Saturday morning I was awakened just before dawn by the banging of the blinds in the opened window of my barracks room. Wind hadn't been in that forecast, but that forecast was so positive I was soon up. It was an hour after sunrise when I rode off at 20 plus miles per hour enjoying the push from the east wind which often blows down here for the first couple to three hours after sunrise before it reverses to the prevailing westerlies. Sure enough about 3 hours after sunrise I was back to a more typical 15 MPH speed as the wind reversed. I was headed Northwest and kept an eye on the sky ahead in case that storm arrived early or slid farther south than predicted. By the time I arrived in Adrian, Oregon 65 miles out of Boise, the flags were pointed straight back to Boise. Good news for the return and typical of the wind patterns here- a switch to westerly winds about 3 hours after sunrise (not too different than the patterns on Down River Road).

What I hadn't noticed was the gathering clouds and rain hanging against the Owyhee Mountains behind me on the West side of the wide valley instead of against Bogus on the East where storms usually gather. Having fully believed the weather forecast, I hadn't even taken a jacket with me, and it was too cold to enjoy even a short nap in Adrian's school grounds where I used to nap on many longer rides. A light mist hit me for a few seconds before I got to Wendell (mile 77), but with that tailwind I was still making great time and more afraid of cold than tiredness. I decided to ride back on more on the eastern side of the valley to avoid the clouds hanging over the Owyhees. Light mist hit me a few more times keeping me nervous about the weather, but never enough to make me cold- but enough to keep me from a well deserved rest in a park! By the time I was back in Boise, the temperatures were increased, so I caught the bike path and rode through the two big parks and back to the base for 127 miles. Although I rode here for almost 20 years before returning to the Lewiston area I hadn't realized just how flat most of the Boise Valley is; I can't imagine anything approaching a century in the Lewiston region this flat or easy. With about 4 hours left of daylight, real rain started and continues as I write this. Boy did the weatherman miss this one. I was lucky to stay dry and warm despite the weatherman's mistake. I own a pack and a rack for a reason, and I'll use them tomorrow!

Hope you guys had a great ride to the Sage Bakery & beyond!