Tuesday, May 24, 2011

What an awesome day.

So as you know, yesterday wasn't the most eventful of days. It was actually pretty boring. Well today was quite the opposite. To start, I woke up and saw another rain cloud. It was supposed to be 60-70% chances of rain. I packed up the tent and all the gear in about 20 minutes and took off. I am not really sure if I was supposed to check out from the campground. But I didn't. So it doesn't matter anymore.

The riding yesterday was actually equally as uneventful. It was a 70 mile day from Arco to Idaho Falls. I expected to go farther but I was pretty tired, I talked to a bunch of people on the phone, and I GOT A FLAT TIRE. WOOHOO. I was pretty pumped. I have never changed my own tire before with tire irons. I had no idea how to use them. So I just sat down on the side of the road to figure them out. (my fixed gear wheel set is Alexrims, and you can change tires by hand with that brand.) There was a huge HUGE rainstorm ahead of me, so this was just a delay to the inevitable of riding through it and a pretty strong headwind. Anyways. Three cars saw me and pulled over to ask me if I needed help. They were all cool older guys who used to bike, and I got to talk to them all for a little bit of time. But I politely refused as I struggled to remember how change the tire properly. It was a small struggle, but my favorite accomplishment of the trip. I just lifted it in the air and started yelling when I finished. I was so pumped up. I hadn't been paying attention, but when I looked up, rainstorm was gone. It was sunny and I had a tail wind. I don't know how that happened. But it did. So thank you Jesus for that one.

I finished up the ride in pretty good weather. I was about five miles from Idaho Falls, ID. I was getting pumped to get some dinner, when I saw a car about a hundred yards in front of me pulled over with the blinkers on, with a guy on a cell phone waving me over. His name is Kev Keefe. I went over and he asked me where I was headed. I didn't really know the answer to that so I just kind of pointed in the general direction. He asked me if I wanted a yard to put a tent up in for the night and I said sure. He was on the phone with his wife, Sheila. He invited me to their church for dinner for the evening, they were making quilts for kids in other countries. I was like "heck yah, how do I get there?"

I got directions and headed over to the church about 6 miles away. Idaho Falls is aptly named. They also have a waterfall running through the middle of the city like Greenville does. Idaho Falls is not as tall, but the river is a lot lot bigger. So the falls were way wider. I stopped and took some cool pictures of a giant tree lodged in one of the falls.

I got to the church and met Sheila. She had homemade soup with some super-food vegetable that I can't remember the name of, but was SOOO good. I ate four bowls I think. She also had a platter of fruits, veggies, and cheese laid out, which I also pounced on. The food was great. I didn't really get to help make quilts, but I did help carry some materials for them, so I called that helping.

We drove back to the Keefe's house for the night and I was talking to Kev. He works at the I N L out in the desert. But on the side, he and Sheila make these awesome winter hats. They own this company called KLU Mountain Outerwear. Seriously, check these hats out. They are pretty cheap and they are super cool. I am planning on buying one as soon as I am home. You need to as well. Kev makes all his own winter outwear. Which is crazy. I think that is something that I wouldn't mind trying to figure out. The plastic buckle on my stuff sack for my sleeping bag was shattered. He took it off, put a new one on, and resewed it back. I mean, come one, that is awesome.

I ended up joining them in a little devotional time before bed, and got to talk some real talk with Sheila and Danielle (their daughter). That was much needed and great. I really like this family a lot. They have done so much for me in the last 12 hours, it is pretty unreal. Kev even sat me down with a map, and routed me the best way to get to Jackson, due to wind and road problems. So today I am about to bike a little father than planned, but get to roll for 20 miles next to the Teton Mountains. So I can not wait for that.

Kev really wanted to write on my blog, so I just gave him the computer (which explains my last post, that was from him.) He was super pumped about giving me a place to stay. He used to be a road biker too.

Overall, yesterday was one of my favorite days without a doubt. I am pumped to get to Jackson in two days, and my legs feel pretty good.



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