Craters of the Moon National Monument

 Since our last post in South Dakota, we have driven across Wyoming to get to Oregon. We had the opportunity to drive through Grand Teton National Park again, which was just as exciting as when we visited there at the beginning of our travels! We took a stroll at Schwabacher's Landing and once more enjoyed the views of the Tetons with some amazing cloudy skies. The snow we saw before on the tops is now gone.

 

We also took a break from our drive to enjoy the National Museum of Wildlife Art which is set on a hill outside of Jackson, overlooking the Elk Refuge. The museum had amazing paintings, sculptures and unique artwork in a very well curated museum. If you are ever in that area you should check it out! The building is well camouflaged in the hillside, being built out of the naturally occurring rocks. There are some large bronze sculptures that you can see from the roadway.

 

After arriving in Island Park, Idaho we found a great boondocking site (thanks to Mike and Madeleine's recommendations) and we got set up just in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset. It seems to be monsoon season in a lot of the places we have been, so that the skies are clear in the morning and then thunderstorms come in during the late afternoon and evening, bringing sudden downpours.

There were still puddles in the dirt roadway from the afternoon showers and I noticed the clouds reflected in the puddle. After taking a picture of it I noticed that the puddle was in the shape of a heart! Just a little reminder of God's love for us!

 

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho

 

At the encouragement of our cousin Donna, we put this National Monument into our itinerary and we are so glad we did! We camped inside the national park for only one night, so we had limited time to enjoy the park. The afternoon we arrived we had hoped to do some of the sightseeing and hiking in the park, but we were rained out by the really heavy downpour of a thunderstorm. We enjoyed the sights of the park and flashes of lightning in the distance from the shelter of the car on the 7 mile loop road. The next morning we got up early to enjoy the park before our noon checkout time. Since the park is small we were able to enjoy the main sights before we headed out.  

Inferno Cone is one of the worlds' largest basaltic cinder cones. A short steep 0.2 mile walk up the side of the cinder cone brought a surprising sight into view...a beautiful tall tree and lots of vegetation on the barren bleak hillside! On a clear day the view is expansive of the Great Rift and its many cinder cones; we could see some of the closer hills through the low clouds.

A Lava Bomb, or a big glob of lava, that was blown out of the Inferno Cone. Most of the cone was black basalt lava, but at the top there were areas of red rock and this bomb that made it to the edge of the cone mountain.

Just across the road from the Inferno Cone (as seen above in the distance) are some miniature volcanoes called Spatter Cones. The steep trail winds around the side of the cone, arriving at an area to view the inside of the crater.

A view of the vast lava field from the roadway, included this large pine tree, and numerous small pines, lichens and wildflowers, reclaiming the land that is covered by thick lava.

 

 

 

 

 

The Cave Area was accessed by a 0.8 mile trail over the lave fields and required a special permit. After answering questions about other caves we may have visited and learning about the white nose fungus that is killing off bat populations we obtained our permit, had to change to clothes and shoes which we had not worn in any cave for the past decade, yes I said decade, we headed out for our hike to Indian Tunnel. The caves here are actually lava tubes, where the lava flow has hardened on the outside while the lave still flowed within, leaving behind tunnels and caves. Indian Tunnel was accessed by a stairway and a hike across the rocky uneven floor, over and around boulders. Areas of the roof are open to the sky, providing needed light!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devils Orchard is a 0.5 mile trail through island-like lava fragments in a sea of cinders. Trees, both living and dead, dot the landscape of strange rocks and boulders.

 

We have been enjoying some visits in Idaho, and now Oregon, with some friends that have moved to those areas...Liz and Billy, Courtney and Carlo, Kathleen and her sister Pinky, and Pat and Sherry and their granddaughter Avelynn. What a great joy to be able to catch up with these dear friends that we have known for decades, or shorter periods of time. Friendships that endure over time and distance are a blessing indeed!

We have also had the privilege of meeting people along the way as we shared in last week's blog post. We pray that these brief encounters can have lifelong and eternal impact in those we meet!

In Idaho we met Andy, a young man who says "he is on a quest to find the meaning of life." We were standing on the edge of a gorge when he approached us and started a conversation with Steve. They had a lengthy conversation in which Steve was able to share how he found the meaning of life in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Andy wanted to take a picture so he could remember the meeting and conversation. Since he texted the picture to Steve, there is now an opportunity to continue to  connect with Andy. We are praying for him as we continue to encourage Andy in his searching.

Your continued prayers are so appreciated!  Currently we need to get a "check engine" light diagnosed on the truck. We are in Oregon and it is difficult to find a place to stay while we try to find someone to diagnose the problem with the truck and get scheduled in for repair. Both campgrounds and qualified mechanics seem to be few and far between, and all booked up in the area. We know that the Lord will provide for our needs!

Thanks,

Steve and Lori