By: Andrew Bermudez
(August 8, 2015)
After some technical difficulties yesterday, we are now reporting from Arco, Idaho, the first city to be lit via nuclear power! While we are not able to import images at the moment, we are still able to feature some anecdotes from the previous two days. But first, if you haven't seen it already, the sidebar has been updated with both the returning Road Kill Tally and the new Live Animal Counter. So, let's get started!
On the first day, we mostly drove and drove and drove. We did have plans to stop at the Beaver Courthouse Museum in Beaver, Utah, but because of time changes and a combination of construction and high gusts of wind in the Virgin River Gorge, the museum had already closed when we entered Utah. We were slightly disappointed, but since we will going back that way, we might be able to stop by on the return trip. The silver lining on that day was staying in a deluxe camping cabin that's nicer than most value hotels.
The next day, we were greeted with what looked like an impending rainstorm and an aim to check off our first stop: the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City's Liberty Park. Just an hour's drive away, we were able to easily find the park and beat the rain.
Inside the aviary, we came face-to-face with several different species of birds, many of which you are very unlikely to find in your local zoo. In addition to a collection of Utah-native birds, the aviary also features endangered birds from all over the world, including owls, raptors, macaws, and many other groupings of bird species. We even had an unexpected guest at breakfast: Andy the Andean Condor, who was on his morning stroll. Our lunch guest wasn't as welcome: a peacock who jumped up onto our table to eat some bread crumbs, even though a fact stated in the park's bird show is that bread is bad for birds. That peacock's diet must be a very fowl one (*GROAN*).
While I am on the topic of the bird show, I would like to cover that a little. To be fair, this has to be one of the best, if not the best, bird show that I've seen. While other bird shows seemingly recycle tricks from one another, this one is all about the birds, one of which even comes out into the audience for a short interaction. Even the over-done trick of a bird flying through the audience to grab some money is discarded here. Instead, a member of the highly-endangered Great Green Macaw species perches atop a donation box at the end of the show. If you wish (as I did), you can hand some money to the Great Green Macaw, who will then stick it into the donation box. Just be warned, though. As stated before the performance, DO NOT stand up during the show. When they say that the birds will be flying low, they mean it!
After the rain caught up to us around noon, we packed up and headed north into Idaho, driving through more road construction. However, we had to deal with not wind but torrential rain. While the storm was strong and thick, we had passed through the worst of it by the time we reached the 26. From then, it was clear sailing to Arco, but as I type this, there is a chance that more rain might show up overnight. However, it is supposed to be clear so that we may enjoy our next destination: Craters of the Moon National Monument! Until then, happy travels and SIGN UP FOR AUDITIONS TODAY!!!
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