Hank – Of course, I’m referring to the Snake River. This is a family-oriented blog.

We said good-bye to Janese this morning and got back on Highway 26 headed for Blackfoot. We could have backtracked four miles to Highway 20 and go straight to Idaho Falls. But there was more climbing and there are no other towns along the way. The weather called for thunderstorms around noon. Going to Idaho Falls via Blackfoot added three miles but there are towns between Blackfoot and Idaho Falls where we could find shelter if the weather went south.

Wow! We covered 20 miles in 1:45. The last 10 miles to Blackfoot went almost as quickly. In Blackfoot we ate at Martha’s Cafe. Lots of people stopped by to take photos with the statue out front. We stopped by the World Potato Museum because it’s the World Potato Museum. When you buy something at the gift shop they put your purchase in a small potato bag. Plus, you get a free small carton of dehydrated hash browns. Add water and then cook ’em up. We’ll try those out some time.

By the way, in Blackfoot we crossed the Snake River yet again. Until this bike ride I never realized how much ground the Snake River covered.

We pressed on and the weather held up. We passed through Firth and Shelley. Lots of people we’re visiting the cemeteries, this being Memorial Day. The town of Shelley flies flags with pictures of local veterans all along the main street, which I thought is a great idea.

Coming into Idaho Falls we got off the road and onto the green belt. We passed by the namesake falls powered by the Snake River and checked into the Best Western. We’ve gone 10 days without a rest day. Tomorrow we rent a car and drive to Jackson WY and visit the Tetons.

After cleaning up and getting dinner, I decided to do something about the pine sap stuck in my hair. The internet said peanut butter would do the trick. Just rub it into the sap and let it sit for 30 minutes. I applied the last of our peanut butter to my head. I looked like I’d passed out in a public park with my forehead just close enough to a pile of dog poop to make a difference. Fortunately, I did not have to explain myself to anyone the couple of times I made the trek between our room and the laundry to start the wash, put it in the dryer, and gather it up when it was done. After an hour, I washed my hair and the peanut butter and most of the sap washed out. I pulled out the bit that remained. Now I can get a much-needed haircut tomorrow. My original idea was that we could cut each other’s hair while we’re on the road. Kathy was not for that at all. Perhaps that’s for the better.

Kathy – Today we rode 61 miles with relatively no elevation, the weather remained cloudy in the mid 70’s…and best of all no headwind! Doing the Happy Dance now! 🙂 We cruised the entire way, which was really sweet. Our bikes seem much lighter now. We used up most of our food these past few days which may relate to a small amount of weight, but I think I’m getting stronger and therefore I’m handling the bike with much more ease. No, I didn’t let go of any more clothes/stuff, but I’m thinking about dropping a more few items once we get to Missoula, Montana. Overall, it was a wonderful day of riding. Visiting the Potato Museum was fun, Idaho Falls are beautiful, and we got ‘dressed up’ and enjoyed a relaxing dinner/drinks together. BTW, dressed up is anything outside of riding attire. 🙂

Oh, and I mosied on over to a nail shop near our hotel and got a fresh pedicure. Hank is going to get a haircut tomorrow. I told Hank we are not going to look homeless during our trip so a little maintenance work along the way is a good thing. 🙂 Looking forward to a few days off the bike. It is somewhat of a full-time job as we typically ride anywhere from 5-7 hours a day. Regardless, after almost a month into the trip I am thrilled to report that I hardly ever hurt anymore. I noticed a week or so ago that when waking there are no more aches and pains (other than the usual getting older morning stretch of the body). Life on the road gets better with each passing day.
Stats – After 25 Days on the Road:

• Miles: 897
• Total Elevation Gain: 27,000 feet
• Days without a headwind: 6 Days with a headwind: 17
• Lodging: Camping – 10 days, Family/Friends – 7 days, Warm Showers – 3 days, Hotel – 5 days
• Rest Days: 4
• Hank and I are much stronger, and our ‘riding communication’ has improved significantly. 🙂

A couple of notes…

1. If you would like to comment on a blog post, please click on the post title (or header), scroll to the bottom and you will then see the comments section where you can add your thoughts. We look forward to your comment and encouraging words. Thank you!
2. If you would like to “follow” our blog, please go to the “Home” page and look in the bottom right corner where you will see a “+Follow” link. Just enter your email address there (only we can see it). Then, anytime we write a new blog post you will automatically get an email letting you know so you can read it at your leisure.