Safe Return Doubtful

72 miles (116 km) – Total so far: 1,005 miles (1,617 km)

The RV park sold beers so I sat last thing last night (8 pm) with the boss (a Kenny Rogers lookalike) and very much enjoyed a Bertram’s Dark Eclipse which is a Black IPA brewed for the upcoming total eclipse next Monday. Though I expected him to start “It’s hard to love a man whose legs are bent and paralyzed….” he had an old road map and we looked together at my route. He had been a truck driver so knew many of the roads.

It was 5C this morning at 6:30 am, which surprised me. It didn’t take long to warm up and another good day for cycling, reaching low 20s. I headed east up onto the lava field / plains and the riding was fast, there was little or no wind today. The same as usual with the traffic also, its quiet until midday, but this isn’t a busy road anyway. I got into Idaho Falls at just after 1, and have taken an AirBnB tonight at the recommendation of a passing cyclist a week or so ago. I had a ride around a very small downtown, the city itself has just over 60,000 people. The house is a mile or so from downtown and is a good change from the tent, allowing me to get all the electrics charged and use fast wifi.

Total eclipses are very rare and the next one here in the US is on Monday 21st August. Travellers have come from all over the world, hotel rooms are 10 times there usual price, for 2 minutes of action, and of course, it still may be cloudy… I need to get away from this mayhem in time, so as soon as the chance is there I will.

Arco on a cool summer morning, just 5C at 6:30 am

Look closely or enlarge, and this is Arco’s Hill of Numbers.

The numbers painted on the mountain are by each High School graduation class, started back in 1920. I would call it vandalism…

A long straight road. I’m headed to the left of those big Buttes.

The atomic museum and rest stop, with updated radiation levels.

Downtown Idaho Falls

Storytime:

21st Celebrations?

Nigel’s 21st birthday celebrations were at Birkenhead Park Cricket Club on a Friday evening. Mum and dad had hired the club out and did the food themselves, and many attended, friends from sport, university, schooldays and family. It was a strange celebration in a way as Nigel wasn’t there for the speeches and the food. He had had enough quite a while before that and after only an hour or two of the party. In future days he claimed his drink was spiked, but he really was never a big drinker. Out of all the memories, this one seems so fresh in my mind, like just a few days ago. We may laugh, and we did, but it was a pity he missed the large part of the celebration.

The second part of this story happens the following day, over to our good friend, Martyn Smith to describe it:

This tale relates to Nige playing for Birkenhead Park 1st XI in a cricket match at St Helens Recs. Those who have played there will know that the ground is unusually long straight from the pitch. This match was they day after Nige had enjoyed his 21st birthday celebrations.

Was Nige still the worse for wear at the start of the game was the pointed question from Park’s less than tolerant captain Dave Turner. Having somehow convinced the captain he was indeed fit enough to play he was positioned in a close catching position at ‘short leg’ for the first over of the game.

The first ball was left by the batsman and went through to the wicketkeeper, who then tossed the ball gently to Nige in order to propel it back to the bowler – which Nige promptly dropped. Cue muttered expletives from captain Turner.

The second ball of the game hit the batsman’s pads and rolled slowly towards Nige, who proceeded to somehow not only to allow it roll between his legs but, in his attempt to grasp the ball, fell into a shambolic forward roll.

Whilst hugely amusing to the rest of the team, it did not please the captain at all, who roared his disapproval.

The third ball passed without incident. The fourth ball caught the edge of the bat, hit the batsman’s pad and ballooned in slow motion towards Nige. Presented with the opportunity of taking the simplest of catches Nige took a half step backwards, lost his balance and then performed a vague form of brake dancing that end up with him lying flat on his back just as the ball landed six inches away.

With steam now coming out of the captain’s ears, Nige was immediately ordered to occupy the ‘fine leg’ position out on the boundary, a good 70 yards from the batsman. Nige then spent the next 18 overs being sent from fine leg to fine leg, a long long trek on this particular ground and not particularly conducive to his delicate state!!