Day 14 - 22...oops

Kristen here! So we have been slacking hard core with the "daily blogs" but we haven't been in civilization for awhile! Here is a quick update of all the places we have been as well as the things that have happened...

Note: The Tres Muscateros, as I like to call them, or rather Rodrigo, Aldolfo, and Isidro, have been our travelling companions for about a week now, with my spanish skills and Rodrigo's English skills we are somehow able to communicate..we have had so much fun with them!

Day 14: Baker City to Oxbow, reached Idaho finally! Enjoyed a nice downhill most of the morning and then climbed a hill near Richland which was pretty tough! We enjoyed a nice downhill after that except it started hailing! We got to the campground and realized the only restaurant was two miles away the way we had already come...hitched a ride in a pickup truck which was delightful!

Day 15: Oxbow to Cambridge, biked 25 miles in the wrong direction, the road straight up ended...hitched a ride to starting point once again and climbed a grueling, hot 4,131 ft. pass, made it to campsite, only 10 dollars a night with hot tub, laundry, hot showers, it was perfecto!

Day 16: Rest day in Cambridge, went fishing with Larry, Bill, and Jim whom we met at the local pub the night before! Had a ball, they caught about 20 fish and saw two blacks bears, deer, snakes, and a lot of bugs yuck! All restaurants were closed by seven so we ate a pizza that a woman at the gas station heated up for us!

Day 17:Cambridge to Riggins, rode 80 miles ~Kristen's record mileage! Got a flat tire where we met up with John, a guy from Denver and the Tres Muscateros! Rodrigo owns a bike shop and fixed my tire within seconds! We rode in a paceline for the first time and went between 16.5-22 mph the entire way, yikes! Ate dinner with everyone at River Rock cafe...met Lane, Dwyane, and Jim at RV park who donated 20$ to our cause, paid for our campsite, and kept our beer in their ice chest!

Day 18: Riggins to Harpster, WHITE BIRD HILL!!!!!! The hardest thing I have EVER done in my life! However, I somehow beat Mark up the hill...about 13 miles of about a 7% grade, completed with switchbacks and a hot afternoon...I felt so accomplished when we made it to the top! Ate subway for lunch, a whole footlong! I was so hungry! Stayed in RV park next to river and slept for thirteen hours!!!!

Day 19:: Harpster to State Campground, bathed in the River, ate ravioli, a grouse did this weird flapping thing with his wings and it was really loud, about 10 ft. from tent...saw this huge cicada looking bug in the morning and flicked it away from my bag, went to Post Office fifteen miles away and the bug flew off my helmet and the post lady screamed..it was so huge ...eewwww!

Day 20: State Campground to Mile Marker 148; met up with the Tres Muscateros on the side of the road!! yay! convinced them to go to natural hot springs with us...hiked in a mile, naked man named Chuck took a picture of us, we were all giggling! We then camped by the river after we made a fire, which is illegal in Spain so the Tres Muscateros were very happy!

Day 21: Mile Marker 148 to Missoula, Montana; climbed Lolo Pass with the Tres Muscateros, stayed in Super 8 Motel...felt like a million bucks! Went to dinner at the Ironhorse Pub, laughed with the Spanish men...pathetically took a cab downtown, only four miles away, couldn't get on my bike again ha! Ate some milkshakes and felt like throwing up...

Day 22: Missoula to Darby, ~65 miles, headwinds for awhile, argh! Rodrigo and I broke away from the group and as I used all the energy I had to keep up with his 21 mph pace, I think I almost had a heart attack. He is 48 and an animal! Slept in the laundry room of an RV park but got to take warm showers! Met a guy named David who is raising money for the National Arthritis Foundation..he is riding from Seattle to New Jersey and is 59! He bought our dinner last night too! What a guy! Then Kurt, the guy we met back in Pacific City Oregon met us for dinner as well and we are planning to stop at his place to see baby lambs that were born yesterday! We have a 23 mile pass today that ascends over 3,000 feet...when are these hills going to end!? Please pray for me!

So my friends, here we go into the wilderness again! Hopefully we will be able to find some internet access somewhere soon! Hope everyone is doing well!!!!

Ciao and Adios!
Kristen