Mountain Home, Idaho

The temperature in Mountain Home, ID, reached 98 degrees F this afternoon, and the only relief from it is the shade of the school we’re staying at and a strong breeze that made setting up our tents a real challenge. We left Boise behind this morning, and the 89 km trip to Mountain Home was probably the least interesting in terms of geography and scenery. We rode by the state penitentiary and I cannot imagine a more forlorn looking place. It was 89 kms of sage brush and dry, desert like conditions. The majority of cyclists, including myself, were in town by noon, avoiding the worst of the heat, while a few others needed to be driven at least partway by SAG vehicles. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, except that we will be climbing steadily most of the day, no serious grades but definitely steady grades, as we begin to approach the Rockies.

Diane and I were interviewed by the local paper this afternoon, though I suspect we’ll never see their story, considering that we leave town first thing tomorrow morning again. The town of Mountain Home has a population of 14,000 or so, and the junior high school we’re staying at is air conditioned with normal shower heads for a change. Most school showers have these tiny shower heads that if you stand too close to them they practically shoot water right through you.

We have peloton meeting again following dinner, and since I haven’t mentioned these before….peloton meetings are held each evening, a time for everyone – cyclists and support crew – to get together and share the day’s statistics (# of flat tires, # of falls), as well as share any significant stories of stuff that happened during the day – people we met, opportunities to serve in local poverty related projects, etc. Clare Kooistra gives a mini lecture on the flaura and fauna we’re likely to see the following day, and Katrina Miller provides us with a weather report. These meetings are led by our head chaplain, Len Riemersma, and conclude in prayer, after which tour head honcho Ed Witvoet gives us a summary of the next day’s route and, on occasion, reads the riot act. Today, for example, a small band of cyclists took the interstate as a shortcut, which was not legal (though it was a whole lot easier!). Attendance is encouraged at these meetings and as a rule everyone does attend. The evening is closed with brief, or not so brief, small group meetings, after which every person does what is right in his or her own eyes. Well, you know what I mean. You hang out, or read, or go for a beer or ice cream, etc, before crawling into bed.

That’s it for today; hopefully tomorrow will be more interesting. Meantime, here's a picture of the kitchen crew, the only subject of any real beauty that I could find for today! (actually, the crew insisted on this...just don't tell them I told you).

 

Today’s stats:

Distance: 89.69 kms
Average speed: 24.3 kph
Maximum speed: 56.9 kph
Time in saddle: 3.41.05
# of flat tires: 1