June Roadtrip

 We're going on a road trip with Poppa riding shotgun.

We have been so busy with projects that we decided to skeedadle out of town for the day.

It started out that we would head to Shoshone Falls in Idaho and then head back home.....but we took a detour.....a very long detour.....

 Shoshone Falls is the Little Niagra Falls.

The water level is so high right now from snow melt that there was mist showering down on us and the entire parking lot.

 We quickly became drenched....it was awesome!

Of course Kaleb and Jared brought rain gear. 

I guess all the years in Boy Scouts and learning to be prepared has paid off.

 We turned around and saw Mary Poppins with her umbrella.

 We weren't expecting the mist from the waterfall to tumble up through the air and onto us.

 My girls are always heckling Poppa. It brings back memories of the many,

 many years that I would heckle him.

 Next stop was the Shoshone Ice Caves just north of Twin Falls, Idaho.

This is a giant lava tube that once had a hot spot that is now in Yellowstone.

It is crazy thinking about it.

 Outside it was a warm 75 degrees....inside it was a chilly 30 degrees.

 Long ago, the government dynamited the entrance to make it larger than the 2 ftx 2ft entrance and changed the air flow causing the ice to melt. A veteran from WWI came along and spent 14 years reestablishing the air flow so that the ice would return. He was successful....obviously.

 Our guide was very well spoken at the young age of 18.

Very talkative young man. Loved his job.

 They had found a mother bear and two cubs preserved in the cave until the air flow changed when it deteriorated to bones. It is interesting how it all came to be, and sad for the bears too.

 While we were out gallivanting across the desert terrain of Idaho we stopped at Craters of the Moon.

Awesome place....very educational.

There is old lava flow everywhere and it literally looks like the moon.

 In the midst of all the volcanic rock were wildflowers.

 I would hate to be around when this lava was flowing.

 I took pictures of my peeps strolling up the walkway laid down between rock....

 Daphne and Nana were WAY back still taking pictures of flowers.

Nana is very patient with Daphne.

 And then there is Kaleb....

my crazy, weird, silly, goofy son.....

 Poppa was napping in the van....not for long though!

 Kaleb and Victoria talking about racing each other up this cinder cone.

 Muscle man palming a boulder....psst....remember....volcanic rock weighs nothing.....

 It is super windy making our eyes water

 Nap time for people who work for a living....

 More Caves

 Old lava tubes to explore

 Kirk turned around and saw Kaleb's head pop out of an old lava tube.

 We never know what he is going to do.

 We never expected to cover this much ground in one day but had so much fun and Nana and Poppa were gracious with taking naps while we explored caves and lava tubes.

 We passed through Arco, Idaho. Kaleb had actually been there with Scouts and told us about a submarine museum. Long story as to why it is way out in the middle of no where. He directed us to the site so Poppa could reminese(how do you spell that?) his old Navy Days.

 Read these bricks from supporters of the historical site.

I thought it was funny too.

We covered something like 500 miles and drove a total of 10 hours that day.

It didn't feel like it because we were all together and never tired of each others company.