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Day 10 – Idaho 2025 // Boise, Three Island Crossing

Isaac Church — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 03:30:36 +0000

Today, we’re driving west to Boise with the primary goal of watching the football game, but we’ll make a few pit stops along the way.

Breakfast and Interstate

First thing this morning, we headed downtown to get some coffee, driving back to 2nd South Market, the food hall where we had barbecue a couple nights before. The coffee shop there is called Full Steam Espresso; I’ll give a more detailed review tomorrow. Most of the breakfast places in Twin Falls were either too crowded or not open early enough, so we wound up at a Great Harvest Bread Company so we could stay on schedule. We had a nice selection of cinnamon rolls, toast, scones, and egg dishes, which accomplished the twofold goal of satisfying our hunger and getting us back on the road quickly.

Great Harvest Bread Company - Twin Falls, ID

Snake River Valley

Three Island Crossing

Cody had recommended we stop at Three Island Crossing in Glenns Ferry. This marked a popular cutoff for the Oregon Trail, and one of the most important (and dangerous) places travelers would attempt to ford the Snake River, using (you guessed it!) the three islands in the middle of the river to assist them.

We arrived at the visitor center and museum right as they opened for the day, and were greeted by their very friendly staff, who gave us a quick tour, started a 20 minute information video for us to watch, and recommended a couple more related stops and viewpoints nearby.

Three Island Crossing State Park

We enjoyed the museum tour, and spent a little time looking at large waterfowl through a spotting scope, seeing bald eagles, pelicans, hawks, and geese. The next interstate exit down, we pulled off for another quick stop, where we could see wagon ruts going up and over the hillside right by the side of the interstate.

Boise

Soon we arrived in downtown Boise, and secured a parking space. Hooray again for the Jeep’s semi-worthless hybrid capabilities, because the only spot left in the deck was for EV parking and charging. We charged the battery from 0% to 98% for just $2, if you wondered how extensive the battery life is.

We walked through downtown Boise, visiting the Capital City Public Market, a large collection of street vendors, musicians, booths, and food. I forgot to take pictures, but I was concentrating on navigating the jostling crowd. Next, we headed over to Slow by Slow for coffee, grabbing a couple of pour overs and a couple of mochas.

Boise, ID

Slow by Slow Coffee

Basque Block

After the coffee and market, and walking around a bit more of downtown, we headed to the Basque Block, where the famed shepherds settled starting in the 1800s. Europe’s Basque Country is situated in NE Spain and SW France, and many immigrants came here over the years, settling in the west and bringing their food, language, and culture with them. While we were in the coffee shop, two young ladies in line in front of us were dressed in traditional Basque clothes, speaking the language, and using a special app on their phones to communicate in their language.

Basque Block - Boise, ID

Since it was recommended by almost every source I could find, we went to Bar Gernika for lunch. They have a very simple menu, filled with cultural staples. Most dishes are served with either Idaho fries, or their signature croquetas, little fried balls made of butter, onion, chicken, flour, and milk. Basque food is known for its use of sweet red pimiento peppers, as well as sheep’s milk cheeses and hearty breads. Cody and Morgan split their signature Solomo sandwich (marinated pork loin served with pimientos) and their chicken grinder. Dad and I split the Solomo sandwich and their Chorizo (local made Basque sausage served with grilled onions and pimientos) – think Spanish paprika-filled chorizo, not Mexican-style.

Bar Gernika - Boise, ID

The food was outstanding, and quite refreshing to have a very atypical option like this in the USA. I would come back in a heartbeat. We saw many other App State fans also eating there.

Bar Gernika

Boise, ID

A glimpse of authentic Basque food. The experience is quite unlike anything else I’ve ever had.

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

E-Sports

Continuing our walk through the Basque Block and downtown Boise, we happened upon the front door of Boise State University’s Esports program. Of course, we were curious, and Cody decided to pull on the door. Well, it opened, and really before anyone realized what was going on, we found ourselves in the lobby. The director of the program popped her head out of her office, and offered us a tour of the facilities, which we felt obliged to take since we had barged in unannounced.

Now, to be clear, I think the concept of “electronic sports” (a.k.a. competitive video games) is a bit ridiculous and best reserved for someone’s basement gaming set up. But, I will admit it was a very interesting tour, and quite an impressive facility. Boise State is one of the premier programs in the country, and they attract a lot of engineers, computer scientists, and other “nerdy” majors through this program, which offers somewhere around 15 full scholarships. Lots of organizations (including mining and forestry companies, drone operators, and the United State Armed Forces) want to hire people with “thumb dexterity” to operate their robots in areas where only a human touch can get the job done.

Boise River Greenbelt

Leaving downtown, we re-parked our car near the football stadium, and took to the Boise River Greenbelt for a walk before it was time to head to the game. This is a beautiful pathway that runs through campus and beside the Snake River. There are lots of picnic areas, drop-in spots for kayakers, and a ton of ducks! It seems almost everyone in Boise owns a bike and uses the Greenbelt to navigate the town.

We walked up and down the river for a while, until we finally started to tire and wanted to get out of the afternoon sun.

App State at Boise State

Zoo Boise

Crossing the river and entering Julia Davis Park, we found a public restroom and some benches in the shade, and decided to rest for a while. We just happened to be right across from the entrance to Zoo Boise, so we got the spontaneous idea to see how much the entrance fee was, since it seemed like a small zoo and a good way to kill more time before the game. Turns out the fee was very reasonable, so we decided to venture inside and see the exhibits. It’s a small zoo, mostly known for having red pandas, which really look more like colorful raccoons than pandas.

We managed to see all the exhibits, and even found some air conditioning to cool us down. It was very much worth the price of admission, despite being one of the smaller zoos I’ve been to.

Red Pandas at Zoo Boise

App State at Boise State

Now, it was finally time for the game. We met up with my friend Justin Evans; we grew up together and went to the same church our entire lives; his grandfather was our pastor. With him was his now-wife Hannah; they got engaged right after we left and are now married. They live in Idaho Falls, and are loving being out west. It was great to see Justin and to meet Hannah; we’d pre-arranged for them to go to the game with us, but circumstances unfortunately prevented us from spending more time with them that week.

App State at Boise State

The game was a sharp disappointment; we looked terrible from the start. But, it was neat to finally see the “Smurf turf” in person, and all the Boise fans were very nice. The stadium is really a lot smaller in person than it looks on TV; its capacity is very comparable to Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone. On a slightly more humorous note, I think every single crane in the state of Idaho was visible from our seats.

App State at Boise State

Dutch Bros and Burgers

After the game, we headed to Dutch Bros to drown our sorrows in Dutch Freezes, and get a little caffeine to keep us awake on the drive home. You’ve probably heard me sing their praises many times before, so I’ll spare you my spiel. But, do know they are one of my top-rated chain establishments.

We stopped at Bad Boy Burgers on the south side of Boise, grabbed some [not pictured] burgers and fries for the road, and then continued on the interstate until we got back to Twin Falls. We headed to bed, exhausted, but knowing we’d had a fun day.

The Best Things we Saw Today

Isaac

The best thing I saw today was… “the giant anteater and other animals at Zoo Boise”.

The best thing I ate today was… “the Solomo sandwich in the Basque Block”.

Jerry

The best thing I saw today was… “Zoo Boise“.

The best thing I ate today was… “all the Basque food”.

Conclusion

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Tomorrow night, we’ve got a red eye flight back home from SLC to CLT. We’ll spend the rest of the day cramming in a few last-minute adventures, and are actually going to dip down into Nevada for a while on our way from Idaho to Utah.

– Isaac & Jerry

App State at Boise State

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Day 5 – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Seven Falls // Colorado 2022

Isaac Church — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 02:00:03 +0000

The Exchange

First thing in the morning, we all drove over to The Exchange on Tejon in downtown Colorado Springs to grab some breakfast and coffee. It’s a hip coffee shop with industrial décor and lots of plants. We got a blueberry muffin, some cinnamon bread, and a Tostada Cubano (toasted buttered Cuban bread). Unfortunately, after we left I realized we never got the toast; very sad. To drink, Faith got a lavender honeycomb white espresso, and I got a Café Cubano (espresso with some honey, brown sugar, and milk). My coffee was excellent, but Faith’s was extrememly lavender-y…she finished it nonetheless. The cinnamon bread was very good, but the blueberry muffin left a lot to be desired.

The Exchange on Tejon

The Lincoln Center

Next, we drove over to the north end of town to an old neighborhood with some gorgeous historic homes. The boys had gymnastics, so Faith and I planned to walk around the neighborhood for the hour. However, at The Lincoln Center, we noticed a long line, and decided to see what was going on. Turns out, it was for a bakery. By this time we were thoroughly disappointed in the blueberry muffin from The Exchange on Tejon, so we decided to grab something else to eat.

While I waited in line, Faith went in Building Three Coffee next door and got a less herbaceous drink. At Nightingale Bakery, we got a white chocolate rhubarb scone, a chocolate roll, a poppy seed chive popover, a chive and cheese roll, and some granola to go. The pastries were superb, particularly the rhubarb scone and the chive and cheese roll. They rank up there with some of the best I’ve ever had. We tore off a couple bites of each kind, and saved the rest to snack on later.

Nightingale Bakery

Nightengale Bakery

Colorado Springs, CO

Delicious pastries with unique flavors. Would love to come back some day!

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

We walked a couple miles through the neighborhood and admired the houses, and then headed back to the house to scrounge up some lunch (which was mainly pastry leftovers).

Colorado Springs, CO

Gym - Colorado Springs, CO

Seven Falls (Failure)

After lunch, Faith and I headed back out for a quick adventure before our next outing with Ian, Abby, and the twins. We planned to go to Seven Falls, a local, private, waterfall located in one of the canyons surrounding Cheyenne Mountain. Unfortunately, we didn’t anticipate such a large crowd (and extremely limited parking), so we decided to put it on hold until later. Instead, we filled up with petrol and waited until it was time to drive up Cheyenne Mountain to meet Ian and Abby. If you’re keeping track, this is our third waterfall failure this trip.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

About halfway up Cheyenne Mountain, at 6,718′, sits one of the best zoos in America. We bought tickets for everyone the night before, and had an entry reservation between 15:00-15:30. The Zoo is divided roughly by continent, in the following order (if you follow the loop as suggested): Africa (lowlands), Australia, Asian Highlands, Rocky Mountains, Primates, and Africa (coast).

African Land Animals

The Zoo’s main attraction is a large herd of giraffes (also called a “tower” of giraffes!). You can feed [very expensive] lettuce to the giraffes; the excess funds goes to conservation, so I guess it was a good reason to drop an exorbitant amount of money on a head of romaine. We fed the giraffes, and it was a fun experience – their tongues are extremely long, black, and feel like sandpaper. They were very friendly and clearly loved the curbside service; they would basically take the entire bunch of lettuce out of your hand if you weren’t careful. We also saw some monkeys, zebras, meerkats, red river hogs, vultures, lions, hyraxes, porcupines, and elephants.

Squirrel (not a zoo animal)

Giraffes

Zebras

Elephants

Australia Walkabout

The in “Land Down Under” section, we saw peacocks, wallabies (think mini kangaroos), alligators, an emu, and a few other miscellaneous animals not pictured. This section had a nice view of downtown Colorado Springs.

Wallabies

Peacock

View of downtown Colorado Springs

Emu

Alligators

Peacock

Asian Highlands

Next up, we headed to the mountains. We saw various big cats (see if you can spot the tiger in the photos below), and some small bears.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Leopard

Tiger

Rocky Mountains (Part 1)

We spent a while watching the two grizzlies play in the water, though they didn’t interact with each other.

Grizzlies

A Brief Aside

About halfway through our Zoo tour, we discovered that Ian and Faith had never had Dippin’ Dots growing up, so they each got a cup of cookies and cream for a snack.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Dippin' Dots

Another side note: there’s a highly secure government facility on Cheyenne Mountain, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Originally built to house NORAD, it now hold the Missile Warning Center, which alerts US and Canadian forces of a potential nuclear or air attack. It’s built 2,000′ under the mountain, and is capable of withstanding an EMP and a 30 megaton nuclear explosion. As of 2021, its official name is the Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station.

Cheyenne Mountain

Rocky Mountains (Part 2)

Now through with our Dippin’ Dots break, we walked through the remainder of the Rocky Mountain animals. We saw goats, otters, porcupines, mountain lions, and a young bull moose.

Mining in the Rockies

Primates

Running short on time, we made a quick pass through the primates section, and then headed on to the African Coast section.

Silverback Gorilla

Orangutan

African Coast

This section housed pelicans, penguins, lemurs, hippos, and more.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

We left right at closing time; Abby and Ian took the boys home, and Faith and I headed off to retry our Seven Falls excursion.

Seven Falls (Success)

Seven Falls

This time around, we found a place to park, and walked a mile up the canyon towards the falls, rather than waiting potentially hours on a shuttle. It may not have been the “Grandest mile of scenery in Colorado”, but it was beautiful, and was probably one of the best landscaped miles in that part of the world. The falls and canyon are privately owned, so you must purchase an entrance ticket to hike the canyon. Technically, you’re supposed to take a shuttle from the Broadmoor Hotel (which requires a lengthy wait on both the departure and return trips), but we just parked in one of the North Cheyenne Cañon Park picnic areas and hiked up the road to the entrance gate. Since it was later in the evening, most of those parking spaces were vacant.

Pillars of Hercules

Seven Falls

There are two viewing platforms at the falls: one is accessible by an elevator cut into the rock, and the other requires a significant climb up many flights of stairs. We opted to just take the elevator and skip the climb, not for lack of willingness to ascend the stairs, but because we needed to get back soon for supper. The views were very nice, but if you don’t feel like spending the money, Helen Hunt Falls (see Day 1 post) was extremely similar, and free.

Steak Dinner

Ian grilled some steaks for dinner, with some mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts on the side.

Steak dinner

Evening // Dutch Bros

In the evening, Faith and I babysat the twins (not a difficult task, since they were in bed) while Ian and Abby went out to see a movie. I made a Dutch Bros run for some drinks (a mango smoothie, an Orangesicle Dutch Frost, and a cookie dough cold brew freeze to split). We also polished off the final two mini eclairs from La Baguette. I briefly ventured out to snap some photos of the sunset, while being followed by a seemingly-out-of-place duck.

Dutch Bros

Sunset

Video

Here’s a video of some of today’s adventures:

Conclusion

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Stay tuned for more…tomorrow we’re headed up to Pike National Forest for some hiking.

– Isaac and Faith

Seven Falls

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