May 2--Idaho on Oregon Trail

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Monday, May 2, 2011 50 degrees, mileage 5289 Clear and sunny.

Left at 11:00 after doing e-mail and blog this morning. Drove to American Falls where prior to the building of a dam, it was a series of cataracts of the Snake River that dropped 50 feet. We watched a large flock of white pelicans near the spillway. All have a large squarish knob on bills that we read in our bird book was grown during breeding season. Wandered through residential area getting back to interstate and the yards were full of blooming forsythia, tulips and daffodils.

Continued down freeway to Register Rock State Historic Site and had lunch. This was an emigrant campground and again travelers inscribed their names on the basalt boulders. One spot included two pictures drawn by a 7 year old boy who dated his work and then came back years later and dated it again. He became a sculptor in later life and you can see his artistic talent from these drawings at that early of an age.

Got gas at Rupert, ID on interstate 84 at $3.849 per gal. Went off freeway into Twin Falls and then to Shoshone Falls, the Niagara of the West. Really impressive as the river was really full with the start of spring run-off. Many locals had come there because they knew it would be especially spectacular this spring. Cost is usually $3.00 but got in free with our National Parks Senior Pass. While looking at one part of the falls spotted some animals in the grass that looked like ground hogs. A local resident said they called them “rock chucks” and that they were common in the area. The man at the entrance station, when asked, said they were yellow bellied [woodchucks] marmots.
Continued through town, picking back up on US 30, to Buhl where there was a Micky D’s and had “tea”. This Micky D’s was connected to a real interesting farm store. They had their winter stuff on sale and I bought a sweatshirt type jacket for 50% off. Wandered the store just for a break and found really different farm related items for sale, such as 10 different types of welding masks.

Continued on highway 30 through farmland following the Snake River that is now in a deep canyon to Thousand Springs area. This area is very volcanic and run off from the nearby mountains go underground then fall into the Snake River. Very pretty with some homes situated such that they had a very nice view of the falls. Area very rocky with volcanic stuff that reminded us of Iceland. Drove through several small towns along the Snake River until 30 disappeared back onto the interstate.

Drove into quaint town of Glenn’s Ferry and stopped for the night at Three Island Crossing State Park on the Snake River. Paid $11.66 based on a senior rate. Had electric hook up. Pretty spot but mosquitoes out when we arrived.

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