Monday, July 19, 2010

CRACKER TOUR OF IDAHO 7/11-7/15

CRACKER BROTHERHOOD ( FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE TRAVELING TEUTONIC BROTHERHOOD )

image

 

LENGTH – 1100 MILES  /4.5 DAYS

TRAIL BOSS- JOHN    KTM 950

RIDERS   -      TIM        KLR 650

                       KURT       KTM 950

                       BYRON   KTM 950

                       THAD       BMW 1200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image

SUNDAY  7/11 ( DAY 1 )

MAP SUN LENGTH ~290 MILES

TOPO SUN

MET AT PERKINS ON BROADWAY

DSCF2012 

SUNDAY’S MORNING SHOWERS KEPT THE DUST DOWN ON ROCKY CANYON => GARDEN VALLEY. WE SPOTTED  ELK, DEAR, TURKEY & GROUSE ON THE WAY.

GARDEN VALLEY GAS STOPDSCF2013

BEAR VALLEY

 

DSCF2014 Stitch

DSCF2017 DSCF2018

DAVE , 43 YEAR RESIDENT OF YELLOW PINE, EXPLAINED SOME OF THE FINER QUALITIES OF BARRY.

DSCF2020

LUNCH IN SILVER DOLLAR GRILL.

DSCF2021 DSCF2022

 

BARRY- “JUST IMAGINE MY AMERICA OF LESS CARBON AND MORE GOVERNMENT. “

DSCF2023

THE INFO IN YELLOW PINE WAS ELK CREEK SUMMIT WASN’T OPEN , SO WE OPTED TO TAKE LICK CREEK INTO MCCALL.

LICK CREEK SUMMIT

DSCF2024 Stitch

2010-07-11152142 (1)

NORTH SHORE PAYETTE LAKE.

clip_image001[1]

DSCF2027 Stitch

 AT THE TOP OF THE FRENCH CREEK ROAD I STOPPED AND TALKED TO SOME DIRT BIKERS OUT OF MCCALL. THEY WERE AT THE “BEAR PETE” TRAIL HEAD. I DIDN’T REALIZE IT SO FAR IN FROM WARREN WAGON ROAD. THEY ALSO TOLD ME ABOUT SOME OTHER TRAILS DOWN TOWARD THE SALMON.

FRENCH CREEK

SALMON RIVER ROAD INTO RIGGINSDSCF2034 DSCF2032

DSCF2035 DSCF2036 DSCF2037 DSCF2040

CRACKERS AT END OF THE DAY IN RIGGINS

DSCF2041

BARRY “ CRACKERS- THE OTHER WHITE MEAT.”

MONDAY 7/12 ( DAY 2 )

MAP MON

TOPO MON

MILEAGE ~ 215

ROUTE – RIGGINS => SLATE CREEK=> HUNGARY RIDGE  => HWY 14 / 12 => LOLO MOTORWAY=> POWELL

 BREAKFAST IN RIGGINSclip_image001[3]

DSCF2042 YES THERE STILL ARE ESKIMOS IN RIGGINS

 

 

 

 

 

 

DSCF2043 Stitch

SLATE CREEK

DSCF2045 

 

2010-07-12100001

DSCF2046

HUNGARY RIDGE

DSCF2048

HUNGRY RIDGE & HWY 14 /SF CLEARWATER

 DSCF2049 DSCF2052 DSCF2054

TO GIVE US MORE TIME FOR THE LOLO WE DECIDED TO CUT OUT ELK CITY & THE ELK CITY WAGON ROAD & TAKE THE PAVEMENT TO SYRINGA.

DSCF2055

ON HWY14 WE GOT CAUGHT BEHIND A FLAT BED & LOGGING TRUCK, BUT IT ONLY LASTED A FEW MILES TO THE HWY12 INTERSECTION.

WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL RIDE ON HWY12 ALONG THE CLEARWATER  TO KOOSKIA .

DSCF2056

THAD

DSCF2057 Stitch

FSR100 ON THE WAY TO THE LOLO.

DSCF2060

WEST ENTRANCE OF THE LOLO

THE LOLO IS PART OF THE NEZ PERCE TRAIL THAT LEWIS & CLARK FOLLOWED CROSSING IDAHO. THE MOTORWAY WAS BUILT BY THE CCR IN THE 30’S.

DSCF2061 Stitch DSCF2064 DSCF2065 DSCF2066 DSCF2067

 

clip_image001[5]

DSCF2068 

MET UP WITH JIM AT ROCKY RIDGE CAMPGROUND.

DSCF2068

JIM WAS UP WITH HIS DIRT BIKES TO CLEAR TRAIL. SAYS THERE IS ~ 150 MILES OF SINGLE TRACK.

SAYS THE FOREST SERVICE IS ADDING ~150 MILES OF ATV TRAILS WHILE CLOSING 170 MILES OF SINGLE TRACK. HE’LL JUST HAVE TO BUILD MORE !

HE HAS A GREAT ATTITUDE !

DSCF2069

JIM & TIM SHARING NAMES & STORIES.

 

clip_image001[7]

ROCKY RIDGE LAKE

DSCF2070

ENCOURAGING THE CRACKERS TO MOVE ON DOWN THE LOLO.

DSCF2071 Stitch  ONE OF THE KNOCK OUT VIEWS ALONG THE LOLO.

DSCF2074 Stitch

VIEW OF THE BITTER ROOTS FROM THE LOLO.

 

THE LOLO HAS STRETCHES THAT HAS A DIRT BIKE FEEL- ON THE PEGS / WORKING THE CLUTCH- ON THE 950 .

 

THE LOLO NOW HAS THE OFFICIAL BOSSART BROTHERS SEAL OF APPROVAL-

       CRACKER APPROVED

DSCF2079

REST STOP AT FSR107 JUNCTION. WE HAD A UNANIMOUS DECISION TO RIDE THE REST OF THE LOLO INTO POWELL. SOME WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT WE MIGHT ALREADY BE AT THE END.  WE WERE LUCKY, IT LOOKED LIKED A LOCAL HAD CLEARED TREES WHILE RIDING AN ATV (THE PATH WAS NARROW).

2010-07-12161647

 

DSCF2080 Stitch

INDIAN POST OFFICE LAKE

DSCF2083

DSCF2085 Stitch

END OF THE LOLO AT POWELL.

DSCF2088

CAMPSITE AT POWELL.

DSCF2089

ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE WE ROLLED INTO CAMP, A WIND STROM BLEW THIS TREE ON A TRAILER.

DSCF2090DSCF2092 THIS LADY WAS IN THE TRAILER READING WHEN SHE HEARD A RUCKUS & SAW HER FRIENDS RUNNING. SHE HIT THE DECK & A CHAIR KEPT THE ROOF FROM CRUSHING HER.DSCF2091 

 

 DSCF2093

TRUNK OF CEDAR THAT SNAPPED.

TUESDAY 7/13 (DAY 3)

MAP TUE ROUTE :POWELL=> LOLO=>DARBY=>CORNER=>SHOUP=> CHALLIS

LENGTH ~ 250 MILES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WE HEADED OUT OF POWELL ~ 8AM & HAD A FEW MILES OF BEING ESCORTED THRU SOME ROAD CONSTRUCTION. WE STOPPED IN LOLO HOT SPRINGS FOR BREAKFAST AND A SOAK.

TOPO TUE

DSCF2094

LOLO HOT SPRINGS . LOOKS JUST LIKE A SCENE FROM “COCOON” DON’ IT ?

 WE ALSO HAD A SURPRISE VISIT FROM SPIDER MAN IN LOCKER ROOM AFTER THE SWIM.

THE RIDE FROM LOLO INTO DARBY WAS A BORING MIX OF PAVEMENT , ROAD CONSTRUCTION & STRONG CROSS WINDS FOR BITS OF EXCITEMENT.

 

DSCF2095

BEEMERS COME WITH STOCKED MINI BARS !

THE 2ND HALF OF THE DAY MADE THE MORNING A DISTANT FADED MEMORY.

DSCF2096 DSCF2097 Stitch DSCF2100 Stitch

PAINTED ROCKS STATE PARK IN MONTANA.

DSCF2103 Stitch

DSCF2106 DSCF2107

HORSE CREEK ROAD

DSCF2108 Stitch

VIEWS OF LOST RIVER RANGE ON THE WAY INTO SHOUP.

 

DSCF2113

 

 

DSCF2114 Stitch

TIM

image

DESCENT  INTO SHOUP ~ 5000FT DROP IN 10 MILES AS THE ROAD CORK SCREWS INTO THE SALMON RIVER.

DSCF2117 Stitch

DSCF2128GAS STOP IN SHOUP. GRAVITY FEED SYSTEM

 

 BARRY “ I LIKE MY COUNTRY LESS THAN YOU LIKE ME. “

 

 

 

 

DSCF2119 Stitch DSCF2121 Stitch DSCF2125 

WE HAD BEERS AND A HOT MEAL IN SHOUP. THE COUPLE IN THE BACKGROUND ARE RETIRED FROM NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY & SPEND THEIR SUMMERS ON PANTHER CREEK .

 

  DSCF2127 

 BARRY – “YOU MAY BE WORRIED ABOUT ME, BUT YOU OUGHT TO BE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE MILLIONS WHO VOTED FOR ME. “

 

DSCF2130 GOAT ALONG SALMON RIVER ROAD.

2010-07-13163821

I BLEW BY THE INDIAN DRAWINGS, THINKING THEY WERE ON PANTHER CREEK.

 

DSCF2132 Stitch

RANCH ALONG PANTHER CREEK

2010-07-13170713

DSCF2139 Stitch

ME & THAD ALONG PANTHER CREEK, A FANTASTIC STRETCH OF ROAD. PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST RIDES IN IDAHO.

DSCF2145

THAD STOPPED TO COMPARE GRINS !

 

DSCF2146

THAD STOPPED TO POINT OUT THE COUPLE WE MET IN SHOUP HAD JUST TURNED INTO ONE OF THE CABINS BEHIND US.

DSCF2148

JIM CAME UP ON HIS 4 WHEELER AND STARTED CHATTING. WE SPENT 10-15 MINS WITH HIM. HE MOVED UP TO HIS PLACE IN THE MID 80’S FROM KENTUCKY. DOES MOST OF HIS TRADING IN SALMON, ABOUT A 30 MILE DRIVE. GOES INTO MONTANA FOR THE BIG PURCHASES.  THERE IS A MINE NEARBY THAT KEEPS THE ROADS PLOWED IN THE WINTER.

DSCF2152

Day3CrestingPantherCrRd

SUMMIT OF PANTHER CREEK.

clip_image001[9]

MORGAN CREEK

ON THE WAY INTO CHALLIS WE SAW A SINISTER FLEET OF VEHICLES, DARK BLUE WITH SATELLITE  DISHES , LOOKED JUST LIKE A JURASSIC PARK SCENE. THE NEXT MORNING ONE OF THE LOCALS SAID IT WAS A MILITARY BRANCH SHOWING OFF ITS WARES .

 

DSCF2154

BARRY STUMPED TO RECORD CROWDS IN CHALLIS.

DSCF2159 RECORD CROWDS FOR BARRY IN CHALLIS

DSCF2157

CHALLIS LODGE ON MAIN STREET !

WE DECIDED TO CUT SOME MILES OUT OF THE WEDNESDAY RIDE, DELETED THE LEG THRU THE PAHSIMEROI VALLEY AND MADE BIG SMOKEY CG OUR DESTINATION.

 

WED 7/14 (DAY 4)

MAP WED

LENGTH ~190 MILES

TOPO WED

 

DSCF2161 Stitch

WILLOW CREEK SUMMIT HWY93 . MT BORAH IN BACKGROUND.

DSCF2168 Stitch

DSCF2173

EARTHQUAKE SITE BASE OF MT BORAH.

DSCF2175

BOTTOM OF BURMA ROAD INTO COPPER BASIN

 

DSCF2177 Stitch  CREST OF BURMA ROAD. LOST RIVER RANGE IN BACKGROUND

DSCF2180 Stitch

DSCF2190

BURMA ROAD DROPPING INTO COPPER BASIN

DSCF2177 Stitch Stitch

 

DSCF2195 Stitch

clip_image001

 

WEST END OF COPPER BASIN

DSCF2198 Stitch

PHIL & HIS BROTHER ON THE WAY OUT OF COPPER BASIN

DSCF2201 Stitch

 

DSCF2204

COPPER BASIN GUARD STATION

DSCF2205

FELLOW TEXAN ! HOWEVER THEY LOOKED TO BE AN AGGIE :-(

DSCF2206 Stitch

 

 

DSCF2212 Stitch

2010-07-14112634

DSCF2215 Stitch

LAKE CREEK TRAIL HEAD AND CAMPGROUND.

LOOKED TO BE LIMITED MOTORIZED TRAILS LEFT IN COPPER BASIN. THIS MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE.

DSCF2219

 

DSCF2220 

DSCF2221

KURT , THAD & TIM STYLING THRU MULDOON CREEK.

I MANAGED TO FIND THE DEEPEST HOLE , ALMOST OVER THE FRONT WHEEL. THE 950 DOESN’T TRACK AS GOOD AS THE 300 WITH A TRIALS TIRE.

 

DSCF2222 Stitch

MULDOON CANYON.

DSCF2231 Stitch

 

DSCF2235 Stitch

ON THE WAY OUT A ROAD SIGN POINTED TO MACKAY.  I KNEW I DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO MACKAY TO I WENT LEFT INSTEAD OF RIGHT.......WHICH WAS THE WRONG WAY.

I WENT UP WILD HORSE CANYON, GREAT VIEWS –BOTH WAYS !

DSCF2239 Stitch

THIS IS THE SAME PEAK AS ABOVE FROM THE TRAIL CREEK SIDE.

I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO SAW BOTH SIDES !

THAD & I DRAGGED RACED UP TRAIL CREEK. HE SMOKED ME.

DSCF2241 Stitch

TRAIL CREEK DROPPING INTO SUN VALLEY.

QUITE A BIT OF TRAFFIC ON TRAIL CREEK, SO WE HAD TO BE EASY ON THE THROTTLE AS WE DROPPED INTO SUN VALLEY.

THAD , TIM & I WAITED AT SUN VALLEY LODGE TO REGROUP. AFTER ABOUT 45M WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK UP. AS WE GOT TO THE SUMMIT WE  MET BYRON. HE SAID KURT WAS SICK & CAUGHT A RIDE IN PICK UP INTO TOWN.

2010-07-14145605

WHERE KURT PARTED WAYS WITH HIS BIKE.

DSCF2244

KURT SAID ON THE WAY OUT OF COPPER BASIN HE STARTED FEELING OFF. ON TRAIL CREEK HE HAD TO STOP & PUKE. HE JUST KEPT GETTING WORSE.

THE “TRUCK”, A RETIRED DOC & DENTIST WERE COMING BACK FROM FISHING MACKAY RESERVOIR, STOPPED WHEN THEY SAY KURT LYING NEXT TO THE ROAD :

1) GAVE KURT A RIDE DOWN TO TOWN

2) TOOK BYRON BACK TO GET KURT'S BIKE.

3) ROGER CAME BACK TO CHECK ON KURT & GAVE HIM A RIDE TO THE BEST WESTERN.

 

2010-07-14165356

BYRON RODE BITCH BACK WITH ME TO GET KURT’S BIKE FROM THE LODGE.                    WE BOTH STARTED FEELING OFF, BUT CHALKED IT UP TO RIDING DOUBLE IN SUN VALLEY.

KURT’S WIFE WAS DRIVING KURT’S TRUCK IN FROM BOISE. WE DECIDED TO CAMP NEARBY SO WE COULD LOAD THE BIKE IN THE MORNING.

2010-07-14201545

WE CAMPED AT THE “NORTH FORK GC” JUST OUT OF TOWN.

I WAS STARTING TO FEEL BAD. GOT MY TENT SET UP BY 6PM & DECIDED TO LAY DOWN.

~ 8 BYRON FIXED SOME CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP. I HAD A CUP OF SOUP & A SMALL SPRITE. WENT BACK TO BED. I MADE IT THRU THE NIGHT W/O ANY EPISODES. ( I WORE MY BOXERS & SHORTS TO BED TO PROTECT MY SLEEPING BAG.)

HOWEVER BYRON SAID HE WAS UP PUKING & TROTTING ALL NIGHT.

AFTER REVIEWING THE GPS DATA BASE & CONSULTING WITH BARRY’S HEALTH CZAR WE MUST OF GOT SOME BAD FOOD / PICKED UP A BUG SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LOLO HOT SPRINGS AND CHALLIS.

THURSDAY 7/15 ( DAY 5)

 

MAP THUR

 TOPO THUR LENGTH ~ 163 MILES

I LOST A PAIR OF SHORTS IN THE MORING AFTER I THOUGHT I WAS HOME FREE. THE REST OF THE DAY WAS SUBDUED. WE GOT KURT'S BIKE LOADED THEN HEADED OUT WARM SPRINGS ROAD.

DSCF2245 Stitch

SHEEP NEAR THE TOP OF DOLLAR HIDE.

ON THE DOWN HILL SIDE I WENT “HOT” INTO A TURN. WHEN I STRAIGHTEN THE BIKE UP I DRIFTED INTO THE DITCH AND COULDN’T RIDE IT OUT, DROPPED THE BIKE.

BYRON & TIM HELPED ME LIFT THE BIKE AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY.

LATER NEAR SKELTON CREEK THAD PASSED ME AND FLAGGED ME DOWN. MY RIGHT PANNIER HAD DROPPED OFF !

DSCF2248

WE USED MY STRAPS TO FASTEN IT BACK ON. TIM HAD A COUPLE OF EXTRA BUNGEE CORDS FOR MY DRY BAG.

 

DSCF2249 

 BLACKS CREEK ROAD & I84. THE CRACKER BROTHERHOOD PUT ANOTHER TOUR IN THE CAN , HERMITICALLY  SEALED IN IN A UNDISCLOSED BUNKER !

3 comments:

  1. Looks perfect. My (biological) brothers and I will be riding the Lolo area for about four days next month. Enjoyed your account.

    ReplyDelete
  2. WOW, what's the odds, I just rode through much of the same area about 4 days ahead of you guys.

    ReplyDelete
  3. IT'S GREAT COUNTRY. BETWEEN SINGLE TRACK & BACK ROADS JUST TOO MUCH FUN !

    ReplyDelete

 
Site Meter