Wandering Retirees

Hailey, ID to Driggs, ID via Craters of the Moon National Park

We left Hailey , ID this morning headed for Driggs, ID at the western edge of the Tetons. Good roads and good weather made for a mostly fun ride through beautiful country. About an hour into our ride east, we stopped at Craters of the Moon Nat’l Park and it was a treat. Our first stop was the Visitors Center where we got great information (as always) from the Ranger at the front desk. We learned that the entire Snake River valley is a geological hotspot (no pun) that corresponds to the subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American tectonic plate.  The last significant earth quake in this region was in 1983 that caused a slight rise in elevation of some mountains in the Sawtooth range, and a drop in the Salmon and Snake River valleys. Volcanic activity increases about every 2,000 years or so in the Snake River valley, and extends east into Yellowstone Park. (Think of the super heated water that geysers through Old Faithful.)   

There is a hotspot in the superheated magma under the North American plate. The location of the spot remains constant, but the location on the plate changes as the plate creeps along. The hotspot is under the Grand Rift, a fault line about 40 miles long running east to west. At 2 inches per year, it’s been moving slowly for over 60 million years. The hotspot has been located under the Craters area for at least the past 15,000 years. There have been at least 8 eruptions in since then, the most recent about 2,100 years ago. Lava in two forms flooded the area in thin sheets that transformed an ordinary landscape into fantastical terrain. (the terms are Hawaiian and just tickle my ear bones.) “A-a”, pronounced “ah-ah”’is faster moving lava that cools in a way creates choppy/chunky fields that look jumbled and chaotic with abundant sharp edges and uneven footing. Think of the sounds you would make walking barefoot on sharp stones. The other is called “pa-hoe-hoe”, pronounced “pah-hoi-hoi”, which is created when thinner, slow moving lava flows from the vent. This lava is generally smoother and may create ropy structures. Both types are on prominent display and have created an unearthly, dramatic landscape. As you may have deduced from the eruption schedule, another eruption may be due in the near geological future – made us wonder if today was the day.

Toward the end of an eruption, a volcano will often throw hot gases and specks of lava into the air. Upon cooling, the specks fall to earth as cinders that can create a huge mound around the vent. We saw many, and climbed one about 600 feet high. It would have taken modern humans a very long time to build such a mound even with modern machinery. And the view from the top was awesome, not only because of the extent of the flows, but the significant amount of plant and animal life that has taken hold and flourished in this alien landscape that endures great extremes of cold and heat and fierce winds.. The tenacity and variety of life is beyond amazing. You need to come here.

We headed out a bit after noon to continue toward the Tetons. As I said, the roads are good and the riding was a lot of fun until later in the afternoon when the winds picked up. We were not in any danger, but had to back off the speed because the buffeting was pretty uncomfortable. Folks in big, fast cars were passing us at 80+ mph, maybe chortling at the slowpokes on the fancy bike. We were completely unperturbed: the view of the approaching mountains was inspiring and worthy of a relaxed pace.

We stopped in Idaho Falls for some fuel and rest, where we met up with 2 riders from Fargo, ND. Chris and Keaton are on the home leg of a week-long ride that took them to the west coast. About the age of our sons, they have been friends from a young age in a small town outside of Fargo. Motorcycle trips are one of their passions and they are ambitious; a weekend trip west to the Black Hills might total 1,500 miles. We congratulate them on their endurance. We had such a great conversation, beginning with admiring comments about our rides, and continuing through recommendations for what to do and see around Fargo. (We’ll be there on July 4th.) Once again, we find it wonderful that we have met so many wonderful, even nice, people everywhere we have gone in our country. All four of us commented on how many good people there are.

We arrived in Driggs around 6:00 and checked into our AirBnB, glad to take a load off. We stopped at the market on the way into town and loaded up two small backpacks with essentials, including chips, yogurt, dinner fixings and an adult beverage. Since our packs are full, Connie gets to carry the packs on the back of the bike while offering navigation instructions. That requires balance, coordination and finesse. Just saying. We met our hostess, Hannah, and hit it off immediately. We’re looking forward to a wonderful time here over the next several days.

See you in the papers tomorrow.

A combination of A-a and Pahoehoe

After a long climb up a cinder pile, who expects to see this?

Some of the worlds best preserved cinder cones.  Wow!

The view from the top of a cinder pile.

Words cannot describe the beauty of the cinder gardens. 

Our first good view of the Grand Tetons.

The view from our backyard the next few days.