July 4th

We had a nice holiday.  After breakfast we drove into town to visit the Friday farmer's market.  We grabbed a brick oven pizza and headed out for a drive.  First we stopped by the acreage we own on the west side of the valley then we drove to a local historical site where the Teton River dam collapsed in 1976.  It was quite the disaster considering it's rural locale.  The water rushed across and damaged farm land until it reached the Snake River.  It flowed through the Snake River gorges until it was slowed by the dams approaching Idaho Falls.  In addition to the lost crops and the ruined land 14 people lost their lives.

This was an earthen dam that stretched across a very deep canyon/ravine.  We were disappointed that there weren't any sign explaining what we were looking at, but it was still worth taking a look at.  A quick glance will convince you never to build downstream of a dam.  There is a museum in Idaho Falls relating to this event.  Perhaps we will stop in there someday.

Our neighbors had a cookout and invited us along with other neighbors in the vicinity.  It was nice to meet some new people with whom I can visit with while I'm alone here next month.  3 couples are full time residents, the others folks travel, though not as far, as we do.