Day 17 - Kamiah to Wilderness Gateway Campground (USFS)

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Stats: 

Today's miles: 59 miles
Today's feet of elevation gain: 1,653 feet
Total miles traveled: 623.0 miles
Total feet climbed: 22,757 feet
Dead Rattlesnake count: 16
Initial/Final elevation 1,196 ft / 2,122 ft


After a comfortable night with AC at the Clearwater 12 Motel (nice place) and fine dining at the local pizza joint and Albertsons, I left the hotel just after 5:30AM hoping to beat the heat and be done riding around 1:00 PM. The ride continued along the Clearwater and Lochsa river with the same steady uphill climb. There are nearly endless ‘A River Runs Through It’ scenes along the Lochsa, gentle pools alternating with rapids and rippling streams. It’s awesome to ride through and disappointing that a camera doesn’t truly capture it.


Most of the route is sparsely resourced, no convenience stores or cafes after the first 8 miles at Kooskia. A convenience store chicken-bacon-ranch hot box sandwich (not recommended) and 2 granola bars were the menu for the day. Along the route I met 3 west bound cyclist following the L&C Trail. A brief acknowledgement and best wishes as we passed was all there was. The cool morning hours are too precious to stop for long… 


The campground was semi-primitive…but at least there was drinking water. As I was setting up camp one of my RV neighbors stopped over to ask about the trip and talk about some of the cycling he and his wife had done. Later, as I was making my supper he stopped over with a cold beer, saying that he thought it looked like I could use it, at least as a carb recovery drink! Cold, refreshing and generous…Thank you!




Location: Wilderness Gateway Campground, Idaho 83539, USA

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