Sunday Drive

[webfoot]

Yesterday to beat the heat we went for a drive. The AC in the car works great. We went up past the little town of Halfway into the Wallowa mountains. To the Hell's Canyon over look. Up at 7,000 feet it was a cool 88 degrees which beats 100+ at home. Drove down to Oxbow on the Snake River. Ate and then headed home. A nice Sunday drive. Just outside Baker the car suddenly shut down. It didn't completely die but the best it would do was 5 MPH. From where we were I could see Grumpies Auto repair. Don't fail me now. So at 5 MPH we made our way to the shop which was about 3 miles away. While most people would have been cussing that the car broke down. We were thanking God that it did it where it did. We were able to nurse it to the shop door. Back up on the Hell's Canyon rim where we had been not long before we were almost 100 miles from the shop with no cell service. A picture looking down into Hell's Canyon from 7,000 feet. The river which you can't see in the bottom is at 1,200 feet.

 

[Faster horses]

Glad your car didn't give out up there. We may never have heard from you again!!

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

Beautiful country but no place to break down. Amazing beautiful ranches are hidden back in that country not visible from the road. Do they still have a cafe next to the store at Oxbow or did you eat in Halfway? Have you ever taken the road on the Idaho side to Hells Canyon Dam? At least you were over Flagstaff Hill and on the flats before things went haywire.

 

[webfoot]

Cafe up the road a bit from Oxbow but next to a store. We crossed the bridge and turned around. That is the first time there. We plan to cross the river and go up to Cambridge Idaho one day. We had thought about going to Ironside and turning across the hills to Juantura but not a trip to take on a 100+ degree day. Especially on a Sunday afternoon. Break down out there and a person might have to wait a while for someone to come by.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

Cafe up the road a bit from Oxbow but next to a store. We crossed the bridge and turned around. That is the first time there. We plan to cross the river and go up to Cambridge Idaho one day. We had thought about going to Ironside and turning across the hills to Juantura but not a trip to take on a 100+ degree day. Especially on a Sunday afternoon. Break down out there and a person might have to wait a while for someone to come by.

That is the one. It has been over 20 years but I have eaten there many times. I always called that Oxbow but I think actually a Halfway address and route since Oxbox is just a non-delivery PO and Idaho Power Company housing. I think the store was originally called Hells Canyon Store and later remodeled and renamed Scottys Outdoor Supply. The cafe was Hells Canyon Inn. They used to make a great burger using local beef.

The way I remember it.

On Lookout Mtn. I think looking down at Virtue Flats.