Crew’s Log…
Mileage: 65 miles
Climbing: 760’
Weather: Upper 60s to start. Mid 80s to end. Not a cloud in the sky. Strong winds out of the SW.
Highlights of the day:
The tailwinds were back again today. Gosh darn it! We don’t know who’s talking to whom or what kind of rituals are being performed to keep us in Mother Nature’s or the weather pattern’s good graces but PLEASE DON’T STOP! We will gladly struggle through moderate temperatures and a firm push up the road any day. Thank you!
We gave up the frontage road in favor of farm roads. The route zigzagged through field after field of crops. Mostly wheat and potatoes. It’s Idaho, we had to see potatoes. The fields of spuds had different color flowers. We came to the non-scientific conclusion that the red flowers are for red potatoes, the purple flowers are for purple potatoes, and the white flours are for white potatoes. Who could argue with that kind of logic?
And then there were the dogs. Lots of dogs. Dogs that hide along the side of the road and run after anything on wheels. Support vans and staff were strategically placed to help distract or dissuade a few from the chase. It was a job well done. One rider actually said that he wouldn’t have known there were dogs in the area if we hadn’t discussed it at last night’s route rap. He didn’t sound terribly disappointed when he said this. We apologize to any dog whose day was ruined by not allowing him/her to enjoy a good chase.
One SAG stop divided today’s ride. The second half continued through farmland with occasional views of the Snake River - wide and calm, reflecting the sun. Coming into Idaho Falls we crossed the Snake River right at the town’s namesake, Idaho Falls. It’s not the huge spectacle of Niagara Falls but a quieter beauty that can be enjoyed on the bike paths that border both banks of the river.
Today was a well-timed “active recovery” day. Lower mileage and into the hotel early. Tonight we need to sleep well for tomorrow we will climb!