August 2

Day 57:

After spending two whole weeks in Montana it is hard to believe that we spent just one day in Idaho. We finished a long day yesterday in true Montana fashion, complete with hills, heat (103 degrees!), and even a little wind and enjoyed a good night’s rest next to the grazing cows (who need to learn to chew with their mouths closed!) on the hotel lawn. A quick breakfast next door got us going and we took off towards Sandpoint, ID. It was another very hot day (high 90’s) so we were happy to have the breeze off Lake Pend Oreille, as we cruised along beside it for most of the morning. As we neared Sandpoint, we began to feel a little less “in the middle of nowhere.” After quick stop at the local bike store to check our tire pressures, we went in search of lunch. While eating outside we chatted with a few locals, who were able to suggest an alternate route for tomorrow and recommend that we take a short break at the beach down the road. That we could not pass up! So after refueling, we made a short trip to the city beach where we enjoyed an extended lunch break and ice cream! While there, we ran into a few other bikers and happily traded stories. We all would have liked to stay for the rest of the afternoon, but with 34 miles ahead of us the bikes were calling. A great bike trail lead us out of the city and back onto the main highway. But for some reason we never seem to make great time on these kinds of trails…and a flat tire slowed us down a little as well. While on the bridge out of town, a small shard of glass punctured Zach’s rear tire and we made quick work of the repair. The afternoon was a hilly ride along the lake and we began to feel the afternoon heat. With about 8 miles to go, Dad was victim to the second flat of the day…this time his front tire. We found some shade and cold drinks and went to work on replacing the tube. In doing so, we realized that we only have two spare tubes left, so some patching is definitely in order. As usual, we managed to stretch even our shorter days into longer ones. We crossed into Washington and were disappointed to see the “Welcome to Washington” sign absent opposite its Idaho counterpart. The closest gas station provided some much needed drinks, and air for the tires. McDonalds looked like the only option for dinner, so we headed over there…some of us a little less excited than others. Finally we made it to the hotel…though I am not sure were the day went…it’s almost 8 o’clock! Tomorrow we will see our first glimpses of the Cascades as we begin to tackle our final map, and our final state!

Maggie

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