Wilderness to Grangeville, ID

Brian’s Ride Miles Biked: 76.6 Average Speed: 13.8 mph Max Speed: 25.2 mph Time Pedaling: 5 hours 33 minutes Total Feet Climbed: 3070 Start/Stop Time: 7:30 am to 3:00 pm Wind: Variable light winds, clear skies. Weather: upper 40s to 100oF I continued riding on the Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark Trail (US 12). The scenery was as spectacular as yesterday. I was sad when it ended in Kooskia. Even as I approached Kooskia, ecological and landuse changes were taking place. The protected forested gave way to homes. Trees gave way to brown grass mountains and fields. The mountains became less steep and lower. It also felt drier and hotter. The temperature began to climb. >From Kooskia to Grangville, I entered a different valley with the South Fork of Clearwater River draining it.

For the morning and the previous afternoon, I descended 3500 feet over 70 miles. Now it was time to pay by climbing to Grangeville at 3500 feet from a low at 1500 feet in about 10 miles. And it was hot, the air dry, and the sun was baking. Somehow, I had the energy and I climbed at speeds of 7 to 8 mph. Not much but I previously did similar climbs at 5 to 6 mph. I made it to the Grangeville with more mountain left for tomorrow. Joan greeted me at parking lot of the closed US Forest Service Office. While discussing our plans for the evening, I talked to a very nice couple (Skip and Beth) from Lewiston, ID who loved living in Idaho and who had been to the campsite we spent the previous night.

While at the campsite, a local resident visited with us and shared his involvement with mental health. It turns out he is the local writer/editor for the PeopleFirst organization, a mental health network and affectionately dubbed his town "Strangeville".

Joan’s Version

Last evening, after Brian tossed the fish stew, I took my bike out for a little spin to check out the horse back riding stables and to see the "loop" of campsites reserved for campers with livestock. In my mind, these campers were ferrying the young prized cattle to new homes many miles away, and needed a place to bed down for the night. In actuality, I learned that many campers bring their own animals and hike with them along trails high in the mountains. I met a group of men, who brought with them 11 horses and 3 mule and a sheparding dog to keep deer away from their camp. Seems the deer, hungry for salt will eat the saddles!

So many lessons I’ve learned on this trip, one of which is to be on time when I promise to meet Brian. He awoke early and left the campsite by 7:30 am. I dumped the RV and headed out. I immediately went to a restaurant along his route. He met me and finished my plate!

While the scenery is amazing, so are hills, and it’s taking a toll on Brian’s stamina. After 6 weeks of pedaling, he is truly wiped out and very verbal about it. It’s now the time where the "mental" portion of the ride kicks in. My brother Joel says the real half-way point of a marathon is at 20 miles, not at the literal half-way mark, 13 miles. This makes sense as Brian has only 600 miles to go. Only 600 miles. Joel and his soon-to-be six-year-old son, Evan, joined us in Grangevillle at the campsite, after another grueling day on the bike for Brian. While Brian chilled at the campsite, we rode our bikes around the town, which included a tour of downtown, the city park and playground, the cemetery, and views of the expansive wheat fields.

After a quick trip to the grocery, we headed back to the RV, ate a quick fried chicken dinner, and then Evan and Joel made their bed above the drivers cab, finally around 11 p.m. We called Kathryn, Joel’s wife and Evan’s Mom, who stayed in California with their 22 month old son, Pace. We were sad they were unable to join us in Idaho, but look forward to their visit in Oregon.