Crossing Nevada is similar to my memory of crossing Texas. It goes on forever. And just when you think it has to end, it carries on. Acres of mining, solar panels and corrections. Electricity poles line the freeway for miles, as if there were originally master plans for new cities and, certainly, even great minds can change and go “nah.” Maybe in time they will need additional correctional facilities — a sad thought — and most definitely more solar panels. How about a new town or two for the homeless and the lost? Lots of room for facilities, treatment. The power lines are already in and waiting for something to happen. A few trees might be a lovely addition; but then you have the water issue.
The Battle Born Youth Challenge Academy was so remote it had to be for the very worst of the worstest children, who knew better than to try and go anywhere other than the place they were at. A bit like a desert Alcatraz. Dirt, scrub, no trees, no water and deathly temperatures. Ah, Ruby Valley, a mine — gemstones, possibly? That was a nice surprise. A Halliburton plant! What on earth was that doing in the middle of nowhere. The mind pondered on underground bunkers and all measure of government weirdness. “PLEASE REPORT HIGHWAY SHOOTINGS!” a sign warned us. Oh, don’t even worry about it, we will. A rather more pleasant ginormous billboard of Dolly Parton with bright yellow hair begged everyone to be nicer to one another. Yeah, not sure about that. The special wildlife crossing roads on an overpass from one side of the freeway to the other did make my heart happy. I’m pleased we are also constructing those in California.
We were hungry and wanting authentic Nevadan chow, not the roadside sameness that appeared every 50 miles or so. Downtown Elko was one of those towns that used to be a beautifully preserved heritage town but had fallen on the harder times caused by large retailers, strip malls and online shopping; however, it still had some preserved character to it. We were going for the Italian restaurant option, as something different, but it was closed. The Star Hotel — Basque Dining — looked like a fun alternative. “Tasty Basque Food, Family Style” — the sign was welcoming. Inside, long tables hosted large families, bowls of cabbage soup, salad, bread and the most delicious looking homemade fries I had ever seen.
After inquiring, like Basque rookies, what family style might be, I chose to stay with the basic offering of all the above for $12, while husband selected a ham sandwich to accompany the rest of the feast. Likely the best ham sandwich in the whole world. We enjoyed such divine food in the old Star Hotel that seems to have quite the following. Built in 1910, the old hotel and dining room has weathered many storms but seems to continue to thrive with their authentic cuisine, super prices and welcoming atmosphere. I posted the old place on social media and many commented that they loved to frequent that spot. See people, if you keep supplying the authentic at great prices, people will drive off the highway for you.
From Elko, we were well satisfied and ready for the journey onwards (still trundling along at an 80mph speed limit) to our next State of Idaho. The road signs suggested otherwise — (219 miles to Salt Lake City for instance and I definitely didn’t want to go there. How’s about a turn off to Beverly Hills in the middle of Nevada; that was laughable) — finally Twin Falls appeared from the scrub land like a phoenix from the ashes and that was where we would be staying for the night. In our quest to not have hours and hours of driving between our overnight stays, these locales were randomly picked so as to calm the nerves and bodies of the weary driver and chief navigator.
Early on in our planning, husband had broached the subject of possibly winging it with our overnight stays. I quickly put the lid on that idea, knowing how lovely it is to look forward to a certain swimming pool or restaurant when you are getting road weary. And I honestly felt that about Twin Falls. As we drove into Idaho with her square-topped mountains, the roadsides were decorated all over with sunflowers that matched the cornfields and complimented the alfalfa so immaculately. I was glad to be out of the desert scrub and amongst some greenery and little corn-blessed farmsteads. I fell into their swimming pool like water I really needed.
Being a Saturday night, we thought a nice dinner out should be on the menu. We chose Elevation 486, which was close by with views over the Snake River to tantalize our appetites. As it happened, we could only get a reservation for after dark, but it was still lovely and the red trout with a special Idaho spud for accompaniment — a special from the Snake River — was a meal to bear repeating.
A trip to the Shoshane Falls the next day did not disappoint. Being a very godly area of Latter-Day Saint followers, we skipped into the area without much competition and enjoyed a daytime treat of the winding Snake River and the obvious changing of the seasons with scrub grasses boasting various shades of pale green, yellow, mustard and orange. I could almost hear the voices of the Chinese gold miners as they excitedly panned for gold in the Snake River Canyon gold rush of 1870, contrasting with the Anglo folks who had arrived first and did not welcome the competition. A mountain goat perched precariously up on the rocks above, as we left the Falls and headed to Twin Falls itself to see what it was all about. We did like the gas price at $3.35, which would blow a Californian’s mind. A nice downtown, quite large, but super quiet, it being the Sabbath, and mostly all closed up. Idaho Trout Fitters looked interesting, had it been open, but we settled for the very-much open sports bar and a beer with a cobb salad.
On the Sunday evening, we feasted at the Sizzler Restaurant close by. Oh, what a salad bar they boasted — with a taco and ice cream bar included in the salad bar price. I could have eaten for days. I recall, so fondly, the old Sizzler Restaurant we had on West Market Street in Salinas ions ago. We were not disappointed by this one either. Good to see the return of the salad bar post-pandemic. It is one of life’s great treats!
As we left Twin Falls and zoomed along the highways (a lot of construction still going on), of the gorgeous bucolic countryside, rich with meadows, water, lakes, windmills in cornfields and nature’s bouquets of sunflowers, I thought to myself how much more I liked Idaho than I had anticipated. I will have to come back some day and explore other areas. There’s nothing like a big adventure to make you want to adventure some more. But it was time to head up to the great State of Wyoming that I had waited so long to visit and the Grand Tetons.
(Part 3 of “Mapping” will continue next time.)
