What a crazy night! I have never experienced a storm like that! Still no power, but the owner of the motel has hooked up the generator to the water pump, so at least we have water. My food supplies are low and all we have left is some peanut butter and dry biscuits, so brekky is just that. Along with a fresh coffee from our whisperlite we are ready for the road.

Thankfully our miles will be short today... we should arrive at Craters of the Moon, National Preserve, Idaho by lunchtime. We encountered a few light leftover showers along the way. You know the bright, intense light, sparkly, squinting hard kind, that almost blind you!!

The countryside vegetation began to change. The rolling grassy plains became ragged and patchy... looking as though they were suffering from mange. As you gazed across the barren landscape you could see the sharp aerated volcanic rock protruding in violent groupings scattered across this now rough countryside. This amazing large volcanic preserve encompasses 3 major lava fields. All three lava fields lie along the Great Rift of Idaho which is home to the deepest rift/crack on Earth measuring 800 ft deep. We turned off the main road and into a rift.....Noooo... the Craters of the Moon National Preserve entrance. Cool!! It is still early enough in the day for us to score a primo camping spot. Iv'e got my fingers crossed! The park is fairly small...we rode around it several times before we had made our minds up on the perfect camping site. Maybe I should rephrase that to….before I had made up my mind on the perfect camping spot!!! ha ha ha. What do you know, the camper next door to the spot we chose has New York car license plates that read "AUSSIE"….hmmm wonder who this is? We initiated camp set-up mode and within 15 minutes we had the bedroom, kitchen and living room perfectly assembled all on separate levels! This is a fantastic spot! Now to pick up some food. Kev and I ride back 20 miles into town and pick up a steak, coleslaw, ice, beer, red wine and chocolate. I dump the ice into an empty pannier, nuzzle the beer bottles in and lay the food on top…perfect!

Arriving back "New York AUSSIE" has emerged with her traveling companion "Echo", a peach faced love bird. Quite a road trip alone with a bird, quite an amazing lady with a fantastic accent! Thank you again for my wildlife proof food bag, it was a pleasure running into you!

Gazing out from our elevated rocky living room Kev and I watched the sun set over the moon-like scape and enjoyed our medium rare bbq'd steak with a chilly beer. Content and sporting a slight buzz we head off to the Ranger lead night activities to enrich ourselves and learn about the night critters of the area. It was a fun and interesting evening, complete with bats flying in and out of the projector light beam… It is great to be outdoors sleeping under the stars and back in our tight comfy tent once again!

Looking out across the Lava fields — *Looking out across the Lava* *fields*

Amazing landscape with surprising color! — *Amazing landscape with surprising color!*