head east!

We head out of Baker City to visit the Interpretive Center (regarded as the best for families as much of it is interactive.) We find despite looking it up the night before that we are too early for its opening hours. So we walk aorund the site and see the trails and some outdoor exhibits.  Then after we head down into the valley below the museum we find the ruts and trail remnants are the ones we photographed from above- cool! 

the gates to the site

Baker City in the distance...trail ruts and remnants are in the following photo - see if you can spot them before the highlighted photo comes up....

We had scorching heat all week - at this location, and others, water was supplied to visitors to help avoid heat related health issues...

Our next destination was outside of Boise- the Keton Rmap ruts - located in a nice area of suburban Boise 

Before heading along the Thousand Springs Byway we stopped in Bliss, Idaho for some green chile burritos at a fabulous roadside diner run by dos hermanas. Excellent lunch stop.  

Then we followed the road along the Snake River and saw the most amazing set of water cascades.  It was 106*F. We were awestruck by the landscape of bone dry, virtually barren hills in shades of brown and yellow with an occasional dotting of silver green sage brush, and then to see water pouring from the cliffs along the river was simply spectacular.

photo os Byway sign taken off the internet - missed photographing it and didn't realize there would be no more :-(

an ice cream stop along the way - excellent ice cream in Buhl, Idaho.

Twin Falls has a cute downtown area. Not sure what drives the economy of this town of  50,000 but by comparison to a number of towns we've been through in the last week, this one seems to be on the upswing. 

That night's dinner and sunset in Twin Falls, Idaho. TB had ramen and I had the TBLT salad. Still full from lunch and enverated by the 106* heat despite being in the car with AC on for the bulk of the day. Place was good with excellent service. Good menu, if only we had come hungry enough to sample more. Oh well...... There's always tomorrow.

my room at the cute Fillmore Inn B&B in Twin Falls... nice property in the city center so only a short drive to the meal (above)

Tomorrow on to Utah via City of Rocks....