O'Boise

July 15th,16th,17th,18th

58,253

Boise, ID

The drive from Salt Lake to Boise goes smoothly.

We arrive at the home of Mark Beshara, one of my best friends from Columbus who moved out here a couple years ago to run his home-building company.

His home, which is he built himself, is a much welcome change from the hotels we’d been spending our nights in. It's also just so nice to have someone who cares when you arrive and is excited to take you around. Instead of messing with hotel check-ins, wireless internet charges, and using a GPS to navigate a city.

The next day we get breakfast downtown and relax around the house. In the course of discussion Mark brings up that the trip sounds like so much fun he’d like to come. Since he’s his own boss and between projects right now, he can make the time. I don’t immediately dissuade the idea and before I know it he’s informed me that he’s bought a plane ticket home from Phoenix in 2 weeks. So Mark will be joining us for our West coast adventures. To say it will be a tight squeeze in the Mustang is an understatement.

That evening we meet up with a couple of Mark’s friends for dinner and then go on an adventure to one of the hot springs outside the city.

The hot springs are naturally occurring springs that bubble up from the earth and collect in pools. The ones I’ve been to are up on mountains and usually pretty hard to get to. I believe Mark said that Idaho has more hot springs than the rest of the US combined.

We drive well outside of town. Turning down one poorly lit road after another. Somewhere along the way Mark decides that we’ve passed the spot and turn back around. We park in an unmarked area along the side of a county road. From there it’s traveling on foot as we cross the road and begin ascending the mountain.

Everyone does a really impressive job of climbing up the rather steep path, especially considering its pitch black out and we have but one headlamp among us for light.

The reward is worth it, as we’re able to relax in what is essentially a naturally occurring hot tub.

There are a few other people up there as well, as this is a moderately well known hot springs among the locals. We make conversation with them and enjoy a good soak before descending the mountain.

Wednesday I discover that my driver’s side window, which had been giving me some problems earlier on the trip, is now permanently stuck in the down position. This makes parking it anywhere but in a garage, and driving it in the rain or any long distance, an impossibility.

It’s quite a process to call around to local repair shops, and it’s determined that the best I’ll be able to do is take it into the local Ford dealership the next morning.

That issue temporarily put on hold, we go boating.

Mark’s good friend Rudy has a really awesome speed boat, and he’s taken off early from work today to go out on a nearby reservoir for some wakeboarding.

I’m by far the worst wake boarder of the group, which still means I have a ton of fun. I also try my hand at wake surfing, which I find easier and much less painful when you fall.

Anytime you’re on a speed boat you can’t help but enjoy yourself, and it’s the first time my trip has really felt like a ‘vacation’ instead of just a bunch of things I’m doing. Finally being able to relax in one city for more than a day and spending time with Mark are strong contributing factors to this, as well.

That night we get some tasty pizza at one of Mark’s favorite local joints.

The next morning I drop my car off at the Ford dealer. I authorize them to do whatever it takes to fix the problem as I know I’ll be out of cell phone range as we drive out through the mountains later. I scope out the new Mustangs while waiting to be picked up.

Later in the day we all pile in Mark’s car to drive to Ketchum, ID. It’s a small town about 2 ½ hours away, which in addition to being a very posh resort town (Arnold Shwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and many others keep homes there) is also where Ernest Hemmingway lived out the last few years of his life.

I sleep on the way out. The first time in 2,000 miles I’ve been able to relax on a car trip.

Mark and I are not shy about showing our boredom in the Ernest Hemmingway museum, which leads to razzing from those working there.

It’s not long before we’re getting lunch at a local greasy spoon diner.

We also visit Hemmingway's grave, and some hotel he stayed in once.

His former home is off limits to the public, even though it's owned by the state, it rests at the end of a private drive and we're told the (crochety) neighbors call the police on trespassers looking to catch a glimpse of literary history. To me this is one less site we have to visit, so I'm not heartbroken.

The drive back is scenic and beautiful. Rolling hills, lush meadows, dramatic mountains, Idaho has it all. Who would have thought?

Mark makes a slight detour to take us up to a lake and we watch the sunset over the water and play around on the beach.

Back home it’s packing and getting ready for Seattle the next day.

Just kidding. I never pack until the day of and usually only once we're already late.

Mark and I joke around for a while and Christina updates her blog.

Friday morning I pick up the Bullitt.

A new motor and some exorbitant labor is all it takes to get my window working again. Dealing with car repairs on a road trip is a level of stress I hope to never experience again. Especially with the tight schedule that Christina and I have, there is no room for hold ups. Plus I hate spending money in a rush on anything, especially with my car.

I’m happy the window works and we’re ready to drive out to Seattle.