August 7, 2016

Speaking of ruining my clothes, last night I dumped a glass of red wine all over me and BOB, so I had to do two more loads of laundry this morning before I left Arco.

I stopped at the Experimental Breeder Reactor 1 (EBR-1) this morning. It is now a museum having supplied Arco with electricity in the 1950s. I was the only visitor having arrived five minutes after it opened. I opted for the self-guided tour rather than wait 25 minute for the hour-long (kill me) guided tour. A breeder reactor works by bombarding U-238 with neutrons to create Pu-239. Since more Plutonium atoms are created that Uranium atoms are used, it's called a breeder reactor. Doesn't this violate both the law of conservation of matter and the law of conservation of energy?
The landscape between Arco and Idaho Falls is other-worldly since it is volcanic and occupied only by the Idaho National Laboratory and free-range cows. The weather was an odd mix of localized rain squalls and sunshine, and for a while there was a single patch of clear sky beaming rays to the earth. It was an "X-Files" experience and I kept wondering whether BOB's people would beam him home.
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One of the most interesting experiences I've had is that it is impossible to intuit from a map or a book what the scenery will look like. It makes the journey magical - a constant discovery process - that is unless you are driving the Teton Pass. Almost 20 years ago, I bicycled the Teton Pass from east to west, and I only saw the asphalt and my front tire. Today, I drove BOB over the pass from west to east, and only I saw the line of vehicles stacked up behind me in my sub-30 mph ascent and descent on the 10% grades. It's probably beautiful if you aren't either dying of exhaustion while cycling or crying from terror while driving. Actually, I'd rather cycle or drive up than down, since there is no ability to lose control and careen off the cliff. And, I think I'd rather cycle than drive up, because there is something immeasurably satisfying about conquering mountains on a bike. I think I need to start cycling again this fall.