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New Day Cafe: A Quick Tour of the West [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-05-29
Having criss-crossed the country numerous times, I have accumulated a vast library of pictures of the western states. For today’s diary, I’m going to reach into the vaults to find pics I’ve never before posted.
When I’m heading northwest from Georgia towards my destination, my first 1,000+ miles are through populated areas which often have bad traffic — although I often take lesser traveled roads instead of Interstates. Eventually I come to a place somewhere in the Great Plains where the road stretches on forever, there are no cars, and the humidity is noticably lower. I celebrate by standing in the middle of the road and snapping a picture. That’s my South Dakota pic for this diary.
Hmm, this is my diary, so it’s okay to cheat. The next picture is technically in South Dakota, but since it’s a mere five blocks from the North Dakota state line, I’ll check off my ND box thusly.
The Petrified Wood Park on the border town of Lemmon, 2015. Enlarge.
For Montana, I chose a location not far from Yellowstone National Park. Earthquake Lake is tranquil now, but was the site of a killer earthquake in 1959.
For Wyoming, why not a Yellowstone picture?
The thermal feature known as Fishing Cone, on the shore of Yellowstone Lake, 2018. Enlarge.
I have a multitude of pictures of Idaho. Here is one from the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, where I took a six day rafting trip. Wish I’d had a GoPro or similar camera to capture the wild rapids, but my camera was always tucked away in a waterproof container for the big water.
Middle Fork of the Salmon River, 2010. Enlarge.
Likewise for Washington, there are so many pictures to choose from. Here is a scene from the land next to my cabin in Okanogan County. This is typical terrain. Dry rocky hills with bunch grass, sagebrush, and ponderosa pine. If I arrive early enough in the season, the lupines are in bloom.
Let’s wander south to Oregon, a state I once called home. I’ll go way back to around 1990 for a scanned picture, taken on a typical winter work day near Florence on the Oregon coasts. My fellow foresters teased me because I hated working in fog. While fog might make for wonderful pictures, in the woods it means being cold, wet, and miserable. It’s dark under the forest canopy, and the optical instruments are constantly fogging up because, well, fog.
One thing I remember about that day: I was looking for a survey marker to use as a starting point, and it was hidden in the ferns. I went to the point where I thought it should be, and literally bumped it with my boot. Good luck on what was going to be a tough day.
Oregon Coast Range, circa 1990.
For Utah, why not include Noble Fur in a picture? It was such a fine day. Blue skies, mild temperatures, lush green vegetation. Noble Fur wanted to stay, but we had many miles to travel.
Noble Fur and aspens, 2019. Enlarge.
For Colorado, I’ll use another old scanned image. This one is from 1987.
Ground blizzard in the mountains west of Denver. The sky might be blue, but you don’t want to be driving or hiking under these conditions.
Finally, the great state of Nebraska. The southern tier of states get snubbed in this diary. They will get their turn some other day.
My 2002 Tacoma at Carhenge near Alliance, Nebraska 2018.
Note: I have an appointment at 10 this morning and will be late getting to my own party. I’m confident that y’all can hold down the fort until I get back home.
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