2012-29 Hermiston, Pendleton and Echo Oregon

2012-29

Hermiston Oregon, Continued
Pendleton
Echo

Campground:  Hat Rock Campground, continued.

Campground:  Fort Henrietta Park National Historic Oregon Trail Site 10 W. Main Street
Echo, Oregon Info: (541) 571-3597.  $18 pull-thu sites water/elect.  On Umatilla River, next to Fort Henrietta and museums.  The back-in sites up front are doable though some are pretty narrow and the trees need trimming.

After reviewing all the visitor center brochures and pamphlets, wouldn’t you know, my National Geographic Road Atlas “adventure addition” highlighted everything I was interested in right from the start. So I headed on over to Pendleton Oregon taking a back road to get there, just to experience more of the rugged countryside.  Huge rounded hills covered with drying grass lands and irrigated farms.  Farms many miles apart from each other.  Winding roads, a lone abandoned school house and grain elevator so tall it looked to be at least 10 stories high sitting on the edge of the road.

My National Geographic map showed, highlighted in red, the Woolen Mills, Pendleton Underground Tours and Tamastslikt Cultural Museum.  The Underground tour was booked up for the morning tour so I headed on over to the Pendleton Woolen Mills first.  Arrived just in time for their tour which was most informative and educational.  Learning where all the wool comes from.  After it’s processed, dyed and made into spun yarn. Where clothing is sent to Mexico for assembly and their only cotton goods go to china for manufacturing.  All the wool items especially the blankets are manufactured here in Pendleton and they have a series of National Park inspired blankets.  Mainly with Native Indian themed patterns with rich saturated colors.  I must admit I wanted to buy one of everything.  Blankets ran in the $225 to $700 range.  Shirts and clothing started at the $75 range.  But they have an outlet area that has all those wonderful blankets for half price with only the slightest imperfections.  So if your in the area, this is a must stop.

After a quick lunch I headed back to the Underground tour at 1pm.  What a most educational and interesting way to learn about a towns history.  Tunnels were first constructed connecting much of the downtown area so that suppliers could bring their shipments to each store without needing to go above ground.  Eventually prohibition speak easies and bars were underground.  A Chinese laundry.  Even a social club with bowling alley and pool tables.  Even an opium den.  And of course many alley ways and underground storage areas.  The most interesting area is where the Chinese lived and often worked out of site.  It was illegal for a China man to be above ground after dark and anyone could shoot one if found above ground.  Now if you shot a Chinese man, you wouldn’t go to jail, though you would be fined for firing a gun in town, as that was illegal.  Mostly men, as Chinese women were banned from entering the U.S. back then.  And we think the blacks and Indians were treated badly.  The Chinese were of course brought here to do all the hard labor that other immigrants wouldn’t do.  From building the railroads to blasting the tunnels.  In Pendleton they were used to quarry rock and to build those rock foundations of the buildings and the tunnels that connected all those stores underground.  So much history.  Learning about it literally from the foundations up.  We even went through a brothel that had been closed up for years after it was closed down in the 60’s.  Yes, 1960’s.  The owner of the building was so embarrassed that he had the entrance to the second story “apartments” bricked off.  It had been closed up for over 40 years and was only recently uncovered.  Learning about the Madam and her girls as pieces of their lives came to life by a most adept guide and story teller.

Back in the town of Hermiston I’m able to use the local Wal-Mart and a few restaurants.  It’s mainly a farming community though I did note they have a big Wal-Mart distribution center here as well as a large food processing plant.  Before the dam was built and irrigation was brought to the area, I take it, it was a pretty desolate area.  Along the Columbia river near here is one of those lock and dams with an elaborate fish ladder and visitors center.  Only small salmon were going down stream before reaching the ocean.  The salmon runs upstream had not yet begun.  They tell me over 16 million salmon once swam these waters, today it’s less than 3 million.

The price of fuel has skyrocketed which I’m sure you’ve noticed.  I just paid $4.35 a gallon for diesel.  With only a half a tank to fill up, it cost over $55.  Only a few weeks ago I was paying $3.75.

Having a bit of time on my hands, I washed the front end cap of the camper and washed the truck as well.  If it’s going to cost all that money to put fuel in the truck, it may as well look its best.

Distance traveled:  16 miles.

Yup, a whole 16 miles to Echo, where I’m staying through the Labor day weekend.  They said they had pull-thru sites and when I got here, I discovered they had two spots that one pulls up too…. On the side of the road running through the small park.  Well, it will do for  a few nights and of course I’ve put out my orange cones even though they assured me the road through the park is hardly ever used.  A little while later a big ole garbage truck came barreling through.  Ft Henrietta is on the edge of the very small town of Echo.  With one restaurant that doesn’t know how to cook fries until they are done, a very nice looking wine tasting shop and a couple of thrift/antique stores and a beat up tire/repair shop.  The rest of the buildings pretty much look empty, though they are in the process of beautifying main street with new sidewalks and lamp posts.  Ft Henrietta has a re-creation of one corner of the old fort, a wagon similar to the ones used on the Oregon trail with a nice voice narration to go with it.  Did you know the wagons were usually painted a light blue, yellow or green?  And they were much smaller than the Conestoga wagons we are used to seeing in the movies.  

That's about it on the eastern front of Oregon before I head to the Columbia Gorge for hopefully a super fun touring of what they tell me is a most beautiful part of the country.  I'll let you know next week what I find.

and of course more photo on my PICASA site. 

2012-28 Marsing Idaho to Hermiston Oregon

 

2012-28

Marsing Idaho
Baker Oregon
Hermiston Oregon

Campground:  River Haven Park, Marsing.  $11.25.  Passport America rate.  Full hookups.  Pull-thrus but at 90 degree angle.  No shade.  View of Snake River.  Very basic campground.  Laundry available.  Drive down to the lower row of sites, they are easier to pull thru and larger which isn‘t apparent when you first drive in.

Campground:  Oregon Trail West RV Park, Baker.  $25.28 per night.  Lots of shade.  Full hookups.  30 amp.

Campground:  Hat Rock Campground, Hermiston.  $17.87 per night at the weekly rate: $125.  Full hookups, 50 amp.  Free wi-fi.  Nice grassy sites with just enough trees for some shade.  Swimming pool.

Distance traveled:  129 miles

Sometimes things just don’t workout.  Even though it was a short drive to Three Island Crossing SP in Glenns Falls,  They wouldn’t let me in because I got there too early for camping.  Seems they water the grass in the camping area and won’t let anyone in until after 2pm.  Not sure what the folks already camping there have to do…. Maybe they’re required to leave the park until 2pm…. Not sure.  So it was water the grass over letting a camper in.  Darn, and it looked like a really nice park.

The Three Island Crossing is one of the most famous stops along the Oregon Trail and is where many pioneers crossed to the other side of the Snake river.  It’s a beautiful spot with tons of history.

So rather than go to another campground in the area, I decided to drive to Boise Idaho, actually about 20 miles past Boise to end up at a Passport America park.  Not the prettiest park by any means, but it’s cheap so I’ll stay a few days.  It’s near the town of Marsing, which is just a most pathetic little town out in the country.  If it wasn’t for staying at a Passport America park, I don’t think I’d ever have even passed through this little town.
 

Shoshone Falls, Twin falls Idaho

To back up just a bit, while in the Hagerman/Twin Falls area there are a couple things I would have enjoyed if I’d spent more time in the area.  Along the scenic hwy 30 are a couple of hot springs, one recommended to me is called Miracle Hot Springs and Rv Park.  Not sure if the campground is any good, but they tell me the hot springs are wonderful.  Also along the snake river near Hagerman one can take the 1,000 springs boat tour which is a catamaran cruiser.  It comes with either a lunch or dinner cruise.  Unfortunately they don’t always run every day, so if your in the area book a date near the weekend to ensure a river cruise.  And not too far up the road are the Shoshone Indian Ice Caves.  Sometimes there’s just not enough time or scheduling conflicts that seem to get in the way of seeing everything.  Obviously I need to come back to this area someday.

Thousands Springs

Don’t you just hate to bring your vehicle in for even a simple thing like an oil change?  You know there’s a good chance it will cost more than you expected.  Without going into details, this was one of those times where instead of it being around $50 I had to add a “0” to that number.  Just made me feel crappy all day.

In the evening, after the sun was setting, I walked down to the grassy park setting below all the Rv camp sites and met an older couple with a friendly black cat sitting at a picnic table.  They shared a few locations in the area I might be interested in and I told them a few of my camping stories.  The next day I drove over to Chicken Dinner Road where there are a few sculptures of horses and a stage coach made out of horse shoes.  Really beautiful pieces of art.  I understand there are more pieces out back, but I didn’t want to trespass on someone’s property so I drove off,  passing Drum Stick Lane along this back country farming community.  You know me, I’d neeeever go on private property just to get a good picture.

Distance traveled:  115 miles.

Just an overnight stay in Baker Oregon.  But I did get a chance to go see the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.  Quite a mouthful of a name.  The site, sitting on top of a hill.  The building jutting out over three sides with the most commanding views of the valley far below.  The Oregon trail once ran through this valley carrying wagon train after wagon train of hopeful settlers along a 2,000 mile journey.  Most men women and children walked the entire way.  Their wagons filled to the hilt with essential goods and treasures.  Many eventually being left beside the trail after oxen or wagons broke down and had to be left behind.  You know I’ve followed much of the trail on my journey through Idaho and now Oregon along the Snake river and now the Columbia.  A trail that took the pioneers six months to walk.  Finally reaching their final destinations in Oregon.  What a journey they had to endure.  Then with the coming of the railroad, that same journey would take only a matter of days and would continue the populating of the west.  Interesting to travel along these historical paths.  Occasionally stopping in these museums and interpretive centers to learn more about the history and lives of those pioneers brave enough to make the journey.

Distance traveled:  139 miles

I had planned on staying at one of two Passport America campgrounds in the Hermiston area but one had recently closed and the other was all booked up.  That’s when I went to plan B.  One of the web sites I’ve been using of late is called All Stays Camping and of course you can find a link to it on the left side of the Blog.  It really lists quite a few sites and I’m able to view them on a map which I always like doing.  That’s how I ended up at Hat Rock campground.  A nice family style campground with lots of grass and just enough trees for some shade, though the campsites are quite close together.  And it’s right across from Hat Rock State Park.  The site of a most stunning rock outcropping that Lewis and Clark first saw on their trip down the Columbia River before eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean.  Hat Rock was the first recognizable landmark they described along the Columbia River.  Many of the others sites have since been buried by water with all the dams and lakes created along the river.

I’ll be here for a little over a week getting a bit of a break from heavy touring before heading onto the Columbia Gorge area which is between Oregon and Washington.  I’m hoping to visit with friends who live in Washington State and then begin my trek south for my eventual stay in Arizona again for the winter months.

I’ve recently been evaluating my travels and I do enjoy them at the pace I’ve been going.  Usually staying a week or so in each destination, I’ve come to think that I may do it a bit differently next year.  Picking destinations and staying for a month before heading to the next location and possibly even staying two months in a destination I particularly like.  How this will work out in the future will have to be seen.  It great to realize I can travel at any pace I feel comfortable at.

Now on this last journey heading to Hermiston Oregon, I did stop off at The Wildhorse Casino along the way along hwy 84.  I couldn’t help but think of my sister Dorothy, knowing how she would have enjoyed this Casino.  They had all the usual slot machines, card games and poker rooms and a buffet that was one of the best I’ve eaten at in quite some time.  Even though I know her husband Dave is a great cook, I’m sure they would have both enjoyed the quality of the food.

I must comment on the scenery along hwy 84 which heads north  and eventually west along the eastern boarder of Oregon.  Though the mountains and hills do not appear all that big and I’ve driven along some of the most stunning broad valleys, I’ll suddenly be surrounded by rounded hills, dotted with Ponderosa pines.  The hills become so steep next to the highway that they blot out the sky.  I eventually head over a mountain pass that’s only about 4,500 feet, but the decent has warning signs galore as it’s a continuous 6% grade downhill for six miles.  Quite a distance for trucks and big campers making it essential to use lower gears to slow one down without burning out ones breaks.  I also cross over the 45 Latitude line marking the half way point between the Equator and the North Pole.  Oregon has done a wonderful job of removing all billboards and signs along most of this route, having designated it a special scenic and historical route.  At a couple of points along the way, the views are so expansive, I’m able to see the curvature of the earth.  How cool is that.

Many more photos on PICASA
 

2012-27 American Falls, Idaho

2012-27

American Falls, Idaho, continued
Hagerman Idaho

Campground:  High Adventure River Tours & RV Park, Hagerman Idaho.  $15 Passport America Rate. Water/Elect. 30 amp.  All pull-thru sites.  This is a modern well designed park with easy access to each pull-thru site.  Half are full hookups and half are water/elect. sites.  Big shade trees with grassy islands between sites. Extremely well maintained.

Note:  the town of American Falls is very small.  It’s not a place I would eagerly come back too.  Although it has a nice library, it has no real downtown or restaurants worth going too.  Pocatello is 20 miles away which isn’t too bad, but gets tiring after driving it a couple of times.

ps.  there are no falls in American Falls.

I was having lunch at the marina café a short walk from my camper.  Now the café overlooks the lake, but there isn’t a marina and the boat launching pad goes down to a dried up channel due to low water levels in the lake.  A couple sits opposite me discussing joyful things in life.  I mention that their breakfast’s look quite inviting.  Conversation ensues and before you know it, I’ve been invited to join their party to see a Little Theatre production of “Heaven Help the Po’ Taters”.

That evening I drive into American Falls, only a few minutes away from the camper.  The small theatre is housed in a building that was once a local department store, a grocery store and is now home to the small theatre with it’s exposed steel and wood barreled ceiling. Much of the cast are young school kids along with half a dozen adults.  The stage is minimal at best but with wonderfully painted backdrops.

The story revolves around the potato farmers and an evil doer who has built a dam and holds all water rights.  A  woman of ill repute, wearing a bright red off the shoulder dress, working for the evil bad guy tries to snare Spud Farmer into turning over half the potato farmers profits for the right to use the water.  Lots of cheers and boo’s from the audience and laughter as the town folk set out to right what’s wrong.

Good wins out as characters like Etta Tater, Irish Tater, Candide Yam and the tater tots all get involved.

A super fun evening experiencing what a small town has to offer.

Just a couple exits on down the highway I arrive at Massacre Rocks State Park for a visit.  They have a decent campground as well, though some of the sites would be tough for larger rigs.  Great discount for Seniors too.  The park is along the Snake river and the Oregon trail.  A short two miles down the road from the park is Register Rock.  One of many sites that contains signatures of folks who took the Oregon trail back in the1880’s.  One of the signatures including two rock drawings done by a 12 year old while on one of those wagon trains.  Years later, as a sculptor he returned to check out his early work and re-signed the rock.  Another has the name “Hepler” and I wonder if my nephew Rusty is related.  Now this is another one of those sites where the main rock is surrounded by a covered pavilion and a tall chain link fence which I find so odd since the hundreds if not thousands of Indian rock art is rarely ever protect with more than a wooden railing to keep folks from destroying or defacing the sites.  Still, it was something to see those signatures placed on those rocks by all those wagon train travelers.  And what a tough time they had.  Many recorded experiences with mosquitoes so thick that the horses looked black and were bleeding all over by morning.  Sage was so thick that when run over by all those horses, oxen and wagons it gave off a most pungent odor along with stirring up dust so thick the wagoner’s couldn’t see their oxen a few feet in front of them.

a 12 year old artist, who later came back and signed and dated it again many years later

Oh and a final note on the name of the State Park.  It is where the Indians were able to ambush the wagon trains in which approx. 10 white travelers were killed.  You see the Shoshoni Indians were upset that the wagon trains were following Indian trails, not only destroying the trails but over grazing and hunting the wildlife the Indians used to subsist on. Hardly a massacre but places get named quite often by what someone wrote of the experience.   

Snake River

Temperatures have been hovering into the 90’s of late and the sky has a hazy appearance with so many wildfires off to the north of here in the mountainous areas.  Sunrises and sunsets are orange and red though the haze.   I do an early and late walk before the day heats up.  The large windmills turn slowly as this is a perfect area for wind turbines.  Signs along the highways warn of dangerous winds but so far I haven’t experienced any of those heady winds.  The Great Falls Reservoir is, I’ve been told, the second largest lake in Idaho.  Though after doing some fact checking I find the lake is down over 80% making it currently one of the smaller lakes in the state.  Leaving many docks and marinas high and dry.  Continually being drained to irrigate the many farm fields in the area.  Not much left in the lake.  Wonder how much longer it will last.
Oh and the trains going by day and night next to the campground are continuous.  How are they able to manage the trains going in both directions on only one set of tracks?  It must be a logistics nightmare.  Though if the number of trains carrying all those shipping crates, bulk items and petroleum products are any indication for the economy, I’d say things are moving along quite well.

Sun burning red with hazy smoke filled sky

EBR-I ATOMIC MUSEUM

My final day in the area, I decided to drive over to Atomic City and Craters of the Moon NP.  I’ll tell you up front the Loop tour took over 8 hours and involved more driving than I’ve ever done in one day.  I was exhausted at the end.  The first stop was at the site of the first Experimental Breeder Reactor, EBR-I Atomic Museum.  That alone would have been a great adventure on it’s own.  It’s deep in the heart of Idaho, surrounded by nothing.  It’s a self guided tour and a bit spooky to say the least but in a good way.  The large square building contains the first ever nuclear reactor used to create electricity safely.  The 4 lights lit by nuclear power were turned on on Dec. 20, 1951.  Everything has been preserved with the removal of the radio active materials of course.  I started out at the front where a living room set from the 1950’s with a small TV were set up to introduce the visitor to the site.  That eerie feeling pervades the who building partially due to the stillness only broken by an employee silently walking through the space on the rare occasion.  Even the few displays with sound are muted to the point one has to lean in to hear what is being said.  Each display, often written on chalk boards which were used throughout the building for notes and instructions in the 1950s, provide the visitor with the basic details of atomic fission.

EBR-I Atomic Museum

Even the names of the original team that built the first EBR-1 are written in chalk on the wall.  Seeming so impermanent for such an important invention.  I learned so much about the design and safety of nuclear reactors and was not surprised to learn that other countries come here to learn how to improve their nuclear power plants, but that our country has hardly taken advantage of those improvements.  The EBR-II design can utilize the already spent byproducts of the existing nuclear reactors to create energy today thus eliminating the nuclear waste currently being stored.  It’s design has not been implemented in this country and our nuclear plants continue to build stockpiles of nuclear waste.

This to me was one of the most educational and enjoyable learning experiences I’ve had in quite some time.

The surrounding area continues to be an active Idaho National Laboratory site(s) where research continues to find ways to use nuclear power for the good of mankind.

Craters of the Moon

Craters of the Moon

The second part of the tour continued on into the small town of Arco where I had lunch at Pickles.  A Philly cheese steak which was quite good.  Then it was driving, driving, driving through some very remote flat country side with the not too distant mountain ranges shrouded in smoke from the many wild fires in Idaho.  After what seemed like hours, since I’d been on the road in 8:30 in the morning and it was now almost 1:30, I arrived at the Craters of the Moon NM.  It was what I expected, a vast land covered in a lava landscape of splatter cones, lava flows with their twisted rope and flowing ripple effects.  Lava tubes and caves and overall a most desolate landscape.  Of course the Apollo Astronauts came here to learn about volcanic geology before going to the moon.  I’ve seen a few other sites with lava formations and one can experience those throughout much of Idaho, though this is the mega site of them all.  Though it hasn’t quenched my thirst for wanting to see a live volcano.  That day will come I’m sure.

So there you have it, one of the longest day trips I’ve ever taken and I still had 3 hours of driving to get back to the campsite.

Distance traveled 110 miles to:
Hagerman Idaho

The next day I headed to my next campsite in Hagerman, only a 110 mile drive, as opposed to that humongous journey of the day before.  I’ll be here for at least 3 days, before heading to Glenns Ferry and Boise Idaho.

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2012-26 American Falls Idaho

2012-26

Idaho

Soda Springs
American Falls
Idaho Falls

Campground:  Blackfoot Reservoir NF/BLM campground.  $10 senior rate.  $15 regular for improved sites w/elect.  50 amp.  Large open expansive sites overlooking reservoir and rolling grasslands.   No shade.  Pull-thru sites have Ramada w/picnic table.  Water and dump station available.

Blackfoot Reservoir Campground

Caution:  Locals park their trucks and vehicles on the causeway while fishing.  The causeway is only a one lane dirt cross over to the campground.  Do not attempt to drive your camper onto the causeway while they are parked on it.  There is not enough room to pass safely.  Ask them to move before crossing.  Hopefully one day they will put up a no parking sign on the causeway.

Campground:  Willow Bay Marina and Café.  $16 water/electric w/10% senior discount @ wkly rate ($112).  Nice setting, grassy sites, about half have shade, pull-thru and back-in sites.  Some with lake views.  Note: close to railroad tracks, but no whistles blowing, so not bad.

Distance traveled:  175 miles.
15 miles outside of  Soda Springs 

Soda Springs

I've been preparing myself for the trip off the mountain where it’s been wonderfully cool throughout this past week.  Traveling on a Sunday meant no waiting for a lead car to travel over the Togwotee Pass, though once I got to the Grand Teton NP, I had to stop often to take in the stunning scenery and picture taking.  Haven’t seen as much wildlife as on past visits, but since I hadn’t stayed right in the National Park, it’s to be expected.
Having been on this route before, heading to the Blackfoot Reservoir,  I decided to stop for breakfast along the way along with sightseeing stops along the way.  Adding a couple extra hours to my travel time.  Which isn’t a concern when I know what to expect at the campground I’m heading too.  I’ll only stay at Blackfoot for 4 days, as it’s another site that has no TV or cellphone coverage and I’m eager to get back to some form of civilization.  I guess I could spend the bucks to get satellite tv again and a different cell phone power booster, but I’m holding off on those expenses at present.  There’s just the weakest cell phone signal which gives me e-mails and messages periodically when it can connect, but I’m unable to send anything out.

Still enjoying the expansive views, big skies and stars at night, I can’t complain.

Arriving at the Blackfoot Reservoir campground on Sunday, a half dozen campers were still there, though by the time I’d set up and looked around, they had all gone.  Leaving only the camphost and myself in the campground.  It’s such a nice campground but most deserted much of the time.  Perhaps it’s the remoteness that people don’t care for.  I love the grand open feeling of the prairie type landscape  with low rounded mountains off in the distance. Fields of golden yellow wheat fields surround the park and lake.  Or perhaps it’s the lack of shade out here in the summer months with temperatures reaching into the 90 degree range that keeps campers from enjoying this park.

So I spend a few days going into the town of Soda Springs to use the libraries wi-fi.  Have lunch, wash my truck which has really needed a good scrubbing.  And enjoy some down time where I can read a book or watch a DVD movie on the telly.   Oh and I’ve had to take care of a couple of small critters.  The smallest cutest little mouse(s) have gotten into my camper.  About the size a round puffy quarter with two tiny black eyes.  If only I could have kept him for a pet, but alas, they have to go onto other dimensions and I’ve added some spray foam insulation between the pipes and flooring, hopefully that will keep any more critters out of the main living areas.  And I’ve decided to purchase a number of poisons and devices to capture the little rascals in the basement holding area.  More or less a Du-jour of tempting treats to finish off their days in my camper.

More repairs, what’s up with this?  I’ve discovered that my battery charger in the camper is functioning erratically.  Keystone, the manufacturer of the camper has provided some insight and it may just be a faulty fuse.  Which is of all places, behind the fuse box where the charger resides.  Now isn’t it odd that a fuse that has gone bad would not be in the fuse box where all the other fuses are, but behind the fuse box.  Update:  after tinkering around, it appears to be working fine for now…. So what was wrong with it?  Who knows.

Distance traveled:  99 miles
American Falls Idaho

Plan B came into action when I arrived in American Falls.  I had planned to stay at the fairgounds for $12 a night, but it was full up and the sites were really close together.  Instead, I found Willow Bay campground, a much better location with wonderfully grassy sites and I got a couple of nice shade trees, if a bit overgrown as my roof scraped some branches as I pulled in.  Oddly the marina currently has no access to the very large lake.  Seems the water is down a bit and the channel leading out to the lake is closed in with muck.  They’re working with BLM, the City and a number of other organizations to see what can be done.

This is a small community about 30 minutes from Pocatello Idaho where I’ve stayed in the past.

A day trip brought me to Idaho Falls, what a nice community.  Good size but not too big.  Vibrant active community.  Could easily see spending more time in this area.  I picked up a new device for boosting my cell phone signal.  It appears to work fine, now to install it permanently or semi-perm. In the camper.

That’s enough news for this week.  Next week, a continuation of exploring Idaho.

PS, I did make it to the potato museum in Blackfoot Idaho with the large potato out front and all the history of the potato inside… “the museum, not the potato” and I got pictures of the lady waitress statue outside of a local restaurant….  She was recently refurbished and no longer carries the huge tray of French fries, but instead has a huge diamond ring on her finger.  Hmmm, maybe she met the potato king and is now the potato queen.

more pictures on PICASA.