I honestly have no idea what time zone I am in anymore. It doesn’t really matter for I am loosing track of days in the week and numbers. Today was like every other day that started with a climb. A big one. Over the first 10 miles there was an elevation increase of 2700 feet. Fortunately it was on old ID 95 and had no cars on it. That made it enjoyable and the scenery was pretty darn good. Encountered my first 3 cattle crossings today. Just before one gets to the top of this pass old ID 95 connects with new ID 95 for the remainder and then a 3 mile downhill. What moron decided to put rumble strips down the middle of the shoulder forcing cyclists into the traffic lane should be fired, especially on a downhill. The downhill was great even though I was left with no choice but to claim the lane. I was not going to dodge rumble strips at 35 mph.
Once down the pass to the wide open plateau it was a slight downhill but strong head winds. It made a lunch stop in Grangeville all the better. Then it was back on the bike to Kooskia, Idaho. Beyond Kooskia there are no services for the next 89 miles. But before getting to Kooskia one must go through Stites. The back roads to Stites reminded me of Saskatchewan because of the rolling hills, wheat and canola fields, and fallow land until the last few miles. Then the road became a series of downhills switch backs, one loose cow on the road, tar sealed road, with downhill grades in excessive of 10% at times. It was not an exciting decline of over last 1000 feet. Stites is dying community. No grocery store, one cafe, no gas station, but a relatively new outdoorsman lodge. My plan was to stay in Kooskia, which is 3 miles from Stites. Once I checked out Stites it was on to Kooskia. Kooskia was a real town, but had no campground, nor something that resembled a hotel or motel. There was a dive motel but the phone number was disconnected. No good reviews on google and all were more than a year old, yet it looked like it was still in business.
So it was back to Stites to get a place to stay at the Idaho Outdoorsman Lodge. What a great place for a great price. It is a lodge/cabin setting with a full kitchen and washer and dryer in suite. Two great luxuries. Next door are the cyclists I met in White Bird, Dom and Sarah
Tomorrow will be a long day for I need to get through the 89 miles without services.
Today’s stats: total mileage 42.4 miles; average speed 9.7 mph (hey it was a big frickin hill); max speed 38.9 miles: total climber 3288 feet; and total descent 3318 feet.