good call, as more snow fell, although it didn't accumulate at this elevation overnight. Up on the slopes of the Boulder Mountains, though, it was another story.

But that's time for another day, and another post!

*Yaay for libraries! I have given up at this point, and am just using the laptop to post. When I run out of power, I won't post. So now, and probably for the rest of the trip, I'll be visiting libraries to power up and write. Things could be worse. (I'm writing now from the Salmon Public Library, a new library that still smells new. They're open until 7pm tonight, so I'll see how much I can get done!)

Twin Falls

Twin Falls! Idaho!

Just the name "Twin Falls, Idaho" evokes wild water, mountains, and the explorers of the West. 

The Perrine Bridge

After a peaceful evening and a morning of posting to the blog (see "Nevada"), I decided to do a little exploring of my own.

Perrine Bridge

One of the outstanding landmarks of Twin Falls is the Perrine Bridge, which soars over the Snake River almost 500 feet below. The bridge itself is deceptively simple: it's one smooth arch, but the setting — the river chasm between basalt cliffs — makes it memorable.

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I love bridges. They're symbolic of connections. 

We travel over physical bridges so frequently that we often don't think about how much easier life is with these engineering feats. How would life be without the bridges spanning the San Francisco Bay, or over the New York rivers?

This replica of the Perrine Bridge actually is a bike rack!

The nearby Twin Falls Visitor Center had a number of interesting features: a mini-garden representing Idaho's flora and geologic features, a replica of the Perrine Bridge that was a bike rack, an impressive number of Tesla charging stations, and benches and fences whose structures echoed the arch of the bridge. These were obviously custom-made and quite beautiful.

I picked up some literature (Forest Service map of the Sawtooths) and some postcards. I was tempted by some Idaho potato cookbooks, but managed to resist.

Marmot at the edge of the Snake River chasm

River Walk

There was a nice "River Walk" along the cliffs, with views both north and south. Oddly enough, just on the other side of the path was a big shopping area, with a Michael's, Best Buy, Old Navy, a sporting goods store, Outback steakhouse and more, all perched right at the edge of the cliffs. It was a busy place on this Mother's Day, with families shopping, walking, biking and picnicking.

Even a marmot was enjoying the sunshine! It let me get close, but not too close, and slipped off into the cracks in the lava bed — a perfect marmot-home!

Waterfalls into the Snake River

Waterfalls

Twin Falls is not the only waterfall in the area. Due to the topography and geology (layers and layers of basalt flows), water seeps into the cracks in the rock, runs in channels above or underground and then emerges from cliffs in stunning and graceful waterfalls all along the Snake River. It's a stunning landscape, and could easily be the setting of a fantasy novel. Can you just imagine an alien temple there instead of a Walmart? (And, yes, you can make the conclusion that there is a temple — to consumerism — instead.)

Twin Falls, ID, in 1910.

And then there are the falls along the river! Unfortunately, two of the big falls along the river — Shoshone Falls and Twin Falls — are no longer what they used to be, as they have been "harnessed" for both water and power. They are still beautiful, but nowhere near what they were.*

There are Shoshoni/Bannock legends about the origins of these waterfalls. My reading list is growing, as now I want to read Indian Legends of the Northern Rockies, by Ella Elizabeth Clark. I got just a taste — about how Coyote tried to stop the water from flowing and built dams at both these points, only to have them broken by the power of the water. The legends are fascinating, as the apparently explain why certain fish are found in certain rivers and lakes and not in others...

The left-hand twin is now alone
and a shadow of its former self.

I arrived at the park (operated by Idaho Power) at dusk, had dinner and enjoyed watching the rays of the setting sun on the thundering waterfall.

It's great to be out here.

*The Milner and Minidoka Dams, and their associated irrigation canals, have turned the Idaho high desert into a prolific agricultural area, now called the "Magic Valley."

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NOTES: Tomorrow it's on to the Sawtooths, a place I've always wanted to visit. Every time I've seen a calendar photo I particularly like, when I've peered at the caption, it's said "Sawtooth Wilderness." I'm finally getting here!

I'm also getting behind on writing entries, so will have to figure out how to handle this. I'm in Salmon, ID, now, and have power and wifi, but that won't last, and I'm getting itchy feet to move on while the weather — which has been "interesting" is still good...

The Snake River valley west of the Perrine Bridge.
Can you tell there is sort of a 3D effect? I'm trying out some settings on the camera!

Nevada

Life on the road

Boring stuff: After getting out on my hike around Sparks, I had to return the RAVPower battery that I'd had sent to Sacramento, and that I was depending on to recharge the MacBook Air and other devices. Appears that it was defective basically out of the box; I'll spare you the details.. Got an RMA by email, then had to figure out how to get the label printed. Found a FedEx Office store, and they were SUPER NICE -- printed the label for me free of charge, and even taped my box closed!! Then went to UPS to get the box shipped. Stay tuned.

So I finally feel like this trip is starting. 

I've dispensed with most responsibilities, and can start to get the feel of the road again.

Nevada desert in the spring

Rain, and more rain.

It was raining off and on on the run to Elko, and as night fell, the rain picked up so that it was approaching gullywasher status.

Of course I slowed down, but the trucks did not, and every time they passed me it was like being in a car wash. Even the furiously beating "high" windshield wiper status could barely keep up. It finally let up as I pulled into Elko. Surveying the possibilities, I spent the night in a hotel parking lot, with the bonus that there was free wifi.

In the morning, I fought with the technology and managed to get one post off ("Sacramento"). Not a happy camper with the iPad (again), but will figure things out bit by bit.

Lilacs blooming in Elko

Elko

I wanted to try to recharge everything at the local library (yes, open on Saturday), but alas, they were having a special event that evening and were closed because they were getting ready for "Just Desserts."

While somewhat disappointed, it did mean that I could enjoy the parade — I think it was for Cinco de Mayo!

It was a real small-town parade, which meant that half the residents were in it and the other half were cheering them on. Pickup trucks were pressed into service as floats decorated with hand-drawn signs (many of them for political candidates), mass quantities of candy were thrown, mariachis played music, horses pranced, and participants wore fancy dress. I was kind of glad the library was closed!

Moving on, how did the radio know that I was driving across Nevada? 

"Dust in the Wind," "Going Mobile," "Wild Horses," "Ventura Highway," and more. 

It was a fitting accompaniment to the scenery. 

Off road!

On the way to Twin Falls, I decided it was time to get the car off road. It's been waaay too long! After passing through Wells, the local mountains looked more and more beautiful, and I took off the freeway for an opportunity to slow down and really see things.

It's amazing what you can see when you just. slow. down.

Right by the roadside was this nest of sticks in a power pole! It didn't seem to be inhabited at the moment, but it was still wonderful to see. Maybe the birds will be back. Raptors really seem to make good use of any kind of pole — I guess to them it is just a dead tree. Which it is.

Need to look this one up

Golden headed blackbird

There was a surprising amount of water in the desert, possibly due to the recent rains, or maybe from spring runoff. On this little excursion, I saw cinnamon teal, mallards, a kingfisher, killdeer (so odd to see this bird here in the desert since we think of it as a shorebird in Marin), a bird that I need to look up, jackrabbits and cottontails, lots of cows and calves, and a golden-headed blackbird. I last saw one of these in Yellowstone, so I actually knew what it was!

It's remarkable to get out in the desert, at least in the spring. The dirt road I was on crossed the "California Trail" — you were supposed to see ruts, but I'm afraid I didn't, unless the water had accumulated in the ruts. I want to read some original diaries from that time, now. Did the settlers enjoy the beauty of the landscape, or were they so caught up in the trials of travel that they didn't notice?

I was tempted to go further, but the threat of rain put a kabosh on that idea. While I do have 4WD, I know what mud is like, and this slick stuff is just nasty.

Wildlife overpass

Back on the road, signs advised we were going through a "deer migration area." I was a bit nervous about going through this at high speed, and did pass at least one mangled carcass. However, two wildlife overpasses have been built, and along with high fences on either side, it looks like the authorities are trying to limit casualties to both humans and animals. Very cool — I've heard of these, but this is the first time I've actually seen some.

Dinnertime

Back on the road, and I stopped for dinner at a rest area near Salmon Falls Creek. It was windy with occasional sprinkles, but there was a wind/rain break and picnic table — perfect for a cooked meal. Wrestled with the stove a bit, but after some cursing and fiddling managed to get it working.

I probably learned more about the stove from this problem than I would have had everything worked perfectly, so there's a lesson to be learned here: analyze the problem and don't give up.

Dinner at dusk near Salmon Falls Creek

Dinner was delicious — ubon noodles with ginger, peppers and beef. For a rest stop, this was one of the most beautiful ones I've ever been at: right beside the rushing creek, with lava cliffs rising as a steep backdrop. At dusk, all the swallows came out, rising and circling for their dinners of tasty insects. There must have been hundreds of them. It was magical.


Next stop: Twin Falls, where I'm writing this, and it's cold and windy. Time to get this off and hit the road!
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More on the tech front: I'm figuring out things bit by bit, but having to resort to the laptop to do this efficiently.
The 10-year-old creaky Netbook is tough and reliable, as long as there is power and wifi. But it's agonizingly slow. I'm going to try recharging it from the car plug.

Rebecca -- I did figure out how to turn the screen off of the weather radio, so there's no longer an annoying light and the battery will last longer. Especially with the low-pressure system moving through the past few days, checking the weather is the first thing I've done each morning.

Still working on phone/camera/photo management. I'll get the workflow down eventually. Just wish it were easier.

On the Road

The past two days have begun with rain.

I'm glad that the car is set up to sleep in.  It makes it so easy to pull over to a quiet place and get a good night's sleep.

I didn't make it to Reno the first night. Just too tired, and there was a threat of severe weather -- heavy rain, hail and thunderstorms in the mountains. Just didn't seem worth it to do that white-knuckle driving when I really wasn't in any hurry, so pulled off the freeway and spent the night in a rural neighborhood in Auburn. Went for a bit of a stroll in the morning after the rain stopped. There is always something to see: a cat slinking through the wet grass, trailers and RVs in almost every driveway, the school bus on its rounds, birds flitting through the brush. The rumble of traffic on the freeway is in the distance.

You see and hear things that are familiar and things that are not.

New neighborhood in Sparks

Sparks

I'd wanted to stop by to see my sister in Sparks, but she wasn't up to having visitors, so I just explored her neighborhood a bit.

The houses are all brand new, with broad streets and sidewalks. It's a cookie-cutter neighborhood, solidly packed with houses and small yards and an abysmal walk score since amenities (Safeway, CVS, restaurants) are a good mile or more down a considerable hill. There are bike lanes on the main streets, though, and I was excited to find that this development bordered on open space with walking paths and a children's mini-park.

This tee marker is getting buried

The walkways looked inviting, so I set off on a hike. Turns out the open space was a defunct golf course! The walking paths were the paths for the golf carts. (This was the first time that I've actually been on a golf course, but I'm not sure it counts!). The desert is working on swallowing up any relics of civilization, though: the manicured greenways are long gone, replaced by more hardy plants; the rock tee markers are overrun, and even the engravings will erode with time; the pathways are getting covered with mud and debris from the rainstorms that move surprising amounts of material downhill. My boots were covered in mud by the end of the hike.

Open space under power lines 

It was wonderful to get out and smell the clean scent of sagebrush. Puffy clouds scudded overhead, and birds twittered in the brush.  It was remarkably green and pleasant for the desert. Views of Mt. Rose and the snow-covered Sierra offered a beautiful backdrop. I saw jack rabbits, quail, doves, sparrows, a mockingbird, swallows, and a goldfinch, so there is a thriving ecosystem. Turns out it is protected as an open space because there are power lines through it. It's a small benefit to the local animals, when so much of their territory is being invaded by encroaching "civilization."

Fighting technology

I'll get it figured out, but there is a bit of a learning curve. Trying to write the blog on the phone was hopeless. Doing it on the iPad is slightly better, but using the keyboard is painful, and I haven't yet figured out the best way to move photos from phone and camera to iPad. Plus the place to enter text doesn't scroll down, and formatting with fat fingers just plain sucks. Burning through a lot of time and battery power to post this, but it will get better, I'm sure!
Have resorted to parking outside McDonalds, using free wifi, and using the trusty Netbook to get this posted.

Couple of days late; been through Elko, and am writing this from Twin Falls, ID.

Sacramento

Jade came to visit

Hard to believe this trip has really started!

But even when you think you're done, there are still more bits and pieces.
Spent a wonderful few days in Sacramento reconnecting with a friend from Palo Alto and her husband and getting to know their kitties. We walked, ate, and mostly talked, getting caught up on news from the past 40 years.

With some true friends the relationships developed over past years run so deep that you can pick up where you left off. While I'm sorry to have missed those intervening years, it's a real gift to be able to do this now. Rebecca and Mark were consummate hosts, offering amazing food (fresh homemade strawberry pie to die for), a mail drop, wifi, advice and compassion, even unexpectedly needed notary service(!!), and allowing me to sleep and recover in the comfortable guest room. I am deeply grateful -- it was the perfect way to start this trip!

Entry arch to the McKinley Rose Garden

Sacramento is quite a lovely city. 

I feel somewhat ashamed to not to have gotten to know California's capitol city until recently. Cool shaded streets and beautiful homes reminded me of old Palo Alto. With the close association with UC Davis, there has been an explosion of micro-breweries and interest in viticulture and wine, and, as Rebecca says, "Sacramento has become quite a foodie town!"

I will be glad to come back, as there is much to discover!

But it's time to move on. Next stop Reno/Sparks, Nevada!