Blaine County

After the Super Start Breakfast at the Super 8 Boise we set off for a brief sprint down the I 84 to Mountain Home. We witnessed first hand what happens with Vehicles towing trailers at high speed with one over turning. These interstates generally see speeds of 80MPH so an accident is always moments away.
We left the I 84 at Mountain Home, and a after a brief stint in the curves we hit monotonous straight highway. A stop was made at Picabo where we enjoyed conversation with the locals and checking out the shop dedicated to Trout fishing and hunting. This a farming region which is snowed in for a large part of the year but the farmers still manage to get several crops of alfalfa and barley off in a season, during the snow they cattle farm with stock feed stowed in the summer.
Our main feature today was Craters of the Moon which is the USAs first national Monument, an enormous field of lava dating back 10 million years. The visitors centre and educational presentation was brilliant as was the walking and driving loop around the park.
3 of the group left us at this point as they have a couple of days planned around the Idaho Falls and Yellowstone area so we continued on as 3 couples, Carl and Paola, Greg and Melissa and Noela and I.
Heading into Idaho Falls a storm built to the North and looked very menacing, these parts get Tornados so we watched carefully, we missed the storm for now, but only for now.
Subway for lunch in Idaho Falls, and as we prepared to leave again in came the storm, I did not put wet weather gear on feeling the worst had past. A quick stop at the falls from which Idaho falls takes its name, and we headed to Jackson Wyoming. Soon we were in the dry again and I eventually dried out, but the storm made a surreal sight as it closed in around the surrounding mountains.
To get to Jackson we rode the West Teton which is really the gate way to the Tetons and Yellowstone National park. We hit the 7900 foot altitude mark on this run, and it looks like fresh snow fell on the highest points. As it was we were in the snowline as we crossed the top of the range before descending into Jackson. Another great day.
Tomorrow Yellowstone.Read more