The roads out here look like this, at least today they did. Good for making time thats for sure.
First sign you are there
We are suppose to spend 45 minutes here, but that didn't quite work out that way. First thing we did was get our stamps for the National Park Tour, buy the pin for Golden Spike and then watch the video in the auditorium. If you go to parks the video are well worth while.
OK Golden Spike is where the Union Pacific met the Central Pacific railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah connecting the east coast to the west coast of the US in 1869. The Golden Spike was the ceremonial spike driven as the last spike connecting the 2 coasts. Today it is marked by a special tie.
The park has 2 exact replicas of the trains that met here and they pull them out of the train barn somewhere of in the distance and run them down the track for all to see.
The Central Pacific Train approaching
The two of them nose to nose
We ended up spending 2 hours here and already behind a loose schedule. Next stop is 112 miles away in Idaho, City of Rocks. This is where the early go west guys cut thru the mountains on their way to California. It is also very popular with the mountain climbing crew. I figures we could make up some lost time here, maybe making it a stamp and grab place.
Getting there was on the straight and narrow and easily able to do triple digits if one so desired. We kept our speeds down (still abit deer shy) but still made very good time. Some pics from the bike.
Place that makes missiles
Passing into Idaho, see the bend in the road
We arrived at City of Rocks, got the stamp, bought the pin and watched the video. Figured we could be done, but decided to ride around where the wagons cut thru.
The road thru City of Rocks is not paved, but the put some kind of stuff down on the dust which turns the surface pretty darn hard. It's hard to convey what we say thru the lens. Worthwhile place to visit.
So the time we were suppose to pick up here ended up costing us another hour. Glad we were not rock climbers or we might still be there.
From here the agenda lightened up and only needed to grab a HD dealer in Twin Falls, a water sign and make tracks for Arco, ID. Oh we are suppose to grab a Evil Knivel memorial for his attempt at jumping the Snake River. Found out this marker is on private property and really can't get to it.
Some views
Since we were not gonna find the Knievel marker we decided to visit Shoshone Falls Park. When we first stopped in Twin Falls some guy stopped where we were and asked if we knew where they were. Of course we shrugged our shoulders. He happened to mention they were the Niagara Falls of the West.
The falls were no quite Niagara, but MeAsWe liked em better.It will cost ya 3 dollars to get to them but the road was a nice twisty road down into the canyon.
Getting late we headed to Arco and landed ourselves at the DK Motel. Now if you read there ad and history the couple that bought this place we youngsters. Lets just say they have grown up and are my age now. Nice place to stay by the way. Had dinner right down the street at Pickles Place.
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