Rye Valley Sagebrush

I was coming back from being up 24 hours helping with calving way south of nowhere and Mormon Basin. I decided to take a shortcut through Rye Valley over to Hwy 30. I had to drive as my friend was overtired and fell asleep before I was in the driver's seat. Her pickup was fairly new, comfortable, and automatic, unlike my old International 4WD to which I was accustomed. Coming through Rye Valley as daylight was breaking, I was awakened by her screaming, and the sound of giant sage brush beating the extended side mirrors something fierce. All we could see was giant sagebrush all around us. I reversed it and was able to follow the path of disturbed sagebrush until we hit the dirt road. I was about a quarter-mile off the road. I had failed to navigate a curve in the road. We sat there awhile drinking the last of the cold coffee from the thermos.

That cold coffee kept us alert as we made it over Gold Ridge and down to old highway 30 that carried us into Durkee. Durkee had a great breakfast cafe in those days.  Nothing like hot black coffee, homemade biscuits, heavily peppered gravy, eggs sunny side up, and a few strips of pig fat to get the day going.