August 21: Jerome to Burley, Idaho
I slept in until 6:30 AM this morning. I had a ride of just 50 miles planned for today so I felt I could affort a late start. I was pretty foggy and half-asleep as I went about packing up and having some breakfast. The 94-mile ride the previous day must have left me foggier than usual because I was already about three-quarters the way through a bagel — one that had been stashed in my panniers for a few days — when I noticed the mold. That got me thinking: this bagel tastes kind of funny. In my sleepy state, it took me a couple more seconds to decide not to eat the rest of the bagel.
In Twin Falls, I stopped at a grocery store to get lunch and the rest of my breakfast. I went inside and came out with two bagels, carefully inspected to be mold-free, a few slices of monterey jack cheese (for the bagels), some trail mix, and a Starbuck’s Frappuccino. Yes, that’s right, 12 ounces of sugar-laden water, milk, and, I can only assume, some coffee, probably just as flavoring. This is an example of something I wouldn’t even think about eating normally, but I’ve been able to enjoy occasionally because I’m exercising 4-8 hours every day on this tour. That’s the power of exercise!
Here’s a map of my ride tomorrow:
This is the same route I took on my way up to Alaska. It’s 76 miles and about 54 of it are on Interstate 84. Not fun, but I remember there’s a very wide shoulder, so it’s at least as safe as any other highway. There’s one alternate route I might take, but it’s an extra eleven miles on an already long day, there are absolutely no services available as far as I can tell, plus I’m not sure what the road conditions are like. I’d have to be very careful to carry enough water with me for about 60 miles of riding. I haven’t decided which route to take. I’ll probably wait until morning to see how I feel.
