Day 14 Heat Wave Continues - Idaho Falls

Today was another scorcher.  We tried to beat the heat again by leaving at 6:30 am.  The ride today was short (68 miles) to help us get ready for the ride to Jackson Hole tomorrow.  You can usually count on the JH ride being cool - but it looks like JH will be at least 85 tomorrow.  Quite a difference from the "Below Zero" when Steve B and I skied JH in January.

Before I talk about today's ride -- we hit our first milestone today.  One Thousand miles!!!  Only 2667 left.  Here is the data from my cateye odometer and heart rate monitor.


Distance 1000.16 miles
Hours 81:49:33
Calories 35,776
Average Heat Rate 101
Average Speed 12.3

Here is a map of our progress to day (day 14).

Looks like tomorrow we leave Idaho and enter Wyoming where we spend another 2-3 days.

As I said we left early today.  There were not a lot of photo ops.  We did get our first view of the Tetons.

I have now learned that when I see a mountain in the distance there is a 99% chance we are heading in that direction and by the end of the day we are either at the base or climbing the "hill" we saw in the morning.  Held true today.

Pretty flat riding day.  Fields and fields of crops.  Alan and I got chased three times by dogs.  First time it was a single dog, then two German Shepards and then finally a five dog pack.  My strategy was to ride as fast I could to get by them, Alan's strategy was to stop and "negotiate" with the dogs.  My strategy proved the correct one  I sprinted and left Alan with the dogs.  Hope he still talks to me.

In the last pack of dogs there was one that only had three legs - damn that thing could run.

At about 30 miles we stopped for our only sag stop - it's where we get our water bottles refilled and grab some snacks if needed (most of the time I grab a banana or two).

Or do simple repairs...

Or just chew the fat and complain about the road conditions (rough), the heat (hot) or the speed of the paceline (the fast riders, of course).

And sometimes we just talk about how great the ride is - which is generally the case.  And most importantly what kind of beer we are going to get at the end.

Rolled into Idaho Falls about noon and our hotel is right next to the falls.

Rooms were not ready so we all headed to Applebees for lunch and beer.  Dinner is at five today as I suspect we are going to try to get out early again the beat the heat.  I think the ride is 90 plus miles and lots of 10-11 degree climbing.

I'll check in after the ride - looking forward to conquering the monster!!