Twin Falls to Troy and Yaak River Montana USA

Wednesday, 3rd July 2019 -

It was up early again and after breakfast and saying good-bye to Tina and Lawrence it was on the road to travel up to Montana and visit Betty and Ed, Virginia's sister and her husband, a distance of approx 600 miles and several more hours in the car.

Irrigating Potato crop

 Centre Pivot irrigation north Idaho

Hay covered with temporary covers.

The drive north went through the huge plateau north of Twin Falls that has large areas of irrigation for potatoes, crops, barley and large dairy farms.

It is now very fertile and Lawrence commented to me that around the town of American Falls, when he was at the bank they had over $100 million out in loans to potato farmers at any one time.

The land was irrigated with centre pivots or K-lines and stretched as far as the eye could see.  The dairy cows were kept indoors and the grass cut and taken to them year round, up to 4,000 cows in a herd.  They milked nearly all day in large rotary sheds and also fed grain and meal to the cows.

Clark Canyon Reservoir in north Idaho

Rain storm coming near Melrose

Lunch was a stop at a boat launching site near Melrose on the Clark Canyon River.  We had frequent rain showers while driving, very large raindrops.

On entering Montana the countryside changed to more green and rolling grazing country which has a big snowfall in the winter.

Crossing the Divide at Butte into Montana

Lake bedside highway in Montana

We drove up through Montana to Missoula and then onto Troy about 30 miles from Betty's.  This town is in the Kootenai Forest Park and has a population of approx 900 people.  It is the lowest town in Montana at 1688 feet and used to be a timber and logging town until logging was ceased in Montana some years ago.  

It is tree country with very little grazing land.  There are a lot of bears, elk and deer here which roam freely everywhere.

Highway near Troy

Lake on side of highway in Montana

We arrived at Betty's property at 9 pm after travelling 616 miles and 10 hours car time.  They live on a 5 acre property in the Kootenai Forest Park, up a country road on the banks of the Yaak River.  We were welcomed with chicken and corn for dinner followed by huckleberry pie and cream.

Huckleberries grow in the wild and bears love them.  They taste similar to a blueberry but are redder and smaller.  Betty goes out and collects them when they are ready and tries to get to them before the bears.

After an exhausting day of driving it was off to bed.

Twin Falls, Idaho, USA

Tuesday, 2nd July 2019 - 

A lazy start to the day before we set off with Lawrence and Tina to explore the Sawtooth National Park south-east of Twin Falls.  The weather was clear and warm and sunny at times.  The scenery was sage brush country with trees the higher you got into the Park.  The Park gets snow in the winter and has a small ski-field but a lot of cross-country skiing that Tina and Lawrence do.  there are also a lot of trails through it and they often take their horses there to ride the trails.

Lawrence, Virginia and Tina having lunch.

We stopped and had lunch at a camping ground on the other side of the Park.










It was also home to hundreds of hummingbirds which we didn't see as it was too hot for them in the middle of the day.  The feeders are hanging in a tree beside a stream and are filled up once a week. 

Hummingbird feeders hanging in the trees.

The gateway to the Home of the hummingbirds.

On the way home we caught up with Camille, their daughter at her new home in Twin Falls and had a cup of tea.  Camille is now teaching in Twin Falls and loving it.

Lawrence then took Virginia and myself on a visit around Twin Falls on the way home and to the Twin Falls Visitor Centre on the edge of the Snake River Canyon that runs beside Twin Falls.

Snake River Canyon

Bridge over Snake River

Map of the Snake River and Canyon.

The bridge is 400 ft above the river and provides most of the water for the irrigation for the surrounding farmland further north. The bridge is used by "base jumpers" who jump from the bridge down to the river.  We also went to the Shoshone Falls further west up the river which has a variation in the amount of water that flows down them depending on the time of year.  Evil Kenevil tried to jump over the Snake River at the end of the road that Lawrence lives on some years ago.  The mound of dirt he built is still there.  He did not succeed.

The Shoshone Falls.

It was back to a BBQ at Lawrence and Tina's house which Camille came to as well.  We had had a lovely day with plenty of talking and reminiscing.  Tina and Lawrence are re-doing the garden at the front of their house after cutting down a large tree.

House with new garden in front of it.

San Jose to Twin Falls, USA

Monday, 1st July, 2019 - 

Up early, packed up the car and ready to leave by 7.30 am.  We had a big day travelling to Twin Falls to stay with Lawrence and Tina, nearly 700 miles.  Travelling via freeways via Sacramento and through the mountains and Tahoe National Forest to Reno in Nevada and then up through the Nevada Desert to Idaho and Twin Falls.

Highway to Reno through mountains

Stopped at Donner Summit, in Tahoe National Forest, north of Lake Tahoe.  This is where the Donner Party died in 1846-1847 from exposure and starvation.

A lot of skifields in this area and snow in winter.

A small lake at Donner Summit with picnic area.

Snow on mountains from Donner Summit.

From here we drove through more mountain country covered in pine trees, past a lake and onto Reno in Nevada were there are lots of casinos.

Arrived in Reno in time for lunch and found a park - Idlewood Park close to centre of Reno which had a picnic area, the Reno Municipal Rose Garden, a Sensory Garden, a children's train (which wasn't running), plenty of space and trees and a variety of sports fields.  A delightful spot.

The rose garden was beautiful, lots of roses in full flower.   There was a band rotunda at one end.  Unfortunately I didn't have time to explore it completely.  Never thought I would see roses like this in Nevada.

After lunch in the park drove through Reno looking at the Casino buildings but never went in !!!

Gateway to Reno in Main St

It was then miles of driving through the Nevada desert, they call it the "high desert".  Miles of barren land with some visible dried up lakes and interesting rock formations.  The freeway has 4 lanes, 2 on each side and lots of trucks, some pulling 3 trailers.

Freeway across the Nevada desert

There were also the trains with up to 100 cars on them.  Quite a sight and going on for miles.

The start of the train, note 2 engines in the front and there were 2 at the rear.

View across the desert.

Eventually after 686 miles and 10 hours 30 mins of travelling time we went over into Idaho and to Lawrence and Tina's in Twin Falls.  It was great to see them and a lovely chicken dinner which Tina had for us and into bed.

San Jose, USA

Sunday, 30th June 2019 - 

After getting through customs I went with Virginia and John for a burger at Chicago Pizza and BBQ on way from airport to their home in San Jose.  It was an early night, I was exhausted.

After a goodnight's sleep next day, Sunday was a lazy day which included a lot of talking and then packing up for adventure ahead of us for the next 9 days.  For dinner we went and had pizza with Susan and Chris and family and then another goodnight's sleep.

San Jose just as I remembered it from last trip, warm and cloudy but pleasant.

Ready to go, 1st Stage USA

At last, Saturday, 29th June 2019 and all ready to go.  Left Christchurch airport at 4 pm and arrived at San Francisco airport after 12 hour flight from Auckland to be met by Virginia and John after a long time getting through customs.  What a relief to get there.