However, as we were approaching Idaho there was a sign giving directions to a rocket display and the location where the golden spike was placed in the railroad. We took the 21 mile detour to see them both. The GPS got confused again and kept telling us there were no roads where we were going and finally gave up.
The rocket display was interesting. Many different rocket shells were on display giving one a sense of proportion. Here are a few pictures:
Out in the middle of nowhere we found Promontory Pass where the railroad from the east met the railroad from the west.
Here two replica engines operate daily giving demonstrations. There were also many plaques, brochures and ranger shows to explain the history. It was very interesting and Johnny even got to climb up inside one of the engines while I could only take pictures from the outside. Lucky guy. We bought a few souvenirs, a book, Men to Match My Mountains, by Irving Stone. This book had been recommended to me in high school by my history teacher, Paul Conforti, probably 41 years ago. I don’t like to rush into anything.
The pictures I uploaded looked like I stood in front of a mural, but they weren’t.
And the plaque for the golden spike
On to Payette,
and after stop and go passing an accident, we stopped in Nampa for gas at Costco. We finally found our way to Randy and Margie’s house, in time for dinner and a long rest.
Randy was nice enough to not wake me on either morning to go on the bike rides that he did. They ride a bit fast for me.
Randy's sister, Catherine, and her husband, Sid, came over for dinner one night.
Two interesting things happened this weekend. On Saturday, Catherine and Sid Fry, Randy’s sister and brother-in-law, came over for dinner. While there we were discussing Facebook. In trying to add Catherine to my friend list, I found that another friend, Sarah Kambish-Grossman, the daughter a very special friend, Judy Fox, was living just 20 miles south of me in Marsing, Idaho. We chatted on Saturday and talked on the phone on Sunday.
The other interesting discovery was that Margie, who married Randy in 1977, attended San Jose State College during the year 1969-1970, the same year I started there. We have known each other since ‘75 or ’76 and never realized that. Or, maybe we did and forgot about it as something trivial. Sid went to San Jose State also, although a few years earlier.
Monday we headed out for Florence, Oregon by way of Salem. The drive was pretty smooth with a few spots slowing for road reconstruction. When we got to Pendleton, Oregon we had to stop at the Pendleton Mills for me to buy shirts. Growing up, and still, the main wardrobe consisted of Levi’s, white socks and tennis shoes, and t-shirts. If it was cold, we added a Pendleton. My first one was given to me when I was in 7th grade. It lasted until I was about 30. Obviously the styles went from real baggy to neat and trim. We used to see them at Disneyland, but who knows where Santa Claus found them. The prices were only about 4 times more than they were 45 years ago. Not a bad price considering inflation. I had figured at least 10 times as much. One could always spot a Pendleton by the loop for the top button rather than a button hole. They also had two pockets with flaps. I saw those but somehow the one I picked out did not have those. What an attention span. We ate lunch at Burger King and drove on.
Hsien-Ling drove for awhile and we traded back at The Dalles. When I got back in the driver’s seat I noticed a Native American with a sign saying Fresh Fish, and two more guys in a truck with a big ice chest. I asked them what they had and they said fish. They had many different kinds of Salmon, and we ended up with a 28 pound King Salmon (already cleaned). I thought we had a big cooler but the fish couldn’t have been an inch longer.
The Columbia River
Next we stopped in Salem to see Mike and Elizabeth Thompson. Mike is from Needles and was in Kiwanis and the Lions with me. We also were in the Chamber of Commerce together through several Rodeos and the building of the Fairgrounds. There was also a Canoe Race or two during that time. Canoe believe it? They have two handsome boys living with them and a gorgeous house with a view that won’t quit. We were having such a great time catching up that we almost forgot to leave.
