Sunday July 13, 2008
Boise ID
Distance 30 km

We had to drive to church sponsored by the Boise Congregation in a local park. Lovely location. The heat divided the congregation into two as we all stayed in the shade. The last week has been hot 34-38C and today was no exception. It is very dry however, It feels like the humidity is about -10%. It’s wonderful for clothes they dry almost instantly, but my lips are chapped an others have lips that look far worse then mine and I have been very faithful in the use of chap stick, but I probably began too late. Legs too are becoming chafed and dry.

The service in the park was really wonderful. The pastor whom I did not know, preached on peace and the message really encouraging.

Well there is a DQ just across the street and I think I am going to join the gang for an ice cream cone. Just been informed that DQ closes at 10 and it’s 10:20 right now. O well.

Monday July 14, 2008
Distance 92.24 total distance
Up hill 1971
Downhill 1555
Net 2416
Time in the saddle 3;56
Max: 53.8
Average: 23.4

What a day. For the first time in ten days clouds appeared in the sky after lunch. Not many, not dark and threatening, but clouds just the same even so it did provide some welcome shade for a few minutes. We have had temperatures reported today of 106 and 110 or 41-43C. hot is how you describe the weather and for once it is not to cool down much until after 11 pm.

The ride itself wasn’t too hard, other than there were no services available en-route for the entire 92k. the graph makes it look like we did lots of climbinh, but that really isn’t so because the vertical scale is 200 ft per bar. So at mile 10 we had a fairly steep hill but it only gave us an ascent of 300 feet. The rise between mile 13-25 was pretty gentle and with the tail wind I averaged about 20kph. The terrain was rather monotonous Sage brush and more sage brush and more sage brush. And when there are no shadows to compensate it really does make for a two dimensional view.

From here on in the distances begin to lengthen and the climbing intensifies. Someone said this morning that the tour starts tomorrow.

All of us keep having fascinating conversations along the way. We hand out hundreds of cards each day. Someone reported that he was in a grocery store talked to the clerk who was involved in a ministry with prisoners and he asked to be prayed with so right there in the middle of the produce department they prayed together. He then made a 20 dollar donation to sea to sea. So far more than 600 dollars has been received in donations. We have also received free laundry services, haircuts, sometimes meals and coffee and almost everyone we talk to is enthusiastic about the cause we are supporting.