Nampa, ID

Snake River Elementary; 54:28 running time + 1-lap kick

This track actually was asphalt. Apparently safety and skeletal protection are less important for elementary school age children. It was close to the hotel, and the sunlight was disappearing, and the traffic was light and far away, so I made do. For more than half of the run, I ran on the grass around the perimeter of the fenced area.

It was a long day of driving at the beginning of a long week of long days of driving up from Utah, across Idaho, through Northeast Oregon, across Eastern Washington, over to Western Montana, and back down through Eastern Idaho to Utah. It was generally beautiful and sunny, though not for this run, but the weather was relatively mild, and the wind and fresh air felt absolutely great.

I have history in Nampa. I was married at 18 and moved to nearby Caldwell, where I lived and worked as a pizza delivery driver for two years. My ex-wife still lives in the area, I believe. On my last trip through Idaho, I drove to the houses, duplex, and apartment we lived in there, and I reminisced about a relatively carefree and lost portion of my life. Although I was not acting appropriately at that time of my life, my memories are overwhelmingly fond.

I honestly wish that all of my travel for work was through Rural America. It is invariably beautiful, and Idaho/Oregon/Washington/Montana/Wyoming is particularly so. I love the wide open spaces. I challenge you to drive across Montana and not think the sky really is bigger there.