This part wasn't very fun. See that car at the bottom of the hill? It was a cop, and it took us so long to get to the top of this hill that we saw him pull over 4 or 5 people. Then we rounded the corner and had more miles of uphill to ride. I don't know how many miles it was, but we were sure glad to get to the top. The view from up there was (once again, I'm afraid I am out of suitable adjectives)... Here, I will just show you:
See what I mean? Ooo!
Simon got up on this rock to pose for the camera.
We used this one for his new Dogbook Profile pic. Jeesh. So silly. I couldn't resist, though.
I just love my little dog so much.
And he loves me too. :)
We took a break together in the long grass, just taking a moment to soak up the scenery.
When we got off the main road and started down Old Hwy 95 we couldn't believe our eyes. Old 95 has huge sweeping switchbacks and no traffic. There's not even a center line painted on the road. We were able to get some stunning pics... Check these out:
Here we go!
Are you ready? Weeeeeeee!!
Look how tiny I am!
This sky was just incredible!
When we finally got to the bottom we cruised through the little town of White Bird, and past the battlefield where the Indians defeated the US Army. Interestingly, there weren't any Indians in the area. Not that we saw anyway. We stopped at SwiftwaterRV and spent the night on the Salmon River. It was beautiful there and the accommodations were top-notch.
The willows were wonderful.
Alfred was an interesting character who kept us engaged in conversations about his many worldly experiences, most importantly, the raising and home schooling of his son. Of his many accomplishments, this one seemed to mean the most to him. Once on the fast track, Alfred and his wife slowed down and focused instead on their son, which was impressive to us. We always like meeting folks who have simplified their lives and who live their priorities. Thanks for the stimulating conversation, Alfred.
Love this shot of Simon on the Salmon River. He had SO MUCH FUN running around in the deep sand.
He ran until he was too tired to run anymore, then wanted me to carry him back to the tent. I don't think so! We walked back to the tent and after dinner went right to bed. It had been a long day... Up a huge hill, down a switchback, landing alongside the river, a run on the beach... Yep, we were tired. And we slept great. It was so peaceful there... that is until the next morning when our friend Brian shared a link to a Neil Diamond song on FB. When I came out of the shower, instead of hearing the relaxing sounds of the nearby river, instead I heard Neil and Ken singing "Brother's Love Traveling Salvation Show" together. It was so funny. Thanks for that Brian!
I love waking up to this. :) Bye everyone!
These are beautiful images! And yes, that hill on the outside of Grangeville is brutal - sometimes even in a car - pedaling to the top is quite the accomplishment. Glad to hear your time in Whitebird was nice and, for the record, we think Neil Diamond is a fantastic addition to a Salmon River morning music :)
ReplyDeleteTravel safely, and say hi if you roll through Riggins, Idaho again!
@RiverEscape