The smell and the landscape changed quickly after we entered Idaho. We left the Casino breakfast and smell of nylon carpet cleaning detergents and sights of flashing lights.
The state border was only up the hill from Jackpot and we had a beautiful morning tour. We see green irrigated fields, dairy farms and some of Arla Foods competitors are active in the area. Glanbia have an office in Twin Falls, we saw trucks from Agropur and in Burnley, where we had lunch, we saw Coors collecting barley for their beer and McCain potatoes for their fries.
Drafting and how we break down a day.
We are not racing across America but take our time to look up from the handlebars now and than. There are some long monotonous stretches where it makes sense to draft and take turns. One turn is app. 10 kilometers and after 20 kilometers we stop for 3-4 minutes and drink and eat. A day like today, where we rode more than 200 kilometers (in fact 287) it is good for the mind to think of 10 turns for me and 10 turns for Troels. The morning breaks we force upon ourselves. It is easy to feel energetic and invincible in the morning. But the more fuel you can get in at 9-10 and 11 am the more you have left for the afternoon when you start to feel a little sorry for yourself.
Dead or Alive?
Our first 20 k break happened to be just outside a country store. We thought that we were going to replenish our drinks in Hollister down the road, but we could save some time by doing it here. I was my wallet day, so I entered the store and walked around without any other signs of life. Until I saw the salesman or owner sit on a chair fast asleep:
I went up to him and asked for bananas with no results. A thorough nap this man was taking. Another question and still no reaction. I decided to pay cash and place money on the counter. I am almost certain that I saw his chest move but when I had tip toed out of the store and we had rolled out of the parking lot and I told the story to Troels I was not sure that he really was alive. I am hopefully on surveillance camera, so there is evidence that I did not touch the man and carefully paid for what, I had picked up, should a Sheriff’s investigation be initiated.
A scenic tour in the hills
At the gas station where we had a little lunch, I asked the two girls behind the counter, whether they had a map. I did my upmost in vain not to sound like and old fart and hurried to tell them that I knew that there was something called the internet and Google Maps and conceded that they of course would not have a rack of maps on sale but they might have an old one sitting in the back office? None, so we left Burnley and left our fate in the hands of Garmin who is more and more becoming a persona – a lady who tells us what to do, now that we do not have our wives to do so. Soon we rode around in some very dry hills on gravel roads and received unconsistent advice. At some time when Garmin advised us to take a goat path leading up to a shack where a sign said “No Trespassing”, Troels turned om his phone and received a signal, so that we could return to civilization.
We got to American Falls our original destination just to learn that all motels are leasing out to construction workers who are working on the many road works in the area. We emptied the soda fountain at a gas station and drank some milk – our classic afternoon combo- and rode on to Pocatello. At dusk we turned on our rear lights on and we rolled into the hotel in the black night. Tired after a long day but happy that we start to approach Yellowstone. We have booked a hotel in West Yellowstone and one out the park just before Cody. We do not dare to rely on last minute bookings. On day 10, Sunday, we will drive north to Idaho Falls and probably stay in Rexburg.
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