17 May
2006

Road Trip 2006 Day 1

Par for the course with my ill conceived adventures, I didn’t bother packing until
this morning, which is when I actually wanted to leave. No worries. I took kids to
school, ran some errands, packed, and hit the road around 11:00 a.m.

  • Day
    1 Pics

  • 260 miles

  • 2 camel packs of water

  • 4 chapters from an audio book on my iPod Nano (Retreat Hell, by W.E.B. Griffin)

  • 1 nap on the grass at a riverside rest stop

  • $32 motel room (no air conditioning)

  • I forgot my mesh armor. Dang it’s hot for May.

    Within the last 2 days the Tiger received a fresh set of Michelen Anakees 80/20. The
    Anakees were scrubbed in by noon and they stick like glue! I can’t believe I waited
    so long for new rubber. They are holding air on the tubeless conversion as thought
    they had a tube in them.

    Also, I am running with a brand spanking new pair of tank saddle bags designed by
    me and built by my woman the night before I left .
    They are actually a pair of Marine Core A.L.I.C.E. packs sewn together to fit my tank.
    All my clothes are in them and I am loving the air-blocking bulk of them.

    My primary route today was north up HWY 55 to 93. With no time frame and no riding
    partner to consult, I took 2 detours today: The Seven Devil’s Road and Old HWY 95
    through the battlegrounds of the Nez Pierce war.

    The Seven Devil’s road west out of Riggins climbs to 8412 ft. where it overlooks Hell’s
    Canyon. Unfortunately for me today, the road climbed to only about 7000 ft. before
    the snow covered the road to the point that 2 wheels just wouldn’t cut it. This little
    detour only took about 45 minutes out of the day, but it let me see over the edge
    into a valley of giant snow capped mountains. Not a bad trade.

    Old HWY 95 just south of White Bird Summit is a switchback road the likes of which
    most riders will only see in magazines. The road is only occasionally maintained through
    the old Nez Pierce battleground, but today was good enough! There is a slight dusting
    of gravel in some of the turns, so this is no Laguna Seca run, but it sure looks like
    it. It would almost be worth sweeping it.

    I made it as far as Kooskia, Idaho, just west of Hwy 12 that climbs over Lolo pass.
    I stopped in a flea bag hotel for the night because dusk was settling in and I didn’t
    want to waste the ride over Lolo. Riders come from all over the west to ride Lolo
    pass. It is right up there in the same class of ride as the Dragon in Tennessee (okay,
    almost).

    Tomorrow I hope to at least make Glacier National Park via Missoula. I have to stop
    in Missoula where my wife is having my proof of insurance faxed to a local Farmer’s
    agent. Scheller, I don’t want to hear it.