A Whole New Experience

The Snake River near Burley, Idaho

We had a terrible night’s sleep at a rest stop outside of Ontario, OR. Don’t camp at a freeway rest stop unless you’re a heavy sleeper or have industrial strength ear plugs. The one ton next to us hauling a giant RV kept his dad-blasted motor idling all night long! Marty said oh he looks like he’s getting ready to pull away but NO he was not ready to pull away at all. I was about to get out of my sleepless bed and egg his windshield at daybreak and then he ups and pulls way. Jerk! Miscreant! A-hole! Marty said that’s not good for his motor. I said did he fall asleep and forget to turn it off? In any case, suffering on our part, so word to the wise… don’t stay at a rest stop. Excuse me, restless stop!

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The regions that we drove through between Ontario, OR and Jerome, ID grow a LOT of corn and onions! Holy smokes! As a matter of fact, I almost thought I was transported back to dear old Ioway for a minute because of the corn. Not so much the onions, of course, because in Iowa they grow soybeans and alfalfa in addition to the corn. In close proximity to the Snake River there are rolling green hills covered with corn (or onions) as far as the eye can see. The only difference is there is irrigation equipment in every field. Giant circular sprinklers. I wanted to jump out and run underneath them to cool off.

As we drove by I was inspired to cook something regional for dinner.

Idaho Camp-style Onion Burgers

For Two

Ingredients

½ large Walla Walla onion or any other sweet onion, diced

Avocado oil for the iron pan or any oil you prefer

½ lb hamburger seasoned with salt and pepper

Grandma Sycamore’s Homemade white bread* or any hamburger bun that you prefer

Slow saute diced onions in avocado oil until soft. They can brown a bit just try not to burn them. Fold the cooked onions into the raw hamburger until thoroughly mixed. Form into patties and grill until done the way you like it. Make your sandwich with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, mustard, mayonnaise or any condiment you desire.

*The bread merchandiser at WalMart in Jerome, ID told us that this is the #1 selling sandwich bread in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

Tomorrow night we’ll be near Yellowstone.  McCrae Bridge Campground, as a matter of fact. Then Henry’s Lake and then the Big YS! All this preparation. All this planning. Money spent. Stress upon stress. I’m not sure I’ll believe it but I can tell you one thing: it will be a dream come true. The last time I was there I was 10 years old. All I can remember from that time were the bears snuffling past the tent at night and my dad throwing away the trout he caught in Yellowstone Lake. Liver flukes, he said. It will be whole new experience.