Day 2: Boise is small world after all

"Oh hai, Erik Thompson"


A late start, aided by a weak hotel gym workout, our day began with a hearty breakfast at Merrits Country Cafe. Merrits, home of the "scone", is typically known as a late night food joint or next-day hangover cure, but based on yet another recommendation, it was on our Boise-must-do list.

We were rewarded with this:

And this:

Yes, that's a "scone", or breakfast churro if you will. And yes, that's a biscuits and whole cup of gravy. These were sides mind you. While country delicious, I still feel slightly sick having eaten so many starch-laden calories before 11am. Icing on the cake however, was the most technologically advanced item possessed by a Boise cafe. Yes, that's a video conferencing phone - who they are video chatting is best left a mystery.

A long day of Boise on foot was in order post-breakfast. First stop:  The old Idaho Federal Penitentiary, a state historical site and operating prison 1872 to 1973. Short-story, prison sucks - don't ever go. Longer-story, the prison was full of interesting history. Three quick fun-facts:

• Hanging was the method of execution in Idaho until the late 1970's and seven inmates were hung on these grounds (six in the rose garden, only one in the official execution room!).
• La Eme, or the Mexican Mafia, had a prison alliance with the Aryan Brotherhood. "Blood in, Blood out" is the prison maxim of choice, meaning you kill to get in, you get killed to get out. 
• The most famous inmate was Henry Orchard, who assassinated Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg. Orchard was visited by Ethel Berrymore during his time in this prison, as she was starring in a production in Boise at the time and Orchard's trial was one of the most sensational of the decade (1905). 

The smurf-turf of Boise State University was next on our city exploration and was as blue as advertised. Their two recent Fiesta Bowl trophies were no joke either.

A quick walk around campus, including the student union and bookstore, completed our school tour and ate up, oh 30 minutes of the day. It is not a big campus. When I asked the information desk what she'd do with eight hours in Boise, she said she'd hang out downtown as there is not much that happens on a random Thursday in July. So back to downtown we head.

A quick run downtown completed the afternoon, allowing us to complete our Boise adventure by 4:45pm, a whopping seven hours of activities. Supposedly there is more to do in Boise (still questionable), but we both felt we have done enough to get the local experience. While downtown we completed the following tasks: exploring the Capitol Building, buying German soccer t-shirts, trying on Birkenstock sandals, walking every block of the central district, running into Erik Thompson (yes, that Erik Thompson) in Basque town, having lunch at a distillery, and attending a farmer's market where Scott ate blueberry catsup. Here is a one-word rundown of each of those events: impressive, oddity, Eileen, hot, random, respectable, sorry. For more details, please inquire in the comments section.

Of interest, and one of our favorite things about Boise, are the the parking meters here. On the parking meters there is a button you can push that gives you a free 15-20 minutes of meter time, just enough of those quick errands you need to run. Brilliant. Thank you Boise.

The night is being capped of by a viewing of Get Him to The Greek (2.5 stars out of five) and a late dinner. It will likely be nothing notable.

Tomorrow begins our voyage into Yellowstone and the potential end of the line for Mike Ham. As I will not likely have internet for the next three days, nothing new will be posted until after the 4th of July weekend. Both Scott and I wish you a safe and fun celebration of the birth of this great country.

Tomorrow's Agenda:
Route: Boise > Twin Falls > Idaho Falls > West Yellowstone
Estimated distance: 389 miles
Estimated time: 6 hours, 30 minutes