Day 27 - Pullman, WA to Craters of the Moon, ID

Elevation = 5900 ft

Song of the Day = “De Do Do Do” by the Police

The next morning, I awake, chastened with a hangover. Thanks Stern, for offering up your bed (I know that you said that you were all excited to sleep on the couch, but seriously, I could have slept there. And, thanks for the dinner and drinks and all around good time!) I have to decline breakfast given that today will be a long drive. The international crowd heads off for brunch, and I, with a light heart but heavy stomach, head to Idaho. I head out of the Palouse south on 195. The hills slowly peter out, ending in a huge bluff overlooking the town of Lewiston (and its neighbor, Clarkston. Someone got all original when naming them!) 

Overlooking the town of Lewiston from 195

The highway descends steeply down the cliffs, and I roll onto 95 South across the Nez Pierce Indian Reservation. The road slowly winds along a wide open valley, and at Grangeville enters a long valley through the West Mountains. The sky is a deep liquid blue – looks as if a huge blue bowl has been upended over the earth. As the road follows the Salmon River through the mountains, the view only gets better and better. Heavily forested slopes rear straight up from the picturesque river as it tumbles over huge rapids (looking forward to rafting in a few weeks!) Let me just say that the drive along Rt 95 is one of the most incredible yet. 

Heading down 95 towards the Salmon River

In the tiny town of Riggins, I stop for some lunch at the River Rock Café. The menu features their “famous stuffed sandwiches” – which are kind of like calzones, but with more deli-like ingredients. What’s more interesting is that the stuffed sandwiches are named after various holes. That’s right, I said holes. I giggle to myself for a few minutes (after all, I am mentally a 12 year old) before realizing that they are named after various local fishing holes and not, uh, other holes. I spent the next 5 minutes coming up with new names and combinations (The Butthole – meatballs, corn and brown gravy; The Pink Hole – sausage, salami and ricotta cheese; The Flaming Asshole – chopped hot salami, jalapenos, buffalo sauce). I opt for the Glory Hole (hehehehe) which is amazingly delicious (hehehe) and read the Riggins newspaper. It’s full of information and reflection on the upcoming Rodeo Days and stats on the annual salmon run, with the sort of charming typos and hilarious ads that can only be found in a small town newspaper.

In the tiny town of Meadows, I head east on Rt 55, which climbs steeply up to the base of Brundage Mountain ski area and the resort town of McCall. Despite the cold air, dozens of people at strolling through the boutiques and upscale shops. The road winds along the mountains before dropping down into Boise. What to do? Stop here for the night or push on to Craters of the Moon? It’s almost 5pm, and I still have a long ways to go. Ah, screw it. Keep going. 

I catch I-84 south out of town (after restocking the supplies in Eagle) to Rt 20 east across the Snake River Plain. I’ve never been to Idaho before, so this area comes as a bit of a surprise. It’s a vast, flat basin, with the Sawtooth Mountains to the north and the Albion Mountains to the south. Rt 20 follows the Snake River. As the light fades, the plains take on an almost purple color. A herd of pronghorn antelope cross the road in front of me, shimmying under the low fence instead of leaping over it. “Well, what a stupid bunch of antelope” I mutter as they bound off. 

Views along Rt 20 across the Snake River Plain

Then, abruptly, the landscape changes. It looks as if the world’s largest moles have been at work. Everywhere are great mounds of black, with a few plants clinging to life in the crevices of the rocks. Everywhere are huge craters. As far as the eye can see are enormous piles of black rock. It is so alien compared to the lushness of the plains. And perhaps a bit ugly. It appears that I have reached Craters of the Moon. I pull through the entrance station and into the campground, with cleared areas of black gravel set amongst the huge piles of rock. The campground is small and is only 1/3 full. I find a site surrounded on 3 sides by rock and purchase two nights ($10 per night – running water near each campsite, flush toilets, no showers, no fires allowed). The sun has long set, but the full moon illuminates the black rocks surrounding each campsite. I quickly set up camp and grill some dinner to the delight of the mice living in the rock crevices around the camp. One enterprising fellow tries to leap from the top of a rock onto the top of the picnic table but fails (sucka!).  We’ll have to see what this place is all about in the morning.