Day 8 Journal Ontario, OR to Boise, ID

66.49 biked miles today. I’ve posted a few comments on the photos below that re-cap some of today. I felt strong all day and it was another fine ride. But it sure is HOT out here. Tomorrow is a rest day, and I’ll be back posting the journal day after tomorrow --- unless I feel energetic and get out the laptop sometime tomorrow. I made some phone calls as soon as I got in this afternoon and lined up some appointments early tomorrow morning. I’m going to see a Dr Eric Crum, D.C. he is certified in doing Active Release Technique, and will check over my spine and all my muscles for any tightness. Then I routed myself a short way from that office to the Boise Massage Therapy spa. It will be sooo soothing to have that 1.5-hour massage. This will get my legs feeling really fresh for the start of the next leg of this trip. We have some really tough days ahead, especially the climb over Teton Pass on our way to Jackson Hole, WY. We won’t have another stop until Casper, WY. So I’m taking care of the body as best I know with ART treatment and massage on this day off.

At route rap tonight we got our cue sheets for when we leave on Wednesday morning to Mountain Home, ID. Some riders left us today, saying goodbye to us was hard for them, and they all wished they could continue on, but for various reasons this was the leg of the trip they could do this time. Two new riders joined the group.

As soon as I had finished lunch in the Hyde Park district coming into Boise I rode with others to George’s Bike Shop, which was right on our way near the motel. It is a large bike shop and I bought my new water bottles and saw a bright colored sleeveless jersey that I just had to have! (Paul, you know how I love to buy bike clothes, sorry!). Several bikers were having some mechanical issues handled at the shop. Nancy had to buy a new set of matching wheels. One of her wheels was damaged in the transport out to Astoria when she checked her bike box through the airport. They couldn’t get the bike box open and hacked away at it and in the process bent her wheel. She bought a new wheel in Astoria, but couldn’t get a matching one. Quite an expense, but she’ll be whizzing down the roads now with shiny new wheels. Oh, Barry, who had to be taken to the ER room late yesterday was back riding today. They gave him an IV of salts and replaced his lost electrolytes. He looked great and rode strong today. We were all saying we too should have checked in for that IV seeing what it did for him!

I thank God for this wonderful trip, these first 8 days have been wonderful. It just cannot be expressed in these little blurbs that I’m writing. I just can’t believe how great it is to be doing this a second time. Even better than the first time – wish you all could be here with me. Peg, I know it is several weeks until you join us in Niagara Falls, NY, but I’m so looking forward to having you join all of us when we pick you up there. Hope you are getting in lots of training rides – but I have no doubt about that, you ride EVERY day! You must have at least 3,000 miles by now with Stark County Bike Club rides?

Time to wash the bike clothes, clean and shine the bike, change out the water bottle cages, and oil the chains.