Boise to American Falls, Idaho

September 28 - October 2, 2015

Garmin ride data - with maps
Boise to Mountain View
Mountain View to Bliss
Bliss to Twin Falls
Twin Falls to Heyburn
Heyburn to American Falls

Boise state house

After a week in Boise, including a quick visit to Los Angeles, I was ready to start riding again. My warm showers hosts couldn't have been more gracious or generous. They kept Myrtle and my gear safe while I took a trip to Los Angeles and then let me stay as long as I wanted.  It felt luxurious to leave their house with clean laundry and feeling so well rested. Thanks Kurt, Lisa and Zoe!!

Kurt spent some time with me going over maps to find a good route to Salt Lake City, my next big destination. We both really love looking at maps. Southern Idaho and northern Utah have areas that are quite desolate. We tried roads on the east and west sides of the interstate and both options had long stretches with questionable places to stay. While looking at the map, it seems like there would be places to wild camp but I'm still not comfortable doing that alone if I can help it. I also sought guidance from Nancy Sathre-Vogel. She said many of the roads Google maps routes are in very poor condition and aren't even paved. The Old Oregon Trail sounds romantic but she said, in reality, it's a terrible route for cycling. Her husband had just biked some of this route and he took I-84 the first day south to Mountain Home.  In the end, I decided taking I-84 would be the best. It's legal to ride on the interstate and there is plenty of room with a very wide shoulder. The main drawbacks are the noise and chunks of tire pieces to avoid. 

I got packed up on Monday morning heading out early for the 50 mile ride to Mountain Home following a route out of Boise plotted by Google maps. I decided to ride through Boise and get on the Interstate as far south as I could. It was an easy ride but I had to stop often checking the map to make sure I was staying on course. 

Boise Greenbelt

Today would be a good ride for ear buds. I rarely listen to music while riding ... unless the road is noisy. I have a set of Bose noise canceling ear buds and they are amazing. While I was getting my music set up, at the entrance of the interstate, a construction worker came over to find out what I was doing. Kip is a big cyclist and has done STP (Seattle to Portland) in one day. He agreed that the interstate would be the best and gave me tips and encouragement. With that, I was on my way. Because I started south of Boise, I only had 35 miles of highway riding. The first 15 miles were a gentle incline and the rest of the way was fairly flat.  The ear buds helped a lot with the noise. The music was clear and all I could hear was a long 'ssshhh' sound as trucks went by. The phone rang a couple of times while I was riding and the microphone also has noise canceling. The caller could hear me just fine even with the traffic noise being so loud just a few feet away. Impressive! It had been a long time since I last listened to music while riding and it was like getting reacquainted with old friends. Bach's majestic music made the ride feel more significant and I really enjoyed listening to my favorite pianist, Murray Perahia.  

Coming into Mountain Home there are campgrounds but after a long day of riding I decided to splurge for a room stopping at the Towne Center Motel. The accommodation was a tired but clean room for $50. There is an Albertson's market across the street where I got some supplies for the next day and a good Mexican restaurant, El Herradero, where I picked up a terrific salad for dinner. Mountain Home has been described many times as a depressed military town but it had everything I needed so I was happy. 

I also talked to my friend Annie who is going to be in Pocatello next weekend suggesting we meet up. I looked at the map and Pocatello was doable, mileage wise. It would mean bumping up the daily miles from what I had originally planned but meeting a good friend would be well worth it. Going into Pocatello would add 150 miles to the route into SLC but would also offer more towns and places to stay. I liked this idea very much.

The next morning I found an espresso shack to get fueled up. Today, I planned on taking Old US Highway 30 to Hagerman but, somehow, made a wrong turn and ended up back on the interstate. Just as I was getting on the highway, I met the construction worker, Kip,  again. He was driving down to Twin Falls for the day and saw me parked at the entrance to I84. He said Old US 30 would be a much nicer ride but understood that I didn't want to backtrack 4 miles. He gave me recommendations for places to eat along the way. 

Waterfall view just passed Hagerman

Ugh! 

At first, the ride was just like yesterday's experience and really wasn't so bad. After 10 miles of flattish roads, I had a nice downhill. Then, about 6 miles from Glenn's Ferry, the rumble strip, which had been next to the fog line, was suddenly across the whole shoulder. It was 8 feet wide and 10 feet long. This was repeated every 30 feet. Seriously? I have full suspension so the ride could have been much worse but I couldn't wait to get off this road. 

View out of Glenn's Ferry

Glenn's Ferry is really cute and historic. I stopped at a cafe for lunch having a salad and sandwich. It was so big I took half of the sandwich to go. Delicious! From here, I took Old US Highway 30, which was beautiful and very quiet for most of the way. About 10 miles from Bliss, Highway 30 and I-84 merged for a long climb. So it was back on the highway. But, at least, now the rumble strips were back in their proper spot. It was a long slow slog to Bliss. I had planned on stopping in Hagerman but it was late in the day and I was done. Getting off the highway was blissful but I couldn't say the town was. There are 2 motels in Bliss and neither is enticing. I got a fairly skanky room for $55 even though it wasn't worth half that rate. They must know if you need to stay in Bliss, they've got you.  There's only one restaurant and it's at Ziggy's gas station which, actually, had decent food. 

The only restaurant in Bliss

I stopped at Ziggy's for breakfast the next morning getting an order of Texas french toast.  It came with eggs and hash browns for $5. A table of Idaho Power workers asked about my trip and then paid for my meal - nice! The breakfast was so big I took the french toast to go for lunch. Then it was back on Old US 30 and the ride started out with a wonderful, very beautiful, downhill into Hagerman.  Then the road went along the Snake river passed some large waterfalls. This was a very scenic ride. There was a 1,000 ft climb into Buhl but the road was in good shape, the sun was shining and I had a light tailwind. 

View from the road to Hagerman

Mike from Spoke and Wheel

Coming into Filer, I had a rear flat. I rarely get flats and it has probably been 5 years since I've had a rear flat. Interestingly enough, just yesterday I checked my patch kit and noticed the glue was old and useless. Figures, huh? I had spare tubes and was ready to use one. I pulled into a lumber fabrication plant parking lot to get down to the business of fixing the flat. Some of the guys working came over to see what I was up to. They immediately offered to air up the tire. Since it was totally flat, I figured I should replace the tube first. But they insisted on pumping up the tire. Funny enough, after 10 minutes, the tire still held air. They suspected I had a very slow leak from a goat head thorn. It was only another 6 miles to a bike shop and I decided to try riding without fixing the puncture. I thanked the guys and pushed off making a bee line to Spokes and Wheels in Twin Falls. After 3 miles, the tire was about half flat and I pulled over to pump it up. By the time I got the rest of the way, the tire was just about totally flat again. Mike, the mechanic, explained that this is goat head country and the goat heads have been baking in the sun making them extra hard and sharp. He said everyone uses goo in their tubes. The puncture was so small he had trouble finding it. He added goo to the tube and didn't even patch the puncture. I bought another patch kit and was on my way. 

Twin Falls is not an attractive town. At least the main section isn't. I road down highway 30 passing by motels where people were living. There were lots of people in the parking lot, outside their rooms, drinking and smoking. The motels didn't look safe and I kept going. I was at the far end of town when I checked into the Twin Falls motel for $44. There were a couple of rooms where people were sitting outside but most of the rooms were empty. I don't usually worry too much about keeping Myrtle safe but, in this town, I locked and covered the trike. There was a sugar beet factory that put out a thick, noxious smell too. I slept with my noise canceling ear buds to block out the sound of the people drinking, laughing and partying outside their rooms.

Mike from Twin Falls

In the morning, after getting a really good breakfast next door at the Ground Round, I heard from a FB friend who lives in Twin Falls and does a lot of touring. He rode over to the motel and it was fun meeting Mike McAuley. He had actually waited for me at the bike shop yesterday but wasn't able to hang out until I got there. Mike had some good route suggestions for the day and we talked touring for while.  The front desk lady came over with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth accusing us of owing her money. She thought Mike had spent the night. She had a hard time understanding that Mike biked here from his house in Twin Falls - this morning. Mike and I had a good laugh, said goodbye and I pushed off. 

It was a beautiful day and, again, I had a light tailwind. I had a gentle incline most of the day. I took the detour Mike recommended and this was a fabulous suggestion. The road went along lovely farms and the Snake River. At one point there was a rugged canyon off the left and the road went high above it. There were rocky outcrops looking down at the Snake River far below. I didn't have the courage to climb on the boulders. Even still, I really enjoyed this road.  Getting back on Highway 30, I met a young touring cyclist, Ashley from Minnesota, and told her of this lovely detour.  I always get excited when I see touring cyclists and the interaction gave me an energy boost.

Canyon on Mike's detour road

Spudniks in action

The potato harvest season has just started in Idaho. Everyday, I've seen large transport trucks hauling potatoes. The transport trucks are called Spudniks which I found very funny.  Every time one went by I would raise my arms giving them a big thumbs up. This is what Idaho is so famous for and it feels special to be here for the potato harvest season. A couple of times during this ride, I passed potato processing right next to the road. Coming into Burley there was a mountain of potatoes forming. Transport trucks unloaded and the potatoes went on a conveyor belt getting dumped at the top of the pile. I suspect, as large as this pile was, the mountain would get much, much bigger.

Idaho potato harvest

Mike had recommended a bike shop in Burley, Rock's Cycling and Fitness. I pulled in there to see if they had a better route than getting back on the interstate for tomorrow's ride. They did. Rock also took Myrtle for a spin checking an adjustment to the gears. He loved the trike grinning ear to ear. From Burley, it was only a few miles to the Top's Motel in Heyburn. I was somewhat worried about this hotel after the last couple of nights but it was a really nice place and they only charged $43. The room was big enough to roll Myrtle right in. I haven't done that in a long, long time.

The next day's weather forecast wasn't good. The forecast called for light rain all day. It had obviously rained in the night but I set out in dry but overcast skies. The motel was only 3 miles from Rupert which is a very quaint and historic town. After a spin through the town I got on Baseline Road that the guys at Rock's had recommended. This was a very quiet road and I passed beautiful farms. There were a few occasions where I had to share the road with free range cows, large tractors and more potato Spudniks. It was a really different day with intermittent drizzly rain. The road took me half way to my destination before I had to get back on the interstate, this time on I-86. I-86 isn't nearly as busy as I-84 and I had a very large shoulder. I pulled into a rest area and met up with Mike McAuley's wife who was on her way to Pocatello for the day and just happen to be stopped there. Small world, indeed! 

I waited for the this tractor to pass before riding on.

Sharing the free-range road.

Since today's ride would be over 50 miles, I had checked the map to see about making sure there was a place to stay in American Falls. There are 3 motels listed and the first 2 I called were booked. The guy at the second motel, after I told him I was cycling, said if I couldn't find a place he would let me stay on this families couch. That was really nice and unexpected. I did get a room on the 3rd call at a hotel on the other side of the interstate farther from town.  I was concerned that this was the least desirable of the three.  About 10 miles out of the American Falls, the rain started falling more seriously. It was also very windy. I stopped under an overpass to change into my rain gear but the wind was so strong I couldn't get my rain pants on. I was riding in the rain with a ferocious tailwind! 

Sweet Rupert on a rainy day.

Grey ride on Baseline Rd out of Rupert 

This guy was coming down the on-ramp to I-86 - I waited.

Coming into American Falls I wondered if the rain would mean reservations might be cancelled. I decided to ride passed the booked up motels to see. The highest rated motel in town is the Falls Motel. It looked really awful and still didn't have a vacancy. The 2nd highest rated motel is the American Falls and it looked even worse. There was old furniture and trash in the dried out lawn. This one was full too but I wanted to pull in to thank the owner for offering his couch and letting him know I found a room - (thanks goodness!). He said the rooms in town are all booked up with migrant farm workers for the potato season. Ooooohhhhh! Well now that explains a lot. It was probably the same situation in Twin Falls where the motels also looked so poor. I made my way to the motel where I had a reservation with trepidation about what I would find. The Hillview motel was, by far, the best of the bunch and I had chosen wisely. It was probably the most expensive, too, at $44. The people running it were very nice and the room was big enough to roll Myrtle right in. What a relief to find I had reserved a decent room!

On Saturday, my dear friend Annie came by to picked me up.  She is driving her boyfriend's large pickup truck so Myrtle had lots of room. First thing we did was go into Pocatello to change out my new iphone. When I was in Boise, I got new Verizon phone service. Even though I had a perfectly good Galaxy Note 4, they required I get a new phone. I decided to get an iphone to make listening to music through itunes easier.  What they didn't tell me is Apple was releasing a new iphone 5s in just a few days. So, I now had a new phone that wasn't worth what I paid for it.  I still had a few days left on the return period and went into a store to see what they could do. The phone is fine, my problem was the cost. If they could give me a partial rebate I would be happy. Not only could they not give me any financial compensation, they were sold out of the 5s. So, I switched the phone for a Galaxy Note 5. There were many things about the Note 4 that I missed with the iphone so this work out just fine.  It was also a bit cheaper.

Trying out the ambient fireplace in Lava Hots Springs.

Having that done, we drove to the rustic, bohemian town of Lava Hot Springs to do a spa overnight. The hotel was really funky but fun and comfortable. The room came equipped with a wall mounted fireplace that had controls for the lighting colors! I love a good soak and my muscles were happy to rest in the warm mineral waters. I had a relaxing soak that night and in the morning too. Wonderful! 

The Soda Springs geyser blows every hour on the hour.

The next day we drove 25 miles to Soda Springs to have a look around. After a nice lunch and watching a geyser in the center of town blow, I had Annie drop me at a local hotel. This was a lovely visit and great to hang out with a dear friend.

I booked into the JR Inn for 2 nights to get caught up on computer stuff.