Saturday, July 3rd: Montpelier, ID to Afton, WY or ... almost frozen!

Around 6 am someone's alarm sounds in the gym. An older person gets up and starts to do some stretching. As my boss wasn't awake anymore at the meeting, it is my job now to tell her what to do.

First of all you have to take you're own luggage to the bagage truck - before 8 am. Yes, boss... we'll need to get up early in order to take a shower, get dressed, take the tent down and have breakfast.

Next you read the directions on the whiteboard next to the truck. Maybe you can take some notes before you leave camp?

You just follow the yellow arrows painted on the road surface. There will be 3 arrows in a short distance from each other when you need to make a turn somewhere. After that turn you will find a confirmation arrow. Whenever you see an arrow with a dot ... get ready to eat!

During the day you're free to bicycle: choose your co-riders or not, stop whenever you want. At the 1/4 point and the 3/4 point of the route there will be a "waterstation". Halfway is the aid-station where you can make your lunch.

"What?", my boss says "I have to wait till I see the aid-station before I can eat..."

When you arrive, your luggage will be in the gym.

And by the way: you'll receive a 55$ refund to buy your own breakfast and dinner this week, since there is no one to prepare dinner for us! I can see the eyes of my boss opening wide ... "Well, that's going to be hard to buy all that food with only 55$", she tells me.

Our route this week is the following:

Allright - enough rules. Time for breakfast at Butch's place, after taking a cold shower. My boss thinks nothing seems to work on this trip!

Black clouds are covering the mountain tops. The road is wet from the rain at night. My woman finds some other riders to cycle with: Marilyn, Sue and Valerie. They do not cycle together all the time. The ride is taking us over two passes. So yes, my boss has to work hard.

The very first water stop! People have all their rain gear on!

Why are Sue's legs so dirty?

Still a big smile - before going up the second pass. Leaving Idaho and entering Wyoming. They have the same weather!

Very soon it starts to rain and as we near the top, snowflakes whirl down on us. The donwhill into Afton ... my woman thinks it's hell - but then the cold version of it. Her legs and feet are soaking wet and even the gloves cannot withstand the snow either. Once in the valley we cycle at 30 km/hr - taking advantage of the tailwind. But even now my woman has to stop to defrost a bit. But then ... there is a Rolo in her pocket. The small chunck of chocolate and caramel tastes like heaven.

Once at the school, my boss heads for the warm shower - 15 minutes under streaming hot water will warm her again.

It feels great to be warm again - to wear dry clothing. No, my woman does not pitch the tent. The gym will be her sleeping spot.

After eating a hot cup of soup she wanders off to Wyoming Woollens where she buys herself a scarf! She thinks she misses her mittens at home.

After dinner in Pizzahut it's showtime! We walk to the rodeo arena where the whole town is gathered to celebrate 4th of july (which is tomorrow). It starts out with a parade of the different flags.