Another great day for a bicycle ride.  Come to think of it, every day is a good day for a ride – perhaps some days are just a bit better than others.

Cool enough for a light jacket this morning, even on the last day of June.  Winds were light, as was traffic on the farm roads and open cattle ranges we cycled through.  One lonely old stretch of highway was so open and peaceful, the ride transcended into a zen-like experience of being totally engulfed in the barren sage landscape.

I stopped at an interesting landmark called Register Rock.  Early pioneers who traversed this way carved their names and messages into a large boulder along the Oregon Trail. Sort of an 1850’s version of instagram or facebook.  The historic rock is smartly fenced off to prevent modern travelers (or cyclists) from registering their own messages.

More crossings of the slowly meandering Snake River highlighted the rest of the ride into the town of Pocatello – which marks the end of this year’s segment of my Coast-to-Coast bicycle adventure.  I hugged goodbye to my fellow cyclists and thanked the America-By-Bicycle staff for their awesome support.

Next year, my ride will start from here in Pocatello, Idaho and extend another two weeks and 1,088 miles to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Tomorrow I load the bike on top of a car and drive back home with AJ and Jackie.  It’s been an incredible two week journey, and I hope you’ve enjoyed the daily blogs.

~Dan

More tailwinds, and even cooler temperatures today.  Lovin’ those 70s – especially when I hear about triple-digit temperatures back in Denver.  An easy 45 mile cruise through irrigated fields of potatoes, beets, wheat and lavender – with a few detours to see Shoshone Falls and Twin Falls.  Shoshone Falls (pictured) is the prettier of the two.  Twin Falls is actually now just a single… one of the twins was dammed for hydroelectric power.  Ah, the price of progress.

We crossed back over the Snake River Gorge on the Hansen Bridge.  Before the original bridge was built in 1919, this 16 mile stretch of river gorge could only be crossed by rowboat.  The 900 foot bridge, suspended nearly 400 feet over the Snake River, accommodated two lanes of farm wagons as well as those newfangled automobiles that were starting to gain popularity.  The cost of the bridge in 1919?  $100,000.  Ah, the price of progress only 99 years ago.

Undoubtedly, the best part of the day came at the finish in Burley, where I was cheered on by my welcoming team of Jackie and AJ.  They got to meet fellow cyclists and experience firsthand this crazy ‘travelling summer camp’ atmosphere.  Jax and AJ also witnessed the results of a scavenger hunt competition as teams creatively vied to win over the judges with team photos, spotting of Where’s Waldos, and collecting interesting items from the side of the road today, among other challenges.  They’ll be staying with me tonight, but maybe not getting up with me at 5:30 for breakfast.

Tomorrow will be my last Coast-to-Coast ride for 2018.  87 miles to Pocatello, a farewell dinner with the rest of the crew, and one more night in a Best Western Hotel before the car ride home with my wonderful support team of AJ and Jackie.  I’m already looking forward to next year.

~Dan

Today was bliss.  Literally, as we passed through Bliss, Idaho – population 318.  I’m perplexed that only a few people choose to live in Bliss.  It’s one of many small towns along a beautiful 97 mile ride today that featured views of the Snake River’s picturesque valleys and deep canyons.  Bliss was fleeting, as a brisk 20 mph tailwind whipped us through town and on up the river.

Wind is the one weather variable that can either crush the spirit of a weary cyclist with a brutal headwind, or provide a vigorous boost of momentum with a blissful tailwind.  Today, the cycling Gods were overly generous with a heavenly tailwind, elevating normal cruising speeds of 15-18 mph up into the 20s.  It’s like traveling in an open-air bubble as the wind flows at your same speed and the landscape seems to magically move with you.  Pure Bliss.

Ninety-seven miles went by so quickly and efficiently, that some of us tacked on a few extra miles to see Shoshone Falls and pass by the earthen remains of the launch ramp that famous stuntman Evel Knievel used in a failed attempt to jump over the Snake River Gorge near Twin Falls.  Had he waited for a tailwind like today’s, his odds may have drastically improved.

Tomorrow is a light day of about 40 miles into the town of Burley.  Which means a bit of a sleep in and a later start.  Yay!  More bliss.

~Dan