Safe Return Doubtful

72 miles (116 km) – Total so far: 1,077 miles (1,733 km)

I knew today’s ride would be tough but there was also an easterly headwind to ride into for the whole day. The last couple of days the sun has been fierce also. I had neglected it a little after all the fire smoke in the Cascades, and stopped putting sun cream back on. It was in the late 20s C by early afternoon and clear sky. As good a day’s riding as it was, I was not as strong as in the last few days, a combination of that sun and wind I think.

It’s a very gradual uphill out of Idaho Falls with just a couple of steeper parts, and the highway 26 has gained 300 metres by the time it Rachel’s Swan Junction. It descends again, then regains that height at Palisades Dam and Reservoir. The road is up and down around the lake, but on a grand scale, dipping and rising 50 metres at a time.

Alpine is a spectacularly set Junction town of about 800 people, and is about to be descended upon by quarter of a million people this weekend headed towards Jackson for the eclipse. This tour I have chosen not to ride through Yellowstone. I did that 4 years ago and found the RV and monster caravan drivers to be too dangerous. Hopefully my timing will mean that the crowds are going in the opposite direction to me come Friday and Saturday. I am going to take a day out tomorrow and catch up with some reading.

20 miles out of Idaho Falls, difficult to see that wind.

The Snake River, some of the best trout fishing in the world i am assured.

Palisades Reservoir.

Almost into Wyoming.

Storytime:

Why I’m Doing This – back to Easter…

In his last few weeks Nigel had many visitors to his house where he was under hospice care. Dunc, Nick and I got over each for a few days at separate times, as did my mother. Though not looking forward to the visit I was very glad I went. I thought on the plane out that if we managed just a few laughs and stories then it would be very worthwhile, and actually we managed more than I expected. The combination of pain-killing drugs he was on meant that he slept a lot, and when conscious and socialising, it would only be a short time until the drugs made him less lucid, and he would confuse things. Some days he managed several hours, some on,y one or two.

One of the mornings he had important visitors, the attorney responsible for his will was going to call, and Nigel needed to ‘be of sound mind’ when signing. The attorney needed a witness, as did Nigel. It couldn’t be me as a family member, so his good friend Barry called over also. In different times Nigel would certainly have made light of the situation and thrown out some Pythonesque one liners, as would the rest of us. Sandra had warned him repeatedly though that it would not be a good idea, and that seemed sound advice when the attorney arrived. He was young and impeccably dressed, tall in a Basil Fawlty way, but extremely deadpan and straight. It was clear that he did not expect, and would not appreciate any humour. With 3 of us (Sandra, Barry and me) there to keep him from straying he managed to get everything signed in what took far longer than I expected.

After he had left, a half hour or so later, the Chaplain for the hospice arrived. Her visit was expected, and again I was dreading it. She was to explain about the grieving process and would be supporting the family throughout. I am not s religious person and was sceptical about what she could offer that would help, however, this was her job, and she was trained and experienced, so I was interested to hear what she said. My scepticism could not have been more wrong placed. She was a young and bubbly person who instantly found some common ground for humour. She had been educated at one of the international schools in Houston and was well-travelled. She also was a football supporter, an Arsenal fan, and not one of those who just watches them on TV, but one that travels to London to support them a few times each year. She began by saying how what she said could be taken as religious or non-religious. I only met her this once and she seemed very helpful. One of the things she said, actually to help the children mostly, was to gather together memories, wrote them down and store them somewhere. Mine are a little late, but here they are. Many thanks too for others have contributed, and hopefully there will be more like that.