DAY 59 (8/8/05): Wilson, WY to Rexburg, ID 84.6 mi.  After leaving the relative
comfort of Wilson behind, Joel and I immediately began climbing Teton Pass. 
The climb was especially fun because we did it on the Old Pass Road.  As
suggested by its name, this road has been replaced by a newer (and busier) road
that has the nickname of the "Victor 500" due to all the commuter traffic that
comes across it every day from Victor, ID.  The Old Pass Road, by contrast, is
closed to motor traffic and is no longer maintained at all.  So, it is a
charming little road with eroding pavement and wildflowers growing all around
it as well as up through cracks in the road surface.  There are plenty of
switchbacks that provide views of the valley below, and the pass above.  After
the obligatory photo-op at the top, we descended on the new pass road (10%
grade for 3 miles!) into Idaho.  We stopped in Victor to go to the post office,
tour a piece of property that Joel is thinking about buying, and to drink some
"world famous" huckleberry milkshakes.  Then, we headed first north and then
west through Idaho.  It was remarkable how fast the scenery changed once we
crossed the border.  On the Wyoming side (aside from the touristy town of
Jackson), the landscape is pretty wild and hilly.  On the Idaho side, we rode
through lots of flat farmland, including some potato fields.  After many miles
of fields, we arrived in Rexburg, where we called Dominoes and had them deliver
pizza to our campground.  Sadly (for me), they got our order wrong and put
pepperoni on both pizzas, and because there was a big storm blowing in I
decided not to bother with calling to get them to correct the order.  Joel,
meanwhile, ate slices of pizza two at a time until the sky got really
threatening, and then we retreated to our tent and listened to the thunder
overhead.

DAY 60 (8/9/05): Rexburg to Arco, ID 95.3 mi.  Another dramatic scenery change
took place today, as the farms disappeared and we entered the Idaho desert.  In
the middle of this desert lies a rather creepy government scientific
installation, the INEL.  Despite the friendly depictions of the atom on the
signs at the edges of its territory, the INEL gives off a distinctly hostile
feeling.  There are "No Trespassing" signs everywhere, and in one case a
particularly ominous, "Caution: Unexploded Ordinance" sign.  The research
facilities that can be seen rising out of the dust and sagebrush in the
distance look like they might be inhabited by guys with wild hair and lab coats
with pocket protectors.  And this is the impression that an MIT alum came away
with!  I can't imagine what it looks like to a non-scientist...After escaping
from the INEL territory (which is huge, more than 30 mi across), we stopped for
some refreshing cold sodas and then rode through more desert to the town of
Arco.  We hid in the shade at the campground there until the sun went down.  Or
I should say I hid and ate M&M's and read the New Yorker.  Joel, on the other
hand, went to bed well before sundown.  He claimed to be "thinking and resting
his eyes," but let's just say I've heard that one before.

DAY 61 (8/10/05): Arco to Ketchum, ID 100.6 mi.  This morning Joel and I rode a
little bit more desert to get to Craters of the Moon National Monument.  I
should interject here that one of the great joys about touring with Joel is the
way he twists the english language around, making funny phrases out of just
about everything.  This morning, for instance, we passed a yellow warning sign
by the road that said "Watch for Stock" (ie cattle).  A few minutes later, Joel
pointed to the horizon and yelled "Heads up!  Two shares of Google!"  Anyhow. 
Craters of the Moon is a wild place formed entirely out of ancient lava.  Most
people don't associate Idaho with excess vulcanic activity, but it is amazing
how much lava there is here.  Joel and I rode the 7 mile loop road in the
monument and took in all the strange black formations.  We also hiked up the
200ft tall Inferno cone, which provided good views of the rest of the park. 
After leaving the park, we quickly reached the edge of a plateau on which the
lava formations sit, and dropped over the edge on a steep descent to the next
tier of the desert below.  Even on this lower level there was still an
abundance of lava formations of all shapes and sizes.  As we left the desert
behind us, we entered the Sun Valley area--talk about contrasts.  This area is
thick with the scent of new money, a sort of island of prosperity and greenery
in the desert.  There are all kinds of trendy little shops in the towns that
run along the little north-south corridor there, and all kinds of trendy people
to shop in them.  Suffice it to say that after riding hard in the desert all
day, Joel and I were not looking especially trendy and just wanted to find a
campground and sleep.  Easier said than done, though, as in this particular
trendy area, even though its big selling point is the splendor of the outdoors,
the zoning people don't really want you sleeping outside.  So, we had to procee
d
4 or 5 miles beyond Ketchum to get to a little campground, where we could relax
in the company of mule deer, magpies, and our friendly campground host, who
stopped by to make sure that we read the rules of the campground before we fell
asleep.

DAY 62 (8/11/05): Ketchum to Stanley, ID 77.8 mi.  After the hard ride
yesterday, Joel and I treated ourselves to a trendily-priced but very tasty
breakfast in Ketchum.  Next, we did our all-time favorite cycling activity:
climbing a pass.  This was in my mind the most outstanding pass that we did
together, Galena pass through the Sawtooth mountains.  Because of the way that
the road is laid, you can see both up and down the valley for almost the whole
climb, so you get lots of good views of the road that you just came up, plus
all of the evergreen trees lining the valley.  Joel's friend Jan met us with
her station wagon at the top of the pass, took a few pictures, and then met us
again at the bottom of the pass, where Joel loaded his bike into the back of
her car, and the two of them drove back towards Wilson.  It was very sad to see
him, go, since we'd had so much fun touring together.  It was perfect to end it
with Galena pass, though, which was really a highlight of our time together. 
Solo once more, Dagny and I pushed on to Obsidian, where I met a guy who used
to build bikes for Moots (for the bike geeks out there).  He now works as a
baker, and gave me a sampling of his wares to fuel my afternoon.  I rode into
the little mountain town of Stanley, which is absolutely spectacular, gorgeous
views of the Sawtooth mountains, a crystal-clear brook running by, a few old
log buildings, etc.  Bascially everything I imagine Ketchum was before it
trendified and started attracting money from CA and TX.  So, I'm glad I got a
chance to see it in this state.  I camped in a tiny USFS campground just beyond
town, next to a creek.  There wasn't anyone besides me there, so I ate dinner a
t
my little table, listening to the lowing of distant cows echoing off the
mountains.