Shoshone Falls

OK, so on to the star of the show!

I'm not sure what the actual "twin falls" looks like...?!  But the Shoshone Falls are pretty wow!  And this is at a low point...  During a good rain/snow year (high water time), the falls look like one giant waterfall, rather than various falls like in these shots.  Historically, high flows were more likely/frequent as the water was not diverted to reservoirs and farmland as it is today.

 But it is still impressive and beautiful!

 These were pictures from the first night when I ran over to the falls to scope them out for photo ops - turned out that was the best evening for a sunset!

 Practically right next to the falls is the Dierkes Lake complex, which looks like a great spot for a swim!

 These two boys were up for it!  Well, actually, one of them was.  The other one wasn't too sure about jumping off this cliff.  He was happy to have my two cents' worth when I told him I thought he should do what HE felt was right for him, to not worry about what his peers thought or did!

 That boy watched the first guy go and decided today wasn't the day for him.  I fully support people deciding what's best for themselves!!!!  Peer pressure be damned!

Nice park/picnic area next to the lake.

And that's it for Twin Falls - and for Idaho!  

Twin Falls

After Boise came Twin Falls.  We stopped there because of some beautiful waterfalls, but we will get to those later...

 First, we're going to do this...  Well, maybe not...!  Tractor's just relaxing when Hayes sneaks a sniff!

 OK, so moving right along...  Here's a neato field beside the 84 freeway.

 And here is some sort of gathering on the 93 bridge over the Snake River.

 And our RV park...

 On our next day there - a sunnier day - we checked out the bridge and river more thoroughly.

 Looking this way, the special waterfall we came here for is right around the corner...

 And looking the other, you can see a park and golf course - 

 quite the outdoor playground!

And from this neat bridge,...

 leap base jumpers!  This is one of the few places where this activity is allowed, no permit or anything required!

 Down, down, down...  And no, he's not going to land in the river.  Steering allows for a set-down on terra firma alongside. 

 This was a really neat sculpture up on the ledge where we were all watching the jumpers.  Unfortunately, I remember this whole scenario quite differently now.  There was a short but steep slope to go down to get to the overlook - it was a little too steep to just walk down.  I should have taken a different path.  Instead I sort of ran down it, which might have been fine had I not been having my intermittent hip problem a little more profoundly that day.  By that evening, I was in a lot of pain and could not find hardly any position - sitting, standing, laying down - or any movement that did not hurt too much.  It was a real eye-opener, to know what so many people have had way too much experience with - debilitating pain that comes from an undiagnosed, mysterious source and that leaves one feeling very frightened and completely helpless!!  I am VERY THANKFUL that mine (at least this time) only lasted a few days - and for two and a half months now, it has not reoccurred.  I have been much more careful, and I've also been working hard to lose weight, which will hopefully help me to avoid having this horrible situation repeat!

 Perrine Coulee Falls - a great waterfall that you can walk behind and access is just off the road down to the river park and golf course!

 Exploring the Centennial Waterfront Park...

 Exploring it ankle-deep!

 Or here's someone else exploring it from inside a kayak!

 But our dogs are paws-on!  (or should I say "paws-in!?!")

 Near the park is a short trail to a great viewpoint, which, of course, yours truly had to do (yes, this was all undoubtedly adding to the evening meltdown...!).  Only a little ways up, I came across this track...  Y'all know who/what made this, right?!

Some of you will be relieved to know it was someone non-venomous!

 The lovely river scene from the top, looking towards the bridge...  See the tiny kayakers.  The Snake is a BIG river! 

 Some neat rock-scrambling at the lookout, although the rocks are all "decorated..."

 The view in the other direction - you can see the park and golf course.

Part of the golf course, replete with...

marmots!  Run Marmot Run!!

Boise River Greenbelt

This is a 25-mile paved path that follows the river and has trees and various lovely parks alongside it.  You can get on/off the path at any point.  We stopped at one spot with the dogs for a quick look-see (and cool-off for the pooches!).

 We met some nice sisters and their young dog, Fleck.

 Eager beavers leading the way!

 Beautiful park!

 We ended up at the same river ramp as the girls and Fleck.  This one sister knew how to gain canine fealty - dog treats!!

 The other sister trying to introduce Fleck to the water for the first time!  Our dogs helped with this, as they are pretty comfortable with the water (understatement for Zou!!) and showed Fleck how to do it!

I wish I could remember their names - nice gals and good dog mom and auntie!  : )

Capitol B

 We only spent a couple of days in Boise, so my photo offerings are going to be sort of sparse!  We had thought we might get to visit with our friends' son Andrew, who's going to Boise State, but...believe it or not, he was in San Diego while we were there!  (that's happened with a couple of folks now!)  So we made a couple of forays into town and then headed on towards our summer home.  First stop was the capitol building.  Bill had been there once before while helping his granddaughter tour some potential colleges.

 It's an impressive, beautiful building, both outside and in.

 At entrance level...

 Looking up into the dome...  If you enlarge this photo (by clicking on it, hopefully), you might see the 13 larger stars - for the 13 original colonies, of course!! and 43 smaller ones, Idaho being the 43rd state to enter the union!  Didn't know that?  Me'neither!

 Classy accent lighting, huh?

 Looking down from an upper level...  Look closely...  (again, you should be able to enlarge a photo by clicking on it...)  See something in the middle of the bottom floor?  There were a bunch of students visiting the capitol that day...  I don't remember if I knew he was down there doing that or not!  He adds to the perspective though, no?

 Just can't get over all the incredible marble pillars...  Not sure where each of these types is to be found in the building exactly, but marble from Georgia (red), Alaska (gray), Vermont (green), and Italy (black) was used!  And a composite material called "scagliola," made up of granite, marble dust, gypsum, and glue dyed to look like marble was mixed with plaster, in an exacting and laborious process, and used for most (or all?) of the columns.  It sounds like the interior columns were a combo of scagliola and actual white marble...

 "Winged Victory."  A replica of a famous statue ("Nike of Samothrace") in Greece, found by a French explorer.  In 1949, France gave US this replica in gratitude for liberating France from Nazi occupation at the close of WWII.  Beautiful, isn't it?  Classic hellenistic art.  I didn't remember what that meant (basically, ancient Greek...), but I know I like it!

 This statue, of George Washington, was carved out of wood and gilded with gold by Austrian immigrant - Charles Ostner - in 1869.  Ostner created it for the Idaho Territory by carving "at night by torchlight for four years and used a postage stamp of George Washington as a model for the head"!!!    It stood outside the Territorial Capitol in Boise until it was restored and rehoused inside the new state capitol building (in 1966?)!  Ostner was born in Germany in 1828 and died in Boise in 1913.  Sounds like he was a very good example of the many grateful, dedicated, determined, capable, and talented immigrants that helped make up our country in the earlier days.

 One more look back, and you can see the liberty bell replica in front too...

 This is just a drive-by, but one of the interesting "sights" listed on tripadvisor.com for Boise was this...

 Freak Alley...  It's a spot where "artists" can paint murals of whatever sort on the outer walls of the buildings there...and repaint...and paint over again...!

 And just some cute (post-it?) messages in the windows of one building...

and artwork!