In previous posts, we discussed involving the family in discovering and "collecting" Idaho history markers. This is a great way to add another fun and educational dimension to your Idaho vacation. This post introduces another organization that encourages public participation in identifying and submitting historical markers to its database.
Markeroni describes itself as: "A friendly, informal and light-hearted online community where history fans, treasure hunters and travelers log their visits to historical markers and historic landmarks." Markeroni operates in five countries in addition to the USA. The creator is a transplanted Englishwoman currently living "half way up a mountain in California."
Markeroni describes their philosophy as follows: "We have fun with history while honoring its serious side, too. We celebrate those who preserve history and put up markers and plaques, and provide information about organizations so that you can get involved if you choose. We try to improve our Catalog so that it grows into a truly great public resource. We take history seriously, but try not to take ourselves too seriously."
Markeroni offers free access to most features of their web site and also offers, for a $10/year membership, additional benefits including challenges, games, streamlined posting of markers, and various levels of recognition for logging or collecting landmarks or markers. They even have their own terminology - a marker is a snarf; searching for a marker is snarfing. History does not have to be boring. Make it fun and educational for the whole family.
Access markeroni here. They currently boast over 800 members, some who have snarfed thousands of landmarks/markers. Utilize their database to find landmarks in your home area, on your travel route, or at your destination. Ffor example, their database shows 1,341 historical landmarks in the state of Idaho and California has over 8,000.
Log onto markeroni's site and give it a look. I just found this a few days ago and have joined their group. I look forward to snarfing and logging some snarfs. Hope you have fun doing the same. Let me know of your experience.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Idaho Vacation: Become a Historical Marker Collector via The Historical Marker Database
Are you a historical marker collector ? or history buff? You can do both when taking an Idaho vacation. No, I won't encourage you to collect the actual hstorical markers. But you can add interest to your trips and get the whole family involved by keeping a log of historical markers you visit. What a great thing to do.
The Historical Marker Database or HMdb.org is one such organization that helps make it happen.
According to their web site, "This website is an illustrated searchable online catalog of historical information viewed through the filter of roadside and other permanent outdoor markers, monuments, and plaques. It contains photographs, inscription transcriptions, marker locations, maps, additional information and commentary, and links to more information. Anyone can add new markers to the database and update existing marker pages with new photographs, links, information and commentary."HMdb describes itself as an organization of self-directed volunteers. Site visitors are invited to sign in so they may add information to the database and "collect" or log sites visited. Access their web site here.
HMdb depends on contributions from curious and helpful travelers like us to add entries to the database. The format and criteria for adding entries is on their web site. Markers must be outside and state historical facts beyond names, dates, and titles to be considered.
Add interest while on an Idaho vacation and enhance the experience by "collecting" historical markers. Make it a family project by gathering the information to add new markers to the existing database at HMdb.org.
Idaho Vacation: Become an Instant History Buff
Here is a great fun thing to do while on your Idaho vacation. Look for one of more than 240 large historical highway markers. Idaho is chock full of history and the major sites are marked.
Did you know Owyhee county was named for trappers from Hawaii? Do you know that Lewiston was the first state capitol of Idaho? Where did Butch Cassidy rob a bank in Idaho? - Montpelier.
The Idaho Historical Highway Marker Guide has the above answers and hundreds more in a compact travel guide. The Idaho Historical Society has teamed up with the Idaho Department of Transportation to place highway markers at over 240 sites around the state. The guide documents their locations.
Highway travel can be tough on kids if they are not involved in the trip. Help them learn a bit of history and reduce figiting and boredom as they travel. You will find new pleasure in traveling and be rewarded for the effort.
A cooperative effort started in 1956 to standardize, mark, and maintain an array of historical site markers that had been placed by numerous individuals and organizations.
The Idaho Historical Society evaluates and proposes sites and prepares the information to be placed on the signs. The Idaho Transportation Department is responsible for the site preparation, installation, and maintenance of the markers. Each marker is located in turnouts, thus, avoiding having to park on the shoulder of the road. Signs announcing the historical markers are placed approximately 1000 feet from the markers to allow for slowing and a safe turn out.
The markers are each 4 feet by 8 feet with heavy wood timbers surrounding the markers and providing support posts. Each marker is also numbered for easier reference.
Many travelers like to record trip details. Creating a log of Historical Highway Markers you visit can be a good way to "waymark" your Idaho travels.
A number of organizations have websites with databases of historical markers. The marker locations can be accessed within counties, states, or countries, or by the organization that sponsored the marker, depending on the organization. Many of these encourage reporting historical sites for inclusion into their databases. Some also have facilities for recording and reporting your visits to any historical marker. Some of these organizations will be featured in upcoming posts. Check back here for links.
Have fun and give purpose to your travels. Learn a bit more about Idaho history on your Idaho vacation. Make a log of places visited, report markers not currently in databases. There are lots of things to do in Idaho.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Idaho Vacation: McCall Pancake and Christmas House
How do you choose where to eat while on vacation? The biggest signs and pretty buildings often do not translate to good food. A survey of reviews made prior to beginning your Idaho vacation often leads to good recommendations. Often small, local, out of the way places, are real gems. Uncovering them is sometimes trial and error.
My wife an I recently traveled to McCall for the McCall Winter Carnival. I should have, but didn’t, check some reviews. After touring part of the town an viewing snow sculptures for awhile, we decided to get some lunch. Our choice was made more out of convenience than any other criteria.
The McCall Pancake and Christmas House is as the name indicates, a restaurant as well as a Christmas store. Actually it also houses an exhibition bakery, Italian gelato, and a sheepskin and leather goods stores as well. It is conveniently located on Highway 55 towards the south side of town. It also had a large snow sculpture across the street.
My wife ordered a platter sized pancake with an egg, ground beef patty and applesauce. The pancake really was platter sized and good. I went for an omelet called McCall Best, served with biscuits an
d gravy.
Service was timely, surroundings were clean and neat, and the food was very adequate. My wife’s meal was good in all regards. My omelet was very good but the biscuits and gravy were just average. The gravy should have been hotter and the biscuit was a bit dry. Serving portions were very generous. There is a wide variety of menu items thereby making decisions pretty tough.
The Christmas store, located in the same building, has a large and nice variety of Christmas and home decorating goods and they seem to be priced reasonably. The desert end of the building, bakery and gelato, has a very tempting array of sweets to go with a large variety of cof
fees and espresso drinks. Navigating through the numerous choices is a fun experience.
The building housing all these businesses is a beautiful log structure. A visit to McCall would not be complete without adding this to your list of things to do. Hours are Sunday –Tuesday 6 am – 2 pm, Wednesday – Saturday 6 am – 9 pm. Add this stop to your Idaho vacation.
Information:
Address – 209 N 3rd St (on Hwy 55), south end of town
Phone – 208-634-5849
Web site - http://mccallpancakehouse.com/
Directions – from the south, go through the intersection of Hwy 55 and Deinhard Lane, continue about 300 feet, Pancake House is on the right. It is across the Hwy from the Holiday Inn Hunt Lodge. From the north, follow Hwy 55 through town an look for the Pancake House as you near the south side of town. You cannot miss the large log building.
My wife an I recently traveled to McCall for the McCall Winter Carnival. I should have, but didn’t, check some reviews. After touring part of the town an viewing snow sculptures for awhile, we decided to get some lunch. Our choice was made more out of convenience than any other criteria.
The McCall Pancake and Christmas House is as the name indicates, a restaurant as well as a Christmas store. Actually it also houses an exhibition bakery, Italian gelato, and a sheepskin and leather goods stores as well. It is conveniently located on Highway 55 towards the south side of town. It also had a large snow sculpture across the street.
My wife ordered a platter sized pancake with an egg, ground beef patty and applesauce. The pancake really was platter sized and good. I went for an omelet called McCall Best, served with biscuits an
d gravy. Service was timely, surroundings were clean and neat, and the food was very adequate. My wife’s meal was good in all regards. My omelet was very good but the biscuits and gravy were just average. The gravy should have been hotter and the biscuit was a bit dry. Serving portions were very generous. There is a wide variety of menu items thereby making decisions pretty tough.
The Christmas store, located in the same building, has a large and nice variety of Christmas and home decorating goods and they seem to be priced reasonably. The desert end of the building, bakery and gelato, has a very tempting array of sweets to go with a large variety of cof
fees and espresso drinks. Navigating through the numerous choices is a fun experience. The building housing all these businesses is a beautiful log structure. A visit to McCall would not be complete without adding this to your list of things to do. Hours are Sunday –Tuesday 6 am – 2 pm, Wednesday – Saturday 6 am – 9 pm. Add this stop to your Idaho vacation.
Information:
Address – 209 N 3rd St (on Hwy 55), south end of town
Phone – 208-634-5849
Web site - http://mccallpancakehouse.com/
Directions – from the south, go through the intersection of Hwy 55 and Deinhard Lane, continue about 300 feet, Pancake House is on the right. It is across the Hwy from the Holiday Inn Hunt Lodge. From the north, follow Hwy 55 through town an look for the Pancake House as you near the south side of town. You cannot miss the large log building.
Idaho Vacation: House of Kim, a Kitchen Vacation
Today my wife needed a kitchen vacation or more correctly, a vacation from the kitchen. I had recently read some very positive reviews on the House of Kim, a downtown Nampa restaurant, so we decided to give it a try. Turned out that this is an excellent place to spend an Idaho vacation, even if it is only an hour or so for a meal. It is a good venue to add to your Idaho things to do, or visit, list.
Since both my wife an I are retired, we take turns preparing lunches and dinners. This week it is her turn to fix dinner. For a number of reasons, she needed a break so we picked a place we hadn't tried yet.
The House of Kim has been in busines in Nampa since 1994. The tidy restaurant specilizes in Chinese and Thai food. James, the chef and owner, completely revamped the menus about three years ago changing ingredients, seasonings and presentation. Based on our experience, the changes were well done.
We were warmly greeted and guided to nice circular booths. These half round arrangements were a welcome change from traditional booths with a table between the seats. The booths give a feeling of closeness without having to bump elbows or stare at each other across a table as in traditional booths. Traditional chairs and tables are also available for larger groups or for those who prefer to sit on regular chairs.
If you get the chance, ask for Rachael to be your server. You will be guaranteed warm smiles, helpful menu suggestions, and good service. James, the chef, came by several times to visit and to make sure our meal was just right. It was! Good old fashioned traditional friendly service.
We started our meal with Satay chicken, grilled chicken pieces on a skewer, served with grilled peppers, onions, and mushrooms. A spiced peanut sauce was a nice condiment and went well with the chicken. Taste was wonderful and the appetizer was plenty for two. My wife ordered the Spicy Squid meal with additional chicken. I ordered the Pad Sawee Pork with rice noodles and sauteed vegetables. Rachel offered us extra plates in case we wanted to do some sharing to try each others meal. These meals come with varying degrees of spiceness, 1-5. My wife ordered a spiceness of one and my was a three. Both of our dishes were nicely seasoned, with distinct differences between our meals. Portion sizes were average to large, nicely presented and a joy to eat. Meals are reasonably priced. The House of Kim is clearly a cut above most Chinese restaurants. We plan return visits.
The House of Kim is located in downtown Nampa and quite easy to find and drive to. Decor and music is typical Chinese and pleasantly done. Hours are 11 am-2 pm and 5 pm - 9 pm Monday - Thursday, 11 am - 9:30 pm Friday and Saturday, and 4 pm - 8 pm Sundays. You will be glad if you make a stop here while on vacation in Idaho or just make this an Idaho vacation destination.
Information:
Address - 1226 1st St South, Nampa
Phone - 208-466-3237
Web site - houseofkim.net
Directions - several sets of direction of travel instructions could be given, depending on your starting location. I suggest entering the address on the Google map on the right side of the blog page and referring to the map. Enter your starting address and get complete drving directions.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Idaho Vacation: Snow Tubing
Sit on an air filled innertube, slide down a snowy hill. Sounds easy and fun? It is at the Activity Barn just outside of McCall, a perfect thing to do and visit while on an Idaho vacation. The Activity Barn is locally owned and operated and strives to give "perfect guest satisfaction".
On a part of the River Ranch, but close to the tubing hill, is a cross-country ski area. This area has two loops that take the skiier or snowshoer along groomed trails to the north fork of the Payette River, through tree groves, and across meadows. Wildlife is often seen from the trail loops. The cross country parking area is located near the main tubing hill parking lot. A donation box is locate at the parking lot. Dogs are permitted on the trails but owners are asked to clean up after their dogs so the area can be enjoyed by everyone. Prices are $5/use and season tickets are available for $20.
The activity is fun, relatively inexpensive and close to other activities in McCall. This is a great add on to your Idaho vacation.
Leave a comment and let us know how you like it.
A gentle sloping cattle pasture in summer is transformed into one of the best snow tubing hills in Idaho during the winter. Located just a couple miles south of McCall, the Activity Barn offers low cost excitement and fun for entire families. For safety reasons, children younger than two are not allowed on the tubes. Four runs, shaped like mini half pipes, keep tubes on their own run and offer different degrees of speed and difficulty.
The tubing hill has an elevation drop of 85 feet from top to bottom and the runs are about 700 feet long. A specially designed tow cable hooks to the tube and takes the rider and tube from bottom to top in 2 1/2 minutes. When the hill is not very busy, up to 12 runs can be made per hour.
We visited on a weekday during the McCall Winter Carnival. The area had just opened for the day and was not too busy. The snow was well packed and the runs were fast. Activity Barn personnel made sure everyone was well taken care of.
The area is lighted for night time enjoyment. A fire pit offers warming for those needing a bit of heat between runs. The tubes supplied by the Activity Barn are specially designed and are the only tubes allowed on the hill. Lift tickets are priced by the hour and can be purchased onsite or via the internet. A call to the facility is recommended to check on conditions and ensure the area is open.
Normal hours are 4-7 pm Tuesday - Thursday, 4-9 pm on Friday, 10 am - 9 pm Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays. Hours during holidays or festivals may be a bit different. Basic pricing starts at $8/hour with discounts for additional hours. Weekend and holiday rates are a bit higher. Several other ticket packages are available.
On a part of the River Ranch, but close to the tubing hill, is a cross-country ski area. This area has two loops that take the skiier or snowshoer along groomed trails to the north fork of the Payette River, through tree groves, and across meadows. Wildlife is often seen from the trail loops. The cross country parking area is located near the main tubing hill parking lot. A donation box is locate at the parking lot. Dogs are permitted on the trails but owners are asked to clean up after their dogs so the area can be enjoyed by everyone. Prices are $5/use and season tickets are available for $20.
The activity is fun, relatively inexpensive and close to other activities in McCall. This is a great add on to your Idaho vacation.
Leave a comment and let us know how you like it.Information:
Contact the Activity barn at 208-634-2222 or fax at 208-634-1268.
Web site is activitybarn.com.
Directions - From hwy 55 at the south end of McCall, turn west at the stoplight at Deinhard Lane and go one half mile to Mission St, turn left and go south 1.6 miles to Moonridge Road, turn right and go .6 miles. Turn into the parking area on the left.
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