Monday, June 26, 2017 Day 8 Across America North

Bison herd on far western Idaho border 

James and Mike enjoy lunch in Hyde Park, Boise, ID

644 miles down, 3006 miles to the Atlantic!

Link to GoPro Coverage of Today's Ride Below by Dirk Lohry

Ontario to Boise ID

Click below to support the CAC mission and make a tax-deductible donation!

CAC2017CYCLINGFOR GREATKIDS

The ride from Ontario, OR to Boise, ID was a mere 63.5 miles and we climbed 1650 feet, both just a shadow of the miles and feet we had conquered the last few days.  I rode the entire distance with my good friend, Mike Munk and we alternately "soft pedaled" (bike slang for easy, relaxed, talking pace) and "hammered" (bike slang for pushing the other guy so hard he/she can barely keep up).  Every time Mike would remind me I was pushing the pace and hammering, I'd remind him that he was in the lead just seconds ago doing the same thing.  We amused ourselves over the country roads, but stopped several times to take photos of the bison just inside the Idaho border and at the lunch stop in Boise's Hyde Park.  All of us have tired legs after riding eight days in a row and this lower mileage day with less climbing, followed by a day off is just what the doctor ordered!

Along the way we had a great conversation with one of our fellow riders, Anne Brooks, who is a high school special education teacher when she isn't using almost all of her summer leave to bike across America.  When she completes the ride in Portsmouth, NH on 7 August, she will have exactly one week before she returns to work!

After our ride we always off-load our bags from the America By Bicycle trailer, check into our rooms, and shortly thereafter, have a "rap" session where we briefly review today's ride and look ahead to the next ride's challenges.  And last but not least for today, we had a delicious barbecue catered dinner!  A few of us wandered off to a nearby brewery to toast the completion of the first of our five segments in our march to the Atlantic.

I will enjoy tomorrow's day off and explore a little of Boise and let my legs enjoy the one day holiday!

Stay Healthy,

Steve

Click below to support the CAC mission and make a tax-deductible donation!

CAC2017CYCLINGFOR GREATKIDS