Rivers, Rockets, Rexburg

As we drove North on I-15 Saturday morning, I had a sense of contentment. One more summer weekend lay ahead, with stress left behind. Kate had supplied the kids with anti-nausea meds, ensuring a drive free from the specter of motion sickness.

In the back seats of the van the kids had a different feeling.  Their two dogs, Gizmo and Daisy had been left behind, after joining our family just a day before.  “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”  I quipped.  I received no verbal reply, but a Samantha death-stare in the rear view mirror conveyed a powerful response.  I simply smiled.  I knew they would have a fun trip.

 

After checking in to the hotel in Rexburg I decided that we had enough time to drive out to Driggs to check out the Darby Canyon ice caves.  I had planned out the trip, and made sure we had everything we needed for the hike.  Before we got too far East I noticed a small nondescript sign that read ‘Teton Dam 1 ½ mile’ with an arrow pointing to the North.  I quickly made a left.  The Teton Dam collapsed when I was just an infant, devastating Eastern Idaho.  Of all the times I have been up there, I have never gone to see what remains.

 

I’m not sure what I expected to see, but found myself surprised that there is nothing:  No markers, history, nothing.  It is all open.  At first we drove to a spot where we could see where the earthen dam had been.  Then we circled behind to find dirt roads that led down to the base of it.
 

 

We spent the next few hours exploring.  Patrick and I were fascinated, as I tried to answer as many questions as I could.  The girls bored quickly.

 

However, everyone enjoyed the lesson I gave them about how to skip rocks across the deeper part of the river.

 

 

Sunday morning I let the kids sleep in before we went down to the hotel pool for a dip. 

 

Then we headed up to Ashton to see Great-Grandma Shirley.  She has been healing from a broken hip.  She really enjoyed seeing so many great grandkids.  And even the not-so-great grandkids…

 

Because of our side-trip to the dam, I promised the kids I would try to get them out to Darby Canyon.  But time ran short, so we didn’t make it.  Instead we drove out to Cave Falls. And of course, Derek Jeter went with us... 

 

Unfortunately Cave Falls isn’t very cave-ish these days, as the cave on the North side of the falls has collapsed.  Nevertheless the falls are beautiful, and the kids loved the fact that they could walk up so close and feel the mist. 

 

After the trip to the falls we drove to Grandma’s house for the Labor Day barbecue.  Grandpa Stretch set up his rocket launcher, and the kids all made paper rockets to fire off.  After the fun of the rockets wore off, the kids (actually, JB started it) started firing off water-filled 2 liter bottles.  It is amazing what 40-50 psi can do.  They also learned that a green olive will go much further than a small pickle. 

The kids love making their own rockets.  So much so that when one flies a little too high and ends up in a tree, Stretch will go to great lengths to get it back.  Yes, that’s a 63 year old man in that tree, searching for someone’s missile.    

 

The barbecue was great.  Good company and good food.  This year I didn’t have to rush back Sunday night, so I was able to stay later.  It was a great way to end summer:  food and family. 

The kids are already asking if I will take them back in the Spring to see more waterfalls.  It wasn’t until we got home that they mentioned their dogs…