Thursday (6/4) First, I am sorry about saying there was a picture in yesterday's post.  I had the most wonderful picture of Rich with an Idaho potato but somehow all my pictures from the museum got lost.  For some reason, once I compose the blog I am unable to edit it.

Today we went two hours west of Idaho Falls to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Arco, ID (population 1026.)  On the way, we went through Butte, ID (population 76.) We are sure when the population changes, they just take a marker and make it 77 or 75 (Ha Ha.)  Along the way we saw many potato storage buildings (see picture.)   These buildings are somewhat in the ground and have sod roofs.  Potatoes can be stored in them for many months without spoiling.

Craters of the Moon was describes in 1923 as "The surface of the moon as seen through a telescope."  It has been called "a weird and scenic landscape, peculiar to itself."  The craters are of volcanic origin beginning 15,000 years ago.  It was just miles and miles of porous black rock with deep splits in the rock where vegetation is slowly growing and surface temperatures can reach 150 degrees.  We went down in to the Indian Tunnel which is a lava tube (see picture.)  In contrast to the surface, it was dark, cold and wet.

In 1969, NASA's Apollo Astronauts learned about volcanic geology at Craters in preparation for their moon mission.   Once on the moon, they found out that the moon's surface was vastly different than the Craters.  

Rich and I climbed up the Inferno Cone which is a cinder cone that is formed when volcanic froth that is gas rich erupts high into the air and then piles into a mound.   Mound is a bit of an understatement.   The Inferno Cone had to be 400 feet high and pretty steep.  Once on top, we could see for miles (see picture.)

It was a great day!!!!