Today we discovered some of Idaho’s best treasures, and had a blast doing it! We left the Sun Valley and headed east driving by the Craters of the Moon National Park. We had gotten an early enough start that we were able to take a few minutes to enjoy the amazing geological features that the park offers.

We only skimmed the surface (no pun intended) but what we saw was simply amazing. The volcano that exploded over 2,000 years ago in the area left lava flows, cinder cones, and a bizarre view of “moonlike” qualities.

A meeting in Preston, Idaho, with First Book-Franklin County was as enjoyable as always. It was great to hear how their Recipient Groups benefited from the Borders Holiday Promotion, and how excited the students were to receive these amazing books.

As we were leaving, the Advisory Board told us that the movie Napoleon Dynamite was filmed at their local high school, and the writer Jared Hess was a graduate of the school in the 90’s. When we showed interest, one of the board members offered to take us to the very site, and her husband — also a school employee — graciously showed us around. Do these lockers look familiar?

Our final meeting of the day, a dinner meeting with First Book-Bonneville County, reminded us once again of the very best treasure are the people themselves. This Board, as always, impressed us with their energy, enthusiasm, and determination to serve the children in their area. Of all the amazing sites and views the last week has offered, we’ve had a wonderful trip through Idaho because of the opportunity to meet with so many incredible volunteers!

Total Miles: 415 miles
Area of Craters of the Moon National Park: 750,000 acres (roughly size of Rhode Island)