joy magnetism: Only on holidays and national emergencies - GAR Day #15




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Friday, May 30, 2008

Only on holidays and national emergencies - GAR Day #15

Magnet #98 - Twin Falls, ID

One of the GAR roadtrippers grew up in Twin Falls, ID, which is how I ended up with this magnet. I've been through Idaho, on that cross-country train trip - middle of the night, and in the top bunk of a sleeper car. Not fun. Also, I didn't get to buy any magnets for myself.

Anyway, we were supposed to spend the night at his house, and then wake up to a wonderful breakfast, and yes, a drive-thru tour of the area, before heading out to Wyoming to see Yellowstone and Grand Tetons for the afternoon and night and some of tomorrow. Yep, another long day, but we're in the home stretch now!

Two things that were on today's morning docket were the Craters of the Moon, and Shoshone Falls. Craters was apparently an ancient lava flow area...where a volcano erupted 2,000 years before recorded history. Which is weird to say, because if it's recorded now, then how is it before recorded history. Shouldn't we just push the startdate of recorded history back? I'm just sayin'. Then, apparently, 2,000 years later the Shoshones built rock rings there. Yeah, I'm assuming it makes more sense if you actually visit the park.

Shoshone Falls would have been neat. Apparently, you can shut off these giant waterfalls (known as the Niagara of the West - they fall like 50 feet farther!) when necessary. I'd like to see proof of this - in person - because I've been told this for several years now. Why? Because I once convinced one of the GAR roadtrippers that they can shut off the real Niagara Falls on holidays and national emergencies, via a huge dam upriver.

In her defense, she hadn't seen the falls yet, so when we rounded the corner and she got a glimpse of the falls and knew that I was full of bullpucky.

GAR Track of the Day: Waterfalls (Or, what Sarah Larson is probably crying, now that she and George Clooney have broken up. What? You didn't hear?)
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1 comment:

G said...

They do shut off Niagara Falls -- well, they tone it down at night during the spring-summer. Half the flow is rerouted to the power plants during the night hours when no one's looking. They have shut it down completely before, but I don't remember when. [/upstate NY geek]

Best thing about the falls is that you can hear them long before you see them. Imagine being the first Native Americans walking through the woods into new territory, hearing this roar, and thinking "WTH is *that* noise"?