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Road Trip 2010


Salmon Kings Booster Club

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The Third Annual Salmon Kings Booster Club road trip to Boise, Idaho began the late afternoon of Wed, March 24th. Once our little convoy was assembled we were on board the BC ferry at 7 pm. Two hours later we passed the Peach Arch Monument and crossed into the United States of America. Bellingham would be the place where the comradeship that would forge us into a close knit band of brothers and sisters began. An unexpected tour of parts of Bellingham not on the tourist iternary took place as we finally located a Hagen's supermarket. We were treated to the night vista that is the Seattle skyline along Elliot Bay. Notable sports related places passed in the area were QWest Field and the Tacoma Dome. A hard rain began pelting us just north of Everett and followed us all the way to The Dalles, Oregon. Excellent navigational research allowed us to bypass the main part of Portland and we crossed the Columbia into Gresham. Despite the darkness, we could make out the facaded of the many dams on the Columbia. Daylight found us in the farm belt of eastern Oregon. After a breakfast stop, we soon turned southeast into rolling hills and sagebrush country, passing through what the locals call the Blue Mountains. Pushing into Idaho, just east of Boise we went through a rain squall and arrived at our hotel around noon local time. Each of us unwound from the long drive in our own fashion. The next morning it was breakfast at Goldy's, and the experience exceeded all the reports this correspondent had received. There may be a wait, but it is well worth it.

FRIDAY TOURING ---Priceless homes, the Bronco Nation, and time spent in prison made for an interesting day. One of the Steelhead Booster Club members had kindly volunteered to be our tour guide. We passed a neigbourhood of old, valuable homes that are all heated with natural sources. From here we headed to Boise State University (BSU) to see the "blue football field". Some of you may have seen this field if you have watched the annual Humanitarian Bowl hosted there. We were able to get close to the field and saw the inspiring view of the adjacent mountains. We then saw the BSU Sports Hall of Fame and the adjacent Taco Bell Arena was pointed out to us. It is the home of BSU basketball and in some years a venue durng March Madness. The sports teams at BSU are called the Broncos and all over town you will encounter the blue and orange colours of BSU. One learns very quickly that folks in Boise are very proud of their football team. After picking up some souviners at the Broncos Gift shop we headed off to prison.

AN NFL INTERLUDE-- a fascination side note is the fact that "Pro Day" at BSU took place during our visit. At least 44 NFL scouts had arrived en masse, mostly to test and evaluate Broncos cornerback Kyle Wilson, who is projected to go from the mid First to late Second round in the NFL Draft. When Kyle Wison emerges as a big time NFL star, our group will be able to say we were in the same place when the NFL checked him out.

JAILS ARE NOT FUN --our tour guide decided that this group of Victorians needed some time behind bars. We now went from a seat of higher learning to a location of lower expections. The Old Idaho Penitentiary contains many of the buidlings and examples of incarceration and punishment of the past. In some spots, it is like being on a prison movie set. Defintiely a place that makes one think.

GAME NIGHT---we were in a suite for the Friday game, courtesy of a raffle that two of our members had won the year previously. We found ourselves in a cheering contest with a group sitting near the US flag, a contest that was spirited yet good natured. Meeting some of them on the Saturday, they said how much they enjoyed it and how it made their game experience better. Final score, 1-0 Salmon Kings. We allowed ourselves a brief post game celebration then rested up for the next day. Two of our group visited the State Capitol building on separate occasions and compared notes of what we saw.

SATURDAY --GOAL! and THE MALL--all of the group but one chose to use Sat afternoon to visit a large suburban mall. Your correspondent stayed behind where he found himself watching the heartwarming soccer movie Goal! as he packed up his luggage and Idaho treasures. When I saw the smiles of our group on their return from the mall, I knew it had been a good outing.

OLD CHICAGO AND IDAHO BUDDIES---a pregame meal and get together with the Idaho Steelheads Booster Club took place at an establishment called Old Chicago. It was like meeting another party of one's family and many friendships were made at this outing.

GAME NIGHT--waiting in the lineup outside the arena, had some fun chats with Idaho fans, who were all so friendly. Inside it was the same. Giveaways this night came from the local pro baseball team, the Boise Hawks, whose mascot was in attendance. Hockey wise it was not a great night for the Salmon Kings. Post game, I was able to observe how the Steelheads and their Booster Club hold their annual end of season auction of all the team's game worn jerseys. Reuniting with our group, we spent some quality time together then got rested up for the return journey.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN---An early departure, still quite dark out, and we passed from Idaho into Oregon, and with the sun up, stopped at a rest stop where we experienced a bitter cold and ripping wind. Perhaps the wind helped as it was not long before we were turning towards the Columbia River and Washington. Passsed a big dam, that provided the irrigation that makes agriculture flourish in this region. Before we knew it, we were heading through Yakima and its All-American City signs. We came over a hill and before us lay a scene that could have been the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. Soon we made our second to last stop to refresh and prepare our on the road picnic items. Heading toward the Snoqaulmie Pass, the mountains got fuller and higher with lots of snow. Lake Keechulus had the adjacent mountains beautifully reflected in its waters. Ahead, cloud shapes and formations indicated rain. Soon we reached Bellevue, and onto I-5. A final stop in Everett for gas and then back to the border. Our driver asked us to predict what time we would reach the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. We caught a wave, border crossed and we were at Tsawwassen just before 3 pm but had to wait for the 5 pm sailing. A chance to relax and check out the shops there. Boarded the Spirit of Vancouver Island on time. By 8:P30 pm we were all home safe and sound.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS----Friendships made and the hospitality of our Idaho counterparts plus sharing the comradeship with a truly amazing band of brothers and sisters. A road trip to remember. All of the positive things that Jen and Pam had told us made experiencing it even better. So many new friends, and at least one of our group has changed his college football loyalties and has joined The Bronco Nation.

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