Adventures in Boise

"Housekeeping!"

This announcement, preceded by a knock on the door, is the dread of every hotel occupant that has changed time zones.

Still, I have made my best of my most recent visit to Boise, Idaho. My brother took me up to Table Rock, where we dangled daringly from the outcropping. From Table Rock, it is possible to see more than 100 miles into Oregon. While the road up to Table Rock is hideous, it still retains the charm of an undeveloped wonder - this despite suggestions that safety railings should be put up.

Immediately below Table Rock lies Old Penitentiary, and if you've got a sturdy pair of binoculars, you can peer into the Idaho Botanical Garden nearby, thus saving yourself the entry fee to see it close-up.

For a fee-free adventure, head back down to the valley floor and check out the Morrison Knudsen Nature Center, next to the Fish & Game Department. Streamside windows allow visitors to stop and view an underwater snapshot of a riparian ecosystem. An interpretive center rounds out the visit, and supplies the all-important travel element: public restrooms.