Malheur County

Interesting morning run. All was quiet on the streets of La Grande. Opted to play it simple - up & down Main St - there was nothing on the roads so the traffic lights wouldn't be a problem. All was going smoothly till a stationary car obscured my vision - only at the last minute did I see a car coming & stopped. Phew. Once gone proceeded on my way. Except I didn't - a grey car pulled up - the one that had almost run me down. A fart like siren. Oh dear. "Hey buddy" (I'm not & it's even less likely after this conversation. 'Officer Buddy' proceeded to lecture me on how I was almost run over (by him) and ran (irony) a red light. I could get a citation (whatever that is) Obviously I apologised & he let me off with a warning - he was just pissed off that he almost ran someone over & couldn't face having a sweaty runner in his nice new mustang - which incidentally was unmarked - entrapment. How do I know he was a narky individual - the next set of lights he waited at a green light & made sure I waited at the lights & went round the block & watched me at the next set. Came back along the back roads. Maintain that having to stop 'Officer Buddy' caused my calf to tighten up. Minimal brekkie - cheap motel. Now to see the traffic chaos that the eclipse was causing - early start should help. Aside from roadworks there was little of consequence to dusturb the journey - not even the surroundings were particularly inspiring - plains & rolling hills. Passed into the Mountain Time Zone which added an hour but that wasn't enough - way too early for check-in. All that didn't matter because we missed the turn. Pulled off at the services to regroup and were given plenty of options for the onward journey into Idaho. Decided to head off to the Owyhee Valley & Lake. An interesting drive - narrow roads & yet RV's and trucks with trailers all seemed to be heading in the opposite ditection. None would move over it seemed. Eventually made it to the State park area & a little oasis within the arid gorge and the lake created by the dam. A nice picnic lunch. A little walk & back to aircon. A little side trip to Snively Hot Springs. Easily found but disappointingly cold until I was pointed in the right direction. Scorchio. That's it. Nice dip & swim. Back to the hotel for Liz to tend her wounds - a couple of bites when hiking through to the springs. Pondered where to go for the eclipse over tea at an Irish Bar. The excitement...Lue lisää