Lolo Pass & Big Sky Country

Between Kooskia, Idaho and Lolo, Montana there were limited services. At one point there wasn't anything but two campgrounds for 66 miles. So, I had to plan my stops so I would have food and water and a semi safe place to stay for the night. After leaving Kooskia, I biked for 50 miles to a camp site. I got there pretty early as I generally get on the road around 6:30 or 7:00 so I can get some good riding in before the traffic gets bad. It was a good site, next to the river and off the road. After looking around the campground for a site with minimal amount of bear poop, I pitched my tent. It was around 4 O:clock in the afternoon, too early for bed, yet I was tired, so I just lay in the tent relaxing. A car stopped about 20 yards from my tent and two men got out and started talking. At first I ignored them but when they started talking about bear tracks, I got interested. I flipped the fly back on the tent and went over and introduced myself. One man was about 70 years old the other I found out later was 23. Their car looked like it was on it's last leg, no hubcaps and crammed full of junk. A third person arrived with a two person camper and the elder gentleman excused himself to help, who looked like a Spanish male, station it. The younger man, Theo, started talking about the older man. He said he worked for the Defense Department, had been in Viet Nam, Kosavo, Afghanistan, and in the Navy. It got better. Theo added that the elder man was an informant as well. It seems the old man infiltrates communities and spies on people and turns that information over to the Defense Department. Theo said no one would suspect him. I agreed with Theo. When the old man shook my hand he slobbered all over himself and had to step back and wipe spit off his chin. It was early in the conversation that I realized that my camp mates might be more dangerous than the bear poop I saw. Theo invited me to join them after they got set up but I begged off adding that I was tired due to the miles I'd ridden. I went back to my tent and locked my bike and moved anything of value inside my tent. Great, first bears now the three amigos. I didn't get too much sleep and quietly left camp early next morning. Yesterday I biked to the Locksa Lodge 13 miles from Lolo Pass.The last two days involved an 80 mile slow climb culminating in Lolo Pass. The lodge is set back in the woods with a beautiful view but no cell phone or WiFi. Got a good meal and good rest and today at 6:30 I tackled Lolo. It only took me two hours to cover the 13 miles and along the way saw plenty of deer and very few trucks. Turns out Hwy 12 wasn't as bad as the map warned. After crossing Lolo and entering Montana I felt pretty good and today was able to do 65 miles and didn't get turned in to the Defense Department. Tomorrow I'll be on hwy 93 heading toward Chief Joseph Pass.

Faith Restored

Yesterday was hot. Record setting hot. I started out from White Bird early enough and since it was only 21 miles to Grangeville I was not too concerned about the climb out of the canyon. There were two ways out, the old, more scenic road or the new road which was advertised as steeper but straighter. The lady at the hotel recommended I go the old road because I'd see lots of animals and have beautiful scenery. So. lesser climb, better scenery, equals an easy choice. The first couple of miles out of White Bird consisted of small climbs and descents, rollers. Then came the switchbacks. I looked up and counted five. No problem, I can do this easy.
After climbing about two miles I looked up and counted again. Five, you've got to be kidding me. As I sucked down some water I looked to the left at the new road and started wishing I was over there. Bottom line, there were eight and a half miles of switchbacks and I am still not convinced the grade was any less. It took me about two and a half hours to crawl my way out of the canyon. Close to the top, I could only go from curve to curve and then have to rest. By the time I got to the top, I was whipped and almost out of water. I drank three bottles on the way up and was rationing the last little bit I had. I pulled into the scenic overlook for a rest and noticed a couple by their car admiring the view. As I rolled to a stop and peeled myself off the bike the man said hey that was a heck of a climb wasn't it. I was drained and could only nod my head. Would you like some water he asked. Oh yes I would, thank you, thank you, thank you. Turns out he was a fellow biker, mostly mountain bikes, and was sympathetic to the climb. Dick, Jessica and their five month old son Jordan, were life savers. After talking with the trio and downing half the bottle of water we separated as friends. With the extra water and downhill slope I easily made the next ten miles to Grangeville. Now only 27 more to go. I lunched at Subway, called Theresa, and thought about the underestimated climb. I was lucky. I didn't cramp because the Williams intervened. The ride to Kooskia was down slopping and would have been enjoyable had it not been for the long climb earlier. About ten miles outside of Kooskia I was flagged down by a woman and her blind husband. She offered me water and strawberries and wanted to talk about biking. She and Bob used to ride all over, taking trips of 500 to 600 miles on a tandem. Him the stoker, and her providing the vision. They were in their 70's and were retracing some of the route they had traveled years ago. We talked for about 30 minutes and during that time I felt comfortable enough to ask how he lost his sight. He had been blind for 30 years due to a hereditary retinue problem. A problem that can be corrected now but for Bob technology came too late. I made it to Kooskia and got the last room at the Western Inn. Today was my rest day. My knee is getting better and I have been drinking a lot of water. Tomorrow if I go at least 48 miles and 40 miles on Thursday, I should be able to scale Lolo Pass on Friday. Lolo Pass divides Idaho and Montana. Both days will be campsites, so I don't know if I can blog or not. I do know I'll have extra water.

White Bird

None! Not one person. Nary a sole in Oregon used their car window as a megaphone. How is it that already three people in Idaho think I can understand what they are yelling when I am going 20mph and they are going 65 mph in the opposite direction. Why? Why do Idahoans yell out the window? Maybe they were warning me about the crickets. After 65 miles today I called it a day and signed in at the White Bird Motel in White Bird, Idaho. The lady that signed me in was nice and recommended either of the only two restaurants in the 110 person town. So, I stopped at the first one, The Silver Dollar. Dr Hook may have had something to do with the choice. Anyway, the cook/waitress sternly informed me I was only entitled to one refill of Mountain Dew. OK. Now, before I left my room I checked for WiFi and found three secured sources. So, on the off chance that the Silver Dollar was one of them, I took my laptop with me. Mistake number two. I asked the cook/waitress if they had WiFi. No. Is there anybody that sells WiFi access. Nobody has WiFi she says. Hmmm.
As I ate my burger and fries the cook/waitress' daughter and another portly man came in and started talking about computers and the man even talked about his laptop and WiFi. I get it. I am not one of them and I think I hear a banjo in the distance. When I went to pay my tab, the daughter took my money. I discreetly asked her if someone had WiFi that I could pay for access. She looked at the cook/waitress and then said no. The cook/waitress said again no one has WiFi. I couldn't stop the words, they just oozed out. Well if nobody has it why do I get three secured sources? Stare...Stare...Then I said who is Angels Nook. Oh that's the RV park behind the hotel. Thank you! I knocked on the door of the RV park and they were as nice as could be. I even had to insist they take a couple of dollars for the password. So far I am 100% Oregon and 50/50 Idaho. I attached three photos, one of Halfway, Oregon-beautiful little town, long horned sheep I saw along the Snake River just before leaving Oregon and the Salmon River which I followed today for over 30 miles.

Hi Dee Ho-Idaho

Woke up this morning to a perfect day in Halfway, Oregon. Not a cloud in the sky. I had a breakfast of strawberries and Gatorade and took my prescribed dose of Motrin that my personal nurse recommended. I dropped of the key, took one last look at the beautiful mountainous backdrop that makes Halfway a nice place to visit and hit the road. From Halfway to Oxbow there was a downhill grade and the temperature was ideal. At Oxbow I made a hard right turn, climbed a small hill and turned pretty much South again except this time I had the Snake River to my left. The Snake is a pretty wide river below the Brownlee Dam and I followed it for 11 miles. It was a perfect day so there were many boats, RVs and fishermen out enjoying the day. Along the way I scared a deer out of its bed and saw three long horned sheep walking the ridge to my right. After biking for over two weeks I finally came to the Brownlee Dam and Idaho. Looking back, it was tough. Oregon is a beautiful, biker friendly state but presents a good challenge for someone who bikes through it, especially in the Spring. And, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment as I crossed the Snake River. I had a pretty good climb up to the top of the Reservoir and then rolling hills till I came to the six mile climb out of the canyon. After climbing out of the canyon I had 17 miles of alternating downhill to level road to Cambridge. But then I started getting slapped in the face with bugs. At one point I looked at the road and it was covered in what I thought were grasshoppers but then realized they were crickets. It looked like the head cricket blew a whistle and they all started crossing the road at the same. I could even hear them crunch as a broke there formation. Welcome to Idaho.

Hell's Canyon

I climbed Dixie Pass and then camped in the woods at Austin Junction. The next day I in climbed Tipton Pass and Sumpter Pass and rode on to Baker City. I rode on to Baker City because on my Transamerica map it showed it all down hill. Not so fast old wise one. Even though the road followed the Powder River there were still, what the locals call, small hills to climb. When I was about a mile from the top of Sumpter Pass it started snowing. THAT'S SNOWING! I had to stop and put more clothes on and when I screamed to the bottom of the pass I took some off again. Now, I am happily following the Powder River going into Baker City. I was about ten miles from the city when I noticed a huge dark cloud coming over the mountains to my left. I started pedaling faster trying to beat the storm. I had a tailwind so I made good time, but not good enough. About three miles from the city it started....SNOWING again. Not just snowing but ice balls...more like sleet that pelted my exposed fingers and face. And did I say it was cold? I limped into Baker City and got a room at the Bridge Street Inn and immediatly drew a hot bath. I thought I would take a rest day there because of the weather and a little problem I've had with my left knee. But today the weather was much better and the hot soaking bath had reduced the swelling in my knee, so I started out this morning for Richland. On the map again it shows the Powder going almost all the way to Richland, about 40 miles, and it looked to be all down hill, down hill into Hell's Canyon. Correct me if I am wrong Jean but what goes down must come up..right. I got to Richland around 2pm, didn't like the cost of the only hotel I saw and I kept looking at the sign that said Halfway only 13 miles. OK we do about 15 every day on the Island so no be deal. Wrong! About five switchbacks and two hours later I made Halfway...Halfway to what I haven't found out yet. Anyway I am booked here for two days of R&R and knee recovery. I once read or heard or was told by Spoke Man that if you have soreness on the inside of your knee, your seat is too low. If the soreness is on the outside of the knee then your seat is two high. Yesterday I adjusted the seat and today, I raised it a little more. Hopefully with the rest and seat adjustments the soreness will subside. After my R&R I am looking at the Snake River and Idaho.

Prairie City

This blog will have to be short. I am sitting in Prairie City getting my legs ready for Dixie Pass. I slept last night in a campground just East of Mount Vernon. Beautiful night and best night camping so far. Tonight I'll be in a remote area but hopefully I'll be able to add more two days from now. I came through Picture Gorge where 50 to 80 centuries ago the prehistoric Indians painted pictures and symbols on the walls. They used some kind of resin that over time became part of the rock. More later now I have 2000 feet to climb in nine miles. I had pictures of the gorge but somehow I can't find them. Crap! Now I have to start all over again. Arrived in Austin Junction, one store=groceries, gas, and resturant and to my amazement wifi.
Tomorrow I have two passes to go over one at eight miles and the next at 22 miles. Legs burners for sure.

Real Man

After I registered with Shannon at the Oregon Hotel/B&B, I unloaded some gear, took a hot shower and then walked next door to the Little Pine Cafe. I fed on a plate of eggs and home fries. I've noticed one thing about breakfast in Oregon, they serve a lot of potatoes with the meal. Real potatoes that make for a hearty meal. After my carb fest I went back to the room and grabbed the computer for the blog. Shannon had said I might not get access in my room so I came down to the front porch for Internet. A group of five had gathered on the porch so I just pulled up a chair. After about two minutes later this big burly gent offered me a beer. Hugh Reed. Hugh and Skeeter, his wife, own the Oregon Hotel and gas station across the road. Shannon is Skeeter's daughter and calls Hugh dad. The other two were Skeeter's younger daughter and her husband. Nice family, open, honest, down to earth. After Hugh offered me a beer we started talking and within 30 minutes he seemed like an old friend. He was born in Roswell, New Mexico but worked pretty much in California and Oregon. Hugh is 70 but you'd never know it. He's got a barrel chest and his forearms are like my calves. He's a contractor by trade, kinda like Ronnie my brother-in-law, and still has three caterpillars he runs including a number 9 that he ran off the side of a mountain. They have 28 horses of various types for sale and a full farm of animals they tend and Henry. Henry is an eight hundred pound black bear that Hugh saved when he was only a one year old cub. Now if you met Hugh in a bar and he said sit down I think you would. He strikes an imposing figure and is intimidating. He admits to being shot, stabbed, electrocuted and only knocked out once and that was by himself. Seems he was breaking a door seal loose and when it freed it knocked him off the stand onto the ground where he found himself when he woke up. I forgot to mentioned he's a martial arts expert and still does a routine to stay fit. His hands are toughened and scarred through the years of hard work and maybe a few battles along the way. Skeeter says she worries about him because he has rolled three backhoes over himself. And when he takes his hat off, you see the scars to prove it. Hugh is a strong man of principle and character, he still won't talk to the lady down the street who lied in court. But, yet gentle enough to have the love of Skeeter and her daughters who fondly call him dad and make a home for a doomed bear. Hugh is the real man. The real deal. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Oregon, go through Mitchell and spend some time with Hugh and Henry. Oh, and if you want gas, if Hugh or Skeeter aren't at the pumps, they may be at their favorite table in the Little Pine.