Category Bicycling Journey

Bicycling journey around the western have of North America South Texas to Fairbanks, Alaska and Pacific Coast

May 24 2012

12-05-20 Sunday 111 Days 25 miles into Lapwai and Niece Amy and Brian ride to their home in Deary, ID for some R&R.

Sunday Morning after 5 miles into out of Winchester, ID it is all down hill from here to Lapawi and Church.

Are You Kidding ME!!! the 5th flat tire and this one on the spare and new tube. Oh well – getting really good at fixing these.

Meet a couple riding from Portland, OR to Portland, Maine. Mari said she hadn’t had a reason to get new bike until sitting in mine. There is more on Mari and Terry at their blog spot at “http://pedalpushers.blogspot.com/”

made it to Sacred Heart church in Lapawi in plenty of time this morning 25 miles. My Niece Amy and her Husband Brian are coming to pick me up and take me home to Deary.

Great Niece Heather looks like her Mom and Aunt Jenn

Home with Brian, Amy and Patrick what a wonderful home in Deary, Idaho. I like this place.

The oldest great nephew in Idaho Mathew a super fellow going to be a senior in High school next year.

and of course KC the youngest of the Popes – photo by Heather

May 23 2012

12-05-19 Saturday 110 days 40 miles late into Ferdinand for Mass and a old stealth camp

Slow morning getting going at the Bear Den RV Park

The Rec room where using Microwave for instant coffee.

What!!! a flat tire – I haven’t had flat for the last 2000miles the road out of Grangeville has rumble strips –

The fields out of town are beautiful Greens, and yellows.

stopped and Talked with Chris a young fellow(Late 20’s) who farms 700 acres and runs 250 head of cattle He explained the yellow flowers is winter Canola bean crops. It is in the Bronk stage and grows up to 6 inches in a day until developing the seed pods. also the winter Canola oil is used for industrial oils not food stuff.

The church in Ferdnado for vigil mass, I was late after having stopped for 4 flat tires combination of wires and poor patches.

after the 4th flat I switched to my spare tire and new tube. I ‘ll try for Mass in Lapawi, Id. tomorrow Sunday.

More History lesson of the area and how the weiser river got it’s name.

A good 40 miles and at dark stealth camped under the trees under the tarp.

May 23 2012

12-05-18 Friday 109 days 33 miles This is the longest steep climb to date – out of Salmon River Canyon

Morning on the Salmon River – slept really well.

i spending some time having breakfast and watching this fellow searching for his over the river.

Great Camp site on the gravel – there was not any rain last night which was fine.

The view down the River – Up ahead the road pulls away from the river up to the Camis Prairie

They say some folks up here are perpared for big changes in the world – This fellow may be expecting the global warming ice cap meltnig or another Noah flood, In any case he is prepared.

Coming into White Bird, ID – stayed on the old hwy 95 the new section goes over the bridge above. There will be climb out of the Salmon River Canyon Today.

lots the yards in the farms have Iris and they are beautiful

up close

Coming out of White Bird came past this barn with the antler display on his barn.

Rested here and the owner came out talked. A great person who has lived here 18 years after moving down from Alasks after 20 years. He hascommercial fished around Alaska waters for 40 years. Harvey has a some definite views on things and he is prepared in a community sort of way, another one of the hopeful things that I discover in my journey.

Begining the the grade out of the Canyon

White bird Battle area with the Nez Pearce Indians They won this one.

These two folkd passsed me walking up the hill faster than I was pedaling

Starting to make some progress on the grade – the old 95 grade is a lot of switchbacks – yet to come.

Caught up with the walkers – They didn’t have any water and were just carring a briefcase – I was able to give some bottles with water so they could continue.

A lot of the highway in Idaho is open ranges around here – The travel companions are not a attentive or talkative all the time.

The view gets more and more spectacular the higher you go

This young calf started following me, so figured out I didn’ t look that much like Mom, wrong color fur.

The last switch back and the view down.

Not the end of up though – these canyons are steep and deep.

yes I can have only a little better feel for effort to get up and out.

near the top of the White Bird Hill one lane road contruction zone. The traffic is held up and let go alternately. The girl said it wasn’t far to the downhill side. How fast can you go?

Oh Brother just what I need more uphill to pedal as fast as I can on oneway, holding up traffic in both directions. The road department is netting the sides before spaying with concrete

Now I am on the down hill finally – Only about 40 cars and trucks backed up. They didn’t start waving at me until toward the end of line.

i Into Grangeville after 33 miles and decided to back track to the Bear Den RV park for night – great place, shower and rec room with Microwave for coffee.

May 22 2012

12-05-17 Thursday 108 days 35 miles – The wonderful Salmon River Canyon ride

Morning of another great day – Having dropped down the river almost 35 miles the country looks a lot different

The river is a lot larger than when I started down it 35 miles back.The river is a lot larger than when I started down it 35 miles back.

the Little Salmon joined the Upper Salmon and is now the Salmon river. Feels Odd that it is flowing North.

Spotted this log and tried to keep pace with it to see how fast the river is flowing – Somewhere between 10 and 12 mph for the log.

History lesson – Gold found around here years ago –

Along the river are a number of these old mines and some newer ones where they dug in looking for gold.

and it is still me along the river

This is one of those only walking or on a bicycle momements along the road – I spotted this mule deer watchig me from the hill side.

The Geology along here is interesting with the volcano action and river carving the landscape.

This is a cool cabin that I took pictures of and went through the museum.

of course you couldn’t get a building permit to build a home like this today or one that would last as long and all natural construction.

Then again it would be pretty simple life style

This is another great day down hill and the wind at your back all the way.

The big wide river of No Return – float fishing for steelhead and salmon is a great sport along here.

After an easy 37 mile day, another beautiful night along the river – Looks like perhaps some rain behind.

May 22 2012

12-05-16 Wednesday 107 days 40 miles and some real beautiful Idaho

Great morning Start on the Weiser River Trail an old Rail road Track route.

one of many bridges over the Wieser river.

Made it off the River Trail and in to New Meadows for Lunch. The river trail was a little slow even at 1-2 percent Upgrade with the gravel.

This run through Europe and Russia as well kinda cool

Still a little more up to do – this is sure beautiful country with lots of changes in scenery and climate just in Idaho so far.

Now we are talking this is the little Salmon River and we are fallowing it down river. Must be down hill

a couple of old river side cabins along the highway. Places to visit the Salmon river in days gone by.

Here is one of todays modern river side visiters along the river. The blinds are closed and both Satalite dishes are up for watching dish TV. and they can say they visited the Little Salmon River.

Here is nice cabin site with it’s own running water.

Lots of water as the Little Salmon river grows when new streams are joined to it.

The water just keeps flowing in – this is really fantastic All the while coasting down hill.

The view up ahead looks like more down into the valley.

The camping spot after a great 40 mile day – meet two fellows traveling to Walla Wa for one of thier sons graduation they are from Boston.

May 18 2012

12-05-15 Tuesday 106 days 20 miles and well deserved rest in great campsite

On the way out of Council this yard struck me as just plain pretty. Stopped by the grocery store for water and asked if there was a cafe for coffee – the cashiers husband was the cook down the street –

Out of Council the road is mostly up – since the Wieser River flows down from the north even fallowing the river edge it is up hill. Not going to press it today.

Crossed the Weiser River again the country is just what I really enjoy. Note the old railroad bed trail down there .

it is early and I am tired and this looks like a great place to camp. Turns out the camp is closed – the bike fits around the gate so it is not crowded.

The map of the River trail that I slept next to last night –

Yep there may be a good tent site near here and I have my own Paper.

4pm in the after noon after 20 miles and I deserve this really nice rest afternoon. Getting the pictures titled for an up load when there is service.

And this is what overhead looks like today. This is cool.

May 18 2012

12-05-13 Sunday 104 days 41 miles it’s up and up good stuff today

Beautiful Morning of quiet prayer here in Fruitland – what a great day to a wonderful start. After Mass was load up on coffee and cakes, cookies, and even some egg salad sandwitches – Good times.

Now here is the train I have not see in a while, kinda felt homey for a while.

WHOA! a bigger snake number 2 in the same 100 miles. This monster must be 18 to 20 inches long, and also dead – oh well.

a few miles out of Fruitland the country changes These horses a pretty far up the hill and look like they are think of running down to see this thing on the road. They didn’t

This is into a 2 mile climb Looking for a place to campout.

here is is no recent tire marks onto an old section of Highway 95 and it is a dead end.

View from the tent – Ya know being tired is a good thing – Time let this old body soak up some healing from around here.

May 11 2012

12-05-11 Friday 102 days 38 miles – WOW! Idaho is great and a Hope for the Future – all is well

A really cold night – got up once to put on more cloths and put the tarp over the sleeping bag. This is new walmart shoe repair – sewing and shoo goo – glad I put it in Las Vegas.

The morning warmed up quickly and looks be a great one –

Heading back to highway – I am kinda getting into this not being so tired I pass out next to the Highway black top.

How about that made it to another state

If I had known Idaho highway was so smooth and no rumble strip on a wide should and look at that just a breeze – Thank YOU for a great Morning.

today is some flora of the area – only on the uphills – ya know the excuse to stop and take a picture

Before heading off down this section after a long climb up it is time for Lunch. I find eating something every 2 hours is what keeps the Bonks away. Every knows that we just forget.

Well I am outa tortillas, but have the peanut butter and Marmalade with Emergency Drink.

Finally caught one on camera – there has been 3 or 4 of these trucks everyday hauling onions, tell by the peelings blowning out

Must be on another upgrade some more flower closeup

Yes it is a really long up hill not too steep and there are these flowers

Now here is a really good sign Viewing area and brake check means good down hill and I already had 6 miles to here.

Ya know if you choose to provide food for the world, you might as well live in a pretty place, where you can rest after the daily hard work – I meet Les in a little whole taught me a lot more of the area and knows these folks.

OmyGosh a Snake – after nearly 3,300 miles I finally see a snake – this one is on the road about 8 inches long and dead. Oh Well so much for being afraid of all the snakes.

Must be Idaho they leave potatoes at the rest areas for free. Not

Now this one of those interesting facts – passed the river back at Rome and now you know some more of the history

As I came in the valley I was thinking – Level the ground, add some seed, put on some water and WALA Food.

The Food part – Les the fellow who grow of this says just about any seed you put in the ground around here grows well. There is a little more to putting the seen in the ground and watering it on a scale this large.

This is Les he stopped and we talked – He does the dirt to Food part. His family farms and ranches much of this area. A really great fellow. He and his family is the reason this country is great and they are the reason there is hope in the future with the community and family that continues to feed the rest of us.

Les told me all the water I have been seeing the last few days comes from the Oyhee river and later on the Snake river supplies the water for the farms. Again it is days like yesterday and today that gives all of us hope in the NOW and for tomorrows. There is no need for any Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

As if today in not perfect enough, Here is the Snake River RV park – with hot shower, washer and dryers and a nice desk to do this blog up date.

looking out over the Snake River near Homedale, Idaho after a shower, dinner and clean cloths. This is a beautiful NOW that I have spent my whole life getting to and am close to the next NOW of eternity.

May 11 2012

12-05-10 Thursday 101 days 30 miles – Good people – great lunch and short miles then a cold night

Great morning and quiet away from the highway

Pigeon release – was a great time talking with this fellow from the Caldwell area of Idaho

Turned off on a Interpative and found a Pigeon racer realeasing birds for a 350 mile training run. Reminded me of the 10years raised and raced pidgeons in Lubbock Tx. Hard to keep doing that when you move. The Birds keep going home to where they hatched.

coming into Jordan Valley the horses are glad to see me – the green valley is beautiful

The water brings on the ducks nearly every little puddle had a pair of mallards swimming on it.The water brings on the ducks nearly every little puddle had a pair of mallards swimming on it.

This is the section for birds along the waterThis is the section for birds along the water

So this is one of those who was here times The Basque settled in this valley and raised sheep and cattle.

and for fun the Basque built hand ball courts at the turn of the century –

It is spring time in valley – spent a few hours at a cafe uploading the last few days photos eating more Hamburger fries and pie alamode good day so far

a few miles out of Jordan Valley this fellow Gordon and his 14 yr old son stopped to talk awhile. They are 3rd generation Ranchers and have about 17,000 acres. His son is a great kid.

Although Gordon invited me for the night I pressed on and end up making 30miles on the day.

May 10 2012

12-05-09 Wednesday 100 days of bike riding – 38 miles Another Good day not too fast and a number of interesting places

bright and earlier than usual – the view from the window

following my tracks back to the highway. really a restfull night about a mile from the Highway

Just to remind us someone else has lost a loved one and we are here only a little while and then in the next eternity.

the cut off for Steen highway that must be where there are Hot springs.

Oh boy another valley with a river at the bottom must be Rome, Or.

Before getting to Rome a fellow taking a nap in his pickup woke up and gave me some fruit, a bag of corn nuts and we talked for 45 min. He is on his way to Boise from Whitter, calif. He kept remarking how

Shirley I made to Rome sooner than I thought. another unexpected service – couild not resist a great 6.00 a real homemade hamburger and fires

Now I didn’t notice the hill before I ate lunch, now I feel a little deserving notice truck on upper left of road.

and the name of this river is named after a Hawaii native who was killed by indians in the area.

Any excuse to rest is better than just being tired – spent 15min trying to get one of these birds just going into the holes they made lower one look close.

A great view back from part way up while resting again.

cool place along the highway 2 cars stopped to talk one here and another young lady who saw me last week on here way to LA. both wished me a Good Life and my GOD Bless them too.

So Lewis and Clark came this way and now Michael Fox has too.

so this is where all the crested wheat comes from around all the sage brush. Enviromentalist probable would do this kinda of stuff today, supprised they have proposed takeing it back to the way Lewis and Clarke saw it or before. OH By the way the Crested wheat grass was imported from Russia, today would be considered an invasive weed. Things just change – not to worry they keep on changing

I sneaked up on myself to take this picture of having a cup of coffee at camp this evening.

The sun was still high and I have only done 38 enjoyable miles

No Cell phone tonight so catching up on labeling the photos and enjoying life.