Bob Firman Cross Country Invitational
Jim Spier's Blog
Boise, ID, September 22, 2012
I travelled to Boise once again for the Firman meet. The meet, run by Ryan Canning, Dave Mills, Tim Severa and dozens of volunteers, is one of the annual highlights of the cross country season.
This was the 38th annual event and saw 2500 athletes from 94 schools compete over several races.
Katie Knight (North Central, Spokane, WA) won the girls' race for an unprecedented third time. Davis High School (Kaysville, UT) took the team title, scoring 65 points. Utah schools took second and third, with Park City at 108 points and Skyline at 130.
Joe Hardy (Seattle Prep, Seattle, WA) was the boys' winner. The team race, featuring several top 10 nationally ranked teams, was won by North Central (Spokane, WA) with 47 points. They placed six of their seven runners in the top 20. They were followed by Arcadia, CA with 127 and relative newcomer Herriman, UT with 141. Herriman just edged out Davis (Kaysville, UT, 142 points) and Ogden, UT (144 points).
While in Boise, I got to visit two special places.
The first was the World Center for Birds of Prey (http://www.peregrinefund.org/world-center). There is a great collection of large birds (of prey, of course), many of whom are endangered. From their web site:
"The center’s research facilities are designed to enhance the health, reproduction, and reintroduction efforts of endangered species and to collect information about the general biology of raptors. The science is focused on understanding how diet, aging, and environment affect the health, growth, reproduction and lifespan of the birds. The organization’s propagation program played a critical role in the successful recovery of the Peregrine Falcon, which was removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1999."
The visit proved to be a fascinating one. Among other large birds, the center houses three California Condors whose wingspan averages 9 1/2 feet!
The other attraction I visited was the Idaho Botanical Garden (http://www.idahobotanicalgarden.org/). It is a relatively new attraction, only being in existence since 1984. Its location is on the grounds of an old state penitentiary and resides on 33 acres. It has a wonderful selection of native and area plants.
What visit to Boise would not complete without a sampling of some of that city's fine restaurants? I have found Boise's restaurant offerings to be as good as any I've experienced in the U.S.
The one that impressed me this time around was the Red Feather Lounge (http://bcrfl.com/). The food was fresh and cooked perfectly. Their selections include Pacific Salmon, Rabbit Porchetta, mac and cheese, and desserts like Peaches and Cream and Marionberry Galette. I highly recommend it.
I'm looking forward to the 39th version of the Firman meet in 2013. And more attractions and more restaurants!
