THURSDAY JULY 10

Thursday July 10, 2008
Baker City to Huntington
Today we (Annette, Justin, Jeff, Hilena, and I) biked through portions of the Snake river, and well I saw at least 5 dead snakes along the ride, and 1 live one, although I think they have nothing to do with the river itself, I might need to research why the river has that name. Through this whole ride Gods glory was shown through the splendid scenery and lovely rolling hills and wild flowers and weeds make it quite the picture to be seen. It has a very desert like look to it, and makes you wonder what the wildlife is and what the livelihood of the people is who live here what with it being a small town- population of 300.

There is no commercialization here; there are no box stores, car dealerships or grocery stores. It makes you think of what life used to be like and how back home everything is instantaneous and the social norm is fast paced everything; work, play and food! This town is quite impoverished; most of the people that live here are on welfare, or disability, the rest of the people work at the cement plant up the road.

Our ride into town was mostly all down hill which made for quite the fast ride into this town; we arrived before the gear truck, so we stayed in the shade of the park trees on Main Street. WE supported the local café here, and I had a lovely cola drink, (sorry Coach Duane- I have strayed also with peanut butter sandwiches…but I am definitely not packing a sweet potato to eat…a sandwich is much easier to carry along on the bike).

Our camaraderie as a group grows as we continue to develop relationships. For the most part you are able to have a conversation while biking with your group of people, generally just 1 other person at a time, and at rest stops more.

(Picture to right is of a the oregon state which makes up a bike rack)

Thursday night presented itself with quite the event of wind in huge gusts, which took a few tents into kite action across the lovely football field within which we were parking our tents/kites. My tent came down two times while I was trying to get it up, so I thusly picked up all my gear and went into this alcove of grass by the high school entrance. It stayed up all night, although at 12am, Steph’s tent was having some serious issues with staying upright, so we proceeded to put our beds in the school hallway and we wrapped up her tent into a huge ball and hucked it into my tent, with hopes that the weight of all that stuff inside my tent would allow for it to stay on the ground and not take flight.

The wind was blowing at such a brisk pace, that the flapping of fly’s on tents was a bothersome noise to many people’s ears. Many people ended up abandoning their tents and dragging their paraphernalia into the school gym to have a little more sleep then the outdoors was willing to give us.

This is a picture of the line up for supper, and under the white tents are where the sweep team has the food set up and serves us.....before we do anything food related (well not just food related, washing dishes too) we purell our hands...i am sooo purelled out!