June 21, 2013

Hello Summer

Started todays travels with two scenic byways.

First it was back up the Salmon River Scenic Byway. 

Same road we came down yesterday but this time we continued up river another 35 miles to Stanley, ID.  Small town with expensive mountain "cabins" in a mountain valley.  From Stanley the road turns south on the Sawtooth Scenic Highway and continues up the flat but gently climbing valley.

 

 At the head of the 20 mile long valley the road crosses a small stream.  So small it fits in a small culvert.  One could step across it without reaching.  The Salmon River.  Remember the pictures from previous posts.
 After crossing the head of the valley the road starts to climb more seriously.  5% grade - not too bad for carbus.  It also twists and turns but also not bad.  Had worse two days ago over pass north of Salmon.  Carbus handled it well.  Near the summit there is an overlook.  Looks down on the headwaters of the Salmon River and down the valley.

Headwaters of the Salmon River

Culvert holding Salmon River is just to left of 'Y' in road lower left

 

 

 Over Galena Summit (8990') and down to the south.  A few more twists and turns and 5% grade.  Easy driving.  Thirtyseven miles from the summit we entered Ketchum, ID.  Neighbor to Sun Valley and home of famous ski resorts.  At the north end of town we stopped to visit the cemetary.  We are really into cemetarys but could not pass this one up.

 

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Ernest Hemmingway on right.  Wife, Mary, on left

South from Ketchum on the road most use to enter Ketchum we met US 20 and turned east on a road we have traveled before.
 Fifty miles later we passed Craters of the Moon National Monument.  We have been there before so moved on up the road to Arco, ID.  Pulled in to the same RV park we stayed in earlier (looking forward to tomorrows free breakfast) and set up.

Since it was still early afternoon we decided to take the car and drive 20 mile down the road tour EBR-1 National Historic Landmark.

 EBR stands for Experimental Breeder Reactor.  This is/was the worlds first nuclear reactor and it was also the first to generate electrical power.  The reactor was long ago decommissioned and is radiation free.  Visitors are free to wander pretty much any where inside the building.  There is a self guiding pamphlet and docents also give a thorough tour if available.  We lucked out and got a personal guided tour (just the two of us).  The young woman who guided us was very knowledgeable about the reactor, The Idaho National Laboratory, and nuclear power in general.  She presented information in a manner that was easy to grasp.  We got a large education in an hours time.

First use of nuclear generated electricity.  Lit four lights similar to these.  Next day lit whole plant.

 

 

Somebodys really great idea.  This contraption was designed to provide power to fly an airplane for up to 30 days non-stop.  Several problems.  The plant itself weighs more than a 747.  Plane to hold it would be HUGE.  Nucular shielding was minimal to none.  Crew flying plane would receive more than lifetime radiation dose during their 30 day flight.  Would be training new crew every month to fly plane.  Idea never got off the ground so to speak.

 

Description of EBR-1 tour  http://www.inl.gov/ebr/

 

Back to the carbus to write these blogs.