Great Rides

I am drafting this at a roadside restaurant along the Middle Branch of the Clearwater River: we beat a heavy downpour to this retreat by less than five minutes. Someone was smiling on us.

Wednesday (cont)
Following my last posting I rode to the foot of Brownlee Dam on the Snake River. In doing so, I traveled down the Snake River gorge late in the afternoon. The temperature had cooled and the reflections of the bluffs in the river were fantastic. Only downside: the campsite was almost full.

Total moving time on Wednesday was 4:00 hours with 41.5 miles logged.

Thursday
The day began with a climb out of the Snake River gorge. With some exceptions, the 2,200 foot climb was relatively straightforward and offered some great views. Once atop the rest was downhill, first to Cambridge and, later, to Council where I spent the nite at a great little RV park.
Total moving time 5:30: total distance 51.5 miles.

Friday
Awoke around 1AM to a downpour: luckily I had left the bike inside the laundry room so nothing was wet. The rain was still heavy after breakfast and - with no interest in a 50 mile ride in the rain- I asked if there was a way the Kiwis and I could get a ride to Riggins, our next destination. The owner said "no problem" and the three of us rode the fifty in her covered pick-up. Wouldn't you know, the sun popped out as soon as we started. However, the down hill sections of the road that pralleled the Salmon River were quite dangerous, with many curves and little if any shoulders. Most importantly, the Salmon were running in the Salmon River, and there would have been no place for us to stay in Riggens had we rode in, as planned, in the late afternoon.

We asked to be left off just West of Whitebird pass so that we could make the climb - 2,600 feet of switchbacks with beautiful views of the valley we were leaving. I was taking my time until, from my newfound vantage point, I saw a storm coming my way. My speed doubled as if by magic. It was a great -albeit aphrensive - ride to the top and, from there, an easy down hill to Grangerville.

Total moving time 2:54 and total mileage 21.8.

Saturday
Today has been simply super. It started with a great descent into the Clearwater River gorge from the plain around Grangerville. Essentially, one takes a right-hand turn and follows a series of switch-backs straight down into gorge: beautiful. The route proceeded to follow the river downstream to Kooskia, a small town inside the Nez Perce reservation. From there we rode upstream along the middle branch of the Clearwater River, following the route taken by Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce as they fled - and fought off- the US Army.

The trip has taken on a comfortable rhythm. Usually the day starts with a significant climb out of one river gorge followed by a long descent northward within an adjacent river gorge to a camping site. The distance is usually determined by the terrain: there is little incentive to end the day with a 1,500 to 2,500 foot climb. Food varies, but lately it has been quite good.

Tomorrow we begin our ascent over the Lolo Pass - a two day event that features a 66 mile ride on Sunday through an area with no (none, nunca) services. The weather should be good and the road is said to be something else for its views.

Half-Way

Tuesday

The day couldn't be nicer: not a cloud in the sky and the temperature in the 80s. Yesterday's ride from Baker City to Richland was largely downhill, again following the Powder River. The weather was very nice, and I ended up with a sunburned head as a result of the close cut I received in Baker City before leaving. Annie's Cafe was a good find for both dinner and breakfast: slept, as usual at an RV campground.

The ride totaled 42.7 miles with a seat time of 3:20.

Wednesday
Another easy day following a 1,700 climb out of Richland: three miles at a 7 percent grade. This climb was definately hard work. I had a lot of time to kill after cresting the pass, h owever, I am not planning on climbing out of the Snake River gorge today leaving me with but 20 miles to cover in over eight hours. I took my down time in Halfway, a nice town with a fabulous cafe called Mimi's. Mimi makes her own flower for starters and prepares outstanding meals and deserts. Unfortunately, my dinner will be some 20 miles away and out of a can.

Sore Legs

Sunday
An easy ride to prairie City: 45.5 miles on the odometer and a seat time of 3:32 hours. I had a good dinner for the first time in over a week in a restaurant that featured all the peanuts you could eat, local beer, and some fifty stuffed heads. I stayed in an RV park that ajoins the prairie City terminus of the Sumpter Valley Railroad, built in the late 1800's to ferry timber, freight, passengers, and cattle from this location Eastward to Baker City. Very cold, probably into the mid-30s, necessitating a shopping trip for long underwear.

Monday
A very - and I do mean very- long day: 67 miles on the odometer and a seat time of 6:40. I just made it into Baker City with a sore butt, back, and legs. Time to rest up. The ride included the transiting of three passes in relatively quick succession followed by a long descent along the Powder River. The total climb was some 3,500 feet. I can make these climbs, albeit with some effort particularly if the grade exceeds 5%. Time does not fly when you are traveling at five miles per hour for and hour or two at a strech.

Found a great motel at $30 per night and had an excellent dinner at the local brew pub.

Tuesday
I am spending the morning fixing and re-stocking. I'm determined to lighten the load and am sending a box home. At the same time I need to buy some cold weather clothing: hair needs cutting and glasses need fixing. I may lay over or, more likely, leave around noon for a forty mile level ride into Hell's Canyon. The most beautiful part of the trip approaches and I look forward to it. By my count I have traveled some 620 miles in the first eleven days, crossing countless passes. It is developing a rhythm of its own. If only my butt, knees, and calfs would get it together.

A Long and Beautiful Day

Friday
The ride to Ocholo Lake State park was uneventual: 49 miles on the odometer and 3:52 hours moving time. The sun was out, the road was slightly down-hill, and the wind was at my back. I camped at the park alongside Heather and Jackson, two accomplished touring cyclists from New Zealand who are also traveling the Trans America Trail (at least to Denver where they fly to England to tour there). The two make for very pleasant company. They are faster than I and climb much better but we tend to meet for meals and camping. Jackson participated in the early Ironman competitions and has raced competitively in the US and in Europe. Now a plumber, he tours regularly as does Heather.

Saturday
Eighty miles on odometer with 6:30 moving time.

Sometimes the location of eating/sleeping sites and upcoming climbs make for stark choices. Today was such a day. We began the day with a relatively easy climb of Ocholo Pass ( 1,700 foot ascent) followed by a fifteen mile downhill (and I do mean downhill) spin to Mitchell. There the fun really began as we ascended roughly 2,000 feet to Keyes Creek Pass. Imagine a road with an unending 5.5% grade for over five miles and then imagine me trying to climb same. It was tough going as I watched the Jackson and Heather fade into the distance. Hard going but I had the success of ascending McKenzie Pass to keep me going.

The ascent was followed, honest, by over thirty miles of downhill. The road paralled a riverbed and for ninety minutes I was treated to the sun and wind at my back, a pace of close to twenty miles per hour, and the sound of only my bicycle and the river alongside. Just as importantly, each turn in the road brought forth new vistas: my neck was sore for the watching. It was an afternoon that I will long treasure.

We spent the night at Dayville, where the local church has, as its mission, providing for cyclists such as ourselves: bathroom, shower, laundry, kitchen, Internet, and a dry place to sleep. No place to eat so we had frozen pizza and dark beer. The food along the trip has been disappointing. I counted on wholesome dinners along the way but it has not been the case. Places to eat are few and far between: we pass as many that have been closed than are open. Offerings are spare and feature breakfast and lunch menus. Indeed there are some nice places but not many. I do long for a nice sit-down meal.

Today (Sunday) is a light day as we travel some forty miles to Prarie City where we will fort up in anticipation of a long ride with significant climbs on Monday.