Idaho Falls, ID - Baker, CA 06-17-12

After going through the rest of my road trip pictures this is all I could salvage.  Once the highway gets into southern Utah everything starts to look the same and Nevada is actually all the same!  Desert.  Past Baker, through Barstow and Apple Valley all attention is required in the traffic going into the Los Angeles basin.  It was especially heavy yesterday, I suspect partially due to Father's Day travel, but also just the beginning of summer vacations.  After all, summer officially arrives on Wednesday. 

 
I have always been surprised at how ugly the carpet is in motels and hotels.  This one isn't half bad, but needs to be in a large room, not the hallway.  This was Holiday Inn Express (HIE) in Idaho Falls.

 
In Idaho lots of blue sky, fluffy white clouds and straight lonely highway - Interstate 15.
  

 
I saw groups of pronghorn antelope pretty far off the highway.  Everything is so flat that even these small creatures stand out - especially if they have their white heart-shaped butts turned toward the road. 

 
A common tree is a European import from the 1800s that has spread throughout the west.  The grey foliage of the Russian Olive is very distinctive.

 
Sweet clover growing along the pavement is a sign of Summer - the sweet fragrance is nice.

 
Another sign of Summer is highway construction.  In Montana they say there are two seasons - Winter and Construction.  Seems to be true in Idaho also.

 
I stopped in Dillard, Idaho, for gas, a Safeway deli sandwich, a Starbuck's latte and a visit to this charming little quilt shop.  They were have a weekly special - for every one yard of fabric you buy they give you a free fat quarter.  Yes, I came off with free fat quarters - four!

 
The first time I have seen green dust!  It was being produced by some sort of mowing machine.

 
This cell-tower-tree is in Orem, Utah.  I thought they only grew in California!

 
I met Beverly Hart for lunch in Orem, Utah, the next town over from where she lives.  The restaurant, La Jolla Groves, was excellent and lovely with lemon trees in the dining room.  Beverly and I have been Blog friends for a few years, so it was special to finally meet in person. 

The dessert menu was especially temping so we shared:  

"La Jolla Groves Lemon Cake -  Moist Lemon Bundt Cake Served with our Handmade Crème Anglaise Under a Caramel Dome with Berries and Mint."  Fantastic and a lovely presentation.

 
Not far south I was once again in red rock country. 

 
Almost to the Nevada line is St. George, Utah, where this entire mountain was removed to make a road cut wide enough for the Interstate.  Awesome when you consider the earth displaced.

 
On the tops of the remaining mountain large new homes have been built - I suppose it is a great view.

 
South of St. George the road goes down, down, down through the Virgin River Gorge, a section of the highway that I love.  It has become increasing dry over the past decade or so and the Virgin River is merely a dry stream bed in the northern part of the gorge.

 
SERIOUS earth moving took place to build this road.  The vertical walls are protected in some places with hanging veils of chainlink (the darker section on the left - you can just see a little uncovered rock at the far edge).  There is also a concrete barrier with chainlink fencing on top to (hopefully) catch any stray boulders that break away from the cliff face.
 

 
It is like running through a towering maze in tiny cars.  It doesn't do to think of how much rock is towering above!

 
A lot of the rock shows the layers of its creation - dark on light, light on dark -millions of years ago.

 
Slanting layers seem especially awesome.
And threatening.

 
Still heading downhill into the desert and Las Vegas.

The advent of solar power presented an opportunity to have lighted billboards in the middle of nowhere.  The extra "box" on a pole is a solar collector to provide the power. 

Almost the first glimpse of Las Vegas - looks like a mirage on the horizon.

Not far past the hills on the southern edge of Las Vegas the "serious" desert starts again.

Right at the edge of the pavement, which gets more water due to runoff, the Russian Thistle grows.  We are more familiar with it as the tumbling tumbleweed.

Down the long grade into Baker, CA, one of the hottest spots in the country.  I stopped for lunch at the "famous" Mad Greek restaurant.  In all the years I have driven past Baker it is the first time I have tried this well frequented place - my Gyro had a nice flavor, but was a bit too salty.  I drank a gallon of water!

This is the famous thermometer that shows just how hot it is in Baker, but it wasn't functioning.  My car thermometer read 99F.

After Baker I stopped for gas in Barstow and then had to pay attention to my driving - thus no pictures.