Day 10 – Day Off in Idaho’s Falls

Rise and shine at The Cabana Inn and we are out. We find a laundry mat and get busy.

Boise again welcomes us with open arms as Drew and Chris catch a supplemental nap on the benches out front and Mike serenades Ed with a gem from Jesus Christ Superstar. Sang at better than modest volume yielding better than modest applause from the laundry ladies. Our threads are dry so we decide to leave on a high note.  Cravings for tacos were almost immediate as the Spanish in some of us wanted to be heard… And fed. Chronic Tacos of Boise, here we come. We were greeted with the oldie but goodie “you guys in some kind of band?” The staff was cool and patient. Especially where patience is needed…six guys making tough menu choices while digging through pockets for fresh bread. Guitar pics and drum keys don’t buy tacos..  Drew was all sorts of amped to order 3 fried potato tacos but ironically they only had enough for 2.  Either way, great place, great food. A couple handfuls of stickers later and we’re back at the van-truck where we’re approach by another one of Boise’s kind peeps. A silver-haired gent, name of Ken Harris, suggests we check out Doyle’s Music Shoppe (could be ‘store’ but I’m feeling the old-timey feel.) Doyle’s was awesome…makes us think how far technology has come while some fundamentals in design of instruments and amplification are unchanging. A quick stop at The Rainbow Condom Factory next door for some more stickers and we bid farewell to a town we look forward to visiting again.

We have two days to make it to Billings, MT… It’s one of the longer legs so it is decided to break the drive up in time. Last night at The Gusto we’d met a rockster named Cameron. Twin Falls is his city and he had invited us over for some hang time. Upon rolling in to the TF we spanned an impressive bridge over an impressively larger canyon complete with mighty river and intricately placed golf course. It was the kind of golf course that a novice like me would get more and more frustrated playing if it weren’t so damn beautiful. Worthy of pictures and hamstring stretching, we pull over to meet Cameron.  He says to follow him. Now…this vibe is worlds better than the hang-out caravan we caboosed in Nevada (see previous blog)...We can’t help getting that ‘no way is there a restaurant/bar back here in this semi-desolate train yard’ kind of feeling. Around the bend pops a Twin Falls date-night destination complex. A kick-back joint, a dance club and a country bar all rubbing elbows. Cameron takes us through door number one. The talk is mystery beers and classic rock. After some frozen corn dogs, pinball and strategic sticker placement we’re off to Cams pad. (We feel we’ve arrived at the abbreviated name stage)

This kid is not messing around. For a moment, think of dudes in bands as soldiers of fortune-guerilla types. This would be the guy to see if you need a little of everything. Full recording studio, more instruments than a Hollywood dentist, bus parking and more. Resisting the urge to bust some doughnuts in the bus lane with our humble two-axle, we head in. The kind streak we found in Boise is present here as well. Ed gets emo/chuck Barry on a Les Paul, we talk zombies and produce yield of Idaho versus Colorado. Cameron, I forget your buddies name but big thanks to you both for the chill station. Great dudes. A magic carpet ride in to Idaho Falls and we call it a night.  Ed, in his Original-Hero-Wrangler-Cargo jean shorts and all.