My wife kicks ass -- vacation plans booked

[Dottleshead ★]

I swear I am the luckiest man alive! We just booked dirt cheap airline tickets to Boise, ID -- of all places -- for a mountain bike expedition right outside (inside?) city limits. She's awesome because she agreed to a bike vacation, a bike vacation in Boise, and to a bike vacation to Boise with no car. There are some AMAZING places to stay in old town for dirt cheap (same places often rent another hundred or two more in other cities) as well and we got one bordering one of the main mountain bike parks. There are 3 huge multiuse trail parks where we are staying that we can bike and most if not all continue into the foothills of the Sawtooths mountains.

She has come a long way since our annual trips to Hawaii. Ever since I took her to Moab, UT she has become a MTB fan.

The great thing about Boise is they also have a 20+ greenbelt paved trail system road biking along the river and through the city. It's a very bike friendly city. There aren't a whole lot of urban centers out there that support all the amenities and provide both road and MTB parks and trail systems.

 

[Zealot]

2 minutes ago, Dottie said:

I swear I am the luckiest man alive! We just booked dirt cheap airline tickets to Boise, ID -- of all places -- for a mountain bike expedition right outside (inside?) city limits. She's awesome because she agreed to a bike vacation, a bike vacation in Boise, and to a bike vacation to Boise with no car. There are some AMAZING places to stay in old town for dirt cheap (same places often rent another hundred or two more in other cities) as well and we got one bordering one of the main mountain bike parks. There are 3 huge multiuse trail parks where we are staying that we can bike and most if not all continue into the foothills of the Sawtooths mountains.

She has come a long way since our annual trips to Hawaii. Ever since I took her to Moab, she has become a MTB fan.

The great thing about Boise is they also have a 20+ greenbelt paved trail system along the river and through the city. It's a very friendly bike city. There aren't a whole lot of urban centers out there that support all the amenities and provide both road and MTB parks and trail systems.

 

Envious!  My wife enjoyed mountain biking until she tore her ACL. Once repaired and healed, she decided not to climb back on that horse...

 

But she does still road ride with me.

[Dottleshead ★]

1 minute ago, Zealot said:

Envious!  My wife enjoyed mountain biking until she tore her ACL. Once repaired and healed, she decided not to climb back on that horse...

 

But she does still road ride with me.

That would do it! It's great having a partner that enjoys biking. We center our vacations around them now.

[Razors Edge ★]

5 minutes ago, Dottie said:

I swear I am the luckiest man alive! We just booked dirt cheap airline tickets to Boise, ID -- of all places -- for a mountain bike expedition right outside (inside?) city limits. She's awesome because she agreed to a bike vacation, a bike vacation in Boise, and to a bike vacation to Boise with no car. There are some AMAZING places to stay in old town for dirt cheap (same places often rent another hundred or two more in other cities) as well and we got one bordering one of the main mountain bike parks. There are 3 huge multiuse trail parks where we are staying that we can bike and most if not all continue into the foothills of the Sawtooths mountains. 

She has come a long way since our annual trips to Hawaii. Ever since I took her to Moab, she has become a MTB fan.

The great thing about Boise is they also have a 20+ greenbelt paved trail system along the river and through the city. It's a very friendly bike city. There aren't a whole lot of urban centers out there that support all the amenities and provide both road and MTB parks and trail systems.

  

Sweet!

Seems like that could be an easy drive (one day ~9hrs) for you instead, though - and with your bikes.  Why the "... a bike vacation, a bike vacation in Boise, and to a bike vacation to Boise with no car."?  You are renting some bikes there and it just makes it easier? 

These are questions I often butt up against - "drive or fly?" and "bring or rent bikes?".  Both have pros and cons, and usually the headache of dealing with airports and airlines makes it easier to drive and bring my own if within 12 hours drive.

[Dottleshead ★]

42 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Sweet!

Seems like that could be an easy drive (one day ~9hrs) for you instead, though - and with your bikes.  Why the "... a bike vacation, a bike vacation in Boise, and to a bike vacation to Boise with no car."?  You are renting some bikes there and it just makes it easier? 

These are questions I often butt up against - "drive or fly?" and "bring or rent bikes?".  Both have pros and cons, and usually the headache of dealing with airports and airlines makes it easier to drive and bring my own if within 12 hours drive.

Because we can reduce that 9 hour drive to 1.5 hours one way-- all for $150 -- though I believe my wife upgraded our airfare to $200 -- or $100 per person round trip.  For $100 that saves us almost 18 hours of driving and 2/3 of day we get to spend there instead of on the road.  And since I don't drive, it'd all be on her.  No way in hell we'd be going if she had to drive 18 hours.  And the Boise airport is small and easy.  It's 5 miles outside of downtown.

But I think most important is we are not dependent upon an automobile (though Boise makes sense to have one) as it forces us into activity.  We walk or bike or uber -- and there will be resistance on the latter.  Since we recently drove through there almost a year ago, there is no reason to see the city limits per se as the section of town we are staying literally has everything we could possibly want within a two mile radius.

In short, flying costs us about $130 if you subtract the $60-$70 gas and we gain nearly 15 hours and skip the driving fatigue on both ends.  More importantly, this way my wife agrees to the trip -- otherwise no deal.  

No doubt that trip into SeaTac airport is going to suck though.  That's the only draw back to this whole thing.  I hate that airport.  It's become a giant clusterfuck and you need a lot of time to navigate through it. Sure wish Everett flew to Boise.

[Razors Edge ★]

7 minutes ago, Dottie said:

Because we can reduce that 9 hour drive to 1.5 hours one way-- all for $150 -- though I believe my wife upgraded our airfare to $200 -- or $100 per person round trip.  For $100 that saves us almost 18 hours of driving and 2/3 of day we get to spend there instead of on the road.  And since I don't drive, it'd all be on her.  No way in hell we'd be going if she had to drive 18 hours.  And the Boise airport is small and easy.  It's 5 miles outside of downtown.

But I think most important is we are not dependent upon an automobile (though Boise makes sense to have one) as it forces us into activity.  We walk or bike or uber -- and there will be resistance on the latter.  Since we recently drove through there almost a year ago, there is no reason to see the city limits per se as the section of town we are staying literally has everything we could possibly want within a two mile radius.

In short, flying costs us about $130 if you subtract the $60-$70 gas and we gain nearly 15 hours and skip the driving fatigue on both ends.  More importantly, this way my wife agrees to the trip -- otherwise no deal.  

No doubt that trip into SeaTac airport is going to suck though.  That's the only draw back to this hole thing.  I hate that airport.  It's become a giant clusterfuck and you need a lot of time to navigate through it. Sure wish Everett flew to Boise.

This explanation is exactly the debate that rages on in my head for these "short distance" trips.  Your justification is good.  Where are you renting the bikes?  Going sweet high-end rigs or keeping it traditional?

[Dottleshead ★]

I found a place nearby that ranks high.  I think it's a pricey $35 a day for a hardtail bike (I didn't shop around too much because it's like 10 blocks from where we are staying). The place we are staying also supplies cruisers for free to use if we want to ride along the river.

https://www.tritownboise.com/

[BuffJim]

16 minutes ago, Dottie said:

Because we can reduce that 9 hour drive to 1.5 hours one way-- all for $150 -- though I believe my wife upgraded our airfare to $200 -- or $100 per person round trip.  For $100 that saves us almost 18 hours of driving and 2/3 of day we get to spend there instead of on the road.  And since I don't drive, it'd all be on her.  No way in hell we'd be going if she had to drive 18 hours.  And the Boise airport is small and easy.  It's 5 miles outside of downtown.

But I think most important is we are not dependent upon an automobile (though Boise makes sense to have one) as it forces us into activity.  We walk or bike or uber -- and there will be resistance on the latter.  Since we recently drove through there almost a year ago, there is no reason to see the city limits per se as the section of town we are staying literally has everything we could possibly want within a two mile radius.

In short, flying costs us about $130 if you subtract the $60-$70 gas and we gain nearly 15 hours and skip the driving fatigue on both ends.  More importantly, this way my wife agrees to the trip -- otherwise no deal.  

No doubt that trip into SeaTac airport is going to suck though.  That's the only draw back to this hole thing.  I hate that airport.  It's become a giant clusterfuck and you need a lot of time to navigate through it. Sure wish Everett flew to Boise.

There is no way you are in Boise, at your destination 1.5 hours after leaving your house.  Doorway to Doorway is the only comparison.  For me the cutoff is 8-9 hours driving. 

I took a solo trip to Boise about 12 years ago.  Definitely a cool town, much enjoyed the city and the Idaho landscapes.

[Dottleshead ★]

46 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

There is no way you are in Boise, at your destination 1.5 hours after leaving your house.  Doorway to Doorway is the only comparison.  For me the cutoff is 8-9 hours driving. 

I took a solo trip to Boise about 12 years ago.  Definitely a cool town, much enjoyed the city and the Idaho landscapes.

True.  We have to pay $15 for an uber to take us from our home to the transit center.  And then bus/train into Seatac.  That bit is free for me but my wife will probably pay $5 one way.  I'm hoping to have a friend come pick us up on return and that's free sans maybe a dinner.  So about $20 to get to the airport and about 3 hours from our doorway to departure.

However, once we are in Boise -- it's a breeze.  I suspect a $10 uber ride or possibly I can grab a shuttle that puts us close into town where we are and walk.  But walking with luggage blows so we'll probably pay $10 for the ride to our place in town.

[Dottleshead ★]

16 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

 For me the cutoff is 8-9 hours driving. 

I agree.  That's about the cutoff.  It's one I usually use.  For example, even though I could fly to Portland for dirt cheap, there's no way in hell I'm going to deal with the airports when I can make the drive shorter than time spent in the clogs.

[Dottleshead ★]

@BuffJim why did you decide to go to Boise?

[Kirby]

Mrs Dottie is a lovely and remarkable woman!   I'm glad I had a chance to meet her.

Have a great trip!  We'll be looking forward to the reports (and pictures!)

[Dottleshead ★]

2 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Mrs Dottie is a lovely and remarkable woman!   I'm glad I had a chance to meet her.

Have a great trip!  We'll be looking forward to the reports (and pictures!)

Thank you for your kind words Kirby. She will be glad to hear them.

[Page Turner]

...be careful in Idaho. Don't let the militia get you.  

[Dottleshead ★]

18 minutes ago, Page Turner said:

...be careful in Idaho. Don't let the militia get you.  

I know Idaho. Be more concerned in MT. @sheep_herder country produces some fine good men.

[smudge ★]

I totally agree with the flight. I get nutsy with the 6hour drive to Grand Rapids! A flight that cheap makes it a no-brainer.

[jsharr ★]

Take her down to the local Quik-E-Mart and distract Kashmir and Rajneesh while she weezes some juice.

[Dottleshead ★]

11 minutes ago, smudge said:

I totally agree with the flight. I get nutsy with the 6hour drive to Grand Rapids! A flight that cheap makes it a no-brainer.

Sometimes driving and road trips can be cool. But I have been on most that stretch more than enough and the drive from the Cascades to the Blue Mountains in Eastern Oregon is darn right take your life kind of scenery. Somewhere @sheep_herder lurks disagreeing with me. But the central Columbian Plateau in the center of our state is desolate, hot, flat and boring. All 4 hours of it.

[sheep_herder ★]

20 minutes ago, Dottie said:

Sometimes driving and road trips can be cool. But I have been on most that stretch more than enough and the drive from the Cascades to the Blue Mountains in Eastern Oregon is darn right take your life kind of scenery. Somewhere @sheep_herder lurks disagreeing with me. But the central Columbian Plateau in the center of our state is desolate, hot, flat and boring. All 4 hours of it.

I've not been lurking, as we just finished shearing 30 head of sheep, and I am cooling off and resting for a bit.  Different strokes for different folks, but I really like the Enterprise, OR area.  I rode the green belt in Boise many years ago, and it can be crowded on weekends. Lots of good places to eat in Boise.  Have fun.

[BuffJim]

1 hour ago, Dottie said:

@BuffJim why did you decide to go to Boise?

Just had some frequent flyer miles and wanted to check it out. Along with Utah and Nevada. I love the landscapes, and not as touristy as Yellowstone. 

[maddmaxx ★]

4 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

Just had some frequent flyer miles and wanted to check it out. Along with Utah and Nevada. I love the landscapes, and not as touristy as Yellowstone. 

I'd do it in a blink, just because I like to fly.  I like airports.

 

I'm crazy.

 

Not the crazy, just crazy.

[Ltdskilz]

Love the Sawtooth mountains. But they depress me. We took a hike that I considered must have been "expert" rated (for this coastal boy). Everyone had it rated "beginner." ?

[Dottleshead ★]

5 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

Just had some frequent flyer miles and wanted to check it out. Along with Utah and Nevada. I love the landscapes, and not as touristy as Yellowstone. 

For this reason I enjoy McCall, Idaho.  It's a resort town, true, but not nearly on the scale of Ketchum (Sun Valley) and I'm a tree guy.  With exception to Utah. Amazing, really, particularly the lower half which I have yet to visit (Bryce, Zion, etc...). Arches and Canyonlands via Moab are definitely worth a stop.  Incredible actually.

 

For sure, though. Boise is off the grid, is not targeted as a big vacation destination, is cheap(er), and is a good hub to the panhandle, Western Montana, Jellystone, and Utah.

[Dottleshead ★]

4 minutes ago, Ltdskilz said:

Love the Sawtooth mountains. But they depress me. We took a hike that I considered must have been "expert" rated (for this coastal boy). Everyone had it rated "beginner." ?

15 years ago I wouldn't have agreed with you.  But my older body -- it takes days sometimes to recover from a 5 mile hike into those wild areas.  My legs get destroyed.

[Dottleshead ★]

1 hour ago, Kirby said:

Mrs Dottie is a lovely and remarkable woman!   I'm glad I had a chance to meet her.

Have a great trip!  We'll be looking forward to the reports (and pictures!)

Hey, Kirbster, my wife wanted me to pass on that she felt the same about you.  She enjoyed meeting you.  I too agree.  It's always a pleasure to meet folks when they are passing through or when we are passing through.  

[Razors Edge ★]

27 minutes ago, sheep_herder said:

we just finished shearing 30 head of sheep

Heck, if you're gonna shear the head, you might as well do the whole body at the same time.  EFFICIENCY! That's my motto.

[Longjohn ★]

1 hour ago, sheep_herder said:

just finished shearing 30 head of sheep, 

I don’t think you have to shear their heads in the summer. Heck you don’t even have to shear their whole head in late winter/early spring. You just have to shear a strip of wool off the mamma sheep’s head so that she will realize it’s cold out and protect her baby lambs from freezing, but you know all that.

[Zephyr]

Go to Tangos.  Believe it or not, Boise has great empanadas.  I am all hungry just thinkig about it.  The place is not much to look at, but the food is top shelf

[Dottleshead ★]

Side note: I am flying on 9/11 and riding Friday 13th. I know. I'm a bad(dumb?)ass.

[Dottleshead ★]

1 minute ago, Zephyr said:

Go to Tangos.  Believe it or not, Boise has great empanadas.  I am all hungry just thinkig about it.  The place is not much to look at, but the food is top shelf

Great tip!! Thanks.

[Razors Edge ★]

4 minutes ago, Dottie said:

Side note: I am flying on 9/11 and riding Friday 13th. I know. I'm a bad(dumb?)ass. 

I'm flying 9/11 too, and likely riding on the 13th as well!  We're like peas in a pod!

[Kirby]

2 hours ago, Dottie said:

For this reason I enjoy McCall, Idaho.  It's a resort town, true, but not nearly on the scale of Ketchum (Sun Valley) and I'm a tree guy. 

From my trip to McCall

[Dottleshead ★]

2 minutes ago, Kirby said:

From my trip to McCall

We so wanted to be there again. Next year maybe.

[Dottleshead ★]

@Dirtyhip have you and hubby ever been to Boise riding?

[MickinMD ★]

It's great to have someone in your family/group who does great trip planning!  My sister-in-law is our planner.

[Dottleshead ★]

13 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

It's great to have someone in your family/group who does great trip planning!  My sister-in-law is our planner.

Well in our case, it's collaboration.  I'll take credit for the destination.  I'm always looking to travel to cool places off the beaten path.  Idaho is one of those places.  Lower economy, lower taxes, less populated and great outdoor activities.  But my wife is always clued into the 'deals'.  She was on it the day they released those fare savers.  Just like when I bought 4 tons of pellets from the outlet place here that had an amazing deal. We both have had excellent experiences with AirBnb and VRBO.  We could have chose between 6 or 7 places and would have been happy.

[Dottleshead ★]

@Dirtyhip see comment #34.

[Dottleshead ★]

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/go-to-boise-for-its-arts-scene-yep-the-booming-city-is-undergoing-a-cultural-renaissance/

The place we are staying is an affluent area and the Airbnb we are staying at is quite nice. But it's the second time we have stayed here and the owners have been artists. 

In Boise?? Get outta here.

It's a great city. Super supportive biking community. Cheap flights to get here (for me). Folks are really nice. It's a hidden gem. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

6 hours ago, Dottie said:

Cheap flights to get here (for me).

It’s 6 1/2 hours and $450 for me, so enjoy it on my behalf. 

[Dottleshead ★]

Just woke up. Coffee time. Walking to go pick up our bikes soon.

[Dottleshead ★]

6 hours ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

It’s 6 1/2 hours and $450 for me, so enjoy it on my behalf. 

55 minutes for me and $102

[bikeman564™]

Very nice, bike vacations rock. My last few were bikecations related

[Dottleshead ★]

I'll post bike pics shortly.

[Indy]

3 minutes ago, Dottie said:

I'll post bike pics shortly.

We are not picky, you can post them in long pants and sleeved shirts too.

[Dottleshead ★]

Friendly cat

[Wilbur ★]

Boise Zoo? 

[Dottleshead ★]

Our abode

[Dottleshead ★]

View of owner's backyard from my coffee spot.

[Dottleshead ★]

This park to over a 100 of trails is a block away from where we are staying.

[Dottleshead ★]

Here is the neighborhood