Bike Tour 2022 – Hells Canyon seedy motel to Baker City

The day began with breakfast al fresco. Oatmeal for Corey and Mark, PB&J for me.

Yesterday Mark had the first puncture since mine on May 22 at the very start of the ride. He pumped it up a couple of times and rode all day. This morning it was flat again. We all looked in vain for the cause. Mark patched a second hole and pumped it up. It stayed inflated all day.

Our route took us along a reservoir formed by the Brownlee Dam across the Snake River. We crossed over a bridge into Oregon and rode along a second lake formed by the Oxbow dam. Idaho does love its hydro. It’s not so good with truck traffic or road design. We were all happy to bid it farewell.

Corey spotted a bald eagle over the lake seeking breakfast. After a few passes the eagle landed a fish. I came upon a rafter (that’s what it’s called) of wild turkeys in the road. They dispersed as I passed by.

We started climbing away from the lake and encountered an eastbound rider. He was from France and was riding a custom made titanium bike. An approaching car ended our conversation.

At the top of the hill, I stopped to watch and cheer on a young woman climbing from the other side. She was a strong rider and looked to me like a younger version of a family friend named Claire. Her name was Fanny and she, too, was French. She started in Oakland, made her way up the coast then turned east to check out Crater Lake. She did not know the Frenchman but she did mention camping with a guy named Keith in the town of Halfway.

We stopped at a convenience store for nutritious food. Having none, the store sold me Pop Tarts and Gatorade. To its credit it had the cleanest porta potty I’ve ever used.

Back on the road we met yet another eastbounder. He was 70 years old, I later learned. “Ten years ago this was fun, now it’s work.” Hard earned wisdom.

A few miles further on, Corey and Mark met up with yet another eastbounder. It was Keith Adams (Franny’s camping friend). I met Keith during my first 50 States Ride in DC in 2006. We did another ride or two together before parting ways. Keith was riding a Bike Friday folding touring bike. It appeared to be nearly identical to mine.

We had a good chat along the guardrail. Keith seems to be having a ball. His itinerary is flexible. “I may ride to Boise to see some friends.”

Keith’s tour journal can be found on cycleblaze.com.

Off we rode over a big hill to Richland. After riding past several bars we found a modest cafe. The service and the food were terrific. I must have downed a gallon of ice water with my meal.

Since Richland was only 46 miles into the day and since we had a bonus hour from moving into the Pacific time zone, we called a hostel in Baker City, 42 miles away. They had beds for us so off we went into the canyon then back out. And into the canyon then out. We switched from the Snake River to the Powder River. It didn’t make things any easier. Eventually we climbed another pass, although crawled up would be more descriptive. Even a tailwind didn’t speed us up. The heat, the hills, the miles, and the chip seal pavement made for a long, hard day. All three of us were exhausted when we arrived in Baker City.

The hostel is in an old school building. We are the only lodgers. We were told by several people that Baker City hotels were likely filled because of a motorcycle rally and some sort of festival. When we arrived the town was unexpectedly quiet. The hostel is fine, and at $25 it is infinitely better than last night’s motel.

Miles today: 89 Tour miles: 2,753.5

World’s biggest shuttlecock or maybe something else

Corey relaxing in the Churchill School hostel

Bike Tour 2022 – New Meadows to a seedy motel in Hells Canyon

If you want a good breakfast, don’t go to New Meadows, Idaho. Nothing was open at 7:00. We made do with oatmeal (Corey and Mark) and PB&J on an English muffin (me) in our motel room.

We headed west on the hated US 95. Idaho drivers are the worst. They should be arrested and sentenced to one month of driving in Providence after the streets turn to glaciers. That’ll fix em.

We briefly tried the Weiser River Trail, a rail trail that runs for 90 miles. The surface was little more than gravel and potholes so we returned to 95.

We climbed a deceptively hard hill that rewarded us with a descent into Council for gas station convenience store food-like substances then continued uphill through Mesa and eventually to Cambridge.

We arrived around noon. Like New Meadows, most of the town was closed. We ate mystery food at the town Chinese restaurant. The best part was the watermelon slices that we were served as appetizers.

Mark found a motel in Hells Canyon some 22 miles south so we braved the heat and a long climb and soldiered on. The top of the climb was steep. Fortunately I was cheered on by a vocal bovine fan located behind a hedgerow on the side of the road. Thanks, Bossie.

The descent took us back into Hells Canyon. The grass in the fields looked very dry. Needless to say it’s hot as Hades. Not that I noticed during the descent. I was holding on for dear life.

The motel was over six miles down the mountain. The building is basically a converted semi truck trailer. The room is very small and smells of pee. I’m glad it’s Corey’s turn to sleep on the floor.

On the plus side the cafe next door serves a mighty good grilled cheese with more fries than three people could eat.

Miles today: 71.5 Tour miles: 2,664.5

Council, Idaho stacks a mean pile of hay

I’d have taken a better picture of this mountain but I had to wait until the bottom of the descent

Our motel room has a broken ceiling fixture with only one working bulb and no smoke detector. Fortunately it has an electrical outlet in the ceiling

Bike Tour 2022 – White Bird to New Meadows

The breakfast at the town cafe was absurdly huge; none of us could finish our meals. The town of White Bird, named after a chief who led a small band of Nez Perce to Canada after Chief Joseph surrendered, is filled with Trumpers. I suspect there is a serious distrust of Washington. I can‘t imagine why.

Our maps and apps all indicated that we’d be doing some serious climbing today. A very short climb out of White Bird put us on busy US 95 for the day.

We traveled up the Salmon River, which is a whitewater hot spot. Looking down on the rafters, we knew we were gaining elevation, but it barely felt like it.

The landscape changed every few miles which was a nice distraction from the heavy traffic to our immediate left. There were rounded green hills, craggy cliffs, mountain meadows, all carved down the middle by the twisting Salmon River.

We stopped at a farm stand for a break about half way. A cold sweet tea and a big cookie topped off my tank. The farther we rode the hotter it became. After weeks in the high mountains summer appears to have caught up with us.

We checked into a motel in New Meadows instead of camping in the town park. It’s Mark’s turn to sleep on the floor.

Equinoxes are probably a big deal around here

Miles today: 64.5 Tour miles: 2,593

Bike Tour 2022 – Kooskia to White Bird

We knew about the sprinklers in the town park so five of us, we three and two eastbounders, set up tents under the pavilion. Mark set his up in the sandy, kids’ playground area. As it turned out, only Corey and I escaped the spray.

After breakfast at the town cafe we headed south to the town of Stites where we crossed the south fork of the Clearwater River to begin the climb that looked nasty on our Adventure Cycling maps. At the base of the climb a flag man advised us to take a detour because a road crew was spreading oil on the road ahead. This was part of the chip seal paving process.

The detour was every bit as nasty as the main route. The climb was steep and steeper, peaking at a 10 percent grade. (Other riders report the grade on the official route was, at one point, 25 percent.)

Three weeks ago this would have been impossible but the combination of a recent day off and three weeks of riding and climbing at altitude made it doable. I never ran out of breath though my legs were on fire from time to time.

After ten miles we reached the top and rode some rather daunting rollers to the county seat town of Grangeville.

Mark took his ticket to the magistrate’s office and arranged to have his case heard via Zoom in early August. We’ve all been playing Perry Mason in our heads over the past day so we’re confident that Deputy Fife’s ticket will be voided.

After a rather unsatisfactory lunch we headed out for another climb fest on old US 95. This was not as steep but it did punish us. Mark and Corey were way ahead of me. I stopped to take off my jacket and made a couple of friends.

When we came over the top, the downgrade was crazy steep! I had to feather my rim brakes to maintain control. This causes the rims to heat up. Care needs to be taken to make sure the heat build up doesn’t cause a tire failure (kaboom!). Corey and Mark have disc brakes and could let ‘er rip.

Also we were riding on chip seal with fresh gravel. So we all needed to ride under control in case we hit a gravel patch.

We briefly popped out onto new, smooth US 95 where traffic was passing super fast. I stopped to check my rims and my front rim was very hot. I waited for it to cool down before continuing. Soon we were back on good old gravely Old 95 again.

We came to a turn and there before us was an amazing landscape of rounded hills with folds between and within them, such a change from the densely wooded landscape of the past couple of days.

The descent was a series of steep switchbacks. The disc brake boys took off. I stopped now and then to cool my rims. On one curve ten horses were grazing on the road. They let me pass, probably recognizing The Mule as a kindred spirit.

We ended our day in the small town of White Bird at about the same elevation as we started. 3,500 feet up, 3,500 feet down give or take a switchback.

We had defeated the two-headed mountain beast, only to face similar climbing challenges in the days ahead. We rented a motel room with air conditioning and three beds for $100.

Miles today: 43.5 Tour miles: 2,528.5

Bike Tour 2022 – Lochsa Lodge to Kooskia

After arriving in Lochsa Lodge, I took a shower, ate lunch, then took a two-hour nap in my tent. I had a post nap dinner then went back to sleep until morning.

The camping is very good as long as you don’t mind the hum of a fan (from the general store next to our camp site) all night.

The lodge’s breakfast was huge. I was stuffed. We broke camp and began a 90-mile downhill ride through the Lochsa River valley. It was just beautiful. White water, massive mountains covered in evergreens, curvy road.

I saw a muledeer, a white tailed deer, and two eagles during the ride.

We stopped at a couple of towns along the way but decided to continue on to Kooskia and stay in the pavilion in the town park. My tent is not free standing so I’m lying in a big net that caves in on both sides.

The park has a splash park which we used as a sort of shower. The water was cold and refreshing.

We are no longer in dry mountain air. It’s warm and muggy. This is my first day below 2,000 feet since eastern Kansas.

Mark got a traffic ticket for failing to ride to the right of the white line. A pick up truck passed him on a curve and nearly hit a sheriff’s car head on. The sheriff pulled the driver we over and the driver said “I came upon the bicyclist so quickly there was nothing else I could have done. He was riding to the left of the white line.”

Apparently the driver was unfamiliar with the brake pedal.

Then the Sheriff probably a deputy (he was young and chubby) let him go and pulled Mark over.

We are all kinds of pissed about this. It’s impossible to ride to the right side of the white line. There’s not enough room, but Deputy Fife wouldn’t listen to Mark’s explanation.

Tomorrow we ride up a very nasty hill then pass through the county seat where we intend to talk to anybody who will listen about Deputy Fife and the unwarranted traffic ticket.

One oddity we are dealing with is time. Some places operate on Mountain time, others on Pacific. I feel like I’m stuck inside a Chicago song.

Mikes today: 90 Tour miles: 2,485

We stopped for lunch along the Lochsa River. This is the upstream view.

Bike Tour 2022 – Missoula to Lochsa Lodge

A night of purloined Netflix put us in the mood to break camp and get back on the road.

Motel breakfast was so so. We left on the roads for Lolo somewhat underfed. Coming into Missoula we used bike trails but leaving we used city streets, devoid of traffic early on this Fourth of July holiday.

As luck would have it the road took us to a WalMart where we bought a few essentials. The streets gave way to the bike trail which is in decent condition from Missoula to Lolo.

We rode the trail into Lolo where we had second breakfast at McDonalds. Don’t @ me. We needed calories because the next 26 miles would be gradually uphill.

We turned onto US 12, a road that followed Lolo Creek towards Lolo Pass. The creek was beautiful and it’s surroundings became more so with each mile. We clipped along at (for me) 12 mph. After 38 miles we took a break at Lolo Hot Springs. The soda machine charges $3 for a Coke.

Another eight miles took us to Lolo Pass (elevation 5,235 feet) and the Idaho border and the Pacific time zone. Trifecta! We had climbed just over 2,000 feet. Neither my legs nor my lungs were stressed at all. The day off did them and my mood a world of good.

What followed was a five mile twisty descent into a gusty wind. Big fun. The wind was unpredictable. At one point I was going 29 mph when a headwind gust knocked my speed down to 22. I got the message. Feather the brakes on the turns!

The mountains around us on this side of the pass were densely forested right to the side of the road. I kept expecting a bear to emerge. I’m glad that didn’t happen.

We were riding next to Crooked Fork Creek on our left. The trees were a mixture of cedar, spruce, firs, and other evergreens. They were immense.

After a fun downhill ride we arrived at Lochsa Lodge, a rustic resort that sets aside a lawn area for bicyclists to camp.

Tomorrow we will ride further downhill as far as our bodies and minds allow.

Beatles fans can guess the name of this business

It’s like a cell phone that you put money into

Miles today: 59 Tour miles: 2,394.5

Bike Tour 2022 – Stuck inside Missoula with Them Lolo Blues Again

We’re taking a well deserved day off in Missoula. We ate pizza and beer for dinner. Hopefully none of us contracted Covid in the process.

Our hotel is the same one I stayed in in 2019. It’s nasty on the outside but more than adequate on the inside.

I test drove Corey’s sleeping pad on the floor last night. (It was my turn to go bedless.) It felt like a mattress despite being only about three inches thick. For four hours. My body subconsciously rebelled thereafter. This experience aside, Corey’s sleeping pad is much better than mine.

We ate a sumptuous motel breakfast. (That’s bike tour sarcasm, folks.) Afterwards, Mark and I drew up itineraries for the rest of the trip. They very nearly matched. Importantly we agreed we’d reach the finish line in Astoria, Oregon on Wednesday July 20. We expect to be met by the roar of a crowd. Actually Mark’s wife is meeting us there. I suspect she’ll emit a fierce yawn.

On the 21st, Corey and I are riding 100 miles to Portland unless we can convince Mark’s wife to rent a minivan with a roof rack (we have to give Corey someplace to sit). Another possibility is to take a bus. However, we regard such mundane motor transport as unmanly and undignified.

I managed to walk one mile yesterday and a mile and a half today without stenosis pain. I suspect weight loss is a factor. Then again modest abuse of painkillers may play a role as well.

We walked to lunch only to find the brew pub was a brewery with a woefully inadequate food truck. I mean an omelette from a truck seems gastronomically unwise, don’t you think? So we hit a supermarket deli on the way back instead.

I booked a flight home and am making arrangements to ship my bike. Corey will be taking Amtrak to Chicago. (2 days of stultifying boredom await.) He’ll have to box his bike at the station. It seems odd that Amtrak doesn’t have roll on service in one of the bikey-est cities in the country. (Corey spent all morning trying to make his reservation ultimately handing the task over to his wife Lynn who speaks fluent Choo Choo Train. Needless to say, Amtrak’s reservation software needs serious work.)

At midafternoon we are hunkered down watching Chris’s Netflix account in our room. Chris apparently stayed here recently and left his account active for all who follow. We are resisting the urge to watch objectionable programs so that Chris’s family doesn’t think he’s some sort of pervert. Then again we might get bored with Top Gear and resort to mischief.

Our chains are lubed, our tires are pumped. Tomorrow we ride over Lolo Pass and down the Lochsa River valley into Idaho. We hope to make the trip without rain or hail, because, on a 40 mph, downhill hail can ruin your whole day.

Bike Tour 2022 – Darby to Missoula

I neglected to mention yesterday’s brief moment of terror. Near the end of the seven-mile descent, the road surface changed. The Missouri Department of Highway Mayhem added a rumble strip that I managed to hit at 28 mph. I hit one strip then another before escaping to the paved shoulder. No problemo. Just some wet pants.

We ate breakfast in the cabin after a good night’s sleep. Then we lit out for Missoula some 62 miles downhill to the north. Or so we thought.

After the first ten miles I struggled. We were riding on US 93, the only main north/south highway in the Bitterroot Valley. Traffic was unpleasant. After 20 miles or so we were shunted onto a bike path that has seen better days. (US bike infrastructure motto: we build them but we don’t maintain them.)

Both Corey and I were nearly hit by stop sign runners eager to get onto the adjacent highway. When my near collision happened, I abandoned the trail for the chip seal shoulder of the four lane 70 mph highway.

The road had rumble strips so I could hear any encroaching vehicle. I also have a mirror. I felt much safer.

We stopped a couple of times for gas station convenience food, but my body wanted a break. In Lolo we stopped at Dairy Queen. They have a $7 meal deal that was just the right amount of food (with a small ice cream sundae).

After that the trail into Missoula improved immensely. Once we were in town we rode trails five miles to the headquarters of the Adventure Cycling Association, of which we are all members. The ACA made the maps we are following. I took the lead and somehow brought us to the ACA doorstep without a missed turn.

After some photos we headed a half mile west to a hotel where I stayed in 2018. Our room is a second story walk up but it was recently renovated. It’s my turn to sleep on the floor.

Tomorrow we are taking a day off. We’ve been hitting the hills and the miles hard lately. We need fresh legs for the ride over Lolo Pass on Monday.

Miles today: 70. Tour miles: 2,335.5 (previous day’s miles were messed up)

For most of today I felt like llama poop

Bike Tour 2022 – Jackson to Darby

We ate breakfast in the bunkhouse. Mine consisted of PB&J on two semi bagels (flat bread with a hole in the middle), a banana, and some Dot’s pretzels. Nutrition is my middle name.

We headed north through the Big Hole Valley for 12 miles where we found Wisdom. We were looking for enlightenment but settled for some snacks. It should be noted that Wisdom is the mosquito capital of Montana.

We headed west for ten miles and stopped at the site of the Big Hole Battlefield. This is where the U. S. Army attacked a Nez Pierce encampment. The Army set their teepees afire at dawn, burning to death men, women, and children. A fierce battle ensued with the Nez Perce woefully outgunned and undermanned. The Nez Perce escaped only to be chased down farther north where they surrendered. Chief Joseph, their leader, famously said: “We will fight no more forever.”

The Army was following a policy called manifest destiny. The policy was based on the concept that it was God’s will that white people should conquer the lands of the west. I wonder if God was pleased when Nez Perce children were burning to death.

The next 16 1/2 miles were a gradual then increasingly challenging climb culminating in our reaching Chief Joseph Pass (elevation, 7,241). There was no sign. Corey made it to the top more slowly than usual but he made it. A good sign for the days ahead. He reports this evening that his back is feeling better.

We dropped down one mile along the Idaho/Montana border until we reached Lost Trail Pass. It’s a treat to go through a pass while going downhill.

Next the fun began. We descended seven miles through a series of banked curves. The scenery was amazing but I can’t say I took full enjoyment of it as I was trying not to die.

After the descent we rolled north through the Bitterroot Valley, gradually riding downhill. Last year the forest in this area burned. It was quite a site to see the aftermath up close on both sides of the road.

We made a pit stop in Sula where the deli had just closed before our arrival. As we ate and drank convenience food stuff, Mark called ahead to Darby (elevation 3,885 feet) to secure our lodging for the night, a two-bed cabin. Mark is sleeping on the floor. The cabin is small. Corey and I will try not to step on him if we need to use the bathroom in the night.

Corey is cooking tortellini and making a salad in the cabin’s kitchen. We’d help but the kitchen isn’t wide enough for two people.

Miles today: 77. Tour miles: 2,337.5

Wisdom is the Nez Perce word for Mosquito

Named for the best golden retriever that ever was.

Bike Tour 2022 – Twin Bridges to Jackson

The bike camp in Twin Bridges worked out great. We thought we had set up our tents where the sprinkler system was set up so we scrambled to move them. It was all for nought as there were no sprinklers.

After breakfast we headed south to Dillon. Some of the truck traffic was hostile.

The road was a gentle incline all the way. In Dillon we grabbed provisions for the next few days. Then the fun began.

We climbed over Badger Pass at 6,760 feet. (Twin Bridges was below 5,000 feet, our first “low” elevation since Cañon City.)

The climb put the hurt on me. Mark rode like his bike was made of helium. Corey struggled with a balky lower back.

Of course, we immediately descended. It was fun but we knew we were giving up all that hard-earned elevation.

Next up was Big Hole Pass at 7, 360 feet. Mark zoomed ahead but Corey and I struggled. The increasing headwind didn’t much help.

We rode another high-speed descent into the Big Hole Valley, to arrive at Jackson, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it small town.

We are staying at The Bunkhouse. The owner gave us each a can of cold beer upon arrival. Ahhh.

It’s a cool place. We’re in a shared bedroom with five queen sized beds. Two other cycle tourist are here. There’s plenty of ventilation so I’m not concerned about Covid. Knock wood.

Miles today: 77. Tour miles: 2,188.5.

	Giles on Errandonnee Encore
	niall on Reading and Watching in 2025…
	Ellen Zook Osborn on Top Ten of 2025
	Brittany on On Average. The Weather Is…
	On Average. The Weat… on Blood Clots Are What They…