Left Council ID and began a slow climb up the Weiser River valley through the Payette National Forest. Beautiful mixed stands of softwood following a gorgeous high river valley. Lunch in New Meadows, a true timber town, where we had a brief window of internet service (central ID is otherwise devoid of modern telecommunications). Then commenced the most amazing ride as we headed on a long downhill into the Little Salmon and Salmon River valleys, aided by strong tailwinds. We finished the day with 92 miles under our belt in a little town called Whitebird, so named for a Nez Perce Chief who kicked the US Calvalry's ass in 1877.
Following morning commenced the climb to Whitebird Pass on old Route 95, an 11 mile 2200' climb following an incredible series of switchbacks I tried to capture on film but unsuccessfully. We both got our ass whooped on that hill. I kept singing the Jefferson Airplane tune 'Whitebird': by the 10th switchback I wanted to kill myself to rid the tune from my head. this is what happens on mind-numbingly long climbs.
But with every climb comes a long downhill which brought us into Grangeville, another timber/farming community. Quick lunch and we headed out of town with our first strong headwind of the trip. By 3:30 we had only covered 45 miles and needed to make many more to keep on track. Luck was on our side as we turned the corner ont eh Clearwater River in Kooksia and found the wind at our back for another 25 miles to Lowell ID on the banks of the Lochsa River, deep in the Clearwater National Forest. Camped in an RV park full of Idaho road crews working on Route 12, reveling deep into the night following the Boise State win over the Oregon Ducks in football. We got little sleep. Those boys know how to party.
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