Day 18

I find it hard to believe that 18 days have gone by, this vacation is quickly slipping away. The day began in a bit of a rush, after I overslept a little. I couldn't fall asleep last night despite being dead tired. My neck and shoulders are all cramped up, causing pretty nasty headaches the last couple days. I know I've been drinking more than enough water, mixing in some Gatorade with it to replace what water can't. 

I made it to Chester's Grand Teton HD a few minutes late. The guys at this shop are the best I've come across from any HD shop I've visited. They got me in on short notice, and they worked as quickly as they could to get me on the road. The location is good, and I got a walk in and then relaxed over coffee and a muffin. I did some reading, just enjoying some leisure time in the shade. When I got back to the shop, I spent some time looking at bikes. The more I look, the more the Ultra Limited is growing on me. I can only imagine how comfortable that bike would be, I would only need to bring a small bag into the room every night. The cruise control would be a serious luxury, one that I would very much enjoy. 

It was after lunch by the time I was on the road again, in the blistering heat. I felt absolutely brutal for that first hour, my stomach was turning and I felt very lethargic. After a stop where I drank a bottle of Gatorade and ate an ice cream sandwich, I took a few migraine pills, and began to feel better. I would not totally shake the headache today though. 

Not long after the stop I got to Craters of the Moon National Park. What a unique piece of land that is, some of it feels almost like another planet. Doing the loop road is 7 miles, and I took quite a few pictures. Unfortunately I didn't see that something went wrong, and almost none of the pictures on my phone turned out good. I was almost done with the loop road when light showers started falling, and it was great relief from the heat. For the next ten miles showers came and went, but I eventually out ran them. 

The rest of the ride was super hot, and I was very disappointed with the wind deflectors I had installed on the bike. They don't make much of a difference, and when I use the highway pegs I actually get worse buffeting from the wind. I will give them another try tomorrow, but they are on borrowed time. 

I stopped in Mountain Home for the night, beat from a combination of the heat and the ever lingering headache from the last few days. I've ended up with possibly the most arrogant and ignorant people on earth in the room beside me, which could mean a long night ahead. I guess that comes with staying in hotels, but I don't understand why people can't just show a little respect for those around them. 

Tomorrow I get to Washington state, and I'm very much looking forward to a few relaxing days with friends and no hotel rooms. It took 9 months to get to 1000 views on this blog, and now the next 1000 came in 11 days. I guess the key is to travel and post often:)

Craters of the Moon NP