Day 10: Boise to Mountain Home

Although why this town is named Mountain Home I cannot fathom because it seems that the closest mountain isn't very close. Our ride today was a total blast. It started out on a nice bike path along the Boise River-- a delightfully cool morning with lots of runners, bikers and dog walkers on the path. At mile 13.5 we hopped onto interstate 84 and had a great 10 mile run with a tail wind to the first SAG. There I had what they call a "SAG flat"-- a flat tire that happens right at the SAG stop. Since the mechanic is always sitting right there, they had me back up and riding in about three minutes. Flats are very common when riding on the interstate because the truck tire debris includes tiny wires that are impossible to see but lethal if you pick one up.

From there we got onto unnumbered routes that essentially followed the interstate east but with little traffic. Sadly several dead snakes as always out here. They come out onto the road for the warmth and get hit with great frequency. I have seen three that were identifiable as rattlers but most are too squished to get any idea.

I had worried that I wouldn't like the wide open terrain-- variously called high desert, plain or prairie, but it felt just wonderful to be out there riding in the wide open spaces with endless vistas in every direction. Clearly I wouldn't have loved it so much if I had been riding into a headwind but we got a wind assist all through the ride and I pulled into the hotel at mile 53, not even slightly tired. Let's hope I feel half as good when I finish tomorrow's 97 mile ride to Twin Falls.

SAG officially stands for Support and Gear but unofficially it is the place you get to just when your energy is sagging. Stopping at the SAG is mandatory on this trip and there is a very precise routine that we are asked to follow: sign in with gloves on, remove gloves, blow nose (optional, but strangely we all do it even though no-one is sick), clean hands with a wet wipe, and disinfect hands with gel. Only then can we get water, peanuts, cookies, etc. We have at least one SAG every day, usually two and on the long days, three. In between, the vans drive back and forth along the route and we can stop them for water or other assistance by patting the top of the head. Although the riders get strung out along many miles of the route, the two vans and the big box truck always know where everyone is, particularly the stragglers. Two of the slower riders left us (as planned) in Boise and we gained no new riders so there are fewer of us tortoises but the route was so great today that I flew in pretty much with everyone else. The fast riders are called "thoroughbreds" but if there is a special name for the rest of us, everyone has been kind enough not to mention it in front of me.

Bike Blog Pictures - First eight days

http://picasaweb.google.com/smith.dereka/BikeBlogPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCOHOsdXV-PjzLQ#

Here are some pictures from the first eight days.

Day 8: Ontario Oregon to Boise Idaho

Turns out that our last night in Oregon was less than a mile from the Idaho state line. We crossed it within minutes of setting out. I really enjoyed the morning ride-- it was on unnumbered farm roads, very little traffic, lots of interesting irrigation schemes, crops and etc. The whole city of Ontario smelled strongly of onions in the morning-- onions being one of their chief crops. Lots of good rolling hills, no bad climbs. Stupidly I took a tumble at mile 36.8 but other than being chagrined and getting a couple minor scrapes, no harm was done. The day really started to heat up, however, and I began to lose my zip. John was riding with me today and although I could keep up with him in the morning I didn't do well as it got hotter. It was 94 when we pulled into the hotel about 2:30 and by 4:00 it was 100. Good thing I wasn't out there any longer. Very hot tomorrow but we have a rest day-- Hurrah! and by Wednesday when we hit the road again it is promised to be cooler. Total mileage in the first eight days of riding is 612.

Day 7: Baker City to Ontario

Fortunately there is a great part to each ride and today was no exception. Temps starting to heat up a bit but I am using the neck cooler thing that Friendship Quilters made for soldiers in Iraq and I periodically pour water through the holes in my helmet so I am managing reasonably well. Our ride started on "old" route 30 in Baker City; "new" route 30 runs contiguously with interstate 84. This is another location where route 30 was an evolution of the Oregon Trail.It was essentially a downhill ride at a wonderfully moderate grade that permitted very fast cycling with no need to brake or worry. Old route 30, the interstate and the railroad track were running all in parallel. Eventually there was no more of the old road and we had to ride on the interstate itself-- this was not bad at all because the shoulder was wide and we were still whizzing along at a good pace.

We left 84 at Huntington and headed south on 201 to Ontario. This is where we began to follow the Snake River, interesting initially just because one has always read of pioneers following the Snake but soon the valley widened out considerably and we lost sight of the river entirely. The last 25 miles was, dare I say it, pretty uninteresting. Through an agricultural area irrigated by the Snake and tributaries-- flat, hot and tedious. The final three miles to the hotel was even worse-- lots of traffic, lights, bad pavement, turns, and urban sprawl at its worst. Oh well, I tell myself-- must take the rough with the smooth, the bitter with the sweet, the thorn with the rose.

Went into a new time zone yesterday. Now we are only two hours behind New England. Today we ride only 60 miles into Boise. Tomorrow is a much needed rest day. Both John and I will try two pairs of shorts today and I will wear two pairs of gloves. John has bruises on his "sit" bones, I won't give the details about my "private" parts and my hands are very unhappy.

Day 6: John Day to Baker City

Today was another very hard day with 80 miles of riding and 4650 feet of climbing; only 350 less than yesterday. Simply by contrast, however, it seemed relatively easy. There were three long climbs, the first being the worst one but the first is made easier by cooler temperatures and being more rested. We were still on route 26, a road that essentially follows the Oregon Trail. And who knew that the scenery is Oregon is so spectacular? I suppose all of those who have been here, but I certainly had no idea. In six days we have passed through a land of incredible contrasts. The Pacific Coast seems much like Maine, the Portland area was beautiful because of the Columbia River, the Cascades were deep dark forest and towering snow covered peaks, the high desert was like the American Southwest and today we rode through Brokeback Mountain type scenery-- sparsely treed hillsides with green fertile meadows and a lovely rushing river beside the road. At mile 28 we left Route 26 and turned north on Route 7, a perfectly gorgeous road with much less traffic than 26-- that took us all the way to Baker City. Except for a headwind the last 10 miles, the trip seemed comfortable. I made it in 9.5 hours of riding.

More on Day 5:

Day 5 with 117 miles of riding and 5000 feet of climbing is supposed to be the hardest day of the trip. Unfortunately it comes pretty early on and was very stress making for many in the group-- John and I were among those who had never done a century (100 miles); in fact for both of us our longest day ever was the 75 miles we rode on Day 2. After "Route Rap" we went right to bed (at 8:30) but I found it hard to sleep. We got up at 4:15 and I was on the road by 5:45. The staff suggested that those who thought the route too long should sag to the first rest stop at mile 29.5 but I preferred to start out with the possibility that I might make the whole thing. The day followed the usual dynamic. I start early, driven on by fear of being the slowest. After a few miles the other riders begin to pass me. That goes on for perhaps an hour. Eventually I am behind all the fast ones and ahead of the very few who are slower than I am. On this day, however, four of the slowest had chosen to sag so there were fewer slow boats left. There were two huge climbs and two very long descents with a long moderate climb for the last 36 miles. I eventually ended up third from last and was terrified that those behind me would give up and I would be out there alone (not really alone, of course, because the staff was driving back and forth along the route constantly to make sure we had water and were otherwise okay). John was long gone, needless to say, and made it the whole way two hours ahead of me. My original goal was to get to 100 miles and then see if I could keep going. At 102 Jeff stopped with a van and gave me water and although I was in floods of tears, he said the two behind me were still riding so I decided to go on. At 108 miles Jim was waiting with the other van so I got more water and he said that since I only had a few miles to go and there was a slight tail wind, I should try it. I caught up with Philip, a librarian from California, who is also one of the slower riders and we talked each other in the rest of the way. I nearly fell over faint when I got off the bike but was okay within a few minutes. I had other problems like sore hands, cold shower, really tacky hotel but toppled into bed about 7:30 without even undressing or brushing my teeth and slept well until 5:00 am this morning. The entire route was on 26 east.

Day 5: Prineville to John Day 117 miles!

I finished the ride but I am too tired to talk about it! Dragged my butt in to the motel after 11.5 hours of riding! The first utterly crappy motel we have been put in; dirty, uncomfortable, and no hot water. Let's hope I feel better by morning when we start another long hard ride-- but only 80 miles...yes, I will grudgingly admit that the scenery was phenomenal and we had a lot of downhill.