Our second day in Idaho began with a wild badger right in the middle of Boise, and ended on a spontaneous three-hour side trip into the mountains!
As we stopped for breakfast at a large grocery store, we were shocked to see a badger trotting across the parking lot and right past the entrance of the store! It proceeded to sniff at each trash can it passed, then stopped to gaze at its soaking wet reflection in a window, before casually disappearing into the nearby bushes. What a cool way to start the day!
After our close encounter, we visited the Boise Rose Garden and saw some fabulous blossoms! They were glistening with fresh droplets, and we had a peaceful time wandering the grounds.
There was a lovely blue fountain there, and we even spotted lots of tiny mushrooms nestled amongst the grass!
While exploring the city, we saw some fantastic street art, especially at Freak Alley!
We grabbed lunch and some vegan donuts, serendipitously asking some locals about scenic drives nearby. The Sawtooth Mountains were recommended to us, and we decided to skip town and take the long way back. The heavily forested drive was fantastic, and we enjoyed the journey as well as the destination!
A golden eagle soared across the mountains when we stopped at an overlook, perfecting the view.
We slowed down to admire some of the smaller things in life, too...some lichen growing on an old wooden fence caught my eye.
After driving a few hours through the forest, we finally came within view of the Sawtooth range. It was gorgeous!
We stopped by Redfish Lake, and dipped our toes into its famously clear water, while admiring the view.
We watched a cute squirrel scamper up a nearby fence, then headed off as darkness fell, watching fireworks from the road. We had a wonderful trip, and can't wait to see even more of Idaho's lovely mountains!
