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In my final blog of last year –
New Places, New Friends, New Truck, New Home – I outlined the whys and wherefores of my delayed departure for the first leg of Chapter 2017 of
The Great Adventure. During the final 2-3 weeks I spent in Apache Junction AZ, the temperatures were in the 100s and 110s every day, frequently teasing the 120-degree mark. The forecast for the first couple of days following my departure predicted the temperatures would break the all-time Phoenix record of 122. Before I set out for Las Vegas NV, well after my planned departure date, my cell phone had what I thought was a terminal melt down. A little cooling time in the cabin of my new (to me) tow vehicle cured the phone’s issues. The trip to Roadrunner RV Park in Las Vegas via US 93 went without any other glitches; however, the temperatures were only about ten degrees cooler than they had been in Apache Junction. I had made arrangements to get together with Denny, a retired firefighter friend, and with Naomi, a fellow genealogist who happens to be a third cousin.
Naomi’s great-grandfather and my great-grandfather were brothers; however, her great-grandfather had come to the Unites States from Sweden
before the Civil War and had served in that horrific conflict. My great-grandfather immigrated after the Civil War had ended. We had a great time sharing family information one day and got together again for some informal chatter. It turns out she is a country music composer of both music and lyrics, so I had a great time picking her brain about the process. Denny and I got together twice as well, but our conversations were good old-fashioned BS. It was just too hot to visit the attractions I had earmarked for the week. The
Burlesque Hall of Fame, the
Pinball Hall of Fame and
The Neon Museum will just have to be patient and wait their turn.
The drive from Roadrunner RV Park to the campground at
Craters of the Moon National Monument near Arco ID was about double Uncle Larry’s daily quota – 604 miles – so I made an overnight stop at Angel Lake RV Park in Wells NV. My last time heading north from Las Vegas I had stayed on US 93, a Rand-McNally-designated scenic drive. This time, I opted to take a shortcut by using NV 318 from Ash Springs NV to its intersection with US 6 southwest of Ely NV. In Ely, I resumed my trip
Uncle Larry Enjoying the “Spa”
Hot Spring Near Craters of the Moon National Monument – Arco IDon US 93 to Wells. The spaces at Angel Lake RV Park are long enough to accommodate the truck and the trailer without unhooking. That’s very convenient for overnight stops – as long as one has planned and doesn’t have to make a grocery run. In the morning, I continued north on US 93 through Twin Falls ID to Craters of the Moon.
My plans for my three-night stay at Craters of the Moon were to spend one day with my retired firefighter friend, Jack, and his wife, Connie, and one day exploring the “moon.” The campground at Craters of the Moon is very nice but entirely no-frills (I had my first opportunity to use the generator that came with my Bighorn), and there is no Verizon cell or Internet service. That was no problem as I have plenty of “stuff” already downloaded to keep me busy during morning coffee and evening relaxation.
After I got settled in, I drove into Arco and called Jack. After Jack and I had agreed to a Saturday afternoon visit and ended our conversation, Connie called me back to tell me of a hot spring near Craters of the Moon. Of course,
Cooked to Perfection – Oh, My Deer
Visit with Jack and Connie Oar – Howe ID Saturday morning found me heading for the hot spring. This unmarked gem is right on the highway and is well-known by the locals, so the four vehicles in the small, isolated parking area were a dead giveaway. I had learned during a previous phone call that Jack and Connie had their ranch listed for sale and were planning to move to northern Montana to be closer to Jack’s brother – Tom Oar, one of the regulars on the History Channel series,
Mountain Men. In addition to a bunch of catching up, Connie showed me some of her craft work and Jack cooked some bacon-wrapped venison steaks over a wood fire. I enjoyed a hunk of mighty fine talking, a bit of quality looking and some fantastic eating!
All I had on Sunday’s agenda was the exploration of Craters of the Moon National Monument. I began with a stop at the visitor center, got a couple of questions answered, learned of a Ranger-guided Cave Walk and obtained the caving permit required for participation in the Cave Walk. The most interesting portion of the visitor center presentation told of the migration of a “hot spot” from where Craters of the Moon
I Enjoyed Numerous Scenic Vistas During My Short Hike
Tree Molds Trail – Craters of the Moon National Monument – Arco ID is today to the Yellowstone National Park area. Yup, Yellowstone is a definite hot spot! After leaving the visitor center, my first stop was at the North Crater Flow Trail where the 0.3-mile trail winds across one of the youngest lava flows in the park. I also made stops at Inferno Cone, Splatter Cones and Big Craters Area on my way to a stop with three trail options. Because of the time constraints of the 2 PM Cave Walk, I opted to take the two-mile Tree Molds Trail instead of the slightly longer Broken Top Trail or Wilderness Trail hikes. The “Tree Molds” were formed when molten lava engulfed trees, the “cold” trees caused the lava to solidify and the tree disappeared through incineration and decay. Some tree molds are vertical while others are horizontal. Regardless, they are quite unique and interesting.
The Ranger began the Cave Walk with an informative talk and stopped several times along the 0.8-mile trail to the end point, Indian Tunnel, to pass along other information. The Ranger did a good job with the material she was given; however, I found the cave area the least interesting of my activities. Craters of the Moon
The “Cave” Actually Is an Uncollapsed Portion of a Lava Tube
Ranger-Guided Cave Walk – Craters of the Moon National Monument – Arco ID National Monument is a unique geographic area and is worth a short detour for those interested in geology or earth science; however, for the average tourist, the park is only recommended for those passing through for some other reason. Its distance from Pocatello ID and Boise ID make it unsuitable for a day-trip excursion unless planning a very early start and a very long day.
The first 10 days of the 2017 chapter of
The Great Adventure found me learning more about my new truck and my new house as well as making several adjustments to the packing scheme to keep the loads from shifting while on the road. I also have learned that landslides along the Pacific Coast Highway have closed that route so I’ll be making adjustments to the post-August segment of my travels. Stay tuned, there’s more to come!
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