Traveling at Mach 0.012

Sunday June 29

Start: Eagle Mountain Bridge
End: Kamiah, ID
Day total miles: 69
Journey total miles 3182

Towns passed through:
Lowell, ID
Syringa, ID
Kooskia, ID
Kamiah, ID

Sleeping at the Clearwater 12 Motel – this is definitely one of the best values in motels. Clean (really clean) rooms, nice people, and a stunning view.

The morning was still cool at the start, but as the sun came out, was able to take off the raincoat. The ride was downhill or flat almost the entire trip. Spoiled me and I’ll pay tomorrow – looks like a 2000 ft ascent first thing.

Without the rain, the journey today along the Lochsa River was much more pleasant. Watched two boats take on the rapids in style and generally found the ride to be easy for looking around and taking it in. These pictures don’t give a true perspective but here goes:

This part of Rt 12 is through a canyon of forest with very steep sides and a fast moving river to the left. Black clouds would roll by but fortunately no rain on my parade.

First real stop was the gas station (with no gas today; much to the displeasure of many motorcyclists). Needed a break after 30 something miles, so had a conversation with the store owner. The place serves as a convenience store, tackle shop, and checkin station for hunters. While there, i spied this t-shirt and had to memorialize it for my rocketry friends:

Must be popular, the only size left was a small.

While there, it started to pour from the skies above, so good planning on my part for the stop. The rain stopped and I was on my way. More down grade and then out of the national forest to houses along the road again. The road wound along the Clearwater River (the Lochsa and Selway rivers join to form the Clearwater). I wish i would have stopped to get a picture, but the Tram like cars that popped up every once in a while were interesting. There are cables stretched across the river and trams that ferry people to the other side where beautiful homes are. There appears to be limited road access to these homes and it must be a long way around to to bridges for more conventional crossings. Fireworks are big around here:

This one just makes me laugh, here you can get fireworks and fresh or smoked salmon.

I saw a bald eagle carry off a fish from the river as i was leaving Kooskia; quite a sight. WIll finish with the view from my reporting site at the hotel: