Day 21 Burns, OR. to Twin Falls, ID A second chance for Idaho

I failed to mention yesterday that we were once again prevented from taking a scenic route by roads closed by heavy snow.  On the trip from Springfield to Burns we planned to take the scenic road through the cascades over McKenzie Pass.   However 11 miles into the 50 mile trip the road was closed due to deep snow. Here it is in mid June and the Cascades still have snow covered peaks and several roads are still impassible.  For comparison today in Twin Falls it is 80 degrees.

The trip today was one of our longer planned jumps, a little over 300 miles.  The route varied from very boring straight Central Oregon Highway through sagebrush, to the rolling hills and farms of western Idaho.  

In a little town called Vale, Oregon, we stopped at a little diner for a late breakfast, complete with a piece of their outstanding pie. The crust was so light it needed to be anchored to the plate.  For those of you worried about my diabetes, my sampling was limited to a few forkfuls that I swiped from Gloria.  OK, maybe more than a few, but less than a whole piece!

Following up on a promise to give Idaho a second chance, we left the highway (84) for scenic route 30 at Bliss and followed it all the way to Twin Falls.  The beauty of this particular stretch of road rivaled any we have seen along the way.  The Snake River winds through this country and has carved deep valleys in the lava rocks that show prominently on the high ridges.  The valleys are lush and green with flat fields and pretty little farms.

The crown jewel (there are many attractions on route 30) of the vistas is a section of the ridge along the Snake River called Thousand Falls.  I didn’t count a thousand, but from the road Gloria and I saw dozens of waterfalls springing from the cliff face (not going over the top, but coming through the rock!).  Apparently two rivers disappear below the lava flows a hundred and fifty miles north of here, and follow the fissures until they burst from the rocks and empty into the Snake.  It is incredible!

The little towns along RT 30 all had small centers with craft and gift shops that would be worth visiting.  Buel was surprisingly large.  RT 30 eventually reaches Twin Falls which seems to be a great little city, well layed out with all the services and stores anyone could want.

We are in a Hampton Inn (Twin Falls) again, and I have to tell you that it feels like coming home (if your home has a luxury master suite).  Elizabeth asked me if I am getting any plot ideas for the next book.  I am sensing a hero who sells everything he has and lives out of short term hotels by using stolen rewards cards points and his wits while traveling across the country searching for a lost artifact. Who knows.

We are off to Bozeman, MT tomorrow.  I may take a quick trip through the Northwest portion of Yellowstone that we missed on the way west. Rumor has it that the northwest corner is the best place to see bears. This make take some negotiation with Gloria.

See you along the road.