Day 14, June 28, 2015, Pocatello, ID to Idaho Fall, ID, 66 miles and 760 feet of climbing.  We began this journey 2 weeks ago today and in that time have traveled nearly 1000 miles.  The time and miles are slipping by.  Tomorrow we leave Idaho and enter Wyoming.  We just keep rolling along.  On paper today should have been an easy day but due primarily to the scorching heat and a route that included far too many turns it was actually quite tough.  We began the day with a safety inspection of our bikes just to make sure they are holding together and are ready for our “assault” on the mountains.  That delayed our start and by the time we left at 8:00 a.m. and the sun was already beating down.  The route involved many turns and for me this makes for a grueling ride.  You have to stay hyper alert and keep a close eye on your odometer.  The next turn never seems to come fast enough and like the proverbial “watched pot that never boils”, the more you watch the odometer the slower it seems to click off the miles!  The terrain and roads reminded me of home, riding in Hampton Twp.  The fields were planted with potatoes, wheat, corn and sugar beets.   There were miles of rough “chip and seal” roads that were mainly flat.   The only real difference was the mountains on the horizon and the amount of irrigation.  We pretty much followed the Snake River most of the day.  We have been following it since last Monday.  Boy that river certainly gives life to lots of land out here!  I got to Idaho Falls around 1:00 p.m. and was totally toasted by the 98 degree temperature.  I went immediately in search of a chocolate shake and several tall glasses of ice water.  I did spend some time around the Falls and found them to be quite impressive.  Overall, another wonderful day out here in the West!

 

 

My guardian angel, again.  I asked Leisa if she had sent a guardian angel out here to see me home safely home.  She said she had not, because she was quite certain that my burning desire to return home to my Wild Rose would motivate me to stay safe.  I then thought that perhaps it was my brother in law Myke Ward. But then I remembered that crow who chased me through Oregon calling out, "Why would someone pay good money to spend 36 days with a bicycle seat shoved up his......?".  So I decided it wasn't him.  Then last night I was talking with my sister Joy and we both concluded that it had to be her daughter and my niece, Kyle.  So that mystery is solved!

 

Leaving Pocatello

 

Crossing the Snake River the life blood of the Idaho high desert.

 

Idaho Fals

 

The Fall are actually a hydro electric generator.  The Shoshone and Twin Fall are hydro electric generators as well.  So, the river provides irrigation and electricity too.

 

Today's route cue sheet.  If you look closely you can see how many turns we had to make.