Day 56

87 Miles

We both woke up at 5 am again. It was light out thanks to the time change. We headed back half a mile to the gas station and ate breakfast. Thank goodness. Cereal is so much better with milk instead of water.
We set out with a nice early start to the day. The ride started nicely. The roads were lined with forests and the smell of cedar prevailed. W had been mistaken. The hill in Bonners Ferry was not the big hill that the locals at the state line were talking about. We encountered the mentioned hill a few miles into our morning ride. It took a long time to climb it but it was conquered. I didn't even stop on the hill. I was quite pleased with myself.
Lily was waiting for me at a convenience store. It was going to be a hot day. We found a Radio Shack so Lily could get new batteries for her camera. Then we breezed through Sandpoint and bid each other another "See you at the border".
We did meet up at the border. I was in and out of Idaho's panhandle in less than 24 hours. It was a brief stop. We pedaled on. We did stop at a campground with a creek running behind it. We went swimming. Well, Lily went swimming. I went wading. The water was freezing. That stop was short too.
The rest of the ride was flat and beautiful. We started looking for a place to camp at around 70 miles into the day. We encountered a tail wind and rode more than planned. We saw a gentleman outside on his lawn. It looked like his home was part of a farm. We briefly discussed it and Lily approached the man. He was elderly and hard of hearing and she had to ask him more than once. But he obliged to let us camp on his lawn. Shortly after we set up the man's wife came out. She offered us food. We couldn't say no. She invited us in and gave us water and tea and cookies. Her name was Delores and her husband's name was Jack. They owned an open range ranch. Delores told us stories about the ranch and the surrounding area. Delores made us cheeseburgers. I have a feeling that it was from their own cattle. The cheeseburger was the BEST cheeseburger I have ever eaten. No joke. It was THE BEST CHEESEBURGER EVER. I'm a terrible vegetarian. Lily was a terrible vegan, at least that night. After the burgers, Delores made us ice cream sundaes. It was amazing. It was like having a grandma for a few hours. Delores also insisted we took showers. I don't know if this was because we smelled, which was very possible, or if she was just being generous. Regardless, I took a shower. Delores insisted it I couldn't be clean because I didn't take nearly long enough in the showers. I guess battling with 3 minute showers had made me unaware as to what was a lengthy shower and what was not. I retired shortly after my shower. I went to bed clean full and content.