Travel Tips & Adventures

This week, I promised something unusual.  Although this posting is a little later than usual, I ‘m keeping my promise.

In Arizona, south of Phoenix, the Gila Indian Reservation has some welcomed guests – wild horses.  Although during some seasons, you might not see them, these wild creatures may be viewed just along the highway.  Invariably, I haven’t had my camera with me, but sometimes I have managed to get some photos.

Wild horses

Wild horses watching us watching them

The Gila Indian Reservation has vast acreage where the animals are able to roam – somewhat – free.  (The lands are fenced from the roads to keep the horses safe and people out of these private lands.)  Since the Gila River Indian Communities are good stewards of their lands, the horses literally have free reign – and no reins in open areas.  In warmer weather, the horses take refuge in more sheltered area, but often in the spring, they can be seen in plain view.

How many major metropolitan areas can claim such a refreshing and unusual glimpse of such an inspiring sight?

Wild horses see us and leave

Next week we’ll offer another, lesser known, but scenic, Arizona spot.

Coming soon: If you’ve just been thinking of traveling and would – at least secretly – consider yourself a Couch Potato – you’ll be excited when we launch our new e-book.  We’ll share more next time.

The first time I flew into Phoenix, I was amazed at how spread out the metropolitan area is.   From west to east, Buckeye to Apache Junction, the metropolitan area of Phoenix, with all its suburbs, easily reaches 70 miles.

In some giant US cities, they build up with multi-storied skyscrapers. But, with the vast spaces available in Arizona, they have built out and even have had height restrictions on how high buildings can be built.

So, welcome to Phoenix.  Spread out and still in the desert.

Saguaro cacti and mountains are a short ride from the hustle and bustle

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Over the years, we’ve been in many cities, both capitals and smaller cities.  Boise, Idaho ranks high in our estimation as one of the most attractive downtowns we’ve seen.

With a population of over 200,000, Boise still seems like an accessible and people-friendly place to live, raise children, work, and enjoy leisure time.

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A stopover on the way to Yellowstone, Idaho Falls was a great place to take in some scenery.  Some of the scenery is manmade, but the falls on the Snake River are impressive, anyway.

We used our time for R ‘n R and a business visit, but we enjoyed the peaceful community and the friendly people we met.

Since we were staying at the Ameritel Inn near the falls, we had an opportunity to see the falls close up.  There is a walking greenbelt on both sides of the falls that gives you a chance to see the falls from many different vantage points.

The falls - at Idaho Falls

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Not quite Eden, the Idaho Botanical Garden is a great place to slow the pace and enjoy some eye-popping color when you’re in Idaho.

A view of downtown Boise

Just east of downtown Boise by about three miles, the Idaho Botanical Garden is a great stop for a chance to amble about and enjoy nature.  Because they are located next to the former penitentiary, there is also a tour there to enjoy, if that’s of interest.

Since they have an “outlaw” connection, Outlaw Field, adjacent to the Garden, is also the site for concerts.  Coming up, they’re hosting concerts with big names like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Chris Isaak, and Jackson Browne. Read the rest of this entry »

We spent two terrific days in Boise, Idaho and wished we had more time.  After starting in West Yellowstone and driving west on Interstate 86, then Interstate 84, and contending with construction traffic, we finally arrived.

Hyatt Place

We checked into the Hyatt Place Boise on North Milwaukee Street not too far from the highway, our first experience at a Hyatt Place.  We were impressed!

The friendly staff was smiling and efficient.  If we hadn’t had so many questions as first-timers, we could actually have used the automated check in.  However, our host was eager to show us around in the lobby.  Everything is easy to access.

The décor is sleek and inviting.  We really liked the room, too.  Technology is very much accounted for- you can use the free wireless Internet connections or dock your iPod. The bed is in an alcove-like arrangement so there is a feeling of a suite.  The “living room” has a fabulous couch that wraps around with an ottoman.  In the “office area” a desk with connections faces away from a small fridge with a wet sink and a coffee maker. http://boisetownesquaremall.place.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/place/index.jsp

Great space!

Boise Farmers Market

If you’ve been reading the blogs, you know that we wouldn’t miss a Farmers’ Market.  Boise’s Farmers Market is certainly worth seeing!  Such fun – and four blocks worth of scrumptious fresh produce, hand made items and entertainment in downtown Boise every Saturday, from 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM.

Boise Farmers Market

A fun way to spend a Saturday

The atmosphere is entertaining and everyone seems to be in a festive mood.

Entertainers at Boise Downtown Farmers Market

Fresh cheese, delicious brittle pine nut candy, and some hand-carved wooden items were some of the great items we purchased.  If we had lived there, we would have chosen fresh eggs, meats, flowers and – well, it would be hard to hold us back!

Boise Farmers Market has almost everything everyone would ever want to eat - cheese, eggs, meats, fresh produce, candy - and crafts

Then, we decided on a fun café/pub-like restaurant, the Brick Oven Bistro, at 801 Main Street.  After review of an enormous menu of soups, salads, main dishes with so many choices I had trouble choosing, I had some terrific food.  The portions were enormous and the staff was competent, efficient and friendly.  I spilled my soup as I sat down and a staffer was so nice about cleaning up my messy spot at the table. Reasonable prices, great food, fun atmosphere – we recommend Brick Oven Bistro! http://www.brickovenbistro.com/

Come back next week when we take a jaunt to a penitentiary where they cultivate flowers!

Sometimes the name says it all – Grand!  Grand Teton certainly is large and imposing, majestic and eye-catching.  We spent a few hours viewing the mountains as we drove through on our way to Yellowstone, plus we stopped at the very appealing Jenny Lake and the informative and attractive Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center.

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If you think you have seen everything worth seeing at Yellowstone National Park, well, you haven’t!  We have one more major sight to share – the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

Actually, there are two different falls that visitors can get fairly close to.  And we do mean close! – The sound of the water rushing is almost deafening at one location!

After you have visited the other locations we’ve told you about, it is definitely worth a ride to the Canyon Village area, which is in the vicinity of the Canyons and the falls (Upper and Lower).

The walks at each location are fairly short and you might have to jostle for position in some locations to get a good photo, but do take the time to see the falls! Read the rest of this entry »

Traveling just north of Old Faithful, we whisked by the Upper, Midway and Lower Geyser Basins on our first day in Yellowstone.  We decided to return because we could see some amazing activity.

The next day, we weren’t disappointed. In a concentrated area at the Lower Geyser Basin, are some amazing, bubbling, perking evidence of very hot activity under the earth’s surface. The bubbling is in the Fountain Paint Pots and the nearby steaming is a series of geysers that are quite impressive.

A boardwalk takes you around the area and, as long as you stay on the boardwalk – which they require – you can see the activity and avoid the dangerous hot gases.

The first sight we saw was Silex Spring – a colorful pool with flowing water– but very lethal.  Hot steam and hydrogen sulfide are not especially great to inhale.

We walked around the Fountain Paint Pots, seeing something that could be out of MacBeth – “double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble.”  And, there was certainly a lot of bubbling going on.  Even though we were early in the season, we still were able to see some really active clay-like deposits that, according to the Parks Department’s pamphlet, were used by the Crow Indian tribe to paint their tepees.

RECIPE – For the Mudpots of Fountain Paint Pots

As we continued our walk on the boardwalk, we came to an area that had a half dozen geysers in varying states of activity.  It was a bit hard to tell which one was which, but the photo here – we believe is Morning Geyser, which put on a spectacular show.  Notice the yellowish deposits in the geyser not erupting in front.  The deposits, while colorful, are other evidence of the many chemicals the erupting earth bring s to the surface.

Geysers erupting in Fountain Paint Pot areas

Almost nearing the juncture of the boardwalk path with the entrance walkway, there are some “Lodgepole pines” that have become mired in the earth’s eruptions. It is a stark reminder of how destructive, yet beautful the earth can be.

The entire walk around the Fountain Paint Pots Trail and the geysers in the vicinity can easily be seen in less than an hour.  It is great to stay longer and watch the changes.

Next week: We’ll travel to Yellowstone’s Falls  – the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.  We’ll explore from several vantage points.

Continuing our visit to Yellowstone National Park…

While we waited for Old Faithful to perform, we wandered over to Old Faithful Inn, an old dowager of a National Park’s hotel.  The fascinating thing about the Inn is that it was built from stones, wood and other materials that were primarily brought from within a 5-mile radius, according to a tour guide we heard in the massive five-story lobby.  The lobby has large, rustic logs that have been burnished by time.  Nearby stairways are mini-sculptural wood pieces that look like antlers.  The lobby’s giant fireplace is also most impressive.

The main part of the hotel, built in 1904, has a dining room, also massive.  There are newer wings as well.  If you decide you’d like to stay in the Inn, plan to book ‘way far ahead!  The rates, unless you are willing to do without an in-room bathroom ($96), range from that low to a $500 price tag for a suite.  There are no modern amenities – no phones, TVs, air conditioning and Internet hook-ups, etc.  You are meant to get your entertainment from nature while at Yellowstone and, if you look around, you won’t be disappointed.

There are two other hotel properties nearby, but since we were afraid we’d miss Old Faithful’s performance, we didn’t stop to see them.

http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/

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