Wordsmith

A collection of photos and posts about our adventure out west.

[wordsmithfurfaro]

On Saturday, we went on a 7 mile run on Boise's greenbelt. It's a windy path that runs along the river and is great for dog walking, cycling and ...running. We're not exactly training for a race, but we have been upping our mileage each weekend. I've done half marathons for the last two years and am hoping we will be back in Iowa in early June so I can run Dam to Dam in Des Moines again this year...

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From these last two posts, it probably looks like we've been doing a lot drinking ... that's because we have! Not really, but it's been fun having lots of local beer and wine to taste test.

This weekend we stopped by Alefort, a brew pub event that's happening alongside Boise's annual Treefort Music Festival this weekend. We didn't get tickets to the shows but decided to spend a few hours at the beer tent on Saturday.

We each got a nifty $1 tasting cup and enough tokens to try some local specialty brews. It's crazy how many breweries there are in this part of the country. We both really liked brews from Crooked Fence and kept going back to their booth each time they put a new type on tap. 

[wordsmithfurfaro]

A few weeks ago Carl and I celebrated our one year anniversary. We started out the weekend with Mexican food at the extremely popular - but inconveniently located - restaurant in Kuna, a small town just a short ways from Boise. The food was just okay, but we had a good time exploring!

Later that weekend we walked a few miles to Payette Brewing Company, a brewery located in the city. We've seen the beer on tap at a number of pubs in town, so we figured it was a longtime Idaho staple. But after talking with Kirk, the brewery's bartender, we found out it's only been around since 2011.

We each tried about five beers each ... they came in 10 oz. tasting glasses. Some of our favorites...

Hell Pony Maibock: 6.2%, tangy, citrusy and refreshingly crisp.

Mutton Buster: 5.5%, a nutty brown ale.

Bandito IPA: Made with agave nectar and infused with tequila and oak. Strangely, it tasted like grapefruit!

Sawed Off Stout: 5.2%, Payette's seasonal ale. Tasted like BBQ'd chocolate.

Payette Pale: 4.8%, a mild pale ale that tasted like green apples and lemons.

It was really nice to relax and just spend some time together. We had brunch on Sunday morning at Goldy's, a Boise-favorite that serves everything from Vegetarian Benedict to lemon poppyseed pancakes. The tiny restaurant was packed and bustling. We dined on the lofted, second floor and stuffed ourselves with two types of breakfast potatoes, orange juice, salmon cakes (Carl) and veggies. It was awesome.

[wordsmithfurfaro]

I'm not very good at staying on top of everything we're doing! But I'm trying ... Last weekend we went for another long hike. The weather is so nice here (in the 50's for the past week!) so we've had lots of opportunities to explore Boise's parks.

We took a two-hour hike through some nearby foothills and made it all the way to the top of a peak overlooking the city. We'd gone on a run the previous day so making the climb ended up being a workout for our thighs!  The ground is dry now, and warming up, too. But there's not much greenery yet - the hills are still covered in brown grass, with just a hint of sagebrush peaking up among the shrubs. 

On our way back through the hills we discovered a creek surrounded by orange-sandy dunes. It was such a surprise to find the bright patch among the muted hills! I wish I had better photos of that area... I will take some if we ever go back.

I have quite a few posts to come ... Carl and I celebrated our one year anniversary this weekend so I have a lot to share about the last few days!

[wordsmithfurfaro]

Last weekend, Carl and I drove up to The Springs, a natural hot springs pool near Idaho City.

The drive up through the mountains was perfect. The roads were clear and the weather was warm - although a bit of snow still clings to many of the nearby mountains.

Neither of us really knew what to expect when we made it to the springs. People out west really seem to like it and both my boss and a coworker recommended we check it out. Idaho is kind of known for its hot springs ... there's everything from skinnydipping springs - which I've heard are located in harder-to-find, off road areas - to resort-type spas, where you're served hot chocolate and flavored water poolside. The Springs definitely fell into this second category. There was even an older gentleman playing a mix of Bob Dylan and old-timey country tunes to entertain the soakers!

We enjoyed the two pools, both over 100 degrees, but will probably opt for a more modest (and cheaper!) venue the next time we want to relax :)

[wordsmithfurfaro]

On Saturday we went for a run and spent the afternoon exploring shops in a nearby neighborhood. After coffee at Java, we had dinner and drinks at Bar Gernika, a Basque pub in the heart of downtown Boise.

Boise happens to have the second largest Basque population (outside of Spain) and the "Basque block" houses a few Basque restaurants, shops and bars. Bar Gernika is known for its croquettas - small fried balls made of chicken, butter and flour. I tried a little bite of Carl's order and now I understand what all the fuss is about.

We've really liked having new places to see and tour each weekend. We spent Sunday in Idaho City, about an hour north of Boise, at a natural hot springs spa ... check back soon for photos of our excursion!

[wordsmithfurfaro]

The sun was getting ready to set but we decided to take a walk at Camels Back park on Sunday night. Here are some of the words I wrote down on our walk:

"Windy. Sandy. Arrowhead-shaped shadows. Loose dogs. "I <3 u Tiffany" etched into the rocky hillside. An owl peaks his head out and calls to his mate."

[wordsmithfurfaro]

We made it to Boise!

I decided to start this blog to chronicle some of the things we're up to on our new adventure out west.

This weekend we took our bikes along the river to Boise's historic penitentiary. The old prison closed in the 1970s but we were able to tour the grounds which included quite a few burned out buildings (from a 1973 prisoners' riot) and the cold cell blocks which are now open to the elements.

The prison sits on the outskirts of downtown, about three miles from our apartment on the North end of town. We love it here. Snow capped foothills curve around one side of the city and the Boise River hugs its south side.

We've spent a lot of our time here outside. Runners and bikers crowd the streets and the city's paths from early morning until dusk. Skiers head to Bogus Basin, a slope about 16 miles from Boise, on the weekends. Hiking is also a big thing - the region's naturally sandy terrain is great for short or long treks up hills around town.

I hope to post photos and short updates here as often as I can! Check back for more news soon :)