“USA 🇺🇸 ~Road Trip’n Through Idaho, Utah and Wyoming”

• August 26, 2021
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

Road Trip’n in the USA 🇺🇸

Following our joyous time in Hawaii with friends, I took the time to put our long-range travel plans down “on paper” to record our cross-country road-trip’n adventures, from the West Coast to the East Coast and back to the West Coast!

Yes, this all sounds quite grandiose for sure, but we do go all out when it comes to exploring, so this is not the least bit impossible for us! “Go Big or Go Home,” as I say. For anybody who knows us, going back to our home (as nice as it is), is low on our list!

We’ve decided being on the East Coast during the fall colors will be great for our souls and our photography!
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NOTE: I have very few photos to show from Oregon, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, because the wildfires in our country have created a lot of smoke, therefore, the scenes are very “less than,” and soon I quit taking pictures all together. 

We drove for three solid days through Oregon, Idaho, Utah and into Wyoming through the smokey haze. By our fourth morning, we woke up in Wyoming to clear blue skies and sunshine. We were overjoyed! (I understand fires cause great damage and sorrow for life; both human and animal, as well as property, but I’m only referring to the lack of clarity  for photography).

From Wyoming and on, I do have many photos and adventures to share, since we have had great weather, are having a great time, and are making good progress on our goal of arriving on the East Coast for our much anticipated visit with our grandchildren, and of course their parents! 🥰 by early October, God willing.
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Here is our line-up, since arriving from overseas; in Georgia 🇬🇪 on July 3, 2021.

By the 20th of July, we departed California and headed to Oregon. We’ve been on a steady move from the moment we touched down in the USA 🇺🇸, but we never do let any moss grow under our feet; not when there is so much living to be done!
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Our List of State Visits While visiting America the Beautiful: 🇺🇸

All in all: a Road Trip of 40 USA 🇺🇸 state visits!
Of course, this schedules is subject to some adjustments on exact dates, but this is what we are planning.

We love America!

CALIFORNIA: ✅

NEVADA: ✅

OREGON: ✅

KONA, HAWAII: ✅

OREGON again: ✅

IDAHO: ✅

UTAH: ✅

WYOMING: ✅

COLORADO:

NEBRASKA:

SOUTH DAKOTA:

NORTH DAKOTA:

MINNESOTA:

WISCONSIN:

ILLINOIS:

INDIANA:

MICHIGAN:

OHIO:

PENNSYLVANIA:

NEW YORK:

VERMONT:

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

MAINE:

NEW HAMPSHIRE: again

MASSACHUSETTS:

RHODE ISLAND:

CONNECTICUT:

NEW YORK City:

NEW JERSEY:

DELAWARE:

MARYLAND:

WASHINGTON DC:

VIRGINIA:

NORTH CAROLINA:

SOUTH CAROLINA:

GEORGIA:

ALABAMA:

MISSISSIPPI:

ARKANSAS:

OKLAHOMA:

TEXAS:

NEW MEXICO:

ARIZONA:

BACK TO CALIFORNIA:

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OREGON
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon’s northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho.
The 42° north parallel delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada.
For more information on Oregon; where I was born and raised, click this link;

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73667/25-magnificent-facts-about-oregon
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I was very excited to show Daryl the Columbia River Gorge, and Multnomah Falls, on our drive to the eastern border of Oregon, on I-84. This was after we got back to Portland from Hawaii, and on the road, again.
We had a great start with sunny skies, but very quickly, before the Gorge, even, we drove right into the haze.

We will have to see the Gorge another time, under blue skies. 😕

⬆️ A 1930’s photo at Multnomah Falls

⬆️ Just before we left Oregon, we met our friend, Linda (from Prineville). She made a long drive to meet us at Biggs Junction, where we got see each other one more time, and where she brought an outlet converter I had forgot at her home, along with a sweet gift. Linda, you really are the best! 🥰

⬆️ By the time we drove to Eastern Oregon, we did see an elk in the shallow river near the La Grande exit, and the photo came out pretty clear.

Good Bye Oregon!

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IDAHO ⬇️
Idaho is a northwestern U.S. state known for mountainous landscapes, and vast swaths of protected wilderness and outdoor recreation areas. The capital, Boise, is set in the Rocky Mountain foothills and is bisected by the Boise River, which is popular for rafting and fishing.
The city’s riverfront Julia Davis Park is a downtown green space containing a rose garden, museums and a zoo. Idaho is known for its potatoes, but its official nickname is the Gem State. Some 72 different precious and semi-precious gemstones have been found there.

Hello Idaho! ⬇️

I wasn’t kidding about the smokey haze 🥲
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UTAH ⬇️
Utah is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Colorado to the east, Wyoming to the northeast, Idaho to the north, Arizona to the south and Nevada to the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast.

Utah was windy, so the air cleared a little bit for a few hours
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WYOMING ⬇️

Wyoming is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. The 10th largest state by area, it is also the least populous and least densely populated state in the contiguous United States.

By the time we got on I-80 through Wyoming, we had a big storm hit, which caused two wrecks and the Highway was a parking lot for 1.5 hours.
The last time I was on I-80, an unexpected blizzard closed the entire highway! Luckily I have a friend in Colorado, who knows back roads of Wyoming. With his instructions, through the blizzard, I was able to make my way around 1-80 and into Colorado, without further delay This was around the year; 2007.
The good news is, the storm from this current drive, with all that rain and high winds, must have chased the smoke out of the area, because the next morning, we woke up to sunshine and big smiles on our faces!

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OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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OREGON

IDAHO

UTAH

WYOMING

Next Stop Colorado!