What should Road Trip 2009 do in Boise?

Road Trip 2009 is looking for your suggestions for what to do this Thursday in Boise, Idaho. If you are the one to make a suggestion that I use, I have a cool prize for you.

(Credit: Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau)

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho--What should I do in Boise?

I'm on my Road Trip 2009 project, and am headed toward the Idaho capital. But the plan I had in place for Boise this Thursday looks like it's falling through, and I'm hoping you can help me figure out an alternative.

So far on Road Trip 2009, I've written stories and put together photo galleries about a wide variety of topics, including green building; preparing for a post peak-oil world; starting out at the Air Force Academy; the current state of Cheyenne Mountain; the incredible canyons, arches, and buttes of southeastern Utah (and northeastern Arizona); Army defenses against chemical and biological weapons; incredible earthworks; giant Air Force bombing ranges; and the building of the next generation of NASA rockets.

That should give you a sense of the breadth of things I look for in putting together Road Trip, and what would work for me in, or near, Boise.

If you have a suggestion for something I can do in the area that will work for this Thursday and that no one else has mentioned first, I'd be happy to reward you with a choice of a DVD set or a video game or two. But regardless of the opportunity for prizes, I'm hoping you might have an idea or two for me based on your desire to see something really cool get a little bit of exposure.

Please let me know as soon as you can if you have an idea to share. You can e-mail me at daniel--dot--terdiman--at--cnet--dot--com. Or you can send it to me via Twitter or Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you.

For the next several weeks, Geek Gestalt will be on Road Trip 2009. After driving more than 12,000 miles in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, and the Southeast over the last three years, I'll be writing about and photographing the best in technology, science, military, nature, aviation and more in Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and Colorado. If you have a suggestion for someplace to visit, drop me a line. And in the meantime, join the Road Trip 2009 Facebook page and follow my Twitter feed.

[itworker--2008]

You have to do the hot springs north of Boise. It's on the way to Mccall
You have to fish the rivers there too...Best Trout in the world

[subie09lega]

Float the Boise River.
Play disc golf up at Bogus Basin ski area.
Visit the Old Idaho State Penitentiary in Boise.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival.

[CrimsonCantab]

Shoot! You beat me to the river-floating. That was the only good idea I had.

Maybe head up to table rock for a nice view of the city? That's all I got...

[Renegade Knight]

Likewise. I was going to say float the boiser river. Barber park to what is it. Ann Morrison? You can rent the tube and a life jacket. I'd reccomend a inflatable boat though.

[JulieFanselow]

Daniel, you are going to love Boise. It is a hopping tech town; I only wish you would be here next week, when Idaho singer-songwriter Josh Ritter has a two-night stand at the Egyptian Theater and when Boise Ignite gathers the local technorati and social media pioneers. Or tomorrow, when our Boise Hawks (the Cubs' short-season A farm team) will close out their five-game series with the Eugene Emeralds. (Alas, Thursday is one of the team's three nights off all season.)

So here's what I'd suggest: Go see the famous blue-turfed football field at Boise State University. Head west a mile or so on the Greenbelt bike-hike path and cross the river at Capitol Blvd or 9th Street to see the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial. Stroll downtown - toward the mountains - and soak up some of our coffeehouse culture. Dawson Taylor on 8th Street is among the local faves. Have a slice of fine local 'za at Pie Hole a few doors down. Gawk at the LEED-Platinum Banner Bank Building at 10th and Bannock.

If you want more ideas, I am happy to help. [e-mail]. I am also the communications director of the Idaho Democratic Party, pleased to say that we are kicking the state GOP's butt on Web 2.0. That's a good story, too, here in the reddest of the red states!

[turbo-dude]

White water rafting on the snake river.... and experience you will never forget.

[JulieFanselow]

Rafting the Snake River in Hagerman or North Central Idaho is big fun, but it's not in Boise.
The Boise River float is fun, too. Caveats: The river is running very high right now, and it's also super-crowded since the city just gave the go-ahead for people to get on there.

[dadsgravy]

Just keep driving and leave this gay rights hating, Republican loving state where it belongs; in 1980 under the principals of pat robertson and ronald reagan.

Or you can take the less "liberal" approach and see if you can get into Micron, then go get drunk. A few Good places are the Neurolux, table rock and the sockeye brewery.

Drinking helps you suppress the heavy hand of 80's Republican Jesus.

Good luck!

[JulieFanselow]

dadsgravy, your comment reminds me of this all-too-true quote from state Sen. Kate Kelly: "Idaho is an analog bubble in a digital world."
But Boise is unlike much of the rest of the state. It's the digital bubble of Idaho.

[ricksz1]

Eat a solomo sandwich and croquetas at Bar Guernika for lunch. If you're still there Sunday, drop in for tongue. For dinner, there is another basque restaurant around the corner that is great. Drop in at the Cactus later for drinks.

[JulieFanselow]

The other Basque restaurant is Leku Ona. That and Bar Gernika are on the opposite ends of the Basque block (Grove between Capitol and 6th).

Heartily second both places. Yummy!

[dedwardbush]

Come by and visit CradlePoint Technology. We make 3G/4G mobile broadband routers that are gaining popularity in the market. We are growing 20% quarter over quarter this year. We manufacture the routers that Clearwire, Sprint and others OEM. CNET has written about us in the past. Check us out at www.cradlepoint.com. Or, call me, Don Bush, Director of Marketing, 208-908-4350. Would love to have you visit the home office here in Boise.

[JulieFanselow]

Go, Don! Companies like yours give us all hope that we can survive and thrive into the 21st century, even with the losses at Micron and HP.

[tim.lsr]

Keep driving North until you get to Calgary, AB - The Stampede is on!

[Seaspray0]

Discover the high tech of potatoe farming.

[lingatbsu]

Thursday Nights Live... This Thursday's concert is Ben Burdick Trio with Amy Webber

The Boise Business Co-op and The Waterfront at Lake Harbor (3050 N. Lake Harbor off of State St) present Thursday Nights Live. Every Thursday evening this summer from 5-8 pm. Enjoy Live local music, drinks and food.

[techstuffbc]

Don't forget to write about our "top" technology company, Micron, stopping DRAM production, reducing staff to 50% of 4 years ago (5200, down from 10,000), etc.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/826821.html

Lovely, eh.

[subie09lega]

Don't forget the local drastic job reductions at HP. Don't have the numbers but how many buildings have they vacated in the past few years? Seven?

[hmaboi]

If you are interested in aviation history, the Warhawk Air Museum (about 30 miles from Boise) is worth a visit.

http://www.warhawkairmuseum.org/index.htm

And I'll also endorse a trip to Gernika! Yum!