Before we even started the day, we decided to all wake up at 1:30 AM to see the stars because Evan said it was one of the best areas to stargaze from his bike trip last year because there was barely any light pollution in the area. I set an alarm and woke up everyone and Evan sure didn't lie, it was spectacular! You could see thousands of stars and the Milky Way stretching across all of our tents in the night sky. Unfortunately, none of our cameras could capture it, but it's definitely a sight worth looking for. We all went to bed following this and looked forward to our late wake up.
Max woke us up at 7:00 AM but we all packed up slowly knowing the breakfast in town would open at 8:00 AM. The night before we decided to have breakfast in town because it would be a short day going to Sandpoint. It was a slow breakfast and my group of Sean, Evan, and I were slowed down due to some bills the waitress mixed up. This put us behind the other group with the rest of the crew, but it also gave us a challenge to ride fast enough to pass them before Sandpoint!
The ride today was along Lake Pend Oreille. Even though there were several hills, the lake was mesmerizing with the mountains in the back and crystal clear water that flowed from the glaciers of the mountains. And what made me especially happy was the lack of headwinds on our ride! The last few days we've faced headwinds going up and down hills but it was really nice not to feel that today!
When we made it to Sandpoint after a short ride, but we had to wait about 2 hours before our hotel rooms would be ready. We took the time to change out of our chamois, grab some snacks from the gas station, and relax in the park by our hotel. Luckily, the time went by quickly and we were all able to get a shower and relax a little more!
For dinner, Sean and I shared a gigantic pizza filled with meats and mushrooms. We could barely even eat 2 slices each and had to maneuver a way to fit it in the super small fridge in our room.
Today, I was hit with the realization that we're mere days away from La Push, Washington when Evan showed all of the days we have left. I'm excited to reach that beach and to see my family and get to sleep in, but I'm going to miss the constant adventures we have every day whether it's meeting crazy people who want gophers or fitting a 5 pound pizza in a tiny fridge. No matter what, I'm excited to go on bike rides with the crew around Chapel Hill when we get back!
Signing off for now, Cole Malinchock