Visiting A Good Friend in Eagle, Idaho

I previously mentioned in my last post that I was staying with my friend Linda in Eagle, Idaho. Actually I like to think of my stay as a vacation. Isn’t a vacation a departure from the every day? I think it is. Well, it was for me, at least since my adventure began.
Starting with Eagle, Boise and the surrounding towns, I found them to be beautiful, clean, and friendly, with picturesque views of the Boise Front just about everywhere you look. The Boise Front are the mountains that surround Boise, Eagle, Meridian and other small towns in the area. I liked Boise very much and although some feel it has too much traffic (Linda), I found it very easy to get around. Downtown has what is called a Greenbelt area of about twenty five miles long, that offers museums, a beautiful rose garden, zoo, multiple parks, walking, biking and jogging paths and more. Idaho likes to recreate. We enjoyed the Idaho History Museum, rose garden and the zoo, but we didn’t have to venture too far from Linda’s home for entertainment. Her amazing Japanese garden with babbling water falls, Coy fish, and countless varieties of trees and plants were interesting enough. Add to that a glass of wine and a cigar and what more could you ask for? But, there was more. Linda maintains a very well stocked vegetable garden with about 15 varieties of common and not so common veggies. I was assigned the pleasant task of watering and gathering ripe veggies for the table. Farmer Terry. Has sort of a ring, don’t you think?
Chairio, a pure breed Newfoundland and Ki a Newfoundland and Lab mix provided plenty of fun, affection and entertainment as well. At 125 and 105 pounds,and Chairio looking like a small Grizzly, their gentleness and sweetness was a surprise. I may have spoiled them with treats, but hey, I was on vacation. I will miss them both.
Linda was kind enough to show me a Synagogue that was built in 1895 and was moved from another location in Boise to its’ current one. I found it quite interesting. We also attended a play at the Shakespeare Festival where Linda is a regular attendee and supporter, along with two friends who happen to be employed by Linda. The comedy by Oscar Wilde was funny and enjoyable and Dianna and Diana made it even more fun. Yes two D’s. The outdoor setting is a well know venue and praised in the Shakespeare community. It is a pot luck dinner setting before the antics start. Food, wine, comedy and a cool evening under the Boise stars. I told you I was on vacation.
Linda’s generosity, kindness, humor and intellect made for an amazing, interesting and mostly fun time.  One I will not soon forget.
I have often said that my adventure is just as much in the people that I meet as it is in the sights that I see. No one better personifies that than you Linda. Thanks for a great time. TC…

                                    Food, fun and a great play. Two D's.

 

Linda is an avid biker, as I used to be so naturally, we biked.

Caught in the act of reading, wineing, cigaring, and mostly relaxing in a beautiful setting. 

                                                               

Idaho, Craters Of The Moon National Monument And More...

                                                           
Knowing where to go from Glacier East in Montana was easy.  I would be heading to my friends home in Idaho, with a few stops along the way, one being Craters of the Moon National Monument. My friend Linda, who also likes to be referred to as my "travel agent" owns a beautiful 10 acre homestead in the foothills of Boise,  more accurately known as Eagle Idaho.  But that entry will follow.
For now enjoy some photos of the stops along the way and my most interesting Wal-Mart camping experience, which  basically goes like this; Wal-Mart allows overnight camping in their parking lots, something I did not know until my "travel agent" informed me.  Having driven the entire day through beautiful Montana and arriving in Idaho Falls in the early evening I found myself left with motels or expensive campgrounds for my choices for the evening setup.  Free and conveniently located Wal-Mart won out.  The next morning while I packed up my rolling home, my Jeep was serviced and we both left as "happy campers". TC...

Who could resist the Worlds First?  Located in the middle of high desert in Idaho, EBR-1 proved to be an interesting stop.

Montana is laced with small towns like this one, though not all have their own sign.  I couldn't resist a photo. 

                Lava rock and granulated lava soil.                                 

                       Craters Loop  provides access to the wonders of the park.         

                         Life seems to flourish in the strangest places.                                                                                                                                                    

     

Clinging to life in the lava ash soil.

Paved hiking trails were a welcomed surprise.

This Cutoff was the topic of conversation at the evening program in the amphitheater at Craters of the Moon.  Most National Parks, Monuments and Preserves that offer camping also provide evening talks by park rangers that are always interesting and informative.    

 

The cutoff.