Tag Archives: Idaho

Idaho Meat and Greet

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Friday morning, I foolishly set my alarm for 5:30 AM. Did I really think I wouldn’t be up before then, ready and raring to go?!

Ha. Silly Mark.

When I woke up automatically and checked the clock, it was 4:30. I closed my eyes again in a half-hearted attempt to fall back asleep, but gave up that pursuit eight minutes later. The open road, and the promise of a wonderful weekend with Tara and the kids, was impossible to resist. By 6:30 Audrey, Rusty and I were on the road, the Family Truckster chewing up the miles as we headed east. Direction: Idaho.

The Columbia Gorge was ablaze with fall color, big-leafed golden maples offering a beautiful contrast to the evergreen-carpeted hillsides and affording me with scenery different than what I encountered on my previous trips over the summer. And then we hit dense fog, and freezing temperatures. It was 26 chilly degrees at the first rest area where we stopped. I thought back to my road trip earlier this year, where 90s were a constant and the humidity made me drip. Talk about the difference between night and day.

Then again, so much has changed since then. In every possible way. And all for the better.

We arrived at the hotel in Boise shortly after 2:00 – just fifteen minutes ahead of Tara. The kids and I hung out in the lobby, and suddenly she was there. I swear, {cue romantic sweet talk} just the sight of her makes my heart flutter. That shouldn’t come as a surprise considering all the “you’ve got it bad” comments on my post last week. Yeah, whatever. I admit it! We hugged and kissed, and I introduced her to the Petruska offspring. “I can’t believe I’m standing here in front of you guys,” she said, and it was every bit as surreal a moment for me, too. She’s “known” my kids for many years, since they were 7 and 2, and pretty much watched them grow up…online, of course. Having everybody together in person added a whole new dimension to our relationship, and kicked the “serious” factor up several notches!

After getting settled into our respective (and, I might add, separate – the kids were across the hall) rooms, we headed down to the pool. The hotel was really nice – far better than the Super 8 I stayed at across the street on the 4th of July – and the swimming pool was no exception. It was large, indoors, heated…and filled with saltwater, as we were soon to discover. I hadn’t been swimming in years, but had a lot of fun, even though a certain girlfriend who shall remain nameless decided it would be a hoot to dunk me underwater when I was least expecting it. Turnabout, of course, is fair play. We played a bit of water volleyball with the kids and enjoyed a dip in the hot tub. You know what? Being on vacation is nice! I could get used to the lifestyle.

It was getting late and we hadn’t eaten since before the sun had even come up, so we returned to our rooms, showered, and then headed out to dinner. Our destination? Big Jud’s, a hamburger joint featured on Man V. Food. Tara and I are fans of Adam Richman‘s food series, and actually, the first time we met we went to lunch at Salvador Molly’s in Portland, which had also been one of Adam’s stops. The place was packed full of Boise State Broncos fans, gearing up for the big game on Saturday. Actually, the whole city was awash in blue and orange. They love their college team, those Idahoans do! Big Jud’s claim to fame is a 2-lb. cheeseburger. How could we resist? The burger, a basket of tater tots, a basket of fries, and four drinks only set us back $27.99 – not bad for four people. We split it into quarters, leaving us each with about a 1/2 pound, and somehow managed to devour the whole thing (thanks to some help from Rusty, who is the quintessential teenager-with-an-appetite). The food was delicious, and it was great fun watching everybody get to know each other. We hit a grocery store after dinner, then went back to the hotel for a game of Phase 10. The cards were a great icebreaker (not to mention the beer we had (yes, including me) (but not the kids, of course) and the cookies (Audrey and Rusty devoured the entire bag) and the old-school rap music that Tara fired up) and everybody was getting along wonderfully by the time we finished. We followed that up with another dip in the pool and jacuzzi before returning to our rooms. The candles and mellow music Tara surprised me with made for a sweetly romantic finish to a great first day.

Saturday morning dawned cold and clear; it had rained overnight and then froze, and a dusting of snow covered the Sawtooth Mountains on the outskirts of town. Again, a big difference from my last visit when it was so hot I could barely stand it. None of us had ever been to Cracker Barrel before, so we decided to check them out for breakfast. The food was so good, in fact, that we stopped there again the next morning – but only after learning that Idaho has this lame law where they don’t serve alcohol before 10 AM, killing our hopes of a Bloody Mary before we hit the road. After breakfast we drove through town, stopping at Union Depot for pictures and cruising by the state capital building before heading to Bogus Basin Ski Resort. The lifts weren’t open, but the drive was scenic and we got a chance to play in the snow for a little while. Then it was on to the Old Idaho Penitentiary, an architecturally stunning prison dating back to 1870, when Idaho was still a territory. It housed convicts until 1973, when the state shut it down, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. We thought it would be fun to tour the site, especially considering it’s allegedly haunted, and sure enough this was probably the highlight of our trip. We wandered around the place for a couple of hours, checking out the various cellblocks and other buildings, and got to see the gallows where a few condemned convicts were hanged. It was a very creepy and cool place! After returning to the hotel to freshen up, we decided to go see a movie, so we headed to the nearest cinema and caught Real Steel. The film was better than we’d expected – how can you go wrong with boxing robots?? – and we all enjoyed it. It was dark when we exited, and dinnertime, so we headed to a local pizza joint called Flying Pie that was – you guessed it – featured on Man V. Food. The place was crowded and we waited a long time for our pizzas, so when they arrived we scarfed ‘em down. Good stuff, and worth the wait. When we got back to the hotel it was late and we were tired, so Tara and I went to bed. The kids, of course, spent more time at the pool. Guess they had a little more energy than the old folks in the group.

Sunday brought us to the inevitable end of our trip. After breakfast we said goodbye in the parking lot. On the plus side, we only have to go ten days without seeing each other this time around – Tara will be flying into PDX next Wednesday for Thanksgiving, and staying five nights! On the downside, saying goodbye is never going to be easy. When you’ve found somebody you are so compatible with and whose company you enjoy immensely, you don’t ever want to part ways. I’ve been in love before, but this time feels much different. She makes me feel complete to an extent I’m just not used to, which is a wonderful feeling, but it means when we’re apart I feel like there’s a big, empty void in my life.

Alone in the car with the kids, I immediately pounced on them for feedback. They had a great time and like Tara very much. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to hear this; my kids are smart enough to see how awesome a person is, especially one who makes their dad so happy. There was never a doubt in my mind that they wouldn’t fully accept her into their lives.

It feels good to have the initial meeting out of the way, regardless. Next up: my parents!

The 2-lb. burger from Big Jud's. Yes, we ate the whole thing!

Downtown Boise and the adjacent snowcapped Sawtooth Mountains.

View of Idaho's Treasure Valley from the drive to Bogus Basin.

Look how happy and extraordinarily cute we look.

The Old Idaho Penitentiary.

Walking the perimeter of the Old Idaho Pen.

The oldest cellblock in the prison, dating to the 1800s.

Those convicts and their wacky sense of humor!

The gallows were especially creepy. Raymond Snowden died here in 1957, and his ghost allegedly haunts the prison.

Love the architecture!

Surreal Moments in White Pine County

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Yesterday I experienced one of the most surreal moments of my life.

A few minutes past 7:00, just as the sun was sinking behind the Nevada mountains, I pulled up to the curb outside Tara’s house. She was there to greet me, and we hugged each other tight and kissed hello. You have to understand, for years now I’ve read about her house and seen pictures of it, but never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined I’d actually be staying here. Seriously, there was no conceivable scenario in the world that I could think of that would land me here.

Except for one, it turns out. :)

Even now, writing this entry in her house and enjoying a cup of coffee while she is at work is just…bizarrely cool. We’re meeting up for lunch (I’m going to meet her coworkers – a little nervous about that!) and she’s hoping to get off early. I’m really excited to check out downtown Ely – from what I saw when I passed through last night, I was impressed. Seems like a cool little town. I don’t have any photos to share yet, because there’s no wireless connection for me to use my laptop - I’m borrowing Tara’s for the time being. Out here in the sticks, the internet runs s…l…o…w.

My day began at 5 AM when my alarm went off. An hour later I hit the road. It was a strange feeling to be traversing the very same stretch of highway I drove two months ago, only going in the opposite direction. I remember what a novelty Idaho was in June and July. Now? Not so much. Once I hit Twin Falls I turned south, and Nevada wasn’t too much farther. As remote and desolate as I found Montana and Wyoming to be, Nevada was even more so! Just a straight and lonely two-lane highway surrounded by sagebrush and rocky outcroppings. I wondered how many bodies were buried out there. I also wondered how close Area 51 was. And, my speedometer hit 93 mph at one point. OK, I was passing a semi, but still. You can get away with that out here. When I entered White Pine County, I grew excited. I was getting closer by the minute! The scenery, while not as green and lush as back home, was still a sight to behold. Finally, after 13 hours on the road, I was there.

Tara gave me a tour of her house and fixed us up some Bloody Marys using a bottle of pepper vodka I had brought with me from Washington. I had never had a decent Bloody Mary until I met her…she knows how to do ‘em up right, lemme tell ya. Good stuff. We sat on her front porch with our drinks and talked, but the evening was growing cold, so we didn’t stay out there long. Ely is at 6400′ elevation and you can really feel that chilly mountain air! It was 41 this morning. Meanwhile, back home we’re having a heatwave. The timing of this trip couldn’t have been better. Another thing about Ely (or technically Ruth, where Tara lives)? It is so damn quiet I can’t get over it. It’s a good thing, just…different. After we finished our drinks she drove us out to the middle of nowhere so we could look at the stars. The moon was a little bright, but they were still plentiful and fantastic. It was pretty romantic, despite the chill.

We came back home, and then we…

Well. Some details should remain private. Let’s just say it feels really good to be here with her. If the rest of my time here is as good as the first few hours, then I know I’m going to return home a different person.

This’ll be my only post from Nevada. We’re going to be too busy having fun the next few days for me to think about the blog, so I’ll catch you up with all the details next week!

Getting My Griswold On – Day 13: Boise, ID

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Miles traveled today: 346.0
Total miles traveled: 5236.0

I Was Expecting Trees

I wasn’t in any particular hurry to leave Ogden this morning. Not because I was in love with the Utah town, pretty though it may be, but I knew I only had about a 4.5-hour drive to Boise and if I left too early, I’d arrive well before check-in time. I have a hard time parking my car full of all my stuff and leaving it unattended, though I had no choice back in Clear Lake, Iowa. Still, that was a soybean field off a gravel road a million miles from anywhere, and this is Boise, the biggest city in Idaho. So I “slept in” (a little bit past 7:00) and took my time getting ready. I pulled onto the interstate a little after 8:30, decided I’d kill some time by checking out the Great Salt Lake, pulled off the highway and got in line at a state park, saw the entrance fee was $10, did a u-turn and got back on the freeway. It just wouldn’t be worth the price for, what? Thirty minutes tops? Plus, the morning was overcast and humid, so it wasn’t the greatest photo opportunity anyway. I managed to snap a quick pic as I was flying down the interstate, though. At least I can say I saw it!

The lovely Wasatch Front receded and the landscape gave way to more gently rolling green hills as I crossed the Idaho state line. I passed through Coeur d’Alene, in the panhandle, on my way east eleven days ago and the beauty was stunning. I was expecting more of the same, but my route through the southern portion of the state was the complete opposite: the hills gave way to a dry, barren, featureless desert. And the sun came out. It wasn’t the most scenic stretch of highway, that’s for sure. Good thing I only had a short drive today! I could have gone farther and gotten closer to home, but I’ve always wanted to visit Boise, and wanted to be somewhere big for the 4th of July. Also, too often on this trip I’ve pulled off the freeway and checked myself into a motel room, only to stay there with nothing to do the rest of the evening. For my last afternoon and evening on the road, I wanted to get out and do some things. Boise did not disappoint. 

The city is, first of all, quite beautiful. Surprising, considering all that desert surrounding it. It’s like an oasis, and is both clean and modern while clinging to its historical roots. There are skyscrapers downtown, and an older historical district with period-looking buildings. After checking into my motel – yet another Super 8 (I have been pleased with my accommodations there, and find it’s a good value if you’re budget-conscious and not expecting The Ritz) – I drove downtown and parked in front of the State Capital building. It was sunny and hot, in the mid-90s, but by now I’ve become accustomed to the summertime heat. I’m not saying I’m a fan of it, but I can walk around in it without grumbling too loudly. Maybe that’s because I know there’s inevitably going to be an icy-cold room waiting for me when I’m finished?

Anyway. I admired the domed capital building, then walked through downtown Boise for a while. Because it’s the 4th of July, most of the businesses were either closed or closing early. Still, it was nice to see. Boise reminds me a little of Portland – it’s sort of a PG-rated smaller version of home. After exploring downtown, I hopped back in the car and drove to Boise Depot for a picturesque little stop with a stunning view of downtown and a very nice garden area with water. The train museum was closed, but there was a steam locomotive on display with interpretive information. When I was finished there, I stopped for an early dinner at Sizzler. I sort of thought they all went out of business, as the one near my house closed years ago. I haven’t been since I was a kid! I know Sizzler isn’t exactly the epitome of haute cuisine, but I wanted a steak on this trip, and while I envisioned a nice place in the midwest, that just didn’t work out. It was fitting that I had a good dinner on my last full day of traveling, anyway. I’m pleased to report that Sizzler is still good (and the salad bar still rocks). I returned to my room after dinner to cool off. There’s a big fireworks display in one of the downtown parks at 10:15 tonight, and I plan to drive around and find a decent spot to watch them once the sun sets.

Fun Things I’ll Miss About Motels

I can’t believe I’ve been on the road for thirteen days. When I was 11 years old I spent a few weeks that summer at my grandmother’s house in New Jersey, but other than that, this is the longest I have been away from home in my life. It feels like I’ve been gone forever. Naturally, I’ve gotten quite used to living out of motel rooms, and while the saying “there’s no place like home” is true, there are some things I’ll miss about the motel experience. Such as…

Fresh towels. Cleaned and neatly folded. By somebody else.

Not having to worry about making my bed every day.

“The Arc” shower curtain bar that makes your bath appear larger and keeps the curtain dry and mildew-free.

Fresh, free coffee every morning.

Tissues that disappear unobtrusively into the wall and are easily dispensed whenever you need them.

There are other things, like tiny bottles of shampoo and key cards that you swipe to open the door and ice buckets, that are fun but not necessary staples of life. How weird will it be to fumble around for keys again when I want in the front door?

A Few Random Observations from the Road

One thing I noticed out west – particularly once you hit Montana – is the abundance of motorcyclists who don’t wear helmets. Something about those wide open spaces apparently inspires them to believe they’re immune from having their brains splattered all over the asphalt. One glance at all the roadkill – and there was lots of it, everywhere (mainly deer and raccoons, but I even saw a badger and a porcupine) – should be enough to make them think twice about feeling the wind in their hair. Back home, helmets are the law, and you never see anybody riding without one. Once I hit the midwest, the helmets returned.

Box Elder water tower. Go, Patriots!

Practically every city in America of any substantial size whatsoever has a water tower with their name painted on the side. I saw this everywhere. Most are simple, a few, quite artistic. My favorite was this one in Box Elder, South Dakota. Probably because it’s right next to my old high school and gives a shout-out to my school team. Go, Patriots!

The more ambitious towns actually paint the first letter of their names on the side of the nearest hill. I first noticed this when I spotted a big white “L” while passing through Livingston, Montana. Maybe these places have visions of Hollywood-like grandeur?

Bugs are stupid for getting in the way of your windshield. When there are thousands of acres of corn for hundreds of miles in every direction, why do they choose to fly across the middle of the lone strip of freeway and end up smeared across your glass? The worst were the locusts in Missouri. They were big and, apparently, suicidal. Every stop for gas involved a corresponding squeegee wipe across the windshield. Five minutes later, it was dirty again.

The Home Stretch

This is it! My trip comes to an end tomorrow. As fun as it has been, I’m ready for home again. Two weeks is a long time to be gone. I miss my townhouse and my bed and my cat and my kids and I miss lazing around doing nothing if that’s what I feel like. Plus, it should be noted, I am sick of driving.

My next post will be from home!

That little bit of water is the Great Salt Lake, glimpsed as I was flying by at 75 mph.

I was expecting trees, but instead this is the view I had from my windshield for most of my drive through southern Idaho.

Boise, Idaho.

Historic downtown Boise.

Modern downtown Boise.

Boise Depot and Platt Gardens

Capital building - Boise, ID.

Getting My Griswold On – Day 2: Billings, MT

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Miles traveled today: 570.6
Total miles traveled: 945.9

Next Time Remind Me to Write a List

I was served a reminder today – in the form of an early morning thunderstorm as I was loading my car to depart Spokane – that I forgot to pack a jacket. Or a sweatshirt, of any sort. All I’ve got are t-shirts, shorts, and a single pair of jeans. Granted, it’s summer, but you never know when you’ll be caught in a surprise downpour. The weather is unpredictable pretty much everywhere east of the Cascades. It’s my own fault; I didn’t bother writing a list because I was relying on my mental acuity to remember what to pack. Note to self: do not rely on your mental acuity.

White Supremacists Have Beautiful Vacation Spots

Twenty minutes after setting out from Spokane, I crossed the Idaho border. The scenery was breathtaking – Idaho is criminally beautiful. Especially Coeur d’Alene and its namesake lake. This resort town has traditionally been linked with the Aryan Nations white supremacy group. I hate to have those idiots associated with such a gorgeous part of the country. I was traveling through the panhandle portion of the state, which means it took me only about an hour to reach the Montana border. For some reason, I was really excited to be driving through Idaho. Probably because it’s one of a handful of states I had never been to before. Now I can cross it off my list.

Why Did The Turtle Cross The Road?

Fortunately, the wonderful scenery did not change once I crossed into Montana. Neither did the speed limit – 75-mph in both states, baby. Love it! Unlike yesterday’s journey through a rather dull landscape, today was a smorgasbord for the eyes. The Rocky Mountains were a feast of snow-capped peaks, and the rolling prairie was dotted with pine trees and the occasional swiftly-flowing stream. I was reminded of the movie A River Runs Through It which was set in Montana. The only downside to my drive through Big Sky Country? An annoying series of lane closures due to construction, which caused me on several occasions to switch the cruise control off from the 75-mph I’d become accustomed to and crawl at a miserly 55-mph instead. Or slower. At one point a car in front of me swerved to the left, and a moment later I saw why: a turtle was inching his way across the busy interstate lane. I managed to avoid him, but I have my doubts he made it safely to the other side.

The weather was interesting. I experienced a little bit of everything – bright sunshine, overcast skies, and at one point, a torrential downpour that reminded me just how hard it can rain out here. Thunderclouds built up over the mountains and began drifting across the prairie. I love thunder and lightning, which is sadly much too rare in the Pacific Northwest. I’m hoping to experience some big storms on this trip.

Western Outlets, Gun Shops & Casinos

Montana is a breathtakingly beautiful state. Until you get to Billings, that is…and naturally, that’s where I’m holed up tonight. In a motel room that cost about twice what I wanted to spend, no less. I found a coupon book at a rest stop advertising a great deal on a room at the Days Inn, so I loaded the coordinates onto my GPS and made my way over there. I walked in the lobby, they quoted me a price, and I turned my nose up at them. “That’s a lot more than I want to spend,” I said, and left, because there was a Super 8 right across the street. Which turned out to be just as expensive. And the other two motels I tried were even more expensive. Exasperated, I asked the clerk at the Howard Johnson’s what made Billings so special it could afford to charge an arm and a leg for a motel room, because from what I’d seen of the town so far, I was unimpressed. She said it’s summer, people are traveling, and there’s a special event coming up this weekend. Well, it’s summer, people are traveling, and there’s a special event coming up in Spokane this weekend, too, but they didn’t rake me over the coals for a motel room. In retrospect, I should have gotten back on the freeway and stopped, I don’t know, twenty or forty miles further down the road in some tiny little town where I’m sure the rates would have been much more acceptable. Oh well, live and learn. Fortunately, I’m spending considerably less than I’d budgeted for gas so far, so hopefully it’s all a wash.

Once I returned to the Days Inn with my tail tucked between my legs, I decided to give Billings the benefit of the doubt and check out its downtown. Maybe it was hiding a gem or two. Sadly, no…it’s really nothing more than one big strip mall with western wear outlets, gun and pawn shops, and dozens of casinos. What’s up with that? I returned to my motel room with takeout yakisoba chicken from a surprisingly good Asian place and watched a thunderstorm drift by from my motel room window. Billings may not be very impressive, but tomorrow I reach the Black Hills, and I’m very excited for that!

Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Typical Montana scenery. Look - a river runs through it!

Thunder clouds building over the Montana prairie.

"Downtown" Billings, Montana.

The view from my motel room window, and a passing thunderstorm.