LES AVENTURES DE TOMASO ET MASI.

That was the best sleep I have gotten at a campsite yet. It could have been from the warmth of my newly acquired sweatshirt. Perhaps it was the serenade of the spraying sprinklers that sent me to my slumber. Either way, I woke up timely and ready for action. While I packed, the sound of mooing cows and squawking birds cheered me on. I was on the road by seven in the morning. This may have been my earliest outset yet. 

It was only a few miles to the small town of Unity. It had a little mini-mart that was shockingly open at this early hour. I chugged a monster energy drink and ate some jerky. The damn desert landscape was my backdrop for today. Luckily, the sun was just rising, so the heat was hiding for the moment. It was a smooth and enjoyable ride of about nineteen miles to the next town called Ironside. It was deserted. So much for relaxing with a coffee and chowing down on a hardy breakfast. Thanks to some signs, I saw that my next chance was another twenty-three miles away in Brogan. Without much say in the matter, I decided to continue on Highway 26. For most of this portion, I was doing a very slight climb. It was not bad, but it was noticeable. 

Suddenly, I found myself immersed in a full-on desert. I was not concerned because my water pouch was relatively full. The water was hot, but it is undoubtedly better than no water. My confirmation that this desert was legit was when I came upon a lone coyote. I was extremely excited to see my first deadly predator of the trip. This cute little creature was walking nonchalantly across the highway. My presence was noticed, and it ran like I was the grim reaper himself. It looks like I won my first encounter with the deadly animals of nature. Still waiting to see a bear though. 

It felt like the desert was never-ending, but I finally arrived in Brogan. As I entered the town, I saw a rather large building with CAFE printed across it. My excitement was apparent as sprinted toward this sanctuary. Just my luck, it was nonoperational. It had a little junkyard out front, and it looked like it had been closed down for some time now. I spotted a park just next door and commandeered the only picnic table. This tiny public park even had a working water spigot. My lunch was a can of sardines, the remainder of the baby carrots, and an RX bar. After filling all my water apparatuses, I headed back out into the hot sun. It took six miles to get to the next town of Jamieson. Nothing worth noting in this tiny town. 

I pushed along Highway 26 to the town of Willowcreek. Finally!! There was a store and cafe, just took fifty-four miles to find it. I indulged myself with a mushroom swiss burger, half a chef's salad, some fried pickles, a cup of soup, and a Coors. It was a feast fit for kings. Boy was I stuffed, and my body was replenished. There was a campground about eight miles away. I grabbed a few supplies from the store and headed to my sleeping site. 

The route turned to gravel about a mile in. After passing a few farms, I found myself in the middle of a desert, again. All these past gravel roads were training for this one. All of the sudden, it jumped to expert level. The gravel turned to large rocks, some sections were slippery sand, and erosion made the path uneven. I was blown away that my bike was able to masterfully maneuver this maddening way. It was an exciting challenge and undoubtedly, the road less traveled. After registering at the camp office, I made my way to the agreed-upon area. It was right on the lake, I set my bike against the picnic table and sprinted into the wondrous water. It was undoubtedly heaven. I did not swim for too long because my camp still needed to be established. Once it was all set up, I needed a shower. The rest of my night was relaxing, and I spent most of it writing. My evening snack was some hot peanuts and trail mix. I retired to my tent by eight, it was a hell of a day. See you tomorrow Idaho. If you want to see the route, here you go!