Bye bye, Boise

Part III: In which we learn saying goodbye is difficult

BOISE, Idaho—Our final day in Boise began at the crack of dawn at a trailhead near town to meet Al and his two remarkable Hungarian Vizsla dogs for a quick morning ride.

The foothill-area trails in Boise are buff and fast, with just enough climbing to let you know that you've taken a ride, but enough downhill sections to give you a thrill ride that you won't soon forget. Without the buildings in the distance, you might think you were out riding in Fruita if you were blindfolded—a style of bike riding that I can't recommend.

Smoke from the California forest fires had cloaked the Boise valley in a thick pale haze, and the EPA had issued an air quality yellow-alert for the day, making it perfect for riding. At this early hour, the temperature was hovering a pleasant 30 degrees lower than the 100-degree temperatures we had been experiencing since our arrival. The humidity was low, as was the angle of the sun, so we were in for a fabulous morning on two wheels.

Many others had taken advantage of the cool morning temperatures, so the area was pretty well-used that day. Al told us that undercover police officers had been hanging out near the trail heads for the past few days, issuing citations to anyone who failed to pick up poop left behind by their dogs. Unfortunately for Al, the two Vizslas hadn't been run for a few days, so they were extremely excited to be out on the trails; he used more than one of the plastic bags he had brought in the first couple of miles. The dogs didn't seem to mind.

You meet some really cool people biking, and Al was no exception. He rode easy and carefree on his custom rigid 29er (with an internal hub, not a singlespeed). The eager red Vizslas were obviously used to riding, so they hung close to the bikes, but not too close, giving us plenty of room to maneuver. We haven't seen our own dog in more than a week, so it was really nice to have some doggie energy present for the day.

After a good climb to the top of the ridges east of downtown, we zoomed back toward Boise on the hard-packed singletrack that makes these trails so much fun. We weaved through golden grasslands that were alive with the crazy morning light that had been created from the forest fire haze.

Near the perigee of the trail system, our ride ducked into thick trees and lush green grass that hung near the edge of a creek. The dark cold woods were a stark contrast to the brightly lit trails above and provided a perfect way to end the ride. Our short romp had ended too soon, and it was tough to say goodbye to Al and his hounds. It would have been great to have had more time for more rides. Boise hospitality is second to none.

People in Boise love their bikes! This town of 200,000 seems to have a higher-than-average number of people out riding from what we could tell. In addition to hundreds of miles of trails in the immediate vicinity, Boise's heart also includes a greenbelt that runs along the river and offers wide paved trails from one end of the city to the other. Because the greenbelt lets riders and hikers avoid roads, lots of people use their bikes and feet for transportation and the downtown was thick with people on two wheels at all times of day.

Not only do people love to ride bikes, they love to ride really cool vintage bikes. On any given day you can find bike classics locked to racks in the downtown area. It's not unusual to catch a glimpse of a beautifully restored Schwinn Ace, DX or Excelsior or any other manner of classic bike. My personal favorite was finding an old J.C. Higgins (stripped of the ornamental tank, but not the old chain guard) locked to lamp post near a downtown deli. Who'd have thought I'd one day be coveting a Sears and Roebuck bicycle?

After our ride with Al, we had to get ready in a hurry. Kristi had scheduled us for yet another adventure. And for me it was another first. I had never been rafting before, so I was jazzed to hear that Kristi had set us all up for a ride down the Payette river.

We raced to Cascade Raft and Kayak, located about a half hour north of Horseshoe Bend. We arrived just in the nick of time, and we ran to board the bus that would carry us to the put-in point on the Payette.

I looked around the bus and made mental notes about who I would not like to be trapped on a raft with. Others were doing the same thing and I saw a couple of scowls and head shakes when certain eyes rested on me.

Luckily for us, we were a group of six, so we got our own raft. We also lucked out and got the best guide of the bunch, a competent and friendly character named Jeff B.

The river was calm for the most part, but the rapids were noisy enough to conceal the fart of surprise I unleashed while spinning through one of the more exciting rapids. Of course, Caroline and I got the front of the raft. That meant the two novices were leading our expedition. But I provided a big enough human shield to help keep Max, Kristi's youngest son, pretty dry throughout the trip.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch at the end of the raft ride and I felt at least five years younger.

Back in downtown Boise, we enjoyed some great nightlife. On the first Thursday of each month, businesses—including The Chocolat Bar, Boise's premier chocolatier—stay open late and the entire downtown area gets swept up in a festival-like atmosphere of drinking, dining and dancing. I was treated to a personal belly dance outside of one establishment. On the other hand, maybe she was treated to a personal audience from me because she started giggling immediately. Maybe it was the smear of chocolate on my face.

We had no idea going into Boise, but the town is pretty hip. The community has dedicated substantial funding toward bike trails and other non-automobile transportation improvements, and, by and large, it's a safe and clean community. Better still, it's one of two islands of liberal thought inside a traditionally Conservative state. No wonder it was fun!

If you can, be sure to attend Boise's downtown Farmer's Market each Saturday. At this garden of delights, you can find locally and regionally grown produce, cheeses, baked goods and other treats. We enjoyed several pints of fresh berries of all kinds, which were a nice change from traditional road treats like beef jerky and pretzels. Not only are they healthier, but berries produce much less wind than traditional snacks. That's a positive when you're spending hours inside an enclosed air-conditioned vehicle. I'd attribute my condition as a side effect of the recent Crippling Mystery Illness, but those of you who know me know better.

Of course, after spending several days with good friends having great times, it's difficult to say goodbye. As has been a theme with this journey, you never know when you'll have the chance to do things again, so you have to enjoy your surroundings when you can. The same seems to be true with people.

Life tends to scatter our loved ones to the Four Winds as time goes by. If we are blessed, we find ourselves traveling the currents of fate toward the areas where our loved ones have settled and we're able to see them again. Only a fool fails to relish such reunions with unbridled gusto. I'm pleased to say we were not fools this time around.

And with luck, we won't be next time, either.

See you on down the road.