I had set my tent in an open area, so the morning sun got me up and out of bed sooner than I really liked. I set out on the road, expecting and enjoying an easy ride to Sand Point, Idaho. There weren't many climbs, and those I did ride were pretty short.
The road took me off of Highway 200 in what I can only assume was an effort to take me away from the traffic -- the side route was a hell of a lot hillier than the highway. I spent an hour climbing up and down on the west side of the Clark Fork River, but I could see Highway 200 on the other side of the water, stretching into the distance as a gloriously flat ribbon. Sweet. Thanks ACA!
I crossed into Idaho, but the side road I was on didn't merit a Welcome sign, so no pic for you! I cruised into Clark Fork, a small town near the border, where I stopped for lunch at a biker bar. Apparently my lycra outfit caught the attention of a midget at the bar, because he never took his eyes off of me unless someone walked by and said "What's new, buckaroo!," and then the little guy would scream "WHAT'S NEW, BUCKAROO??!!," then cackle like an idiot and stare at me again. I ate outside with some bikers that were polishing their bikes.
The final part of the day's journey took me along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille (pronounced Ponderay), an enormous waterbody for this part of the country. It was okay.
Had the best burger of the trip (an impressive distinction) at the Pend Oreille Brewpub, reading a USA Today story about college football and worrying about how hard LSU's schedule is this year.