things to do – Real Gritty Adventures - Of the Soul Refining Kind

Idaho is nicknamed the Gem State. A quick online search will tell you that it got this illustrious name from the snow capped peaks, crystalline lakes and countless wildflowers that decorate the hillsides in springtime. The words tell a story, but to truly appreciate the breathtaking beauty of this state, you simply must travel there!

I checked this state off the soul-obtraveler’s bucket list as #38. It is by far the one I had the hardest time leaving.

Perhaps it was in fact the snow capped peaks that captured my heart:

Or perhaps it was the beautiful wild flowers springing up on the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Bi-way:

Or perhaps it was the most beautiful demonstration of how nature simply overcomes. Idaho had the worst winter on record this year – with the most snowfall since they started tracking it – and yet there were signs of resilience everywhere.

Two trips to San Francisco under my belt and I always discover something new and intriguing!

Thanks to an amazing Uber driver, I got to see the entire Bay from the hilltop rather than from down below.

On one side the wide expanse of time, embodied in the vast Pacific Ocean.

On the other, a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and in the distance, the beguiling city of San Francisco.

I would highly recommend crossing over the bridge and making your way to the hilltop for this view. It’s a beautiful walk down with a footpath (shared with mountain bikers) to the bridge itself. I made the trek across it and stopped for a bit of refreshment at the cafe near the visitor center.

While there, I discovered and purchased a book by my new favorite traveling author: Chiang Yee. His book, “The Silent Traveller in San Francisco”, is hard to put down. I highly recommend it. The reader (you) dons a sort of cape that gently whisks away the present and supplants you in another era of The City.

Each step through the adjoining neighborhoods is a vantage point in time and place. Whether you’re sitting in a hilltop gazing at the GGB, or observing the bustle of change through the eyes of Chiang Yee, it’s a city of a million different views.