Into Idaho, Slowly

8/31/2006: Day 12, 9.9 miles; Total 435.1 Miles

We awakened early and I just couldn’t get going out of the campground. At 4 AM I needed out of the tent for a bathroom break. It was about 48 degrees out. I could see the big dipper sitting on top of Blue Mountain as if balanced there. It was a beautiful night view. When I got back into my 20-degree sleeping bag in my shorts and t-shirt, I was cold. So I put on full fleece sweatshirt and drawers and slept soundly for the next two hours nice and cozy. However, when time to get up I was chilled and didn’t relish riding and cold. Finally at 8:30 I took off for town as it had warmed to 58 degrees. However, riding in the shade I still had to pull over and put on my nylon windbreaker vest. I then felt good and pedaled the 6 or so miles to Clarkston, Washington, the last town in the state. I stopped at the Walla Walla Community College office for directions to a bike shop and was directed out of state to Lewiston, Idaho, some two miles down the road and over the Snake River. The TB joined me at the College and I started down the street but couldn’t get by the McDonalds so we went in for the big breakfast. Then I pedaled over the Snake into Idaho and to the Spoke and Wheel Bike Shop. We met Scott who was very gracious and checked my front wheel that has a prominent weld joint from manufacturing. He assured me it is okay and safe. He then began to install my fenders I have carried from Pensacola and which have been a huge pain to the TB and me. They just don’t fit in anyplace among our stuff in the van, and as it turned out they didn’t fit on the bike either! What a bummer. Jim from Boulder had recommended fenders, as does my bike book; however, my bike shop advised against them. It now appears that my bike has too narrow of a fork to allow any fender to fit. It’s the same reason I could not use any wider tires and had to settle for 700 x 28c instead of 30c or 32c. (That’s the mm width.) I bought a small bag to use on the handle bar to hold the cell phone and the pepper spray in place of the large handle bar bag that seems to cause unstable steering. I hope to turn the Stallion into a gelding! I also bought a sunshade for around my ears and neck under my helmet at the Army and Navy Store next to the bike shop. Scott said my flats were caused by a local plant with three noames: Goat's Head, Puncture Vine, of Tack Weed.

The TB sat in the Van somewhat bored with my lingering. When I came out I finally admitted I couldn’t go today and we went for a motel room at just past noon. Several good things did happen: We bought an attachment for filling the propane tank on the van. It has been a problem for TB for years as the fill valve is angled and the van had to be jacked up to hook up, now it doesn’t. He’s happy about that. I got a new battery for my altimeter watch that will come in handy to judge the mountaintops for the next month. Many will be a walk up and it will be nice to know I’m approaching the true summit. We washed our clothes, and we made two trips to the DQ. Perhaps tomorrow will be a better biking day in Idaho.