Tuesday, June 22 - Day 9 - 75.8 Miles - 624.4 Total Miles

We got our start this morning under beautiful weather. Last night's camping was perfect. The campsite over Brownlee reservoir was very peaceful and the temperature was perfect. We did a little campfire last night and did the whole 'smore thing. I sat out after the boys went to sleep with the family and watched the fire burn out. I would have stayed up a little longer, but I had a few miles to ride in the morning.


Speaking of riding....right out of the campground this morning, was a 9 mile, nearly one hour climb to get out of the valley. It was a good climb to wake yourself up. Just when I was about to get tired, I saw a rider in front of me struggling a little (no, it wasn't Bobby). It turned out to be a man and his wife(?) in their mid-sixties, bikes loaded down with all of their gear, turning over the pedals just fast enough to keep them upright. When I went by, I felt the need to apologize for the fact that I was flying by them with no weight on my bike. The man just chuckled and said, "Hey, I am the one who wanted to do this." I wonder how long it takes for people loaded down like that to do this, with all the hills to climb. It has to take them quite a bit longer.




We spent a good hour or so in riding conditions that were not the most fun....no shoulders and high traffic. It has been a while for that, so we were due.



We made it from the campground this morning to our destination...New Meadows, Idaho, by way of State routes 71 and 95. We are camped outside of New Meadows in a small campground by the name of Zim's Hot Springs. We have mountains around us with snow still on them, so it is pretty cool looking. Hopefully we get another good night of sleep.



I thought we had our first tears today. We had ridden on some crappy roads for quite a while with some good climbs and I had pulled over to wait for Bobby and Kyle. I had just looked at the map and saw that we had 7 miles to New Meadows. When Kyle pulled up, he asked "what do we have left, 4 miles?" When I replied "7 miles" I thought we were going to have some problems. He got a snack in him and quickly regrouped, though. What a trooper.



Kim and the kids stopped in a town by the name of Council to see a museum of the history of their small town. They were not expecting much. They were very suprised. Even Nathan said it was the best thing he had seen yet. Go figure. I think he liked it because it had a skull with a bullet hole in the forehead. It basically showed a history of postal service, doctors, dentists, etc. Kim and the kids were there for over an hour looking at all of it. I was relieved to hear that it kept their attention for so long.



Just one observation that I have had over and over on this trip so far....cows back home pretty much ignore you on bike rides. You can moo at them (yeah, I do that), and they just keep eating or sleeping, or peeing.....nothing....no response or acknowledgement. Here, cows and horses stare you down the whole time you pass them. They follow you like they are security guards in charge of the land they are on. It is kind of weird. It is hard to believe you have lived your whole life without that bit of information.



Well, it is about time to get a campfire going. We have another decent sized day tomorrow with a good climb....We gotta get rested up.







Tonight's Campground

Our Sleeping Spots

Old Dentist Office in Museum

Another Shot in the Museum

Monday, June 21 - Day 8 - 85 Miles - 548.6 Total Miles

We are officially in our second state now…..Idaho!!!! Today was a big day – 85 miles over the most beautiful terrain I have ever cycled through…from Baker City, Oregon to the Brownlee Reservoir of the Snake River, on the Idaho side! This trip took us through the rough and rugged, yet equally impressive and beautiful Hell’s Canyon National Park. It was a long day, but very much worth the reward at the end, as we crossed over the infamous Snake River at Brownlee Dam, quite the massive spectacle! This last part was NOT for anyone nervous about riding a skinny white line a yard away from extremely high cliffs looming over the river! We camped at Woodhead Park, 4 miles from the dam, RIGHT on the Snake River. Our views were fabulous, the park suberb, and the S’mores outstanding! It was a beautiful night that we all enjoyed immensely after a long day!

Some of you have mentioned that you wanted to hear Kim’s perspective of the trip…..not that you were sick of hearing from me! So, “guest-hosting” the rest of today’s journal entry is my lovely wife!

(Kim……) Hi to everyone back home! As I look back into the previous journals that Steve has posted, I have noticed that a few of the pictures show me “working”, and much of the journaling speaks of the things I do for everyone. Let me assure you all though….I am having the time of my life! It is such a blessing to see this wonderful country at such an “up close and personal” level. The news and media do a very good job of reporting depressing events and we are somewhat conditioned into thinking that people cannot always be trusted. However, this trip has blown me away with how nice people can be and how unique their experiences are. Granted, we have only traveled nine days into our journey, and basically covered only one state, but the things we have already done and the people we have met along the way have been priceless. Just in nine days, I am much more comfortable meeting and talking with strangers, navigating through terrain totally unfamiliar to me, and driving very windy, narrow mountain passes in a huge conversion van with my two precious children in it! I look forward to each day….even though there is a standard, common rhythm to each day, they are also quite different. It is fun driving into small towns and figuring out where the post office is located, as well as the bank, the library, and of course, where the best place is to eat or to shop for groceries! The locals are quite receptive to giving you their “two cents worth” about topics such as that!

Today we left our “warm showers” home at about 9:30 a.m. Pacific time in Baker City, Oregon. They were wonderful people….thanks again Mitch, Kathi, and Chelse! Baker City was a great town…..it was too bad we were there on a Sunday, as most of their downtown was closed. The guys left about one hour before we did….the kids and I always stay an extra hour or so after them to “organize” and pack the van. If you know me, then you know that makes me a “happy camper”! We hit a grocery store, a gas station, and McDonald’s (for coffee!!!) on the way out of town.

Five miles down the road we came upon the Oregon Trails Interpretative Center – quite the historic adventure. The kids and I spent about 2 hours there and were amazed at the displays and information. As we left the Baker Valley, it was really neat to look out into the terrain and see the actual grooves made from the wagon wheels of the people who forged the original Oregon Trail!! The next 60 miles we spent weaving and winding through the most beautiful valleys of Hells Canyon National Park. We met the guys a couple of times along the way, supplying them with snacks and water, and then moved ahead to scope out the possible campgrounds, deciding on Woodhead Park, along the Snake River. Absolutely gorgeous! I am enjoying being the one who gets to scope out the terrain and decide where we stay! Most times we have internet and cell phone coverage, but not always….so when we get behind in our entries or our phone calls, that’s the reason!

Once the guys arrived at camp, they pitched their tents while I made a round of PB&J’s for all, and then later we had deli sandwiches, fruit, chips, and S’mores that I had picked up along the way at a grocery store! The kids and I ran a couple of miles along the river, then showered and settled in for a great campfire. The evening was warm and the sunset over the mountains along the river was breathtaking. I went to sleep a very satisfied and grateful woman last night. This is truly the experience of a lifetime!


Today's Campsite at Brownlee Reservoir

Nathan and Anna at the Oregon Trail