LISTINGS/REC Events & Workshops LEARN TO KAYAK—Develop the paddling technique and safety skills you need to enjoy whitewater kayaking. Spend the morning on flatwater learning about the equipment and practicing wet exits and various paddle strokes. The afternoon will be spent on the Boise River learning about whitewater safety, how to
read the river and practicing eddy turns, peel outs and ferries. Call Riverroots at 208-850-7637 to reserve your spot. Saturday, June 30, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $79. QUEST FOR THE CAPITOL—Watch athletes compete in Olympic distance and sprint triathlons, ending with a run toward the Idaho Statehouse. Racers depart from Veteran’s
REC translates to “no trees,” 35 years earlier. How lonely and isolated that must have seemed on his Honda 250. Tennant Creek is a gritty oasis and one of the few overland stopping points to Alice Springs and the legendary Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock). The streets were uncomfortably quiet and empty except for a few campers fueling up. I stashed my gear at the Traveler’s Rest Hostel in the west end of town and spent some time with owner-manager Tony and his friend Bill. Tony originally planned for a three-month visit to Tennant Creek but 20 years later had yet to leave. “This is the bush. We like to keep it simple,” said Tony of his modest-but-functional operation. At 74 he still drives down to the Greyhound station most mornings at 2 a.m. to collect exhausted tourists overnighting on their way to Uluru. The man has some excellent stories about life in the Outback. Bill is a British ex-pat who headed out on an aroundthe-world trip many years ago after growing up in Suffolk and living in London for a stint. Sick of the hustle, he never made it any further than the Outback. “I knew I wanted to live here the minute I arrived,” Bill said. He now works and lives between Tennant Creek and the super-remote surrounding Aboriginal lands. This country seems to have that effect on people—it captures them immediately with its promise of seclusion and physical challenges in the most authentic sense imaginable. And there is no easy way out of this unforgiving land. If you decide you don’t want to be there anymore, you’d better have a bush plane or chopper or a reliable land vehicle, as well as tremendous patience and several days to burn. The next day, I shifted north to Daly Waters for a taste of Australian history. The isolated pub and cattle station was home to the first international airport in the Land Down Under—the result of the strategic placement of a WWII American military base. The pub is richly adorned with mementos from visitors past and historical artifacts that showed the most complete representation of Australia’s progression over the last 80 years. The 10,000-foot airstrip up the road looks incredibly out of place until you get the background story. A leisurely 350-mile ride the next day and I was in Darwin, my gateway to Southeast Asia. With monsoon season picking up in Thailand and Malaysia, and shipping time frames not working to my advantage, I elected to store the KLR in Darwin until December, when the weather clears. Now back in Boise, and with about 20 percent of the total trip accounted for, I have begun to reflect on the experiences my father would have had on his journey. It is nice to finally have some empathy for an experience I long considered too exotic to ever fully appreciate. Another 12,000 miles and I reckon it will all make sense. 30
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Memorial Park. See Picks, Page 17. Saturday, June 30, 8:30 a.m. triidaho.org.
Recurring FIRE DANCING CLASSES— Learn the beautiful art of fire dancing from expert instructors in a safe environment. Fridays, 6-7 p.m. $9. Ophidia Studio, 4464 Chinden Blvd., Ste. A, Garden City, 208-409-2403, ophidiastudio.com. GR8 TO SK8—Wear a crazy costume while you hone your ice skating skills. Dress in the day’s theme on Fridays this summer and receive $3 off your public skating session. Visit the website for a list of themes. Fridays. Idaho IceWorld, 7072 S. Eisenman Road, Boise, 208-3310044, idahoiceworld.com. LADIES DAY AT RIDGECREST GOLF CLUB—Every Thursday is Ladies Day on the Wee-9 at Ridgecrest Golf Club. Enjoy discounted green fees through Sept. 27. $10. Ridgecrest Golf Club, 3730 Ridgecrest Drive, Nampa, 208-468-9073. THAI CHI IN THE GARDEN— Tai Chi, a meditative practice incorporating slow movement, has been described as poetry in motion. Provided by longtime practitioner Jeff Rylee, participants are encouraged to become centered with the invigorating morning sounds and scents of the Meditation Garden. Saturdays, 10 a.m. FREE for IBG members, $5 nonmembers. Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 N. Penitentiary Road, Boise, 208-343-8649, idahobotanicalgarden.org.
Register FALL ADULT COED SOFTBALL—Softball designed with fun in mind. The level of play is not highly competitive. Each team plays twice a week for 10 games, plus a double-elimination tournament at the end of season play. League starts Monday, Aug. 6. Games held at Skyview Park. Player fees: Nampa residents $10, nonresidents $15. $265 by Tuesday, July 3 or $290 by Tuesday July 10. Nampa Recreation Center, 131 Constitution Way, Nampa, 208-468-5858, nampaparksandrecreation.org. FIT FOR LIFE HALF MARATHON—Register at bluecirclesports.com for the 10th Fit For Life Half Marathon, which will take place Saturday, July 14. Visit bluecirclesports.com for more info. Hawks Memorial Stadium, 5600 N. Glenwood St., Garden City, 208-322-5000, boisehawks.com. SOUTHERN IDAHO GRASS VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT— Pre-register for the third leg of the Southern Idaho Grass Volleyball Tournament series by message on Facebook, email at southernidahovolleyball@ gmail.com, or by phone or text at 208-794-6029. Must be preregistered by 8 p.m. Friday, June 29. Sorry, no exceptions. Saturday, June 30, 9 a.m. $15-$20. Ann Morrison Park, Americana Boulevard., Boise.
BOISEweekly | JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2012 | 31