Late Summer in the City

It's no secret that I am in love with Boise. I love the river and the fact that our citizens had the fore site long ago to protect its banks and create a path (our greenbelt) for people to enjoy. I ride my bike home on it most days, even though it is a bit longer than riding through downtown. The greenbelt wanders along next to the clean water of the river through several large parks filled with people laying on blankets enjoying the warmth of the sun, geese honking at ducks, ducks ignoring the geese, kids on paddle boats in the pond, the football stadium with the sound of the marching band practicing, adults on rafts in the river floating lazily by, an occasional bald eagle swooping into the river looking for dinner. It's an amazing commute, kind of like the utopia they try to create at theme parks that usually falls flat and ends up feeling a bit creepy.
I love the foothills and the fact that our citizens are currently fighting to keep the development away from our trail system. I rode my mountain bike last night from my front door to a system of trails that I had never even seen before. It's not that I don't get out a lot, I do. And I've lived here at the base of these hills my entire life. It's just that we have such an amazing variety of trails in this city, just short of 100 miles of them in the lower foothills alone. Its hard for me to venture out of the Hulls Gulch area because its my first love, but there is so much more to explore! I love how friendly people are. How mountain bikers all feel a need to smile and wave at you as you ride by. How people with dogs will step off the trail for you to pass. How the runners, almost completely out of breath as they huff up a hill still take that extra effort for a friendly "hello" and a quick wave. Last night I went back into Military Reserve where there were several softball games going. The sound of a cheering crowd as someone rounds the plate is enough to make you turn off your MP3 player and just soak it all in.
I love Boise's downtown. I love living three blocks from art galleries, and an independent music store, and great restaurants, and fun bars filled with live music and vibrant people. I love the little wine bar down the street. The couple that owns it met in Boise even though she's from England and he's from Brazil. Further down is a pub that only sells beers on tap that are micros from the Northwest. Across the street one of our friends plays music on Thursday nights. Kitty corner from that is a little hole in the wall that sells the best burgers in town, and the owner's wife used to work with my mom. I even love that hardly anyone you ever meet is actually from Boise, but they probably know someone that you know. There are about three degrees of separation between everyone in this town.
I love the Northend. I love the huge trees that cause the sidewalks to be like roller coasters because the roots push them up do far. I love walking through our neighborhood with the dogs at night and looking in people's windows as they eat dinner, or vacuum, or talk on the phone while gesturing wildly with their hands. I love how one house can look like it's about to fall over and the one next to it looks like it could be on the cover of Cottage Living. I love how the schools are all made completely out of brick, have huge playing fields, and are tucked away into the neighborhood. I love how an old hippie, a lawyer and a sculptor all live next to each other on the same block. I love going to Hyde Park and sitting on the patio at Luck 13, where Michael and I met, and people watching. I love the anticipation this time of year of the leaves changing colors and setting the entire area on fire. I love the smell of the Northend, so much so that I won't even try to describe it.
I hope everyone out there is cyberland is in love with where they live, too. Don't let the horrible behavior of one sad, pathetic man (that I never voted for) color your view of Idaho. Boise is only one small part of an incredible state that seems to only get in the headlines for disturbing reasons.
Lots of love, -M