Dry land.

The mountainsides were colorful. The greens trees and golden color of the dry grasses. As we were coming down off the summit, and looking down into the canyon it almost seemed as if we had landed on a different planet, other than Earth. The country is so rugged that it is hard to imagine that anyone would want to settle in this area.

We stopped at a rest area for the night and I could smell smoke. The attendant was there and she informed me that there had been a fire there the day before. It had started along the road and the wind blew the embers to the back of the rest area buildings and then it spread from there down a canyon and on to some wheat fields and came within three miles of a town. Fire doesn't care who or what you are if you are in it's path..too bad.

There was a farm house down in the valley. This family had to be rugged. The summer would be just fine, but the winters could be brutal. Farmers and ranchers are a special breed. They have to like the outdoors, harsh weather, mud and all the rest that goes with ranching and farming.

As we continued on with our journey, we were driving along the Snake River. The area where the rafters, hunters, fishermen go to is called Hells Canyon. The little town of Riggins is mainly for the tourist.

There is so much to do in the area that if you couldn't find something to do, just sitting along the river would be relaxing.

But the signs outside of the various establishments was interesting. If you were in the mood for Elk, I assume this the place to be. But, as I look at the sign, are they hiring a server that is elk, buffalo, or a gyros? Interesting.

Needless to say the road here is a little challenging for the trucking industry. We had to go down this grade with 44,000 pounds in the trailer.

Many of the business were multi-purpose. They don't let an opportunity pass by that is for sure.

At one of the restaurants you could purchase the lunch special for $7.00. This would buy you a 1/3 pound burger, fries and a drink. They didn't say what the meat for the burger would be, so I guess you would be on your own there.

In the evenings you can go to the steak house and have a good dinner along the river. I noticed that some of the places had patios on the back so you could relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the river.

Some establishments have an interesting way of getting customers to come in. One is the sign below for the Cattlemen's. It says that Bert & Kates-- The Girls are back in town. Is this a warning or a statement of fact?

The motel rates weren't that bad. $39.00 for a single. Why don't they just charge for the room? What difference does it make if there is one or two in a room. The extra towel? Makes no sense to me, but if there is a way to make a dollar, I am sure there will be a way to do it no matter what.

Soon we will be in Salt Lake City, Utah. It will be good to be out of the twisty, curvy roads and back on the interstate for a change.

And saying goodbye to the States of Oregon and Idaho. Maybe we will be able to head home for a few days and just be able to relax and put our feet up.

I hope you have enjoyed our journey so far. Until the next time I'll see you on the Otherside.

The Rugged Land

The mountains of Northern California are so beautiful.  The clouds were behind the mountains and they appeared to be snow capped mountains.  When ever I see the beauty that God has given us, it makes me thankful for the blessings we receive.

These trees were on the ridge line and they seemed to be out of place.  Almost as if they were marching along the way to their own drummer.

We were going along the Columbia River again.  The wind had come up and the water was a little choppy, but it didn't stop the wind surfers and boaters.  The colors along this stretch of the river change with the time of day and sunlight.  We stopped at a truck stop that is right along the river and I was able to feed the seagulls.  They were very brave to come close and eat crackers out of my hand.  I enjoy the birds and they are so funny.  If you don't feed them enough they will stand outside of the truck and squawk until you give them some more or we drive away.

The barge traffic was busy this day.  It is interesting as to how they push the barges down the river.  Can't you just picture the old steam boats pushing the freight up and down the river, in days gone by?

It seems as if no matter where we go there are always different rock formations.  This one caught my eye, because it was the only rock around on the top of the ridge.  What caused the rock to form this way and why aren't there others around, that are like it?  Something to ponder upon about nature.

As we traveled from Oregon to Lewiston, Idaho there was such rugged country. It was hard to imagine that our ancestors traveled these mountains to settle and begin to farm the land. I wonder if any of us could do what they did back then. Maybe a few, but not many.

They had to clear the land of trees and brush in order to plant their crops. Some brought seeds or saplings to plant for crops or orchards. I was amazed as to the amount of wheat fields that I saw as we traveled down the road

The hill sides appeared to be painted in gold. As we drew closer the color was of the wheat that was ready for harvest. I always thought that wheat came mostly from the mid-west, but after seeing all this wheat, I wonder if the wheat production has moved to the Northwest.

I enjoy taking pictures of barns. There are many barns that I have seen across the country that have quilt squares on them. I read an article in a newspaper about them, and found it interesting.

This is just a little bit about the barns.

A quilt barn is a barn or other farm building that displays a quilt square. Often these barns are very old and have historical or landmark significance in the area.

Usually the quilt squares are hand-painted to resemble traditional quilt blocks (or patterns) that have been used by generations of quilters.

Traditional quilt block patterns are very popular and are easily recognizable from a distance by their primarily geometric patterns.

Many of the quilt square patterns chosen for display on the barns reflect an affinity the owner has for an aspect of rural living.

Most of the quilt squares in the country are painted by hand on plywood, measuring 8-feet by 8-feet. A few were painted directly onto the wall boards and some are made from other materials such as steel, aluminum and polymers.

Most quilt barns in the U.S. are part of officially-recognized trails organized by individual communities. This barn looked as if it had two squares on it. Some are very colorful and others appear as if they came of "Grandma's" quilt.

Even the old farm homesteads are in need of repair.  This home looked as if the owners had left and someone may have been working on the inside of the home.  I could see buckets, that may have been for paint or possibly plaster for the walls.  I would like to see the inside of these old homes to see if they are still like the original, or have they taken the wood floors and remodeled the inside.

 Sometimes the barns are in better condition than the homes.  I guess because the farmer spends so much time in the outdoors, they take care of the equipment first and then maybe get around to the house when they have nothing else to do. 

 And just down the road we come to the town of Dixie.  They call the area in Southern Utah, "Dixie", so I wonder if the settlers here are from the south?   Anyway, here is an old time grocery store.  Maybe at one time long ago it was the local mercantile, where you could buy just about anything, and if they didn't have it, you could look at the mail order catalog and send away for it. 

Even the little church in the back ground seemed to welcome visitors.  Most of the churches such as this one, were built in the early 1900's and are still in use today.  If only the walls could talk.

In the rugged country the roads are steep.  This is the road we came down with 42,000 pounds in the trailer.  It is a good thing that my husband is a good and safe driver, or I would have been putting my foot to the floor looking for the break and closing my eyes.  I showed this picture to him and he was amazed that we did come down the road.  He focuses on the driving and not what is around him.

 As we drive on, look at what we see.  Bikers...not the "Hell's Angeles" kind, but the peddle ones.  There were several groups that passed by us, going in the other direction.  They are going to have to peddle up the hill that we just came down.  The good news is that they will go down hill once they reach the top.

There is always time to enjoy nature.  I was looking at some flowers along side the road, when we stopped for a stretch break and saw bumble bees hard at work.  They were just having a great time flying from one flower to the next. 

Speaking of next time, it is time to close .  So until next time, I'll see you on the otherside.

Back down the black ribbon road.

We were passing through Iowa's corn fields and they were looking healthy at the time. The weather had been on the hot side for the past few weeks. It is a good feeling to look out the window and see the crops flourishing in the sunshine. I noticed that a lot of the fields were sowed with corn that would become seed for next year. What a job that would be, if we didn't have modern technology taking all those little kernels off the cob.

As we were going into the town of Grundy the local cemetery was lined with American Flags. It was a welcome sight to behold. I don't know if it is a everyday thing or for just special occasions. But, whatever it was/is it was nice to see.

Even the homesteads were in need of repair. This one was for sale and vacant. I wonder what the family thought when they left the home, not to return again. Why was it vacant? So many questions and no answers. Maybe one day when we pass by here again there will be a family living in the home. At least there is hope.

As we were going into Illinois, up ahead was a group of motorcycle riders out for a weekend ride. It was a nice day for a ride, not too hot and not too cold

This sign was just across the bridge as we were crossing the state line into Illinois. I thought bootlegging went out with Al Capone and the likes. But, must be current according to fine that would be imposed on the bootlegger. I guess it is OK to bring liquor across the state line, just don't bring the cigs to go with the drink.

But, then as I look behind the sign there is a notice about drinking and driving. So, I guess everything is covered.

We were crossing the bridge into Quincy, Illinois and the water was high. I was surprised that is was running so high, for we had been across the Arkansas River and there was very little water running in it at the time.

The red brick building on the left is an apartment house. How many of us remember watching the old movies from the 40's and 50's that had the apartment houses that looked like this one? In a lot of these towns you can step back in time, without even a blink of an eye.

The only thing different would be the year of the cars that are parked along side the curb. Maybe you can picture a horse and buggy clip clopping down the road, instead of a car. Those were the days, so to speak.

Main street is Main Street, no matter where you go. Some are longer than others, but the one constant is, that Main Street is the pride of the town/city. Some are more inviting than others and they keep close to the bygone years.

And families are families, no matter where we are. I assume this is a family or maybe friends getting ready to go on a camping trip.

Just as we were leaving town, I looked up to the top of one of the buildings and what did I see....Granny in her rocking chair reading a book. This was a picture that I couldn't miss taking. Thank goodness there was a red light at the time I was trying to get my camera out.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why the Granny in a rocking chair on top of the building. I couldn't find anything that was related to it.

From here we are on our way to Kansas City, Kansas.  When we arrived there the weather was changing from pleasant to stormy.  The clouds appeared to be boiling in the sky.  Lucky for us there were no tornadoes predicted for the area, while we were there.

From here we are on our way to Kansas City, Kansas. When we arrived there the weather was changing from pleasant to stormy. The clouds appeared to be boiling in the sky. Lucky for us there were no tornadoes predicted for the area, while we were there.

Lucky for us that we only had to spend the night in Kansas City. Then on to Arkansas, where the back roads are interesting to say the least.

The historic "Stamps Store". Originally known as the Osage General Store, it was completed in 1898 by Wyatt Hittson after two years of construction. According to local historians, the two-and-a-half story building originally carried everything a resident might need, from the "cradle to the grave". This included a coffin room on the upper level, as well as rooms to rent. Later, the building was used as a lodge for the local chapter of the Odd Fellows. Today it is listed on the National Historic Register. One of the first steam-powered tractors in the county was owned by a farmer in Osage by the name of Mel Presley. The town was also well known throughout the county for the annual Osage Valley Pumpkin Festival.
Another interesting fact that I found out is that members from some of the families here, were members of a wagon train going west and were part of those who died as part of the Mountain Meadow Massacre, in Southern Utah, not far from where we used to live. Amazing what little parts of history can come to light.

We weren't able to go past the store, but we did pass others that were of interest.

Step back to the days of the pioneers and everything was simple. Picture a horse and buggy outside along with a few horses tied up to a hitching rail.

Leaving town and heading down the black ribbon back roads.

So, until the next time I'll see you on the otherside.

Denver, Colorado here we come.

Leaving Salt Lake City and heading to Denver, Colorado we headed out on US Highway 50. The terrain was changing with every mile. The higher we went in elevation the more beauty we saw. The rugged mountains made me think of the Old West. Can you picture a wagon train crossing in front of the mountain and maybe, Indians up on the plateau, watching as the wagons crossed over the land.

The mountains were covered in a smokey haze, from the fires around Fort Collins, Colorado. Nevertheless, it did not detract from the beauty of the mountains and the valleys below.

The recreational areas were beginning to fill up with campers and fishermen alike. To sit alongside the water and enjoy the sounds of nature.
Curecanti National Recreation Area is located approximately 200 miles southwest of Denver.
U.S. Highway 50 runs the length of Curecanti between Montrose and Gunnison, Colorado. One of the interesting facts about this recreation area is that Bald Eagles winter here until the water freezes over.

Curecanti National Recreation Area is a series of three reservoirs along the once wild Gunnison River, where the trout and salmon fishing abound.

A wide range of mammals can be found within Curecanti, including mule deer, mountain lion, black bear, coyote, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, elk and even an occasional moose or as I call them, Bullwinkle's.

There are at least three reservoirs that you can fish and camp at. The fees are reasonable and if you are a senior you get fifty percent off the fees. I am not afraid to say that I am a Senior, if it will save me money. I am all for saving.

I can just picture camping along this stream and fishing for trout in the mornings for breakfast. There is nothing like fresh mountain trout cooked over a campfire. As I was writing this I noticed that there is a man fishing along the stream and a woman sitting up on the bank watching him. Could they be fishing for their dinner? I wonder how they got their truck down there, in the first place. That is one problem with being in a big truck, you can't stop to check things out, very often. When I show the pictures I take to my husband at the end of our day, he tells me that he doesn't remember seeing many of the things, but that is because he is so focused on the road and traffic.

There is just something that is so peaceful about the mountains and meadows we pass by. This reminds me of one of the songs from the musical Oklahoma ; "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning". I can just picture Gordon Mac Rae, standing in the middle of this picture singing the song. (For those who are too young to remember or know, he and Shirley Jones appeared in the movie by the same name, Oklahoma.)

Back to civilization, and one of my favorite things...barns. There are so many different barns and they all have their own trait. We were in Illinois once, and my husband said that we had never been to this place. To which I retorted, " Oh yes we have", as I pointed to a barn. "I have a picture of that barn." Sure enough as we traveled up the road he remembered being there before. Saved by a barn. )

Now I wonder about this business. Do you wash the car first and then the laundry or put the laundry on the hood and spray it down as you wash the car? I guess the drying part would be to roll up the windows catching the clothes so that they would flap in the breeze as you drove down the road. I guess that is what you would call, Air Dry. But, as it states, it is One Stop Wash. They even accept credit cards. Only on the back roads.

Here at the Monarch Crest you can ride a tram to the top of the Continental divide. It takes about fifteen minutes for a round trip, but you can get off and look around, if you wish to.

What amazed me here, is that they had truck parking. Unfortunately, we arrived after they had closed for the day, and were unable to take the tram or visit the gift shop. Maybe next time.

And now I have reached the "peak" of my blog. At last I have brought our travels current.

Today is the 4th of July and we are in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our poor truck has to be worked on. The cruise control doesn't work, the jake brake doesn't work, the opti idle doesn't work, Oh and my side of the windshield had to be replaced, due to a huge crack going right up the middle. Having bugs in some of my pictures is bad enough, but adding a crack..is just a little too much.

I hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July.

Until the next time, I'll see you on the otherside.