Here are some of the mountains that are right up against Ogden/Salt Lake. For those of you that are looking at gas prices and not the mountains, the Chevron was $2.39.
The state highways in Utah have a strange symbol. Most states I've been in incorporate their outline for these symbols. What is it? Is Utah the Playtex 24 Hour Bra State? Darn.
The Great Salt Lake on the left. Did you know that I float in salt water? No need to paddle, even. It's nice.
Far north Utah is slightly grassier than Wyoming was. No more inhabited, however.
Far south Idaho was more gravelly than north Utah. I wouldn't go so far as to call it scruffy. Not far from this point was a sign warning of severe dust storms for the next 40 miles. There were also railroad crossing-style swinging gates to stop traffic and turn it back if the storm (presumably snow) was bad enough. Wyoming had these in a few places as well.
Hay seemed to be a big crop in Idaho. I wonder what's more efficient, boxing hay like these folk, or rolling it like us southerners? The air smelled sweet. This photo was still in the dust storm threat area. Further north the state got real nice. I didn't post any photos, and I'm too tired to go back and do it now. It was pastoral and quaint. Accompanying the hay smell was the smell of potatoes, and it was good. There were also a lot of dairy farms. So far, Idaho has been my favorite state, by a long shot.
This is the first time that I attempted to cross the Snake River. I made it! Ah, the 70's. Too funny. You really, really had to be there, didn't you? Randy, Russ and I loved our Evel Knievel action figures and motorcycles.
Here's the actual river.
Here's a picture of the home of the blue football field, especially for Bobbie. Boise State has been very good to him.
Here's the Idaho state capitol building. It's very weather worn.
I'm in Oregon in this picture. I'd been in the state for at least 30 miles, maybe more. I realized that I was looking at Idaho, so I took a picture. You might be able to see the Snake River Canyon, or where it is, on the far side of the road, before the hills.
Oregon started to pretty up, after a while. I wasn't really a fan of Oregon on the whole. You can't pump your own gas in the state. Whoops, that's not a bad thing. The people are creepy, though.
Here's a stop at a scenic view atop a mountain. Mount Emily or something like that. I tried to get the highway snaking around the side of the mount, then making a beeline when it got to flat ground in the distance.
The way down was something like a 6% grade. They had speed limits for trucks depending on how many axels they had, and also on how much they weighed. One speed limit was 18mph. Not mine. Here's a run away truck exit on the way down. I remember seeing these in Colorado on trips when Rusty was an infant. I guess that means I was around six. A very paranoid six. I had my eyes open for trucks without brakes back then. I was sure one would careen by at any time. Thank goodness I got over that so I could grow up to take pictures by looking through an actual view finder while driving down mountains.
I wonder what kind of trees these were on the side of the road. My very uneducated guess would was Ash. It was a very large "farm?" It went for miles along the road, and who knows how far back. It wasn't an orchard. There were a few spots that had been cut down, and there was a legend on a large wooden sign telling when the trees had been planted originally, when they had been harvested, and when they had been replanted anew. I look forward to the day that our race no longer enslaves plants for their flesh. (That was for Randy).
Volcano! I probably passed several on my way here, but did I? Maybe there aren't any between NM and here. Again, I'm too tired to search tonight. Mount Hood is in this picture. Can you see it?
Here's Mount Hood, Washington State on the other bank, and the mighty Columbia River. Too bad there are also telephone poles. They made Interstate 84 travel inside the Columbia River Gorge. I applaud whoever came up with this idea, because it was a beautiful trip--depsite the creepy Oregonians. I recommend it highly. There were even a few waterfalls on the way.
Here's one of the dams and hydroelectic plants on the Columbia. I think that Washington makes so much excess hydroelectric energy that it sells it to greedy California. Be impressed with my photo skillz. Note that it's looking backward as the road blurs by. Not too bad, eh?
The last good pic of Mount Hood, before the highway plunged back down into the Gorge. It was really looming here. Again, it doesn't translate.
Portland seems like a pretty cool city. Neat bridges. I might like to fly up here sometime and spend a day or three in Portland, then drive up to Seattle and finish the week there. I drove around looking for my dinner, and I lucked into a trendy part of town right off the bat (The Pearl District). I guess I have either a nose for it or a belly for it. I decided on Manzana, and knew I had made the right choice when I opened the door and Aimme Mann was playing. I had the Cast Iron Seared Ahi Tuna (spice rubbed and seared rare with hot soy mustard, cilantro lime vinaigrette, wasabi cream, and cilantro rice). Since this was the meal of the whole trip, I also had dessert...chocolate banana cream pie.
Tomorrow I'm going to drive with no agenda, the old fashioned way. We'll where it takes me.
current music: Aimee Mann: That's Just What You Are
No comments:
Post a Comment