Monday, July 23, 2007

Lack of posts

Sorry about the lack of posts folks...I know you all are very worried that a bird of prey has ed me up and flown off with me (I hear they are aggressive towards bicyclists). The real reason is that all the towns we've been in have been relatively small except for Ketchum. For whatever reason, Ketchum's internet wasn't working for the 2 days we stayed over there. So as to what we've been up to:
We rode through the Idaho National Laboratory, a huge strange empty research center out in eastern Idaho's desert. Rich's mind is running rampant with conspiracy theories about all the testing going on there. While I doubt they have a lava tube running to the Pacific ocean in which they sail submarines (as one lady told Rich), I'm sure there is plenty of shady government research going on there.
We also got to check out Craters of the Moon National Monument. This was a really cool spot. Its a huge old volcanic hotbed with tons of lava flows. I felt like I was in Hawaii or something. After Craters we headed northwards to Haily, Ketchum and Sun Valley. Alot of stars vacation in this area and I saw The Mint, a bar owned by Bruce Willis, among other things. We stayed a night over in Ketchum and then pressed northwards to a great lake called Redfish Lake. People had told us it was the most beautiful place in the world, but I'd have to say Jenny Lake in the Tetons easily outplaces it. At the lake we met an awesome fellow Carolina alumni named Wiley. Wiley is quite the adventurer and offered to take us out for dinner down in the small town of Stanley. We never turn down a free meal. We swapped stories with Wiley and ended up camping right near Stanley. Yesterday morning we grabbed a pancake breakfast at the local community center, courtesy of Kids across America and parted ways with Wiley. We headed towards Lowman and hit some awesome river and hotsprings action along the way. Feeling quite invigorated by the mountain water, we decided to knock some more miles off and ended up camping just outside of a place called Garden Valley.
Today we plan to press on from here (Emmett, ID) to try and reach Oregon. That would be state number 10. I'm super excited.
I'm also excited about the next few months, but am having a hard time figuring out exactly what I'll be doing. I don't know where I should live, what kind of job I should look for and so many other things! I thought the trip would help me figure things out, not become more confused. I suppose I have at least 2 more weeks to think things over, so maybe I'll have something figured out by the time I get off that airplane in RDU. Until next posting, keep reading and giving me comments. I'm so glad to hear from you all (especially you lurkers out there who have been reading and not commenting). Cheers!

P.S. I can't get pictures to upload here, so stay tuned for a big batch from Yellowstone onward.

6 comments:

Katecuster said...

Hey Robbie
Im glad you finally got to post again! I was praying you didnt get arrested for indecent exposure because you got ahold of another speedo or something :)haha. Dont worry about what you are going to do when you get home...just enjoy the rest of your trip and make sure you have lots of great stories to tell everyone when you get back! We are still going to VA the 3rd week of august and i would LOVE to see you! Maybe i can come down to NC since you will probably want to just chill out by that point. anyways i love you and miss you, cuz. take care!

Ev said...

Rob, I am really glad you are back -if it is really you and not some government researcher from Eastern Idaho. I thought that Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner may have whacked you. I also worried that you were engulfed by the Tetons.

Please be very particularly careful from here on out. I heard that there is a severe left turn when you leave Idaho and enter Oregon.

Aunt Linda sends her love. Please send a message that only we will understand to prove that it is really you posting abd not a duplicitous government agent.

robsdad said...

Rob, good to hear from you again! Reminde me when you get home to tell you about a guy I knew from Penn State who moved to Idaho to work in one of those secret nuclear labs (he had an amazing commute to work daily) so that he could ski...

Am headed to the Lang reunion in PA this coming weekend. Medwin is enjoying exercise in the bathtubs and the Subie is resting in MHC.

Mom said...

Hey Rob
What is a good date for a Welcome Back Party at Scottish Hills? I want to reserve a shelter.
We had two different incidents of shark bites down east last week.
Not much else to tell
We have had a nice heat break the past few days.
The Kappers are coming to Carteret nest week.
Glad to hear of your progress and safe riding.
Love, mom

downtownLB said...

thank god Rob's posting, because Rich isn't! yah, I am lurking but you can tell Rich it's b/c he's not writing. Thanks for telling us you all are alive and well. Peace
Lisa Brown ps- I like your writing. It's good.

Patrick R Chappell said...

::continues lurking::