state by state speak you mind about... idaho

[SwampG8r]

idaho has great potatoes
it is called the gem state because every known gem is found there
star garnets are found there and high in the himalayan mountains very rare
i understand there is good ski-ing there and the trout fishing is unbelievable
i hope to one day travel to idaho it looks beautiful

[Ter]

1. The only state that can challenge Utah...

For the title of reddest state in the Union.

[Tikki]

2. My husband worked there as a kid during the pea harvests..

Will, actually he was a teen. We went through there on many a vacation.
Boise State has a great football team. Lake Coeur d'alene is beautiful.
There are Liberals living there.

Tikki

[ErikJ]

3. I lived there once

Lots of beautiful places. PendOreille and Coeurdalene Lakes in N. Idaho are very beautiful.
Central Idaho is very mountainous with Sun Valley, The River of No Return and the Stanley Basin Mountains. There are still lots of Basque shepherds living in small trailers in Idaho mountains.

Then in the east there's Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons National Parks. SOuth Idaho is flat but geologically fascinating. The Yellowstone hot spot moved through southern Idaho over millions of years leaving a trail of flat land where there should be mountains.
In western Idaho is the deepest canyon in America, the Snake River canyon also great for rafting.

Boise is 15 minutes from a pretty good ski area but I dont know about their economy now. Idaho has the highest per capita of millionaires in the US but it also has lots of poor people. I dont think they have an income tax might be one reason why.
Lots of Republicons.

[oldhippydude]

4. born there in 1946

moved to New Mexico in the 70's.. anybody from Pocatello?

[LuvNewcastle]

5. I passed through northern Idaho once

and it was some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. I don't think we stopped anywhere while riding through, so I don't remember meeting any of the people. People are definitely scarce in Idaho.

[jeanpalmer]

6. Been there a few times

It's great. Very pretty, and unspolied in many places. Though clear-cutting has been a problem in many areas, especially in places people can't see from the main roads.

I've skied a lot of the west. Schweitzer Mtn in Sandpoint is the best ski area in the west imo.

The Snake and Clearwater Rivers are great fishing rivers, if you like to catch 8 to 15 lb steelhead in the fall and winter. Plus the scenery is fantastic.

The north used to be very small town. But by the 90's, many Californians had discovered it.

Was on a logging road once. Came around a corner, and in the middle of the road was a mother black bear and two cubs, couldn't have been more than 2 months old. The cubs immediately climbed 40 feet up a tree next to the road while the mom climbed the hillside. When I stopped to watch the cubs, she started rolling huge boulders down on top of me. After several minutes, I left and the cubs scampered down the tree and up the hillside. Those are the kinds of experiences you can have in Idaho.

[Little Star]

7. First thing that comes to mind for me is potatoes…

Idaho potatoes are a favorite of mine here in MA. Vacationing in Idaho has never crossed my mind though, till now. What the heck did I know? Not much it appears.

OMG! Just look at all the gorgeous scenic byways they have:
http://www.idahobyways.gov/byways/

The scenic byways alone tempt me to visit. But there’s much more to Idaho than just those.

Check out their Official Tourism Website: http://www.visitidaho.org/

[IDemo]

8. I've lived here 40 years

There are good and bad aspects, as I'm sure there are anywhere. If you're an outdoor enthusiast, it's an outstanding place to live. The largest non-profit ski area in the US (and possibly the world) is a half hour drive from downtown Boise. It's possible in the Spring to ski in the morning and play a round of golf in the afternoon. There are world class white water rapids nearby for the more adventurous, with tremendous fishing and hiking for the rest of us. Boise has some of the best mountain biking anywhere literally overlooking the state capitol. The motorcycling is terrific as well.

The potatoes are still big business but high tech has entered the picture as well. The LaserJet printer, Hewlett-Packard's most successful product line, was invented in Boise. Micron, the only remaining American manufacturer of computer memory chips, sits at the other end of town. Both have experienced a good deal of "downsizing" in recent years, but the trend appears to have slowed for now. Alternative energy firms have set up shop in Pocatello, including a wind turbine plant and solar power company.

The politic culture here, as any DU'er is aware, is what puts a black eye on what is otherwise a terrific place to live. We have gone from an era where solid Democrats like Cecil Andrus and Frank Church had the respect of both sides to where virtually all state and national politicians have been replaced by Republicans of the same blueprint as Michelle Bachmann. The record breaking super caucus of 2008 along with the 14,000+ who showed up for Obama's visit gave me an inkling of hope that things might actually be turning around at long last. No chance, it seems.

[oldhippydude]

10. i worked on both

cecil Andrrus , and Frank Churches campaigns.. it breaks my heart to see folks like larry craig et el.. cant think of a progressive governor after Andrus...

[Vanje]

9. I live here! The 'Wide Stance' state

Our sun sets and sun-rises are very large.

[JNelson6563]

11. I love this series that you're doing!

So interesting to read about all of our states. What a great idea this was!

Julie

[Snake Alchemist]

12. I've heard it's beautiful and the housing market is strong.

That's about all I know about it. Always wanted to visit.

[MadHound]

13. Historically, a Confederate colony

Lots of former Confederate soldiers and citizens headed to Idaho after the Civil War in order to get away from the Union and Reconstruction.

This still shows up in the politics of Idaho, a deeply red state.

[Vanje]

16. Really!

I didn't realize that. Makes sense.

Idaho is redder than Alabama , redder than Mississippi, Redder than Texas.

[MadHound]

18. A lot of Confederates also went to Latin American,

Twenty thousand established a colony in Brazil. They still hold the annual Confederate Festival down there, complete with hoop skirts and Confederate flags.

There was deep hatred for the US among many Confederates, most of whom had lost their land and fortune. So they figured what the hell, let's pick up and move out of the states.

[Vanje]

19. They're still talking about "states rights" in Idaho. nt

[limpyhobbler]

14. Setting of two of my favorite movies!

1)Napoleon Dynamite


2) Smoke Signals
http://vimeo.com/14496893

[Vanje]

15. K&R Save the Spuds!

[Brother Buzz]

17. I can see Moscow from Idaho

I was really mesmerized by the Palouse. People always talk about Potatoes from Idaho, but I only saw beans and wheat in those beautiful rolling hills. Beans and wheat as far as I could see.

[Vanje]

20. Giant Palouse worm

Pale as a ghost and smells like lilies.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126312580

[Brother Buzz]

21. Cool beans

I bet the go deeper then the speculated 12 feet.