I woke up to a ‘fresh’ morning, which is my way of putting a positive spin on the down right cold weather that I had found in Idaho. Before leaving Twin Falls I pulled in for gas at the Flying J at the north end of town. This place was ridiculous; people racing around abandoning their huge RVs in search of food, restrooms, showers… it was total chaos and I spent close to 15 minutes trying to get close enough to a pump to fuel up so I could put as much distance between myself and the Flying J as possible. I guess there is a down side to a Truck Stop that ‘offers everything’.
I drove over a hundred miles of peaceful prairie swells before entering the dark rocky fields of the Craters of the Moon Monument and Preserve. Three separate lava flows covering nearly half a million acres of land is what was awaiting my arrival. Without fail the National Park lived up to its name, as the ancient lava rock that covered the ground created a surreal Moon-like atmosphere. I wasted no time before pulling out my camera and snapping away at the strange landscape.
My tour of the Park began at the Inferno Cone which reached high into the air and offered a great introductory overview of the area. The only down side to standing on top of the huge black cone was the wind. It was absolutely freezing today, and with the scattered showers and relentless gusting winds I enjoyed my Moon walk while wearing several layers and sporting a touque. The closest site to the Inferno hill was the Spatter and Snow Cones area, which was a gathering of smaller peaks that you could walk right to the edge of. I tried to imagine the hellish scene thousands of years ago when the Earth was pouring out lava and filling the sky with dark ash. With what remains today I could picture a melting land glowing red with molten lava where only Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kanobi would dare duel (tragic scene in Episode 3, tragic scene). Next to the cones was a massive crater that rose up like a mountain out of the blank sea of rocks. I was able to walk the rim of the crater and see what was left over. It was amazing to have so many cones and craters in such close proximity. I was starting to see why the Apollo 14 astronauts had been sent to the area to study the 
geological make up of the rocks prior to their mission; minus the whole atmosphere thing and the blue/rain-grey sky, it could have been the surface of the Moon.
High peaks, scattered cones, and massive craters turned into oceans of solidified lava at my next stop. I wandered across the frozen lava flow like it was any other hike. There was a path that took me to a part of the Park they called the Cave Section. Here a number of Lava Tubes were accessible, provided you had a flash light and a desire to head below ground. I started with the Indian Tunnel which was a large diameter lava tube that stretched out for over 800 feet. It was a nice introduction into the world of caves as both entry points were quite wide and the entire length of the tunnel was easy to access. Dewdrop, Boy Scout, and Beauty were the real deal. It was dark, wet, cold, and quiet, not to mention tight. The entrance to the Boy Scout cave was so small that you needed to crawl and wiggle around to get into the tunnel. 
Why would one wish to do this? That is a good question, a question that I asked myself before, during, and after the tight squeeze. The answer was clear 
once I made it into the cave; I had entered a new world full of small caverns, hanging stalactites, and the traces of an angry volcanic magma that had created it all. The tunnel was almost completely frozen with 
several inches of ice built up on the rocks covering the floor of the cave. After scrambling around several obstacles and dodging small drop offs I found myself in complete darkness, alone, with nothing but the sound of water dripping off the ceiling. I killed both my mini lantern and the head lamp I was wearing and stood in the middle of nothingness. It was like I had escaped everything that had ever existed. I loved it. Then I started to think about the movie the Descent. It was a pretty quick return trip after that. The three caves and the large tunnel were an excellent way to experience the bizarre subterranean without needing to get too extreme (it was nice to not have to ‘shimmy’ at all, or require ropes and climbing gear, or find myself hundreds of feet away from daylight, oh and not partaking in the creation of the Descent 2 was also a bonus).
I had survived the cold, had the chance to get lost in my own little sci-fi adventure, and was ready to get back on the road. It was mid afternoon, and the plan was to head north. From the expansive lava beds I drove into the dense forests of the intersection of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. It was frustrating to have to drive through snow, in June no less, but I felt good about returning to a wilderness so similar to that of Alberta’s Rockies. I am getting closer and closer to home and in the last two days have said goodbye to both the Utah deserts and the Idaho farmlands. This is the beauty of the road trip, there are no constants.
I’m hiding from the cold in the Brandin’ Iron Inn in West Yellowstone, poised and ready to attack the country’s oldest national park in the morning. Before settling in for the night, I wandered down to the first floor room labeled Hot Tubs. About a week ago I caught fifteen minutes or so of the Seinfeld episode with Jean-Paul the marathon running, George’s theory on looking busy at work, and Kramer’s new hot tub. Ever since then I’ve longed for my own ‘Soak’, and tonight’s twenty minute session was exactly what the doctor ordered. I let the jets bring me back to life after the long day and didn’t even think about leaving the tub until my hands were nice and pruney.
Day Twenty: Craters, Snow, Hot Tubs; not bad for a Saturday in Idaho.
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