Oregon Caddy

Nice car!!

This is outside the ONLY coffee place in Ontario OR. I couldn't decide if this was so much an Eastern OR car or a Western ID car. Either way, it was a classic. You have to admit, it's pretty amazing that this POS even runs. Look at it. Outdated Chevy design, horrible sheet metal, crappy craftsmenship. What we would call good old American iron! Looks like 20 years AFTER this car was built, GM really hasn't changed!

Trona

So on our way to Death Valley, we pass through what has to be one of the nastiest, run down, sh*t holes I have EVER seen in the USA. A delightful little place called Trona. I neglected to take any pictures, but did find some on the internet. They did a pretty good job of captuing the true "essense" of this delightful little vacation hot spot.

Gotta give credit to this website for these great photos and the below text.

http://www.polarinertia.com/may04/trona01.htm

Trona, located along state highway 178 near Death Valley California. Trona developed around the Searles dry lake, a natural resource containing the world’s richest deposits of chemicals including 98 of the 104 known naturally occurring chemical elements. The mining industry first set up around searles dry lake in the late 1800s to mine borax, and the playa has attracted investors ever since.

The company town of Trona was officially established in 1913 as a unique self-contained town operated on a cost basis by the mining company for the benefit of its employees. The company created its own currency, and built a library, grocery store, school, housing and recreation facilities for its residents.

WWi, as a German embargo of potash fertilizer sharply raised prices, Trona was the only American source of potash at the time, an important element used in the production of gunpowder and a key to victory.

No longer a company run town, Trona's streets show the signs of its shrinking population, down nearly 50% over the last decade, to around 1885 residents.

Today, IMC Global Chemical company remains Trona's largest employer at its soda ash processing plant. Other operations nearby include salt extraction from the playa surface through evaporation, and a lime quarry. Trona remains strongly tied to the Searles dry lake and the unique geology of the region, it is a planned town slowly dissolving back into the desert.

Kern River

Headed up the 178, along the Kern river, past Bakersfield towards Death Valley. Ever been to Bakersfield? Don't bother. Ugghh....A big version of Maricopa!

Pit Stop

As required in all road trips, you must have a break for a "PIT" stop. Well, I can't think of a better PIT, then Moses Lake. As my good friend Tim Muscott, knows since he grew up in a super craphole, Othello! Poor Bastard. Never sure which is worse, that or Pocatello Idaho. Ever been the that pisshole?

The Road Ahead

I don't remember what amazing portion of eastern Washington this colorful and dynamic photo was taken, but I can assure you we were glad for two things.

1. It wasn't snowing.
2. We were driving fast!

Interstate 15

The open road ahead. Mrs Dirtbagger is scouting ahead for Smokies, while I barrel down the road in 8 tons of V-10 power. This is actually I-15 in southwestern Montana about 2 hours south of Butte. Notice the amount of traffic in the middle of the day.