Getting Home

 This blog picks up where great basin leaves off and culminates with me getting home. 

I left great basin and started what should’ve been a slightly less than 5 Hour drive to my accommodations in southern Idaho. 6 1/2 hours later I got to my hotel. I got sick on the road and ended up being delayed by about 90 minutes as a result because I kept trying to drive even though I was physically ill, which was stupid. I should’ve just stopped and waited for it to pass. 

When I got to my hotel, I was feeling quite a bit better and ordered takeout from a chain restaurant because I know the food is consistent and that I don’t tend to have reactions to it. But overall, today was a drive day and a rest day basically all of the days on the way home rest days. I’ve done a lot this month and I eased into it with three drive days on the way out and I’m easing out of it with three drive days on the way home. So I am just putting my feet up and the women’s gymnastics team As they compete in Paris. 

Day 2

I’m meticulously planned nearly every detail of this entire trip and have been planning since August 2023. I did not however, bother to look to see the operating hours of a restaurant in Boise that I was really excited to try. Come to find out they are closed on Mondays, so the entire purpose of me being in Boise I can’t enjoy because I have to leave early from Boise on Tuesday morning to get to a tour in Pendleton. All that to say is that this trip has taught me the importance of flexibility and that you don’t always get what you want in fact dinner plans that I had been really excited for the first night on the road also got canceled because the restaurant ended up closing for the month of June. 

If my hotel had been refundable, I probably would’ve canceled the night and Boise and gotten something closer to where I’m supposed to be in Oregon but it’s a nonrefundable hotel so I’m sure I will find plenty of things to do in Boise today. 

Well scratch that—- I made it a few miles down the road before my check engine light and X-mode lights went on and I lost most electoral systems. Thank goodness for auto zone for letting me know it was an EVAP pump issue and it is drivable for today. I was able to get an appointment for the car at Subaru in Boise, but that took everything else out for today until I can get it fixed. 

Dealership from the same thing wrong with it AutoZone dead only it took an extra 90 minutes. They didn’t have the part in stock and I have an appointment to have my oil changed in my hometown on the fifth anyway so I just called them. They’re ordering the part and everything will be done after I get home. The downside is my cruise control won’t work. My lane assist won’t work. The safety features that are electrical also won’t work and neither will hill climb assist. That really bothers me is no cruise control because that means I have to be a lot more focused when I’m driving, which maybe isn’t a bad thing but at the end of 30 some odd days on the road I miss it. 

I went to downtown Boise, which is a nice break from the rest of Idaho. Walked through freak alley, which is a compilation of murals my local artists, which was really cool.

 I then went to Bitter Creek ale House, and had a really good cocktail as well as a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup for lunch. On the way back to my car, I stopped at a local shop called Lee’s I got myself a few chocolates for the road. They also have free samples so that’s enough to stop in. 

I then checked into my hotel in the suburbs of Boise.

Went out for Greek food got cat called three times between walking there and walking home. That’s not what I mean when I say it would be nice to have attention again.

But I got my food, went back to the hotel and watched the Olympics. 

Another night in. 

Day 3 - no pet hotels

The hotel I spent last night and is pet friendly and I’ve now made a note to self that I don’t want to stay in pet friendly hotels. The dog in the room next-door to me was very loud late into the evening, which hindered my ability to sleep. We also lost power in my room twice, which meant that my phone didn’t charge. 

There is a Krispy Kreme around the corner from my hotel so I did get Myself a hot and ready donut before getting on the road. 

I got on the road around 730 mountain time in order to get to an 11 o’clock tour in Pendleton Oregon Pacific daylight time. Made up the hour on the road and enjoyed the quick tour about how some really beautiful Well, blankets are sourced from sheep within the The Pacific Northwest, Crafted predominantly in Washington and Oregon. And then got myself my big souvenir. I know that they have a factory outlet there and it’s often very small and minor things that are putting something in a factory second I also knew the blanket that I was really hoping they would have.

And I’m super excited that they did have the crown of the continent blanket with one very small black dot where there shouldn’t be one which doesn’t bother me at all. I am certainly not perfect, And saving $100 on a trip that has been more expensive than I planned in so many ways is a small victory. 

I enjoyed walking around historic downtown Pendleton as well as the historic homes in the area.

Before getting on the road to La Grande, Oregon About an hour back east. This is my only time backtracking on my trip. 

Once in town, I walked around their historic downtown district and had my first experience at a gourmet soda shop. These are really popular apparently in communities that have a large Mormon population and are used as locations instead of coffee, shops, and bars. It was interesting. I don’t think I quite understand the but I am sure there are plenty of Mormon people that would say that they don’t understand the allure of cocktail culture that I enjoy.

I got out to Lake Lodge at 4 o’clock and was in the Hot Springs by 4:15. The lake itself is literally steaming and is that about of 180° we don’t swim in that it would kill you pretty quickly. There are five tempered tubs Ranging from 102-105°. They also have a cold plunge tub. I tried. I made it about halfway in before getting out having my whole lower body feel like pins and needles and very desperately needing to get back into the hot tub.

After 15 to 20 minutes in the tubs, I ran out of water and took a much-needed air-conditioning break in my room, which is gorgeous. 

I had dinner at the thermal pub on site before going back out to the tubs for another soak. 

This is a super romantic hotel that I’m sure on weekends or in the winter is very busy with couples and would maybe make me feel bad because two days from now I’m finalizing my divorce papers; But today there’s maybe two other rooms booked which means I basically have this entire gorgeous resort to myself. 

Day 4- the end 

I slept like a baby last night maybe the best night sleep I’ve had in a while. My muscles just melted In the final hotspot of the night and I took a shower before bed with beautiful aromatherapy items that the hotel provides before crawling into a comfortable bed. 

I did wake up this morning a.m. to homing pigeons outside my window, so just be aware of that.

I had a lazy morning in bed before getting up for 2 final dips in the spring before driving home.

The only downside of this hotel is that it is more boarding house or bed-and-breakfast style in that not every room has its own bathroom so I’m sharing mine with at least one other person which isn’t bad because the hotel is so empty but if it were busy, I think I would want a room with my own bathroom and the future they do offer them. It’s just not all of them.

After a ton of traffic and construction and single lanes, I made it home. Tomorrow is going to be very emotional, but that’s a problem for tomorrow. Today is laundry and cleaning my car.