Northern Exposure: Part 1

So here’s what I’ve decided to do…I will give you the highlights of my two week “Northern Exposure” trip to Idaho, Wyoming and Montana since there were parts of the trip that were less than stellar. I’ll also break it down by state and town because I think I’ve already established how much I love a good, organized list. And in an effort to not bore you silly…I’ll spread it out over several posts. So hang with me people…it was a LONG trip!

Idaho Falls, ID – IF you can refer to any western town as “industrial” this would be the one. I feel like that is a word that you identify most with cities more like Pittsburg or Detroit.  But yeah…it certainly fit here. God bless it…this little town would be a hard place to work at the Chamber of Commerce or Visitors bureau…although, they’re trying.

 

Notice the slogan above the spud pics.

This was the slogan posted above the SINGLE luggage carousel in the airport. I laughed when I saw it because there is a teeny-tiny town in southeastern OK that has a similar slogan…”Clayton – the gateway to adventure!” I keep going back and forth with this grammatically...shouldn't it read "threshold OF adventure"? Maybe I'm crazy...english majors help me out!

What Idaho Falls has going for it is that it’s truly the southern gateway to Teton National Park and from there Yellowstone National Park. This is an outdoorsman and angler paradise. It’s a great place to fly into, pick up your rental car, grab some supplies and head out to the parks. It is not the destination.

For this eastern side of the state this is the BIG town. It had a mall and a very decent La Quinta hotel. I don’t normally stay in La Quintas…but this one gets a gold star from me. They had a great breakfast everyday with plenty of fruit and gluten free options for me. It was right across the street from their mall and had easy access to the major roads. The hotel was somewhat new and the staff was very sweet and accommodating. Should I ever find myself in this “Detroit of the West” again…I will certainly stay here.

When I arrived in Idaho Falls I had to take a taxi to the Enterprise office to pick up the car because it wasn’t on the airport grounds. My cabbie was talkative and pleasant enough but when I asked where a good place was to eat…he went mute. I always assume, and perhaps wrongly so, that large people probably know where to eat. This guy…bless him…could only refer me to the local greasy spoon.  So when the locals fail me where do I turn??? TripAdvisor.com. I love Trip Advisor. It really hasn’t steered me wrong yet.  I was starving, having been up since 4:00am CST and it was now 2:00pm MST, and decided that MacKinzie River Pizza Co. sounded local enough and was close to my hotel. The service was friendly and timely…but the food was just so-so. I ordered their spicy chicken sandwich. The presentation was so poor that I didn’t even take a picture. The fries also tasted like they’d been sitting under the heat lamp for about an hour.

That night I had dinner with alumni at their home way out in the country. I only mention this part because on the list of “Strange Things I Do on My Job” this might be #1. In a 3 hour visit I: fed rainbow trout in their pond and witnessed a feeding frenzy not to be rivaled by Shark Week on Discovery; flew a kite attached to a fishing rod and thought “why haven’t I thought of this???”; learned all about the Cherokee and Delaware tribal jewelry; and may have even learned how to tie a fly. I also mention this because Dr. Reno is a nationally known fly tier and has written several books on fish and fly fishing. He and his lovely wife, Kathy, run a FREE (yes FREE) B&B/Fly Fishing School out of their home. For those wanting to learn the art of fly tying and fly fishing…they will put you up in their home until you feel you’ve learned what you wanted to. It’s a little “hippy dippy” for me…but a great opportunity worth sharing to those who might be interested in that sort of thing.  IF you’re interested…email me and I’ll happily share their contact information.

My last night there I had a business dinner at the SnakeBite in downtown Idaho Falls. This is rated fairly high on Trip Advisor and was fairly decent. I had their nightly special which turned out to be a bison burger that night. It was very juicy, flavorful and cooked to order. It also came with a delightful little side salad. They also have a good variety of Idaho micro brews. Word to the wise…take CASH. They don’t do credit cards.

Tip here: apparently way up north they like bloody hamburgers. I’m a southern girl and I like my ground (insert meat here) done all the way thru. So if you’re up that way and ordering a burger, or even a steak for that matter, order a temperature up than you normally would because the chefs tend to undercook everything.

 

Swan Valley, ID – is a lovely little town along highway 26 on your way to Jackson, WY and Teton National Park. And when I say “little town” I mean TINY. I believe the population was 208 when I drove into town last month. It has one gas station, two ice cream places, a school, a couple of lodges and lots of private homes along the Snake River.

Yes. That is one of the Tetons in the back.

Should you find yourself driving thru this adorable little hamlet, take a moment to stop at the Swan Valley Outpost for a locally brewed microbrew and dinner. It might not look like much from the outside but what I learned on this trip is that buildings are purely functional. The true beauty is the setting. This little place looks like a 21^st century saloon but one step out the back door and you’re on a quaint little deck overlooking the expanse of the Teton Mountains.  Because this town is so small everyone knows everyone by name and the staff here immediately wants to know yours. They are friendly and responsive but very much in a familial sort of way. I got the impression that if I’d walked behind the bar and pulled my own pint no one would have minded.

As you continue south along Highway 26 towards Jackson, WY you’ll pass over the Palisades Reservoir which just happens to be one of the prettiest Alpine looking lakes I’ve ever seen. The drive is very picturesque as you wind your way up to the reservoir and then down again to the foot of the Tetons.

Next week: Jackson Hole, WY