Woke up this morning to a bit of rain, but I’m from Pacific NW, so this is normal. My eye feels tons better, of course sleeping in until 10am really helps, Indie was pretty happy. So I had the day to kill and wanted to see the area. So we headed out to the north on old highway 30, we stopped at a couple of access roads and did some short 30-60 minutes hikes, Indie was loving it since we were always by a river, he is such the water dog.

Our camp along the river with my Cab Franc

We then stopped in Soda Springs, in the old days it was a town known for barreling carbon dioxide and shipping it to companies to add carbonation to beverages. With new processes to carbonate beverages, barreling carbon dioxide went away. But they have this cool geyser in the middle of town that goes off on the hour every hour, so we checked it out. When it was initially drilled, the geyser was disrupting the timing of Ol’Faithful in Yellowstone, so the government stepped in and asked them to put a timer on it so it would not impact Ol’Faithful’s geyser. Guess Mother Nature also is under the U.S. Government.

When we got back to Lava, us locals don't call it Lava Hot Springs, Indie was not tired yet and I saw this path behind town, I did not know where it went. So I drove to the end of one of the roads. A women there said it goes up to an old mine. I figured we would get wet with on and off again showers so we set off. This path goes up 1000’ in about ½ mile, it was straight up and a great view of whole area. We hiked all the way to the top, but I did not see any mines. On the way back it started to rain, then it rained harder, so I’m coming down this incredibly steep dirt/mud path slipping and sliding all the way, my quads were fried when I got to the bottom, oh that’s right hot springs at the bottom, sweet.

So we have been at this campsite for the last three days, I'm really starting to like it. Although if this campsite was full it would not be as nice, Just tonight another couple came in tent camping, they are from Dallas, Texas. The last few days when we woud come home we have been seeing eyes by the trailer, there is a river otter house right across the river, so the otters are coming over to check for some food. Of course Indie is still fascinated to the fact that fish will jump out of the water, it’s pretty cool to watch both the fish and Indie.

River otter house across the river

Indie thinking he's a beaver

When I’m pulling a trailer I usually do not want to keep taking on and off the trailer hitch, it’s a bit of a pain. There is usually grease on the ball and getting Indie in and out in the back I would normally get my pants/legs dirty. But a few years ago my older brother sent me a solution, it’s an old doll head that fits nicely over the ball and it’s a bit creepy. The story I have heard is that he used it for several years until his wife told him it was creepy and to get rid of it, so it was sent to me as a xmas gift, I have been using it for years. Every few years I clean it up and recolor the blue eyes to enhance the creepiness.

She needs a bath and some blue sharpie again!

So tomorrow I head back to Pocatello to visit with Dr Jones, I’m hoping he’ll give me the green light to head south. Going to go have a soak now.