Arco and Lichen the MOON

Lichen covered rock.  Lichens are very interesting and are called pioneers because they are the first life to grow on volcanic rock!

Pat did a Blogg!
You all better comment or he will never do another.  See the one before this.  it is pretty funny.

It is true Arco is a sad town, but we were able to bike it all and the Craters of the Moon KOA was just as nice as it could be.  The owner starts her conversation with you this way:  We are having a wonderful day here today at Craters of the Moon KOA and the people we meet there to talk to from Spain and Germany at the ice cream socials were happy and interesting.  It seems RVing is the thing for many Europeans and the American West calls to them.  It was what we needed after being disappointed near Salt lake City at Willard's Bay and trying to get to the camp at Big Springs on the road from hell. Big Springs is near Lava Hot Springs which I thought might appeal to Pat, a dip in the hot springs and a float down the small river, but the KOA there was expensive and not good-another night of trains would have put an end to me.  Pat forgot to mention we did see a Gamble's Quail fly up into a tree and others running along the ground at Willard's.
Arco also has a very neat "Hand-Me-Down" shop where I bought a vintage antique chicken cream pitcher for $2 for Ben and Kelsey that would have cost me $20-40 dollars in the East. I also bought a pioneer doll, a hand mixer and three books all for the cost of $12.50.  I could have spent much more but we don't have the room in the RV.  Everything in Arco has the beginning of its business with "Atomic" or "Lost River" because there is a river but it is lost somewhere. We wanted to give Arco some business so we also went to the little market and bought groceries. Pat did the laundry. Oh and Arco will have its Atomic Days in July, a parade and small rodeo?  It seems after the atom was corral-ed down the road and gave the town energy, it abandoned the town, the people who live in Arco must work for the industry but the town needs a face lift and the industry to should give them some money.  Its main commerce must be those who stop on the way to and from Crater of the Moons National Park.  I will write about that experience tomorrow if we have Internet, but check out the photos below.  Volcano after volcano which can blow again anytime...average length every 2000 years.  They are asleep now.

Not the cows which blocked the road on the way to Big Springs.

But it is free range all across Idaho.  PS Pat won Utah because of the Buffalo herd oh his side just before the Idaho border.