Plains again, and fast roads

Left Boise yesterday to travel to Arco, the first town in the world to be lit by nuclear power, theres a fact for you. (the power supplied was enough to light 4 light bulbs!!!!!) Don't know why this town was chosen, its in the middle of nowhere and has about 300 occupants. Motel was dirt cheap as well, only $43 for the night - cheapest yet.

Anyway, I am crossing the plains once again, but in the opposite direction. The roads are great and straight, where else can I sit at 95mph for 1 hour solid and only pass a car every 10 minutes or so?

Stopped at a coffee shop in the middle of nowhere yesterday and met a lovely couple from a town just across from Seattle, Arnold and Sharon Fairchild. Chatted for about an hour, the coffee shop owner even locked up around us. Talked about quite a few things, UK, Isle of Man, the States, books and family, and of course my trip. Arnold even took a photo of myself and Jed, so our fame is spreading. Thanks once again to Arnold for the drink and the cake, it was very kind of you, and Sharon, when I get home I will bundle some Isle of Man stuff together and mail it across. You never know, on your next UK vacation you may squeeze a couple of days on the island into your itinerary. It was great to meet you (hope you read the blog now) and I hope you reunion goes well.

Stopped of at The Craters of the Moon national park in the afternoon and spent about 4 hours there (the visitor loop road is only 7 miles long as well) This park consists of part of the lava fields left over after consecutive volcanic activity. The reckon there is a weak spot in the earth crust and about every 2000 years the lava beneath the crust pressures up and it is enough for the lave to flow to the surface. Believe it or not the last eruption was just about 2000 yrs ago so they are monitoring the situation as they reckon it could all start flowing at any point in the coming centuries. It is a great place though, at one point I followed a path up an ash cone about 450 ft high, there were fantastic views across the expansive lava fields to the distant mountains, and as the temperature was about 100 degrees again the cooling breeze was very nice.

Even did a walk with a ranger to look at some caves that have been left by the lava flow.

Today I am in Idaho Falls (writing this in the library) and then I am off to Yellowstone for a few days. I am about 100 miles short so should be there in a couple of hours - hoping for wildlife!!!

Bought some "Anti Monkey Butt" powder the other day, supposed to prevent soreness from biking or sitting all day, its like a talc with added ingredients, will let you know how it goes (I'm sure you will be interested - not) Great name for a product, eh.