The battle to Boise

After checking out of my hotel in Salt Lake City, I went to my car to load up my stuff and found it was covered with muddy spots. Apparently, an overnight rain coupled with a layer of dust resulted in an unsightly mess. Oh, well...I think it might rain again tomorrow! I had about a five hour drive to Boise ahead of me, but it wasn't all smooth sailing. I had to fight rather strong crosswinds the whole way, which played havoc on my gas mileage. My poor mileage reminded me of what I used to get with my Chevy Blazer. I usually fill up at a quarter tank, but that was every 300 miles! With my Outback, I'll average at least a hundred miles more than that...more if I'm not city driving or going too fast. Which reminds me...80 mph is too fast! I find myself driving 75 mph to get a little better MPG.

I had enough time this afternoon to visit the Idaho State Museum located in Boise. About five years ago, there was a smaller historical museum in town which I think turned into this much nicer museum.

This museum does an excellent job illustrating what makes Idaho such an interesting state. History, geography, industry and recreation are highlighted in visual and interactive exhibits. Here is a beautiful statue of Sacajawea, who accompanied Lewis & Clark on their Corps of Discovery Expedition.

There were also some unusual items on display, such as a 9000 year old sandal, a very old and large pencil sharpener, a vintage snowmobile and an outfit once worn by Paul Revere of the band The Raiders. And, yes...I did touch the otter tail.

In their Stories of Idaho gallery, which showcases the personal stories of Idahoans, there was actually someone I knew included. Horace Axtell was a member of the Nez Perce tribe, and I while I worked at Nez Perce National Historical Park in the mid-80s, his wife Andrea was a secretary there. I did have the pleasure of meeting Horace during get togethers, both official and informal.

Tomorrow is my last real road trip day before I make the final push toward home. I have another LONG drive ahead of me, but at least I'll gain an hour going from Mountain to Pacific Time. AND, I'll gain another hour because of Daylight Savings Time tonight!