Day 39: Orygun

Starting Mileage 8908.2
We left about 7:30am from Idaho Falls. When we stopped to get some water, I bought a 2 dollar scratch ticket and won 32 dollars!  What a great way to start the day!

A quick stop at Idaho Falls.

On our way to our first stop, we saw a sign that said National Historic Site. Atomic City. We went down the road to see what it was. Turns out it is the first Nuclear Breeder Reactor  It only made enough power to supply itself with power, but they proved the technology would work.
What I noticed as I walked into the building (no nuclear material left inside) was it had that government building smell. Every Coast Guard building I have ever been in has that smell. Working government buildings, not the ones that just push paper, all seem to have the same smell.

I did not know they tested a plane to fly on nuclear energy. To have an actual reactor on board the plane.  Billions of dollars and 10 years, before it was canceled.

Learning some of the science.

Lon running the reactor. He liked to push the button that took all the rods out of the reactor. It made the best noise.
History Bit:
Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) is a decommissioned research reactor and U.S. National Historic Landmark located in the desert about 18 miles (29 km) southeast of Arco, Idaho. At 1:50 pm on December 20, 1951 it became the world's first electricity-generating nuclear power plant when it produced sufficient electricity to illuminate four 200-watt light bulbs. It subsequently generated sufficient electricity to power its building, and continued to be used for experimental purposes until it was decommissioned in 1964.

Arco, Idaho has some of the greatest signs from the 1950s and I was so busy looking at them and pointing them out to Lon, I did not take any photos of them. 

Our next stop was Craters of the Moon! It was so cool. 

Information Bit:

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is a national monument and national preserve located in the Snake River Plain in central Idaho. It is along US 20 between the small cities of Arco and Carey, at an average elevation of 5,900 feet (1,800 m) above sea level. The protected area's features are volcanic and represent one of the best preserved flood basalt areas in the continental United States.
The Monument was established on May 2, 1924. The area is managed cooperatively by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The Monument and Preserve encompass three major lava fields and about 400 square miles (1,036 km2) of sagebrush steppe grasslands to cover a total area of 1,117 square miles (2,893 km2). All three lava fields lie along the Great Rift of Idaho, with some of the best examples of open rift cracks in the world, including the deepest known on Earth at 800 feet (240 m). There are excellent examples of almost every variety of basaltic lava as well as tree molds (cavities left by lava-incinerated trees), lava tubes (a type of cave), and many other volcanic features.Shoshone legend speaks of a serpent on a mountain who, angered by lightning, coiled around and squeezed the mountain until liquid rock flowed, fire shot from cracks, and the mountain exploded

Walking up a Cone. It is all bits of lava rock, that the volcano shot out and there was so much of it, it made this huge cone! Yes, those are people at the top. 

Lon wanted to run down. 

Going to put in some photos of the scenery.  

We could not go into the caves. I could not remember what shoes  Lon was wearing when we went into the other caves.  The Lava caves would have been cool to see, but next time. 

Lon, having completed his Jr. Ranger requirements being sworn in by a very nice Ranger

The Ranger is now telling Lon to promise to eat his vegetables and send the Rangers cookies. Lon smiled and told her sure! My Mommy loves to send people cookies! 

Having pizza at Mountain View Pizza in Mountain Home, ID

Before lunch we fueled up the car

Mileage: 9134.3

8.67 @ $ 3.45

ORYGUN! I am teaching Lon to pronounce it right! 

At the Welcome Center, they had a display of Oregon Trail History.

Lon thought the wagon was cool. I explained to him that he would need to put everything into it for his new life across the country.  He thought that was tough. The wagon was really small. I told him it would not be just for him, but the whole family. WOW. 

Oregon!

an old concrete plant. 

On the map, I saw some little red words that said National Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. I looked it up in the Oregon Book, the garmin did not have any information, and it said take exit 306. Well, it should have read exit 302.  I called and got directions. Sort of the old fashioned way.  Lon was so excited! More Oregon Trail stuff! 

Trying to fit things into the wagon. There was only so much room. He had to decide what was important for the entire family and what they could do without. 

The ONLY buffalo we have seen. 

Learning more. It is so wonderful he can read on his own!

Looking at the new homestead!

Outside they have a static display of a circle of wagons. 

They have fire pits too. It looks like they might have some programs out there. 

The view from the Center. 

It is worth the trip. it is 6 miles off the freeway, exit 302. They are open till 6pm in the summer!

Love the beauty of Oregon

Daddy! He is a mad Daddy!  Checking into the hotel took almost 1/2 an hour, the garmin lead us to a restaurant that was no longer in business. We did get checked in and we did find someplace to eat, it just took a very long time.  And, honestly, Daddy was not this mad. He was okay. 

Lon thought Daddy's faces were funny!

This is the last sleep we will have on the road!

Out little Koala, out like a light.