Atomic, Idaho

Our recent trip through Idaho took us into some very interesting areas. Along the way we chanced upon the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, an actual drive in movie theater that features the world’s largest potato in the city of Driggs but the most impressive item that we encountered on our trip was the small former nuclear town located at Atomic, Idaho. This town was directly on US 26 as we headed west out of Idaho Falls.

I had to search my memory high and low trying to determine when and where the government conducted any of its earlier nuclear experiment in Idaho. Previously Atomic City was known as Midway more then likely due to its location between the towns of Arco and Blackfoot. Initially the town was home for the government’s experimental breeder reactor and it is the site of the first nuclear reactor to ever generate electricity. The nearby Pickle's Place cafe is the home of the "Atomic Burger".

Atomic City was once the most impressive city actively promoting a nuclear future however today it is nearly a ghost town and the only remains of its past glory lies in its name. There are currently only about 25 people that still reside in the town for most of the population has long ago moved elsewhere or past away. Those families that remain are retired and therefore do not need to actively work. The main street of town remains unpaved since there are not enough citizens to actually accumulate the necessary funds to repair public roads and streets. Since the median income of the town is less then $10,000 dollars it certainly doesn’t have any extra money to go around.

This isolated ghost town has an old gas station which no longer is permitted to sell gas due to the underground tank regulations established by the government. It also has a post office as well a local bar. The old abandoned Atomic City Raceway is now nothing more then weeds although occasionally in the summer you may find a few stock car races taking place. If you are a photo nut then you will certainly enjoy the many opportunities to take pictures of the past age signs that are abound as you enter the town.

As we entered the ghost town we saw several of the locals that were casually sitting on their porch and they waved to us in a friendly manner from their double wide trailer. We stopped to talk to several of the locals and they certainly seemed friendly enough in fact they even offered us a cool beer from their nearby cooler which we graciously accepted.

Although there really is nothing of value to see here it is well worth the drive merely to talk to some of the local citizens and get a different view on the area.

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The Lighthouses of Delaware

Since the state of Delaware is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean one can discover a vast assortment of lighthouses if you look closely. In the Lewes, Delaware area you can find boat tours that have been put together with the specific purpose of visiting the many lighthouses that have been protecting ships for over 100 years. The tour around the Cape May lighthouse area generally lasts for 7 hours. It is in all reality a multi-lighthouse tour of the area as you get to visit nine of the most popular lighthouses between New Jersey and Delaware. Those lighthouses include the Cape May lighthouse, the inner and outer breakwater lighthouses, Brandywine lighthouse, Miah Maul lighthouse, Fourteen Foot lighthouse, Elbow of Crossedge, Ship John Shoal and the Crossledge lighthouse. In total there are nine lighthouses that you will get to see on the grand tour.

The tours are generally conducted aboard very luxurious ships with cushioned seating and plenty of air conditioning or heated cabin space. The upper decks are usually partially covered as well and present a wondrous view of the surrounding ocean.

What could be better then to enjoy your breakfast on one of these cruise ships as you slowly pass one of the lighthouses that is on your itinerary? You and your family can sit and enjoy a delightful meal of Danish, Bagels, Donuts, Toast, Tea, Coffee, and Hot Chocolate and of course Juice. According to the time of your tours departure it is possible that you will be able to enjoy a lunch consisting of a Cheese or Veggie Tray as well as a selection of fresh local fruit and a variety of sandwiches. At certain times of the day hot menus are readily available for those who so desire then and are composed of Spiced Pork Tenderloin or Stuffed Tilapia. Eating on your lighthouse cruise is a culinary delight.

The series of lighthouses that you will see during the cruise were constructed between the 19th and the 20th Century. All the lighthouses are still intact and fully operational although they are unmanned and completely automated at this time. Many of them are constructed on pedestals and the nearest land can not be seen from the lighthouses.

All the trips include the necessary narratives to further explain the area and the lighthouses. Here is your opportunity to enjoy a visit to the first state and indulge in some great photos to enhance your album when you get home.

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Kayacking the Colorado

No trip to Colorado would be complete without doing a little bit of Kayaking on the famous Colorado River. The only problem in my case was that we had never done such a thing before and had no idea how to even go about doing it.

After setting up our camp for the next couple of evenings we proceeded to check out the other camps that we saw around the area. The people were friendly and a few of them were even planning to do a little kayaking themselves. When they saw that we expressed an interest in the activity as well, the conversations began to flow even easier.

I explained to them that we were basically a kayaking greenhorns and after the laughter cleared they explained that many of the people who arrive in the area had never before been in a kayak so the idea was not foreign to the class instructors. They explained where we could go to receive beginner instructions and even to rent the necessary equipment for the trip.

That afternoon we followed their instructions and approached one of the many kayak training centers around the river. The owner understood completely what my predicament was and offered many valuable suggestions. Within his shop were a vast array of gear designed specifically for kayaking and upon leaving all we had to do was bring a swim suit and a towel.

The lessons were scheduled to begin the following morning and we arrived bright and early waiting patiently for our instructor to get to work. The kayaking lessons covered safety on the water, paddle skills that are required as well as the necessary outfitting techniques for this water sport.

My classes were conducted with what is generally referred to as a “duckie”. These are nothing more then inflatable kayaks which are used exclusively for the training classes. we must admit that we often times felt a slight bit silly taking the same classes that several 11 year olds were completing but at least we were learning the fundamentals properly.

In case you are wondering about the location of the classes. We were not actually taking our classes on the river but rather in a very large pool. Colorado offers kayak classes year round and uses common swimming pools as a place of instruction. According to when and where you sign up you can perhaps find classes that are developed for group instruction, a one on one tutoring or like we did in the open pool session which was available for everyone.

The instructors were well certified in whitewater kayaking and the program was more then adequate for our needs. If we had been more experienced we would have signed up for the more advanced courses. Who knows maybe the next trip we will further develop our kayaking skills.

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Last Day in the Kootenays

We had a busy last day in the Kootenays. After a hardy breakfast we cranked up the SeaDoos and headed across the lake. It was fun riding along the shore and seeing the cliffs and giant boulders. There were no houses on that side of the lake. When we came to a large stream that emptied into the lake the temperature dropped 20 degrees. The crystal clear stream was runoff from a nearby glacier.

On returning to the house we packed the Jeep with a picnic lunch and headed into the mountains. The logging road followed a mountain stream for a while before turning up the mountain. There were many switchback and hairpin turns as we climbed and passing other cars was difficult on the narrow road. Fortunately, there were very few cars and no logging trucks. The wild flowers were in full bloom and gorgeous. We looked for bears and elk but only caught a glimpse of a few deer. As we neared the summit there was a small flat area with a picnic table. Perfect! The dogs enjoyed the trip up the mountain and had a great time exploring while we ate. After a lunch we headed back down the mountain. It's amazing how much steeper the road looks going down rather than up.

For dinner we drove down to Gray Creek where their friends owned a bed and breakfast with a charming restaurant and 10 cabins on the lake. The sun was just setting behind the mountain as we began dinner on the deck overlooking the lake. Susan had rack of lamb, our friends had the grilled prawn and I had a steak. The wife had baked each individual's bread in a 4" terracotta flower pot. It was unique, beautiful and delicious. It was a pretty amazing operation with the man and his wife as the only employees and they have done this for the last ten years. He was the chef and she was the waitress. He doubles as the handyman and she is also the maid. She gets up every morning and bakes fresh muffins for the guests and leaves the hot muffins hanging on each door. With hot coffee and muffins I might not get up for breakfast. They then cook each guest a full breakfast in the restaurant. Breakfast and dinner are included in the rate and the food is fabulous. They are booked solid and are only are open the 5 summer months so they have the rest of the year to relax. They are quite environmentally conscious and this is a picture of their house with a dirt roof. That is one of their pet goats 'mowing' the roof!


We have had a wonderful time in the Kootenays and hate to leave but it's up early tomorrow to catch the 7:10am ferry. Thanks to our friends for inviting us up!

Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

We awoke to a beautiful clear morning. A perfect day for a 30 minute boat trip to Nelson, a town of about 10,000 located at the end of the west arm of Kootenay Lake. After breakfast we boarded our friends 28' Bennington pontoon deck boat. The boat rode like a dream even when crossing other boat wakes. We were cruising along at 25 mph when a bunch of kids in a ski boat came upon us going full speed at about 40 mph. When they were just about even with us our friend eased his throttle up a little to match their speed. After a few seconds he pushed it full forward and it felt like we were shot out of a gun. The look on the kids faces was priceless! Turns out he had replaced the factory engine with a big block V-8 and added a turbocharger and some racing mods. It topped out at 63mph on the GPS. His neighbors call the boat 'The Flying Bedstead".

When we arrived at Nelson we walked around town and had a great lunch at a cafe overlooking the lake. Nelson is known as a cultural centre. The town has many good restaurants, cafes, coffee houses, shops, art galleries and the restored Capitol Theatre, a hub for the performing arts. Nelson, the "Number One Small Town Arts Community in Canada" is home to a large and diverse artisan community. During the summer art exhibits are held throughout the downtown area with refreshments, musicians and artwork. Nelson also has regular farmer's markets where local artisans can be found selling a unique and diverse variety of fruits, vegetables, arts, crafts and imports. Nelson is a well-known for it's alternative lifestyles. Many American draft dodgers settled in Nelson during the Vietnam War era and became permanent residents. Hemp clothes and cannabis-related products are readily available in local stores.

After lunch I drove the boat back home, arriving just in time for an afternoon nap.

Tomorrow we go on a picnic in the mountains...