An unusual roadside shrine and a reminder to be very careful and aware when on a bicycle.
This was one of our shortest days of the whole trip and we were favored with a strong tail wind to push us along. Because the ride was so short they scheduled luggage load for 8:30 and we had a very leisurely morning. Just as I was ready to get on the road, however, I discovered that I had what they call a "hotel flat". This time it was a thorn called a "goat head". So now I am up to two flats-- one SAG flat and one hotel flat.
There were two optional side trips today-- the first to Shoshone Falls and the second to Twin Falls, both in the Snake River Gorge. John and I opted for the first one only using the theory that if you've seen one falls you've seen them all! In each case, of course, seeing the falls meant riding down to the bottom of the gorge and riding back up again. Once seemed like plenty. Shoshone is called the "Niagara of the West" and it was really spectacular. The route trended up but with nearly unnoticeable grades. For most of the way we were on"frontage" roads-- that is roads that run right next to interstate 84. While there was little traffic, there was plenty of traffic noise from the vehicles on the interstate. And today, for almost the first time, I rode for several miles with Philip, the librarian from San Diego. We chatted away and were at the hotel in jig time. The excursion added about four miles to my ride and a wrong turn added another couple but I still got in at 1:00 and 44 miles of riding.
I googled to learn more about the bicycle accident. Webster, who was riding east, was killed instantly when a drunken motorist driving westward pulled out to pass another vehicle and hit the cyclist head on.
ReplyDeleteDamn drunk drivers! I wouldn't even consider driving after drinking now, and I am so thankful that when I was young and stupid (and it seemed like everyone drove drunk), I never had an accident.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid in Phoenix, those thorns (we called them bullheads) were everywhere. After the first dozen flats, I switched to knobby tires.