Day 12. June 28

Day 12.  June 28.  Twin Falls, ID to Burley, ID

Today was a fairly easy day - only 39 miles.  Back home, for many of us, we would think we had a pretty good workout going 40 miles. Today was pretty much the shortest day of the trip. Because it was such a short distance, we didn't load until 8:30 and didn't start riding until about 8:45.  Had we left earlier, there would have been a good chance that the rooms would not have been ready. Leaving late, though, gave the sun a chance to get up and get cooking. it was hot! Fortunately the ride was short today.

Today we passed miles of alfalfa fields as well as potatoes. You can't believe how much they irrigate out here. Huge sprinkling systems run for miles all day long. We crossed the Snake River again, but a bit further upstream. The bridge was not as impressive as the Perrine, shorter and not as high, but intimidating nonetheless. No protected sidewalk and little shoulder.

On the rest day in Boise, we had a few other riders join us for this next leg of the trip to Casper, WY. A father and his teenage son and another father and his two adult sons.
The younger father had ridden cross country when he finished college a number of years ago, carrying his own bags. He is hoping to share some of the same experience with his son.

The other father, Jay, rode across the country about 10 years ago and has done a few of the legs with one of the sons. They are from the Indianapolis area, but one of the sons, Brad, works for Nationwide in Columbus and lives in Galena.   I rode with Keith today, an attorney who lives NE Indianapolis. The two of us decided not to take some of the "extra" scenic side trips where riders went down to the river and then had to climb a 10% grade back up. We are trying to save ourselves for the next few days.
Keith and I pulled into the motel just about noon. The rooms were ready with an ice cold bottle of water. Unfortunately, the bags were not unloaded until about 1p, so we sat around for almost an hour before cleaning up.

To make things a bit  more interesting today, the leader team arranged for a scavenger hunt. We had to collect various items along the road (part of a fan belt, something unusual, a sprig of alfalfa, a clothes pin, etc. we didn't win, but at least made a showing.

Larry, one of the maintenance men here at the motel, helped me find a couple of items on the scavenger list. He told me he's lived in several states out west and has seen a lot of the world from his military days, but he favors Burley, a little town of about 10,000, because of the people and the quality if air. This is where he grew up and "home is home."  Having been on the road now for nearly two full weeks with only one day off, I know what he means. I'm enjoying the trip as well as the people, but it can get a bit repetitious out here on the road - get up early, peddle for lots of miles, eat, go to bed,get up and repeat. I look forward to the rest of the trip, but am already anticipating home.

So tonight, it will be early to bed. Breakfast is at 5:30 and we'll be on the road a little after 6:30. Tomorrow is an 82 mile ride into Pocatello with only about 1200 feet of climb (although a couple of the climbs will go up pretty sharply). Weather reports suggest mid to high 90s, so it will be hot on the road. The heat really reflects up from the asphalt and chip and seal.

Be well
Don