My brother got married last weekend, so my girlfriend and I had to drive to Idaho. The sky is too large in eastern Oregon, and in the bustling metropolis that is Boise, everything closes at like 11, even the gas stations next to the freeway. They give places names like "Pleasant Valley" hoping you'll come out and get trapped. There was nothing pleasant about it, unless you're into goat heads and endless desolation.

South western Idaho is not my favorite place. My dad lives in Caldwell and my sister in Nampa so we make our way up there fairly regularly. Desolation is about right. But We’ve had the opportunity in the past for some great vacations to some of the more beautiful parts of the state, like McCall, Island Park, Trinity lakes, Vanity Lakes, etc. while its a different kind of “beauty” in the desert valleys and cities, the mountains are where those Idahoans have hidden all the actual beauty.

Spent two weeks out in the desert near Boise almost every summer for 20+ years with my National Guard Unit. Short of Milt Sparks , MGM steel targets and Chris Reeve knives being nearby...the area holds nothing for me.

I can recall 100+ degree days ,living in a GP medium tent...NO fun. I know our troops over in the sandbox have it even tougher.
something I think about whenever I see a shot of them on the news or in a video. I don't do well in heat.