Adventures

This weekend + a few days, Les & I have been left alone... A taste of "empty nesters", if you will. The girls went to Aberdeen and the dogs went with them so it was literally just the two of us! Saturday after we sent the kids off, we kept busy running errands, mostly looking for rims for Brianna's car. Didn't have dogs at home to worry about letting out, so we really didn't pay much attention to the time. By the time we got home, we ate dinner, Les set the BSU game to record and we, spur of the moment decided to go see a movie. Bad news was the theater next to us was sold out - to the airing of the BSU game, so we heard lots of cheering going on during our movie! We got home in time for Les to start watching the game and fast forward through the commercials - didn't quite catch up to the actual game before it got over.

Only in the Treasure Valley...

...can one play in the snow and hike a trail in the same day - 16 miles (or so) away from each other.

Sunday we were eating a leisurely breakfast while playing cribbage (I skunked him a few nights before... his paybacks are brutal!! At least he didn't double skunk me!) and I decided that we should go for a little Sunday drive up to Bogus... Yes, I volunteered to go up to Bogus - in the snow... But, you see, there was a bit of snow up there and none here & I decided that I could handle a little bit of snow on those roads to go see where Les & the girls like to play in the winter - before the roads got bad & I wouldn't want to go.

Snow topped Bogus Basin from Meridian Road in Kuna. Our destination for the day.

On the road to Bogus.

The parking lot where they prefer to park. Just gear up and ski out of the pickup.

Drifting Snow - we walked through that to see one of the runs they frequent.

The run. (Sliver Queen)

Walking through the first time, I sunk to my knees in that spot there. So I was trying to get the snow out of it, so I could stand in it and show how deep it was (and to throw a snowball at Les).  When I picked my one foot up to step in the hole, the back foot started to sink & I fell...

So nice of Les to have the camera ready... He came and helped me up after he took a few pictures. ;) It was pretty funny - except we got in trouble (sort of). Ski patrol was out making sure people were staying off the slopes (it's not open yet) and even though we weren't on a run, I guess they didn't like where we were. They have no idea that that is the closest I'll ever get to being on a run!!! This also wasn't really a part of my "tour bogus" plan and I wasn't dressed for playing in the snow. Tennis shoes & sweats don't make good playing in the snow gear and I was wet from the waist down. BUT, I am not complaining at all. We had a blast up there.

Another run. (Injun Joe/Inspiration)

Panoramic from a parking lot.

We saw this fire when we left Kuna in the morning - it burned all day. Found out later that it was a haystack fire just south of Kuna.

Another run. (The Bowl)

After coming down the mountain we went up 8th Street into the foothills and Les was showing me some of the trails he mountain bikes on with the guys. We went up to a place called Foothills Learning Center. I didn't even know this place existed. They have a story trail that goes around the outside of the Center - it is geared for kids, but we decided one day we'd come back and check it out anyway - when I wasn't cold & wet... Besides, they change the stories monthly, so we gotta go back at least once a month! And, maybe hike a trail around there that is easier then what they all mountain bike on!

From the parking lot we walked up this trail a short distance just so I could check out the trail.

This Mountain Dandelion sculpture is in front of the learning center.

It is also a functioning weather vane with a revolving top. Also in true dandelion form - 3 little seeds have "blown off" and were on the roof of the center. Unfortunately my picture of that didn't turn out well.

We left the Center and drove up a bit further. This was taken from the 8th Street Parking lot. You can see some trails on the side of the hills and the fire in Kuna in the background.

This is from the same parking lot, just looking a little more east. Les has been on that ridge there that goes up and down & up and down... then come around and one trail comes down this side of the hill that you can see.

Then we decided that we were hungry and maybe we should get something to eat. So we tried out the Boise Fry Company. I've heard lots of hype about it - best fries anywhere and a variety of dipping sauces, too. Well, it is a Fry company and fries are the main menu item. They serve A burger (w/cheese if you want) as a side item, and drinks. OK, the one burger does come in choice of beef, bison or vegan... We weren't real impressed though. Not a place we will probably go to again and the fries weren't worth going out of the way for. Now if you're the adventurous type you may want to try it out. They have purple potato fries & sweet potato fries among the regular russets and Yukon golds and dipping sauces you'd never (probably) think of...blueberry ketchup...maple marshmallow sauce. We had some garlic aioli - but that's about as far out as we ventured!

Overall, a very wonderful day. :)