City of Rocks

I said "Au'voir" to Utah . . .

. . . . and "Bonjour" to Idaho.

     Before the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, folks traveled west in wagon convoys on the Oregon and California Trail (photo below is near this historic trail, near Cassia Creek).

    This historic trail bypasses City of Rocks.

     As the story goes, travelers going west were stunned by the unique geography of scattered boulders and rocks, and called it "City of Rocks" (click here for official website).

     I came here simply because it was the only way to get to Oakley, Idaho without taking the very boring Interstate Highway 84. And the "only" back road to Oakley involved over 30 miles of dirt roads . . . City of Rocks is on that dirt road.

     The reason I wanted to get to Oakley (population 800) is because it has a city-run RV park. But I wanted to get there before it rained; see the threatening clouds?

     A brochure explaining City of Rocks claimed this was a world-class rock climbing mecca. Look at photo above, see the climber? Now look at photo below and you'll see her. Someone is spotting her on top of the rock.

    This rock is called "Elephant Rock" (all the rocks have names given by climbers).  When I took the photo, I didn't realize two people were climbing it. Can you see the second climber's red helmet? That climber in above photo is directly above the spotter on the ground wearing a blue shirt, far right bottom.

Close-up of red helmet person in photo above. Whatever floats your boat I guess . . . .

     This rock in photo above is named "Diseased Cow Giving Birth" . . . . . . .  just kidding :)

     This rock in photo above is named "Monster Fungi" . . . . .  OK, I'll quit.

     Photo above, on the left, "Carcass of Giant Armadillo", and on the right, "Cat Got Stuck inside Accordion".

     Now this one (above) is easy . . . "Bread Loaf".  Honest, that the rock's name!

     I really didn't want to get caught on a dirt washboard road in a rain storm.  Rain and dirt roads require 4wheel drive and the ProMaster is not 4wheel drive. And I had another 25 miles of dirt road to go.

     Fortunately, I made it to Oakley's RV park just when it began sprinkling!