BIG Valleys, BIG Round Mountains, BIG Table Top Ridges

Today was a BIG day. We left southern Idaho, passing modest, but apparently successful farms. It was somewhat unspectacular country, but pleasant if you like flat. Interestingly, on both sides of the large valley, were tall hills (or little mountains, I guess). The sides of these hills were almost vertical and the tops were flat so they looked for all the world like walls. We could see that they had had snow, but it was about 8 or 9 degrees, so there was no danger of our seeing any new snow or ice.

Boise is a bigger city than we expected. It seems like a prosperous area with lots of evidence of industry, but not ugly at all. I think we have given a "thumbs up" to Idaho . . . not for me to live in, for sure, but fine for a visit.

As we drove north and west, we entered the northeast corner of Oregon. Here we saw amazing scenery. It's hard to describe, but the overriding observation would, again, have to be that everything was big. The mountains (not hills) are massive and round and bare, resulting in huge dips and valleys.

You might get a bit of an idea from this photo (taken from the car window by Nita, of course)

This photo doesn't show that off in the distance were much bigger bald mountains rising higher and further away -- big, round, bald mountain ranges.

We climbed up over some of these mountains, and at one point, we stopped at a viewpoint for a spectacular sight. The scene is a huge valley, the centre of which is the city of Pendleton. Here's a bit of a look. (By the way, I took the first one! I couldn't see what I was taking because the little camera that I'm using has an LCD screen but no view finder. All I could see was a reflection of myself, so I just sort of pointed the camera in the general direction of the valley!)

And here is one that show the road below and the patchwork of the cultivated fields. Wherever there is no irrigation, the land is as arid as can be -- sagebrush and all. I am constantly amazed at the lack of water and green growth across most of the country I've traveled!All of the interstates have trucks, trucks, trucks. As you will see in this picture, some are even three trailers long.

We're going to try to get home by 4:30 tomorrow so I can get the dentist to tighten up my implanted tooth! The cap is loose and I'm afraid it will pop off. So, if all goes well, I should be home from the dentist by about 5:30. I am so looking forward to seeing my friends and family at home. I just wish I didn't have to travel from one end of the country to the other to see those I love!
So, this is the end of this Kentucky Bound Blog. It's been a wonderful trip, coming and going. I hope you were able to get a glimpse of the fun I've had. Thanks for reading.