0714 - Westbounders galore - Rejuvenation? Or Last Hurrah?

July 14, 2022

0714 - Westbounders galore

Singly and in a group

TODAY DID NOT SUCK. In fact, thanks to a favorable elevation profile it was easy, at least going my direction. And yet... and yet. I was still glad to call it a day on arriving in Riggins just about noon. It occurred to me that I might continue to White Bird, less than 30 miles from here, but I elected to make a short easy day of it, and also make tomorrow short and - I hope - easy as well. Saturday will be a test, starting as it does with 2,300 or more feet of climbing over the first 12 miles. So, a couple easier days before that seem like a Good Idea.

Being in no particular rush to be on the road from New Meadows I had rolled over and gone back to sleep after waking at 0500, then enjoyed a coffee and chocolate chip muffin from the coffee shop associated with the Meadows Valley Motel in New Meadows around 0700 before getting on the road around 0800. I also enjoyed chatting with the barista and another patron for a few minutes.

Outside the coffee shop associated with the Meadows Valley Motel.

Having taken some care not to explode my luggage overnight, repacking and loading up went quickly and easily. This is something that can easily become a giant time suck when touring so it's good to be vigilant.

Once on the road I began encountering westbound riders. The first of these was Scott, a rail-thin rider who started at his house in Cincinnati and is headed for the coast.

Scott was considering selling his bear spray to an eastbound rider, until I mentioned that I'd seen bears and signs of bears for the past several days. I think he'll hang onto it for a while yet. (The bright spot is the sun reflecting off his rear view mirror onto his face.)

Moments later - Scott had yet to disappear behind me, in fact - came Lyle. He started in DC and is also headed west, I believe to Florence.

Lyle was congenial but clearly on a mission so we didn't chat long.

Shortly after Lyle went on his way, and over the next half hour I also saw several members of a supported ride headed west. There were probably about a dozen in all. They evidently have a vehicle carrying the bulk of their gear, as their bikes contained only what minimal stuff they might want during the day's ride. For the most part our contacts were limited to across-the-highway shouts of greeting and mutual encouragement, without either party actually stopping.

I did learn that several members of the group are from Maryland (Jessup, Havre de Grace, and Bel Aire among other places) but I didn't ask how they got organized or what their support consisted of. Also, no photos.

Picking up the Little Salmon River, I was headed downstream. US 95 continued to carry a considerable stream of traffic and to have a posted speed limit of 65 mph. The shoulder was ample for safety, though, so it wasn't a problem. I also noticed that the traffic tended to come in bunches: a slower vehicle leading a train of traffic that had stacked up behind it, with a long gap in front. That suited me fine as it made the pull-over-and-stop thing quite easy to manage.

Morning scenery along the Little Salmon River. Hard to beat.

This "boulder bar" hints at the force the river water can have when it's really running. Today, though, it was a babbling mountain stream rather than a raging, man-killing torrent.

There were numerous little side streams and tributaries feeding into the Little Salmon. Not all of them were quite so impressive, though.

This place has gone under. I'm glad I wasn't depending on it as a rest and resupply point.

Reflected selfie in the window of the closed store.

Evidently the towns along the way don't count as "rest areas".

A pretty view along the Little Salmon River.

I hit Riggins about 11:30. The first order of business was a fruit smoothie from a smoothie shack on the outskirts of town, followed by a search for a place to stay. The first motel I came to had a marquee proclaiming "We believe in God, guns and freedom". I elected to press on, and ended up at the Riggins Motel, a throwback to the "motor lodges" of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. It's quiet, shaded, reasonably priced, clean... and available. Bingo!

They even provide clean rags, to protect the bath towels and other linens. A thoughtful touch, probably inspired by past events.

Cool! But I'll bet big money George Washington never slept here.

Showered and with the day's sink laundry seen to, it was time to "explore". There isn't a whole lot of complexity to Riggins so this was an easy task. I will admit, though, that in the midday heat I didn't go in search of the various places listed on an informational "History of Riggins" signboard.

Notable dwellings in the history of Riggins. Another sign chronicled the history of the schools in town.

After a pizza lunch (delicious) at a place down the street I made my way back to the motel, where I'll spend the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the rest of the afternoon.

I thought "surcharge" might've been an Idaho euphemism for "Sales Tax" but it turns out the place explicitly passes credit card fees along to the customers who choose to pay with plastic.

A scoop of huckleberry ice cream completed the lunch menu.

I'm glad I didn't elect to press on to White Bird today: it's currently 89 degrees and feels hotter in the sun. It would have been a bake-oven ride into White Bird. Tomorrow morning, it'll be much cooler.

Easy riding when you shed nearly 2,000 feet of elevation in 30 miles or less. It'll have to be paid for, I'm sure.

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Consecutive days without a tire problem: 2

Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 469 miles (755 km)

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