Trish & Phill's Tandem TransAmerican

Tour 2003 

Jul 17 New Meadows - Brownlee Dam 82mi

We have never ridden in such heat as we experienced today. The tar in the roads had warmed up so that car tyres sounded like they were riding in the rain. As the front wheel rode over the small bubbles of wet tar they bust and made a bit of a pop noise.

We had started out early and had breakfast at Council and made it to Cambridge before 10 AM (about 40 miles) Things got worse from the on. Trish was really sick (food poisioning we think) so riding was pretty hard for her.

From Cambridge we had a hill of around 1500' to climb but the sun had plans for us. It was sooo hot.

Trish was glowing red with not feeling well and the heat and possible heat exhaustion could have been on the cards. We stopped to rest under shade but in this area there are very few shade trees around, we wet our shirts in the stream that ran down the side of the road now and again to cool off. We drank loads of water too.

There are 5 hills running along side us known as the 5 devils (from an experience some Indian had when he got lost legend has it) below the hills the area is known as Hells Canyon (below) and it was as hot as hell in there I can tell you.

We got in the Brownlee Campsite located downstream to a Hydro Power dam. Oddly the Power company own and operate the Camp site. We must have just about fell into the little shop on the site because the guy immediately got a chair for Trish and gave her a drink of water, she was so red in the face , I had not noticed that because she is sitting behind me all the time. His air conditioning was nice, he said it had got to 112'F that day.

We stood in the river and cooled down then put the tent up. There was lush green grass everywhere but it's not for camping on. We had to put the tent up on a sand patch what had dusty sand on then rock hard soil under that and in full sun 105F,good job the tent is self standing cause I would have bent every tent peg trying to drive them into the hard ground. We parked the bike on the grass - that was allowed.

Sleep did not come easy tonight as it was so hot, we got up and walked over to the river to cool down and then lay down without drying off trying to get to sleep before we were too hot again.  

Page owned & maintained by Trish Collins email to  trishphill@aapt.net.au.  Last Updated 28/07/2003