SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — Floating the Boise River is certainly an adventure on the water, but getting to Barber Park to start or end the trip means making the 6-mile journey by land. For many floaters, that ride comes with an unexpected history lesson from a local legend known as "River Rat Rick".
Along the route to Barber Park, he shares stories about the area’s past.
“We’re on a pathway of history,” Rick said. “If you look over to your right, you’ll see the first monument; the first marker kinda looks like an obelisk — that marks the Oregon Trail," Rick said, as he pointed out an Oregon Trail marker to riders.
WATCH | Meet River Rat Rick
More than 150 years ago, thousands of settlers traveled the same route along the Boise River in covered wagons.
“There are 17 monuments that the historical society has placed, all telling different stories about the Oregon Trail,” Rick said.
Rick explained many floaters, even long-time Boise natives, are surprised to learn the Oregon Trail runs through Boise.
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“I didn’t know that was the Oregon Trail, so that was kind of cool,” said Scott Sawyer — who was among the riders who got an impromptu history lesson on the bus ride.
“He’s cool, he gave us a lot of information," Sawyer said. "I never got to sit up front to hear anybody talk, so it’s actually good to get the history lesson so to speak on the way back.”
But being a bus driver was never on Rick's radar until he heard that 50 bus drivers had quit from his granddaughter’s school district during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“And I’m thinking to myself, you’ve got to be kidding me, we've got to get these kids to school — someone’s gotta do it,” Rick said.
That was six years ago. Since then, Rick has driven skiers in the winter on the Bogus Basin shuttle, floaters in the summer on the river float shuttle and students during the school year for West Ada.
“In the winter, I’d be Ski Bum Rick, and during the summer I’d be River Rat Rick, and starting in two weeks, August 12, I’ll be School Bus Rick,” he said.
Rick turns 73 this year and said he plans to keep driving as long as there is a need. You can try to catch him driving shuttles 4-days a week during the float season.
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