Drive from Idaho to Wyoming

Hello Fellow Wayward Travelers!!!

Today I drove from Pocatello, Idaho to Fort Bridger, Wyoming. Since I drove the back roads, it took me seven hours instead of the normal two on the freeways - I also stopped at a museum and any place that looked unique!!!

The road I took follows The Oregon Trail and there are signs about the trail as I drove along. Most are like this one for Soda Springs, Idaho ---

While I was in Soda Springs, I saw a sign for a museum and drove toward it and found a geyser in the middle of the town!!? It happened to be going off at the time, so I took some pictures and here they are ---

Now this geyser isn't totally natural!! It was a hot spring at first, but then the town grew and in 1937, some businessmen wanted to divert the hot water and make a commercial bathhouse. They decided to drill down and tap into the hot spring. At 315 feet, they hit a steam chamber and water came gushing out to a height of 40 feet. After they removed the drill, the water then gushed to over 70 feet, but they were able to cap the geyser. Now the valve has a timer on it that opens every hour for about five minutes and we tourists get to see something like "Old Faithfull" in Idaho!!!

Then I drove to Idaho's Oregon Trail Museum in Montpelier, Idaho. Here you walk with a guide through what the pioneers did in preparation for the journey, then you took a simulated ride on a wagon (very rough and bumpy - I too would rather walk than ride), and then you toured a few campsites and talked about the pioneers that were there. It was very enjoyable and educational. The tour guides/actors were very good and stayed in character most of the time. I didn't take many photos because I was the only one in my group and I was getting into being a pioneer on the Oregon Trail!!! Here are a few photos that I did take ---

Mainly, today I drove a lot. Someone reading this blog asked to see some photos of Wyoming, so here they are (Note - the ones that are blurry in the middle is because they were taken through my windshield and that is a bug that didn't miss me!!!) ---

Well, I am getting tired, so, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow. Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"


Happy Trails ---- Jon