Boise, Saturday, August 25th

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Great drive through Oregon, past the Klamath Lakes, up to Crater Lake (extinct volcano lake with the clearest, most appealing blue water imaginable). No road closures, and no smoke. And, where there's no smoke.... Changed CDs from Pink Floyd to Mozart.

Uh oh! Stayed in Bend, OR. (played golf) then hung a right and started heading east, traveling 240 miles thru the region of Oregon you won't find in the brochures. A barren and arid flat wasteland of sagebrush and dry scraggly growth, devoid of any civilization except for the countless telephone poles and endless road (which passes over Stinking Water Creek). Probably not the vision Mozart had in mind.

Oregonians, beware! This might be considered extinct volcano land, but your newspapers just reported that there's a bulge developing in the middle of the state; not due to middle age but to increase magma flow below the surface. Could blow the whole state to smithereens, and smithereens is not on my itinerary. I'm outta here.

Idaho. Boise is Boise is Boise. A nondescript city which will never be invited to sit at the grown-up's table.

But, I must admit, I attended the Western Idaho Fair and very much enjoyed myself. It has similarities to most state fairs (livestock, John Deere tractors, vendors hawking various gizmos, machines used on farms which go 'fa-whoop, fa-whoop, clackety clang', and a food row which could put Ronald McDonald in the employment line).

However, I was quite impressed with the quilt work and needlepoint (really). While obviously tedious work, the finished products were outstanding, and conjured up images of little old ladies sitting in remote farm houses...you get the idea.

But what made the most lasting impression at the fair was the Boise ballet, or as some would refer to it, the bareback riding rodeo (my first). It's a show replete with able-bodied cowboys and rhinestone studded, splendidly clad smiling cowgirls. I couldn't help but think that every young girl watching must envision herself one day as the prima ballerina on horseback.

Rodeo is a brutal sport, particularly for the animals. They're whipped, roped, thrown down, tied up, and treated like, well, animals. There oughta be a law.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful, and I'm heading to Sun Valley tomorrow.

No sign of Chandra.