Today was challenging, with high temperatures and gravel terrain, and the team was eager to reach Boise to enjoy the rest day after a tough stretch of the ride. Once we arrived in Boise, the team’s morale was much higher, and we got to open packages, enjoy a dinner donation, and celebrate Harbin’s 21st birthday! The next day was spent exploring and relaxing in Boise.
quote of the day
“What the heck was that” - Yuncong on gravel
“Maybe in our core we’re all lizards. Eli would be so proud” - Veronica
ride overview
Mileage: 92 Miles
Elevation: 2,595 ft.
Points of Interest: Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters, Basque Block, Jaialdi Basque Festival
Ride Dedication: Yuting Li
Tales of the Trail
Day 57
We started the morning in Fairfield City Park with a drive to get to the stayover and start our rest day as soon as possible. The start of the ride was very barren, and the first three rest stops were on the side of the road. The only notable part of the first stretch was the families of Mormon crickets (yes, they’re called this) we found on the side of the road. The fun/challenging part of the ride was the gravel section, which made for a lengthy gravel descent that some found exciting and others found terrifying. Temperatures also reached up to 96 degrees, and everyone felt the effects of the heat during the ride. Our lunch stop was at a gas station, and many of us got Krunchy Chicken for lunch before continuing the day. Some finished riding for the day, and some others chose to be shuttled for the last portion of the ride.
Once everyone reached the stayover, we were greeted by a large portion of Matt’s family, who all cheered us on! Once we were all settled in, the stayover served chicken for dinner, and we all feasted after a strenuous day. Many riders also received packages, as Boise was one of our maildrops, and we received many goodies and treats to enjoy for the rest of our ride. Big shoutout to Sunrise Cyclery in Logan, UT, for sending us spare tubes and other treats! After dinner, some of us walked over to the YMCA to take showers, while others used the hose outside the church. It was also a very special occasion for the team – Harbin’s 21st birthday! Some of the team had a great night in downtown Boise celebrating Harbin’s special day!
Day 58
Today’s rest day ACTUALLY turned out to be a rest day for most of the team. Many of us spent our morning at Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters, where we utilized the free wifi to get many of the tasks that we’ve been putting off, to get done. Nicole and Dev worked on journals, while others worked on finishing up their own journals, post cards to send, or adult things, like figuring out payments with apartment rentals, school, etc., for after the trip. We also spent this time walking around Boise, exploring the souvenir shops and getting a taste of the town. Ellie, an I4K alumni, took on the dauntingly smelly task of taking our jerseys and bibs to get them clean with laundry! She also gave each member of the team some cash to spend at the Jaialdi Basque Festival for dinner. Thank you Ellie for providing us with laundry to have clean jerseys and bibs for our ride, as well as for recommending us to go to the Jaialdi Basque Festival! The Basque Festival is an event that happens every five years in Boise, ID (great timing for us). It’s a celebration of Basque culture, a region spanning parts of Spain and France, with food, music, dance, and folklore. Our team spent some time at the festival and got to try out some of the cuisine! In addition to this cuisine, members of our team also had some dinner at our stayover in Immanuel Lutheran Church, having dinner with some local community members! It was great meeting people of the community and being able to spend some time with Bob, the pastor, who let us stay in the church.
Thank you to the Immanuel Lutheran Church for providing us with a place to sleep for two days in Boise, in addition to some meals! We hope to stay again in the future, should our routes continue to pass by Boise!