It seemed like a good omen that we stayed in room 110 at the Thunderbird in Elko, Nevada and tonight in room 110 at the Comfort Inn in Idaho Falls, Idaho.  And both places take cats. On the other hand I would like to put out the word to boycott Great Western because they have a policy to take dogs but not cats!  What is that about?

Our drive today was uneventful.  It began with wondrous clouds  however, throughout Nevada – the kind that are so stunning that you are  dumbstuck, as they say, and realize just what you have missed all these years and why all that Big Sky Country is the real deal.  One can also credit the gambling industry for the excellent highways there, and the change was immediate as we crossed into Idaho, which resembled the disarray we are experiencing in California today.    I’m certain there are fabulous places in Idaho, but our journey across the lower half of the state didn’t overwhelm.  Our son Steve, had touted the Snake River area and it was magnificent with deep sculpted cliffs at a view spot at Twin Falls, and again here at Idaho Falls where it crashes and cascades through the town.  Pretty impressive.  And I’m sorry to say, Susan, we were past the exit to the Crater of the Moon before we realized and couldn’t find a convenient turn-around.  Oh well.  Cosmo was having a deep snooze in my lap at the time and I hated to upend him since he had been such a good sport all day.

Not to sound like sour grapes, but the Comfort Inn wholeheartedly recommended a restaurant called O’Brady’s as the best treat in town.  Take our word.  DO NOT EVER if you are passing through Idaho Falls, go there.   How do you cook a hamburger patty that has to be “sawed through”?  Would you serve over-boiled canned green beans?  Would you expect mashed potatoes FROM IDAHO that taste like they come from a box!  At least we came out laughing.  And hot-footed it back to the room for a glass of wine.

The scary weather didn’t materialize today and that was a good thing, as it looked at times  as if we were driving  into big trouble.  Tomorrow we’re off to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone.  Looking forward to that.

ADDENDUM

As we were driving today, I was reading the latest copy of Vanity Fair, and particularly a piece by Christopher Hitchens which was brilliant and heartbreaking and I especially want to recommend to Mickey and Susan and anyone who loves great writing.  I was really mad at Hitchens over his support for taking out Sadam Hussein  (and what was that about, as he seems to be a political liberal at heart?)  but I always admire his ability to turn a phrase and stimulate thought, and I thank him for turning me on Phillip Pullman, and I love him for being a best friend to my favorite author, Salmon Rushdie.  So get the latest copy of Vanity Fair, and weep.