It's all down hill from here

It's all down hill from now on. Oh my gosh, people keep telling me this lately. It started after I pedaled up the pass in western Idaho. I was taking a rest on top of the pass and a sheriff with two official "sheriff" jet skis on his trailer stopped. He asked me the mandatory questions that have to be asked by ANYONE when they see a loaded bike: "So where are you heading? ; "where did you come from?"; "when did you start? ", etc.Then he proceeded to say that I done the hardest bit and the rest is "all down hill", as if to say the rest will be easy. True, the next 7 miles WAS down hill but at a 7% grade on a road that gets all types of vehicles from RV's to buses to trucks, speeding cars, etc. it is definitely not easy. In addition, there's SO much wind that it would make anyone tear up like a baby and hardly see a thing in front while flying down the road at 30 mph. 

But that wasn't the only big mountain to climb. Since then there have been two other days jam packed with big, small, steep, &/or very long & tedious mountains to climb and 2 or 3 guys (non-cyclers) who have told me "oh, from now on, it's all down hill". They lie!!! Here are a few pics from today and two days ago to prove my point.

On top of pass in western Idaho. 

The part of "Hell's Canyon" that's in Idaho. There's much more in Oregon & it's the pits to cycle through (hence no pics there in OR).

Still Hell's Canyon,  ID

Towards bottom of 7 mile down hill in ID, 7% grade. Steepness starting to get less at end.

Note the part that says "deepest" canyon in North America. 

Just starting the slow & very gradual ascent up one of two passes today (Tuesday). This was just outside of Halfway, OR.

The mountain ridge I climbed over this afternoon.

So if you're ever in eastern Oregon and people want to make you believe that it isn't really that hilly, just slap them and say wake up to reality man! That's my advice for today. Cheers!