06-13-13

Yesterday we met Jo Ann and Dave at the North Highway Cafe for breakfast.

Doris and Jim were also there.

While we were having breakfast, Dave suggested that the ladies go to the Fort Hall Casino. We all agreed that that was a great idea.
That way Dave and I could go for a jeep ride.

Dave took me through the neighborhood where he grew up. It was mostly farms in those days. Now there are small housing developments where the farms used to be.   
We drove past the sight of the infamous “Iona Chicken Lynching”.
To get the full story on that, you will have to ask Dave if you ever have a chance meet him.

We then drove into the hills heading for the ranch where Dave spent his summers as a youth with his grandparents living in a tent and helping with the sheep and cattle. It sounded to me like an ideal way for a boy to grow up.

On the way to the ranch we went through an area with hundreds of windmills.

It reminded me of Altamont Pass in California.
The farmers that have leased their land for the windmills get a large amount of money per year for each mill and also are getting government subsidies for not growing crops on their land. Sounds like a great deal for the farmers.

When we got to the ranch we drove by the cabin that Dave built over 50 years ago.

  

It was a great little cabin. I could live there, no problem.

From the cabin we followed an old over grown trail through the woods. There were a few trees down across the trail. Some had bypasses but one was a fairly fresh downfall and we had to pull it out of the way.

After getting by the tree we continued up the mountain.

Eventually we got to a good gravel road called Skyline Drive and followed it along the top of the ridge. From here we could see the Teton Range.

After a few miles we took a road down the east side of the mountains and ended up at the Snake River. We stopped at a small restaurant for lunch. Then followed the Snake River back to Idaho Falls.

It was a great ride through some beautiful green hills.
Unlike in California the hills stay green here all summer and don’t turn brown until the freeze comes in the fall.
Where back home the hills are brown all summer until the rains come in the fall. I think I prefer the green summer but I would not appreciate the cold snowy winters.
Oh well, nowhere is perfect.

It was a good day for the girls, all came home winners!