October 3, 2007
To Idaho City Grayback Gulch Campground: Home tomorrow
It doesn't get as cold as the last couple of nights must be because we are at a lower elevation. It does start to rain softly just before we get up though. The rain has followed us all the way from Alaska, so it's fitting on our last ride there is rain. The sky looks dark, it's going to be a wet day.
We have one more pass to get over on our way home.
Our plan is to have breakfast to fuel us up, so the wet tent is packed and we head for the cafe just past Kirkham hot springs. To our disappointment the place is closed. We ride on to the junction at Lowman where a new lodge has been built. It too is closed and for sale. What's up with this!
So we eat a couple of granola bars and start the climb.
It starts to rain as well and keeps going for the rest of the day. We did this hill once before on our bikes it's pretty much how Patrick remembers it about 700meter gain in 15km. We make it in good time and it's pretty despite the rain. These hills burned in 1989 and although the big trees are all gone, the hill sides are covered with young evergreen and aspen trees in bright fall colors. Traffic is light and seems to come in groups. We reach the first summit at Banner Ridge, then the descent of about 250 meters past two of the park and ski areas.
The downhill is cold.
Patrick wears hat, gloves and two jackets and still gets very cold. At the bottom we eat something, then start back up to regain the altitude. We make it to Mores Creek Summit and take pictures. More cloths on, just about everything we have, then 20km down to Idaho City, without pedaling but for one little bump almost to town.
It rains.
We warm up at Trudy's Kitchen and eat a nice lunch. The campground is about 5km further towards Boise, up a short steep hill, a large nice campground that is empty this time of year. We have a brief spell of sunshine and manage to dry the tent and air the sleeping bag. Once everything is pitched the sprinkles starts again. We lay in the sleeping bad and read, staying warm until dinner. Our last night out, we settle for ham and cheese sandwich and some soup and coffee. More raindrops and back in the tent.
Tomorrow, we are home after 13 months on the road.
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Today's ride: 65 km (40 miles)
Total: 15,735 km (9,771 miles)
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