Back into Idaho
We kinda slept in today. Knowing that we just had a driving day with nothing on the schedule to stop and spend time seeing, we didn’t feel the need to jump and run. We had a casual breakfast with a couple from Washington and chatted about our trip and theirs.
Our watches still said 9:08 a.m. but we haven’t changed them and we are in a different time zone here, so it’s really after ten.
Traffic on this road is light but it is a two lane road and most of it has double yellows in the center, which means no passing. Seems we found a way to get behind someone who was going really slow, like 45 in a 60 mph zone. I wasn’t about to pass like I had a few days before and suffer another ticket, so I poked along behind until either they pulled off or turned.
Open range land.
We did have some excitement besides crossing back into Idaho. Along next to the road was a herd of about 50 Pronghorn deer. As we passed at about 65 mph it did not upset or disturb them and some of them grazed right out near the road while most stayed farther back. But after realizing that they were wild I stop and turned around to go back and get pictures. Now as I drove up slowly they did notice and began to move off. We got a picture of a few of them before they all decided it would be best to join the herd and head off for the hills.
And any of you who have known me for very long know that I love to photograph old barns and buildings. I found two today. One looked like a house, but the other may have been a school house.
We were into Idaho Falls in early afternoon, which gave us a chance to do some laundry.
One of the Pronghorn deer we passed.
Hate to have to do it on vacation but we just can’t afford to buy new as the old gets stinky. J But as usual a dryer that doesn’t dry makes it take a lot longer than than it should have.
In town we get pictures of the water falls along the river and a couple of a great roundabout.
Time to blog and then out to dinner. Dinner was the special for this trip. Idaho Falls is privileged to have a Texas Road House. We have now been to two of them, one on our trip last year in Fort Collins, Colorado, and here. We have enjoyed both for not only the fun, casual, atmosphere, even if it is a little noisy, but for the food too.
With now more than 260 locations covering 43 states, this fast growing steakhouse must be doing something right. They began back in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana. They say "We wanted to provide a place that the whole family could enjoy. Texas Roadhouse is about a hearty, good meal with service that is friendly, energetic, and enthusiastic. Life should be fun - so the workplace needs to reflect that as well - and that is why we put our employees first." When you walk in the front door you know its going to be fun. You almost always will have to wait for a table or booth they are so crowded. But that’s not because they are small, anything from it. Both locations I have visited were quite large. You wait in a waiting room that has a huge barrel of peanuts and they expect you to grab a handful, shell them and toss the shells on the floor. Then when they call your name, the hostess guides you to your table and hands you your menus and tells about the specials. All of the hostesses and waitresses and in cowgirl garb and all seem to be hired on being good “people skilled” people with big smiles. During your meal they may even cluster in an isle to do a little line dancing. The food is way above average but still at a very decent price. I urge people to try this place.
This three-story fairly new hotel type facility is rated three stars by AAA. It is fairly large with 93 guest rooms. There are an indoor 24 hour heated pool, a 24 hour hot tub Jacuzzi and a 24 hour fitness room. Also on site is a laundry facility, but care should be taken, one dryer was not working properly when we were there. All rooms feature all of the amenities that are found nowadays but include a few extras. Besides the extended continental breakfast in the morning they also serve warm, fresh baked cookies in the afternoon.
Breakfast area. Photo from their
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Pool area. Photo from their site.
Exterior. Photo from their site.
Exterior
