I read last week that most of the mental defects, bi polarism, ADD, and SAD were just re made up by doctors to sell pills and treatments. I know from my own experience that this is not true. I have suffered from SAD (seasonal affected disorder) since I was in college. Short dark winter days depress me, and a multitude of foggy days simply makes it worse. I was coping with Boise’s latest inversion until this weekend. I finally succumbed to the lack of sunshine. I talked with my daughter yesterday and she said it was 58 degrees and sunny in Portland. My wife was in Seattle and said it was sunny and in the ‘50s in Seattle.
When I picked my wife up at the airport this morning, it was 21 degrees and bleak here in Boise. It doesn’t seem to get light out anymore, just of lighter shade of darkness. We decided to head for Idaho City and some sun therapy. I thought we might see the sun as early as Hilltop, which is at 3,700feet. No such luck. We drove on through the fog. Eighteen miles into the trip we were still in the fog, but could see sunshine on a hillside ahead. Five minutes later we were driving in filtered sun. Some 22 miles out of Boise we were in brilliant sunshine with bright blue sky above. Highway 21 was jammed with cars, heading in both directions.
When we arrived in Idaho City, there were hundreds of cars parked along Main Street. All of the shops were jammed with people from Boise, walking in unzipped jackets and even T-Shirts. All had headed to the mountains to get warm. People were racked out on benches in the sun. Many had turned their SUV’s and pickup trucks backs to the sun and were sitting in the tailgates, soaking up the warmth. It was an impromptu carnival. There were long lines for ice cream and food and hundreds roamed the streets with no agenda, just happy to be warm. I will not forget my Sunday in the sun in Idaho City. When we headed back into the soup, we vowed to return soon if the weather doesn’t break.
