Day 39 – Idaho Falls, ID

51 miles

I was awake most of the night rubbing my legs to keep warm as the temperature had plummeted, I had all my clothes on practically and I was still freezing cold. I refused to get out of my sleeping bag before the sun rose and hit my tent and after that, it was slow going again but it was the same magnificent scenery all round.

I stopped off at a rest area to have lunch and the wind was absurd, it was so strong and pedalling against it is just plain boring and not much fun. I rested up and then got going hoping to make it a bit further than Idaho Falls but then as I am cycling along the highway I hear a bang at the back of my bicycle, like a gun going off in your ear. I knew something had gone but was surprised to see that my entire back tyre had dissolved through to the tube and ruptured the tube. I couldn’t go on as I hadn’t foreseen this and although I had planned to buy a new tyre in Idaho Falls, I fell short of it by 12 miles, sadly I had to rely on the good natured Americans to give me a lift into town and I didn’t have to wait long before I got one. Tim a fly fishing instructor was coming back from a day on the river and kindly gave me lift to a motel, all the bike shops were closed until tomorrow so I rested up and relaxed knowing I had to make up time tomorrow.