Day 27: August 1, 2024 - Woodhead Park Campground to Cambridge, ID
End: Cambridge, ID
Miles: 25.6
Feet climbing per mile: 92
Record of the day's ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/207845145
In the middle of the night I took a picture of the stars. Can you see them?
As of 6:30 a.m. my rack was in Weiser, ID.
My right contact lens went in ok but my left contact lens managed to get stuck somewhere in my eyelid. It was only after a few hours that I managed to retrieve it and insert it properly. Daily contact lenses are much thinner than monthly lenses and therefore harder to insert.
Linda, camp host extraordinaire, texted me to say that the post office in Cambridge wanted me to call them to say the carrier could sign for the rack because otherwise it would be returned to Cambridge. I called and gave my ok. The person with whom I spoke at the post office thought the rack would arrive about 11:00. I spent much of the morning wondering whether I should pack up my gear on the assumption the rack would arrive and that I would ride to Cambridge, or should spend another night at Woodhead because of the heat. I started packing up about 11:00 and the rack arrived about noon. I had made a reservation for a tent site because no motel room was available.
While I was packing my top-tube bag its zipper unzipped itself as I was closing it. I realized that the teeth of the zipper are worn and no longer reliable, maybe because I’ve over-stuffed the bag or maybe because they’ve worn from use. I eventually was able to close the zipper but some of the teeth are not engaged.
I solved the problem by using some zip ties.
I was finally on the road at 1:15. By that time the temperature was already in the 90s. As I was leaving the campground I considered turning around and spending another night at Woodhead, where I could have stayed on the campsite of my neighbors Ron and Julia because they had left a day early. Instead I continued.
There was an eight-mile climb on which I walked several times because it was so hard to ride in the heat. Two women driving by offered to give me a ride, but I declined. However I did accept their offer of water.
Within a mile of the end of the climb Linda drove by, having brought water and oranges and a bar of chocolate! She, too, offered to drive me to the top of the climb and again I declined, singing her my alternate lyrics for I’ve Been Everywhere which you can find here.
When I arrived at the Frontier Motel & RV Park I asked whether there had been any rooms cancelled. Nick told be that there were none and that there was a waiting list for them. Then he learned that there was going to be a no-show, so he gave me the room, moving me to the top of the list. What a treat to have a room!
The other treat was to swim a few laps in the outdoor pool, the first time I’ve been swimming since leaving home June 30th.
Dinner at Li’s Chinese kitchen was surprisingly good. I say “surprisingly” because even the white rice tasted especially delicious. How is that possible? I almost didn’t eat at Mr. Li’s because it appeared that there was no inside seating. I’m glad I peeked through the window and saw that there was.
* * * * *
Linda, the camp host, went out of her way to take care of me while I was at Woodhead, bringing me food several times, taking my broken rack to the post office to mail it to David Brorein so he can experiment with it, calling the post office to make sure the new rack would be delivered and then informing me that I needed to call the post office, and finding my on this day’s climb and bringing me water, oranges and chocolate. Thank you, Linda!
I'm also grateful to both sets of my neighbors at Woodhead who gave me food: Ron and Julia, and Kevin and everyone else in his group. Their generosity made the six days I spent at Woodhead much more pleasant.
See all of my daily routes here: Cross Country 2024
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