US Hwy 30: Into Oregon

A few miles west of Twin Falls, US Hwy 30 is once again subsumed into I-84. Moments later it is joined by US26, and soon joined by US20 as well. It is unusual for two main east-west routes such as US20 and US30 to run together, and even more unique that the two routes cross here and US30 becomes the more northerly route as it approaches the west coast. The result is the signage seen in this photo, one of the more crowded I have ever seen on my many road trips.



The reason for this convergence, I believe, is simply because there isn't much north or south of the route, so one road is all that's needed. Mostly it is a high speed affair and -- because of the heavy wildfire smoke you can get a sense of in the photo above -- I kept Darth powering down the road making very good time over the distance.

Western Idaho and into Oregon is a pretty desolate area, with barren landscapes and arduous hill climbs that must have been heart breaking for the pioneer wagon trains.



At a few points, the Snake River can be seen as it gains power heading toward its merger with the mighty Columbia river. A welcome oasis, even if just driving by!



I've stopped in Baker City, Oregon, which has been highly recommended to me both for its many attractions and for the town itself. I will probably spend a couple of days here… Stay tuned!

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