Road Trip

All week long the kids have been saying they want to go on a road trip. I’m not sure about other people’s children, but these two get an itch for it and just beg to go on road trips. Mostly because they like to hang out at truck stops….

Seeing as it was a three-day weekend and the weather was forecasting regular dosing's of liquid sunshine (like we’ve had for the last week and a half) we decided “Why not?” I mean, it’s not like we could work in the yard or garden even though one needs weeded desperately and the other, pretty much, needs baled. So after checking the radar and locating an area that wasn’t getting to hammered we ventured east. Idaho Falls here we come!

Our first stop was the Tautphaus Park Zoo. This Zoo is, I think, is the smallest Zoo I’ve ever been too. As Kevin pointed out this entire Zoo is the same size as the Oregon Zoo’s new Elephant exhibit. Despite it’s size it’s well maintained and run. There appears to be a caring group of staff and volunteers who make this a great place to enjoy. Plus, it is part of the American Association of Zoos & Aquariums so our Zoo Boise pass got us in free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the Animals were of a smaller size but there was a pair of Lions, Camels, Zebras, and a Tiger. The kids really enjoyed the goats in the petting zoo. They pass out brushes and Emilie would have stayed there all day grooming a trio of demanding Nubians (one was named ‘Jack’) if she’d been allowed. The other favorites were the White-Handed Gibbon who had himself wedged into the skylight in his exhibit and appeared to be plotting his escape, and the River Otters. They were literally doing back-flips out of the water…who doesn’t like that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the Zoo wrapped up we checked out the new Cabela’s in town (small, no fish tanks or mountain – comparable to the one in Union Gap, WA) grabbed some lunch, and perused the Army Supply Warehouse. Holy Susanne Sommers, we found an entire pallet of Thigh Masters for only 8.99 apiece (video not included). Trying to explain those to the kids was pretty funny.

After that we completed a pilgrimage that every Idahoan should make….a trip to the World Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho.

We learned all about Idaho’s glorious potato industry. We now know to thank the Montanans (Montanites???) to the north for beginning the demand for Idaho Potatoes (Got to feed those hungry Montana Miners). We saw the worlds largest Potato Chip – It’s a Pringle. We also got to see a whole wall of antique Potato Mashers…woohoo! We even heard a story about the the Potato God (yes, there is one) and how he saved a group of Ancient Peruvian peoples (good tribe) from enslavement (by bad tribe) by having them eat the roots of the potato plant (read potatoes) while feeding their masters the poisonous greens. Totally worth my $3. Plus a train chugged right past the building (an old train depot) which takes the score from about a 5 to a 15 out of 10 for the kids.

The final plan had been to stop at Massacre Rocks State Park and explore, but the rain finally caught up with us about that time, so we switched it out for a stop at the local Love’s Trucks Stop and dinner from Culver’s. Kids were thrilled! Definitely a good way to enjoy a rainy Saturday.