Day 22, August 2nd, 2010 (Route: Kooskia, ID to Riggins, ID)

Day 22, August 2nd, 2010 (Route: Kooskia, ID to Riggins, ID)

Technical Data:

Distance, miles: 71.35
Ride Time 5:27:13
Work, kJ: 3154
Average Power, watts: 159
Normalized Power, watts: 187
Average Speed, mph 12.96

Forecast: Hot and sunny with little wind...

Today started off great. I woke up in a nice dry tent around 6AM and really felt like I got a good nights sleep. I did wake a few times though as drinking a gallon of milk right before I went to bed was a first so I'm not surprised! My tent is not very big, meaning I can't stand in it or even sit up. I didn't really feel like going to the bathroom to go so I just went from the tent a couple times as I was tired from the day and wanted to make sure I got plenty of sleep for tomorrow. Once up I did normal chores, breaking down my tent and grabbing breakfast. Peanut butter bagels this morning with a cup of hot cocoa to warm up the insides!

After doing some other hygiene things I sat down to finish yesterdays post. I noticed a guy sleeping in a truck last night and saw him wake up and pretty much do what I was doing. Brushing the teeth, going to the bathroom, et cetera. I didn't want to bother him to be honest, as it was a Monday morning and he could just be getting ready for work. I've known a lot of people that live out of there cars so this really wasn't new to me. I figured he's A. On vacation or B. Living out of his truck. Back to my normal routine in the morning and before I push off the guy that was in the truck was back.

Pat was his name, an inspector from the Sacramento area out on vacation so it was (A). He was up in the Kooskia area looking for real estate as he planned on retiring there! I often wonder if I will ever retire! I wonder what its like to be looking for a completely new place to call home. I had to stop on this thought, as I'm doing the exact same but in a little different time and place in my life! It was great to hear Pat talk about what he did and why he is choosing to move to the Kooskia area, a man with a plan and a really thought out one! He warned me of all the things in San Fransisco I could potentially run into, "All the Progressives" he stated have ruined that town and that's what America will be like soon. I pondered on this thought and really don't agree but he's lived near there so I'll let it be. He also mentioned that California has it all, which I don't disagree, why would so many people live there if it didn't!

After talking with Pat and putting the finishing touches on my camp site I rolled out. I was eager to get the day started as I kinda had a late start. I typically like to roll out at 6AM as this is the best time to ride, cool temperatures, low traffic, and the ability to ride in the open road! Riding out of Kooskia I ran into a little road construction so I got to sit in line for a few minutes. Didn't last long however I was eager to get going because I knew I had some climbing to do and wanted to get it out of the way before the heat hit! Rolling terrain to the base of the first climb, the junction of Highway 13 and 14. Then a nice 6-8 mile climb up some pretty cool switch backs, the terrain wasn't much to look at compared to the day before. I was moving more into farm country with a few trees. Climbing amongst the trees is so much cooler temperature wise, this stretch I could tell was going to be much much warmer!

Note* A may-fly just landed on my computer screen, I wonder if all the flies the guys/gals use down on the Salmon river are like this little guy. He sat there long enough to read this and moved on. I figure why kill him and make a mess all over my pc when some trout could have him for dinner.

The climb was harder than expected this morning as the legs were not awake and I was pretty tired and sore from the day before, just no power in the quads today and I was sure wishing I brought a larger cassette on this stretch. The road wasn't in very good shape either, narrow and chipped sealed with tons of loose chips, these are roads that eat up good tires if your not allowed to ride in the wheel paths of cars. Once to the top of the climb I was beat and really thinking I have one more of these before I get a long stretch that is a low grade uphill. Out into the garm land of Idaho now with the sun beating down on me, and no wind whatsoever. On the climb I was begging for some wind as when your on a bike climbing a 6-8% grade with no wind its like being in a sauna!

The farm houses where just like in Kansas - open space with wheat and straw! The wheat here has not been cut so it was nice to finally get to see that ocean of gold swaying in the slight breeze that picked up. The cattle and horses where grazing in the pastures. Farmers racked the hay into piles for bailing all while I was backing in the hot August sun! My thoughts were all over the place this morning and to be honest I was struggling! I kept thinking what is it; water, food, sleep? I put my money on sleep and recovery at this point and opted to call it a short day once I got to Riggins, ID. Riggins was close to 70 miles today vs. the 105 I really wanted up to New Meadows. Riding along I finally make it into Grainger, ID where I stop for some much needed water.

I walk in and the clerk points me right to the water, my face must have read "WATER" as I went straight to the fountain and downed a couple of bottles. I had a small chat with the clerk before heading off as I really just wanted to sit down and fall asleep. I was thinking now that you need to keep working today, its a Monday and others are working, you must put in a good day! So back at it I roll through Grainger as once I entered the city a nice steep downhill carried me the length of the city. Nice little town from what I could gather however this was not my final destination and I wanted to get to my final destination and call it a day! Once out of Grainger I had a slight down hill before another solid climb up the next pass. (White Hill Summit pass I think)

Pause from my day! I sit here in this park and a white tail just dropped in. Lots of noise behind me so I had to look and I wasn't sure what the noise was as it startled me. Doe creeping up into the small park where I sit. She's not too big compared to the white tails in Southeast Kansas where I grew up however she is pretty! More than one - just taking in the grass and the flowers in the park I'm sure! Not sure but they could be bedding down in the park as this is home to them, I'm the visitor camping out in their park! It's almost completely dark out so I'm assuming its bed time for them as I know it is for me!

Climbing this pass got extremely hot, but I enjoyed it as the roads were not as narrow as the last one. Same thoughts going through my head on this pass, what am I doing today, I need sleep and a couple days of recovery! But I can't, if I want to make sure I get the 6.2K worth of riding in I have planned before the first snow in the Midwest I must keep pushing on. Once to the summit of this pass I was amazed at the veiw!!! Like right out of a movie! Deep canyon and nothing put grass land lining the rolling terrain. A eight mile decent into the small town below and it was a fast one! BoB doesn't like to go too fast on the downhills as he moves a little it throws me off line so I brake a lot on the downhills and get passed by lots of cars, when I don't have the BoB it usually me passing the cars!

Once to the bottom I figure I have anothe 30-40 miles until I'll call it a day. This canyon is extremely hot! The neighboring National park to this canyon is Hell's Canyon hwer eit is known to get to 115 degrees on a regular basis in the summer months. Going from one extreme to the next is great however I like going from hot to cold more!

Travel a few more miles and thinking I have plenty of water I keep trucking, now 28 miles from Riggins, ID and I need water. I stop in the local Rangers station and refill and talk with the gal at the front desk for a while to get out of the heat! I ask here about the area and the local towns, et cetera and let her do most of the talking as I'm more interested in getting my core temperature down. She mentioned it was 89, however it felt like 100 today. Grabbing my bottles I take off and hope to be in Riggins soon. The road I have been traveling on runs right next to the Salmon river which is gorgeous and again words cannot explain!

River rafts congest the river along with canoes and kayaks. 'O what I wouldn't give to be on a float trip right now and conserving energy vs. expending it. I think I thought this after seeing a raft with four girls in bikini's floating down the river! lol Never know what your going to see on a road trip! The water looked great, a moss green tint to it and full of fish. The word is the salmon run here in the months they are spawning, along with trout and some other native species of fish. I'm not a huge into fishing so I'll have to do some research later on names of the native species.

Cruising now as the legs have finally woke up! I arrive in Riggins and hit the local store to get more fluids in me! I have felt full all day and think I may have ate too much over the last couple of days. I think it started at Terry's house, I made the mistake of taking everything I could in and I'm regretting it now. I need the calories for certain however when I'm riding in hot days like today its tough having a lot of food in the system. I take the chance to wash out my bottles really good at the store to kill anything that's been living in them that I should ingest.

After leavine the store I head two blocks down to the local park where I plan on camping. Sign reads "Day Use" only however I'm not sure that applies to me. Okay it does but I'm in the city and bedding down for the night. There's a cafe right across the street with free wi fi so I head over and have a smoothie, peanute butter of course! The gal there Steffanie (sp) is extremely nice and since its slow I make conversation. College student up here from Salt Lake City with her boyfriend for the summer while he guids on the river! What a deal, in a new city for the summer enjoying it with someone you love. A beautiful place too...looking our the window there is this canyon wall that stares back at you with long lines of animal paths carved in the side. I share my sisters song "Older Now" as I get caught up on my emails and send some out! Recharge the batteries and really just enjoy a good conversation about life with a complete stranger...She was listening to music and since I'm a music lover I have her my email to shoot over some artist along with my blog.

Now in the park I feel pretty good being caught up on my writing from the day! I do much better writing when I have a free couple of hours and don't feel rushed! So many things to do here on the road, camp, water, cloths, eat, you name it! I'm enjoying it for sure besides the feeling of being lonely today which really hit home. However, I know that I will never quit something I started so I must push on! I really would like to make it to San Diego before the end of the month to make sure I get to the East Coast before the fall foilage is in its peak! Nothing like sleeping under trees with more pigments than a box of 144 crayons...

I'm craving chocolate right now and wish I had a twix or a hersheys' dark bar, o that would do the trick!

Overall today was a productive day as I must stick to the positive even though physically I appear all there but internally I'm not completely healed from all this riding! I plan on taking a few days of rest once I get to Astoria, OR before I start South to California and the "Red Woods" - then off to LA to hopefully meet up with Carl and Cookie the kind couple from LA that I had breakfast with in Wisdom, MT. I really would like to spend some time with them as they appeared to be very interesting people with pretty cool lives that I could learn lots from. I have a million questions for them if we are able to connect.

The more I think about it I have a mail drop coming from a friend of mine with tires and bar tape and could use some food if any of those readers out there would like to send me some? I'm picking up the tires in Astoria, OR so feel free to send cookies, brownies, ice cream ('o wait that will make a mess - forget the ice cream), granola, dried fruit, noodles or any other item you would like to surprise me with! If you don't think you'll be able to mail drop something within the week contact me off line and we can arrange as I love homemade cookes and buring the calories that I'm burning this is like hanging out in Charlie's Chocolate factory without the ability to gain a pound! Hope all is well to everyone out there and for those that have made this trip possible so far, "Thank You!"