Across America North - day 13 - Burley, ID --> Pocatello, ID

Today was a hot one. Towards the end, I was wishing for it to be over even more fervently than I did on that recent cold, wet day. Part of the route was a 9-mile stretch on the interstate highway. I noted as I turned on to it that it seemed smooth and clean but it turned out to be not clean enough for me. About two miles later, I had another flat tire. I'm batting 1000 for interstates so far. As I looked in vain for the cause of the flat, I noticed that the tire has taken a beating. About 25 minutes later, I was on my way again.

It was cool in the mnorning because the clouds shielded us. In the afternoon, however, we baked. On a long, 9-mile stretch next to a railroad track, we didn't see shade for uncounted miles. After 70 miles, it had been a long day.

I resolved to take the next possibility of shade to cool off a little. That turned out to be a house at the top of a steep hill. The driveway was dirt and rocks in the shape of a spiral staircase. As Ya Qi and I climbed it, I wondered if it was worth the trouble. At the top, there was some shade in a driveway. We parked our bikes against the garage door and sat down. A few minutes later, we heard a door close inside. Thinking that the garage door might open at any moment, I moved my bike. But out another door came the woman of the house. I said, "I hope you don't mind our sitting in your shade." She said no and we could use the hose lying beside us, too. She went back inside and we sat. A few minutes later, she came out with a bag of ice. We truly appreciated that and she went back inside. A few minutes later, she came out with a bag of grapes. They were very good. We filled out water bottles with ice and ate the grapes. I knocked on her door to thank her again and to tell her that we were leaving. There was no answer so we left. On our way past her house, Ya Qi saw her and we waved goodbye. One might think that this was lucky but I submit that it wasn't. It's notlucky because it happens often enough to be normal. It happens often enough to be normal because most people are pretty good.

Tomorrow is only 65 miles and the day after is 90 miles across the Wyoming border and over Teton Pass.