Sandpoint, ID - Build Day

I just sustained my worst injury on bike and build so far, I accidentally sprayed myself in the face with my sunblock. The cap was a bit off and I was jiggling it to get it back on tight and pushed down, sending a spritz of Coppertone Sportblock SPF 70+ all over my face. I did have my glasses on, but it still stung. Even better, I was in the kitchen and everyone in the eating area saw it all in its entirety.

A build day today in Sandpoint. The site wasn't that far and there was a single job that we needed to accomplish, put siding up on the house. We all split up on one of the four side and I managed to pick a side with shade on it. Manage isn't the right word, I deliberately placed myself on a side with shade on it. There were only 17 hammers, so there were a fair amount of people that were left without work. The site manager sent a few people to fill a hole with dirt, of course. At least this time though, they were able to use a dirt compressor, heavy machinery always makes the most mundane tasks fun.

Even better, the affiliate in Sandpoint only works half-days, that's how they've always done it. From what I gathered, when they first started and still, churches and others would bring such large lunches that afterwards they wouldn't have much time to work and were all tired from eating. We had finished the front and the back of the house with siding and most of the sides. The sides didn't get finished because there was a lot of cutting and trim for triangular gable part of the roof that was time consuming.

After our subs for lunch, we all headed back to the church to enjoy the rest of our day, a bonus half-day off. The first thing all of us did was immediately head to our sleeping bags and crash. From the work in the morning, waking up early the past few days to beat the sun and heat, and actually riding in the sun and heat, it all finally caught up with us. For about two hours, the room that I'm sleeping in had everyone (Katrina, Ian, Jessie, Kate, and Erik) soundly sleeping.

Several others went to the rope swing along the river and near downtown for the rest of the afternoon. I met up with them once I got my act together, but just to watch. I headed over to Mick Duffs, a brewery on main street, and firmly planted myself in a booth fit for at least 6 people with my computer and a beer. A nice afternoon.

For dinner, the church left us four boxes of frozen Stouffer's lasagna, nothing I was too excited for. Instead, Kate, Erik and Kathy and myself went to Jalapenos, a mexican restaurant for dinner. It was nice to get out and be in a smaller group. Since they didn't have sangria, I had myself a huckleberry margarita. Dinner consisted of switching between good conversation and watching the women's Olympic marathon.

In these weeks/days winding down to the end, I've noticed that I've been spending significantly more money than at the beginning of the trip. I've been acting more upon the food cravings that I've build up over the weeks, getting a coke here, a Big Mac there, a smoothie now, a vitaminwater for later, and a good meal to get away. Just a natural sign that we've been on the road for a while and it's something easy for me to control. And, not that I've ever really concerned myself with it, but it's nice to know that I can eat whatever I want and as much of it as I want and not have it matter in the slightest bit.

75 miles tomorrow. High of 104. Last 28 miles are over a mountainous terrain. Wake up at 5:15. Almost there.