Took a trolley tour in Boise today. Started out cool and cloudy but by the afternoon it squeaked up to 70 and was really sunny. Sun is very warm here, it feels warmer than 70.
The tour went through both the center of town and also the outskirts and we learned about the history of Boise, most of which centers on the gold and silver rush and mining. Lots of beautiful architecture of different styles, most of which I know nothing about but it's interesting to hear about them and they're all nice in their own way. Lots of money was made by architects around 1890-1920 . There's a neighborhood called Warm Springs (on Warm Springs Ave.) that's named that because the 200 houses are heated by the hot springs in the earth. They have hot springs pools, too, like what we saw yesterday. Trees are beautiful here, lots of dogwoods and lilacs in bloom.
Boise, like other cities, has different sections but Boise also has a big Basque population, Basque being between Spain and France from what I understand. Lots of people on bikes here in town, busy, busy little city.
After the tour we drove back to the Old Idaho State Penitentiary and took the self-guided tour. I think not only does every big city have a wine trail and sand dunes but also an old prison. It was a pretty interesting tour, the prison was open from 1873-1973 and has a lot of history and stories to tell. Pretty gardens on the grounds, too, roses are starting to bud. Jackson & Perkins has a test garden on the premises now. Up the mountain in back of the prison is the Old Oregon Trail again and, of course, we had to walk some of it and feel like pioneers. Once again I'm glad I didn't live back then, a pioneer I'm not.
Drove past the first residence in Boise, an 1863 log house, 200 sq. feet, still standing on the outskirts of a busy town. We then went to the Assay office, built in 1871. They estimate 75 million dollars of gold and silver passed through the doors during the rush.
Stopped at a grocery store for a few odds and ends, then back to camp and did some laundry. Washers here are nice and cheap and we never know when we'll find a laundry again so we do a load or two when we can.
Headed towards Yellowstone tomorrow although we heard they expect snow and in the 20's this week-end. Wish us luck (and warmth).