Sunday, July 18, 2010

Big Fire

RANGE FIRE
BRUCE WALKING NEAR AMERICAN FALLS, IDAHO


BRUCE WALKING: HEAT = 100; OLD US30


BASELINE ROAD, RUPERT, IDAHO

GAS STATION ON OLD US 30





SNAKE RIVER..FALCON HABITAT






CHIRPING FALCON...A GREETING TO BRUCE ???





FALCON NEST






All day long at least two water bombers have been schuttling to a big fire covering a couple miles wide & advancing East from just South of the I-84 / I-86 cutoff..At 9 pm, it is still burning.



Before daybreak, I was on the r0ad...knee no pain at all. Walked from the Snake River under the watchful eyes of a pair of REALLY BIG Falcons nesting atop a powerline pole not 100 feet from the Van. Big guy was out hunting most of the time, coming in so quick didn't have time to grab the camera...until as I walked away, he went FISHING...he dove straight into the river (lake), surfaced, shook himself & rose with a fish in his claws. I caught him as he was landing on the nest...nest big enough fo both Mom & Dad. MIGHT NOT BE SUCH A GOOD PIC...HE IS ALWAYS MOVING QUICKLY.

Bloddy HELL...google again dumped my completed blog...RATS

Is getting dark...may not finish,,Here goes...

SSssooooo, I walked.

First off to Rupert some 6 miles away & return to the Van...Upon return,g Daddy Falcon, sitting atop a different pole gave out with a continuous chirps looking directly at me. I choose to believe he was greeting my return...it was certainly not any warning screech.

I then drove back to Rupert, parked in front of the Minidoka Museum, and walked another 6 miles out BASELINE Road, Old Old US 30 and back to the Van. 24 miles & not yet noon. If ever you wish to take BASELINE, don't. Bumpiest roughest road so far.

Before leaving Rupert, Gassed up the Van & went to the supermarket, where I let my body choose what to buy...I had nothing to do with purchasing:

2 ripe tomatoes (hydrogrown)
2 bananas
12 bagels
1 small watermelon
1 bag ice cubes
2 apples
6 bottles POWERADE
1 gallon chocolate milk
1 pound potato salad

before leaving the parking lot,

--put the ice cubes in the two coolers
--drank 1/2 gallon chocolate milk
--ate one tomato, which squirted all over my face, arms and shirt (washed the shirt by squirting water from my water bottles directly on the spots & rubbed...it all came out...shirt is still white)
--ate 1/2 pound potato salad
--drank one 32 oz bottle of POWERADE.

i didn't feel hungry, but guess my bod did. Kinda interesting.

I then drove to I-84 and took the first exit, the Old US 30 Frontage Road. The fire had now grown to fill the sky with black smoke and was heading my way. Water Bombers roared overhead...which continued into the evening.

I drove Old US 30 for 4 miles & parked the Van. Then, walked back those 4 miles to the original exit and back to to the Van. i.e.; 8 more miles walked..32 so far today...

Then drove another 7 miles and parked under an overpass to keep out of the Sun. For the last time today, walked the 7 miles to the previous parking place and back to the Van.

Total miles for the day: 45 miles...and I feel a wee hot and tired, but otherwise feel great.
Along the final 14 miles, Bonnie, a passing motorist stopped and took some pics of me walking.

Next town is American Falls, about 15 miles towards Pocatello.

Slept in the car...was hot and with the windows just opened a wee for ventilation, I found everything damp in the morning...probably from condensation from my perspiration..interesting, huh?

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