Our only agenda for today was to get as far into Oregon as possible. We departed Pocatello, ID early in the morning and set our compass once more for west. Originally we had planned to spend the evening camping at Crater Lake, but realized that we would not get into camp until well after 9pm, even with the advantage of changing over to pacific time.
Realizing this, we pulled out the map and picked a new destination, all the while promising that we would one day actually make it to Crater Lake with time enough to dedicate to it.
As we moved through Idaho, Carl and I began looking for two things. First, potato farms; this was very difficult considering that we didn’t exactly know what a potato farm looked like. Still, we analyzed each crop we past, and we’re pretty sure that we did spot some spuds.
Second, we were looking for Snake River Canyon. Not only does the canyon offer a great view, it is also the site of Evel Knievel’s 1974 attempt to jump the river in a rocket bike. Knievel decided on this, as well as many other stunts, after he finally realized that the U.S. government would never let him attempt to jump the Grand Canyon. The jump was unsuccessful due to a parachute malfunction, but Knievel walked away with only minor injuries and significant media coverage.
Just two miles from where the jump occurred, there is a visitor center, complete with vintage photos and news clippings about the jump, and a walking trail. Although the ramp is still partially intact, it is on private property. Still, you can see just how wide the canyon is.
Moving into Boise, ID we caught up with an original portion of the Oregon Trail. Boise was an important stop along the trail due to the river. We found this plaque and a park containing part of the trail nestled in the middle of Boise Suburbia.
The rest of the day was dedicated to driving. As we moved into Oregon we followed Rt. 20 through the state. There was nothing to see for miles around but desert and sky, and occasionally we would past through a small town that you would have missed if you blinked. It was a good thing we had a full tank too. It appears that the gas station in each town had long since run out of fuel and closed up shop.
Eventually the landscape began to change and we went from 98 degrees and sandy to 64 degrees in the lush green mountains. We camped outside of Sister, WA, home to a June Rodeo, July Quilt Show, and September Music Festival; notice that there is nothing going on in the month that we are here!
We’ve set our eyes on the coast for tomorrow.
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