And you think we're crazy?

Idaho's attempt to grow watermelons; Allison and Joel at the gorge.


A beautiful view of the Snake River and gorge; we wish this picture were a scratch-n-sniff, so we could share with you all the wonderful aromas we inhaled throughout today's 97 miles, as we passed hundreds and hundreds of smelly cows.


We're beat! Who goes on vacation and gets up every day before the crack of dawn, slathers cocoa butter on their butts, snarfs down about a twelve hundred calories of non-epicurean cuisine, and then sits on an extremely uncomfortable perch for six hours or so climbing eight percent grades for fun? Uh, I guess that would be us. But, oddly, out of the 75 participants in this madness, we're not really the looniest.

Two days ago, we had a rest day in Boise. We didn't exactly rest. We walked around the city most of the day, and ate an enormous number of calories to catch up for our expenditures on the road, including an eight inch tall soft serve ice cream cone that the seller had to tilt sideways to pass through to us out of the server's window. But, at least two of our group found it necessary to work out that day, one on a stairmaster for about two hours, and the other by going to the YMCA to lift weights and take a Pilates class.

Wednesday, we rode 50 miles from Boise to Mountain Home, Idaho, which was fairly uneventful except for a five mile detour into a strong headwind due to a missed turn, but overall it was easy. Today, however, was a challenge because we had to arise at 4:45, and after yet another buffet breakfast stuffing our faces, we departed on a 97 miler that took us through a baking agricultural landscape that only grew any crops because of extensive irrigation. Where the hay (hah!) they get all the water to irrigate this parched land, we have no idea, but growing hay, potatoes, beans, etc are everywhere. They also attempted to raise watermelons, but we think the crop failed (see picture). Allison got her first flat, which we expect will not be her last, because the record for the most flats on past versions of this trip is 25. We ran out of water @ 80 miles in, but luckily the support van came by and topped us up. When we got to our destination, Twin Falls, we had to pass over a suspension bridge hundreds of feet above the Snake River and, as we arrived, we witnessed three intrepid (or idiotic) souls jump off of the bridge, parachuting to the banks of the river below. Dinner was to be another yummy buffet, but we opted to treat ourselves at a Mexican restaurant instead. Tomorrow is a shorty of thirty-eight miles, but during the ride we'll be on a scavenger hunt and hope to rake in the prizes which we understand are remarkably valuable, like getting to go first in line at the feed lot, or possibly even a free tube should we go flat. How great is that!