September 25-28, 2013 – Pine Flats, Fall Ride (Part 3)

***For pictures of the river and hot springs(and they are really awesome), check out the post from October 2012 titled "Pine Flats" which covers when we were here last year.  The weather this year was too wet and cold for me to walk all the way to the soak.***

When we arrived at Pine Flats the weather was still not cooperating.  It was very cloudy and cold, but good campfire weather.  Steve and Dana arrived from California in time to join us at the campfire.  We got up Thursday morning to very cold temperatures so ElRae and I decided to stay in camp and huddle around our heaters.  The boys went out and rode Deadwood Ridge and Julie Creek trails, as well as Whitehawk Basin trail.  That night was very clear, meaning more cold weather.  Of course this is the night we had battery issues and woke up to temps in the 20’s and 'dead as a door nail' coach batteries.  We still don’t know what caused it, but we borrowed a generator from Tommy and charged us up enough to get our own generator running.  The batteries did come back to full, thank goodness.  We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

After a “too freakin’ cold to ride” delay, the boys headed out to find the hot springs a friend of ours has helped to develop in the forest.  ElRae and I headed out about an hour later, meeting Wayne on the campground road as he returned to camp with rear brake issues, again.  After giving him the motorhome key, we headed out on our ride.

We started on the highway to Lowman, and then turned south on Highway 21.  We jumped off onto a dirt road at the first turn.

This soft little decomposed granite road follows up Rock Creek

Where we came from

We wandered around on a road that zigzagged up the hill so close together that on my GPS I could see three sections of our track, the one below us, the one we were on, and the one we would be on soon. And I had my screen zoomed in really tight! Soon we started to smell fresh cut trees, sort of like Christmas.  Turned out they were doing some tree thinning in the area.  This part of the forest really needs it, it will help cut down on the fuel for possible forest fires.

Log deck waiting for pick up

Road through the pines

Snow at elevation, near Pilot Peak

Time for us to take a left and head down to the highway

From there we went to Edna Creek Campground for lunch

Time for a rest

After lunch my GPS finally let me down.  I have been planning rides on my computer, then going out and riding them this whole trip.  This is the first time the maps didn’t match what was on the ground.  It had me routed on roads that didn’t exist, but scrolling around on the screen soon showed me how to hook back into the trail.

We weren’t supposed to go here, but once we turned around we got back on track. Thanks GPS…

We went out the Crooked River Road and took a left on the road to Graham.  This took us up to the top of Banner Ridge where we could look out.

That snow looks like it could be out our same elevation, lucky for us we didn’t get into any

The view looking into the South Fork Payette River valley

We went west on Banner Ridge and then took a right on Archie Creek.  This road is so cool, because it is so open, you can see the road ahead of you for what seems like miles.

 ElRae heading down Archie Creek

You can see her from way across the drainage

Archie Creek Road

Last look at Highway 21 from above

Archie Creek Road near the bottom

When we get to the end of Archie Creek, we go through a small residential area with some great log homes, and then it is down to the Payette River.  Once we cross the bridge we take a left and head back to camp on the pavement.  Our loop today was 66 miles, a tad bit on the cold side but with beautiful views and soft roads.  Nice….

We had a great time visiting around the campfire in the afternoon and evening.  We were entertained for most of that time watching all the new arrivals.  Last year when the weather was better we had the place to ourselves, this year it's a full house.  Plans were made for rides in the morning. The California boys planned to leave in the afternoon, so a short ride was put together.

However once again the weather changed our plans.  Rain came during the night and everyone decided to head to their respective homes.  Steve and Dana headed back to the sunshine of California, ElRae, Linda and Tommy went back to the rain-soaked Puget Sound area in Washington and we followed JD and Raydonia back to their place in Idaho City which also is forecasted to get rain.  Oh well, it is fall!!  I want to know when we all stopped riding in the rain.  When we were young and living north of Seattle we always rode in the rain, of course if you didn’t then you might only ride a couple of times a year!!!  I think the key word there was 'young'!!!

September 23-25, 2013 -- Clayton ID, Fall Ride (Part 2)

Sunday was a travel day.  We didn’t go far, but we all took the opportunity to shop for groceries, dump tanks and take on water.  We headed to the Sawmill Station RV Park near Clayton for our next stop.  We were moving up in the world, we had full hook-ups, but were told they did not have WIFI or cell service.  I opted to do laundry in Challis where I had both of these, but a horrible Laundromat.  And then when we did get to the park someone had a cell service network extender, so I did have service.  On well, I used the time in Challis to post to the blog and get caught up.

We joined the rest of our group in the afternoon and had a nice spot on the grass

Tommy, JD and Wayne went for a trail ride in the White Clouds today.  This area is part of a Wilderness Study area, meaning we could lose this area at any time.  I don’t get it; the area has been open to motorized recreation forever.  Obviously we don’t have any major impact on the land and trails or how could this area still meet the criteria for Wilderness?  So why kick us out?

Raydonia and I went for an Adventure ride by going west on Highway 93 for about 5 miles.  Then we took a left onto a small, hidden road that went on the non-highway side of the river.

The Robinson Bar Road

I startled 3 deer as I came around the corner, this one hung around for a Kodak moment

This is the rafters' new rest area and put in at Torrey’s Hole on the Salmon River

This must be the original put in.  Imagine wrestling a raft down this.  I bet that’s a rush!!

 

What?? We can’t get fiber optics in Idaho City which is on Highway 21, but they have them buried along this two track road?

This road dead ended at private property so we turn around and head back the way we came.  We stopped to check out the river and I was bummed, Fall Ride but no fall colors.

Oops, spoke too soon.  Look what we found when we turned south onto Slate Creek Road.

This road starts out in a narrow canyon, barely room for the creek and the road between the hills

We wandered up the road, admiring the Quaking Aspens as they shimmered in the sun

That rocky fin is called the Chinese Wall, part of the White Cloud Peaks. The boys were there today too, only at the top

The canyon widens out and becomes cattle county

Wouldn’t this be a great commute?

It could be yours if this was where you called home

Slate Creek

Slate Creek Hot Springs, although this spring was barely warm we could smell it as we came up the road

Campers come in all shapes and sizes

The road ends and becomes non-motorized, before you get to those buildings.  So how did they get there?  Must be magic

 

At this point we turned around and really enjoyed our trip back down through the canyon.  It was a short 35 mile ride, but very beautiful.

In the evenings this little herd munches its way through camp

In the morning we had breakfast with this view

We woke up to cloudy skies, but no snow.  The boys decided to ride on the north side of the river on trails they usually access from Yankee Fork.  That was going to be our next destination, but the forcast there is for snow, so I think we are going to pass on that one.

ElRae and I decide to take a ride through Spar Canyon. We started east on Highway 75 to the East Fork Road.   

We followed the East Fork of the Salmon River upstream past pretty little farms

We turned up Road Creek Rd, up this canyon past some wonderful rock formations.

The soil comes in many colors

The road to the summit

Then it was down through another pretty canyon to Highway 93.

The weather was threatening for us, but not like this.  Glad I wasn’t there

 

ElRae at the summit before we headed down into Spar Canyon

Although we rode mostly through sage brush, there are still beautiful things to see

 

Spar Canyon

Spar Canyon Road comes back to the East Fork road, so we headed back towards home.

I can’t help it, retired postal employee here.  Gotta love the mailboxes!!

This 70 mile ride had us back at camp around 1 PM and the boys had already returned from their ride.  The decision was to move today, this time to Mormon Bend CG farther up the river.  The thought was we could ride some more in the White Cloud Mountains, but the weather finally changed for the worse, with 10 inches of snow expected the next night.  So on Wednesday morning we packed up, again, and moved to lower camping at Pine Flats.  This is on the South Fork Payette River.  We have been here the last couple of Fall Rides because it has all the things we need; riding, hot springs and being at a lower elevation, we usually don’t have snow.  We’ll see about that last one!

September 15-22, 2013 -- Pahsimeroi Valley, Fall Ride (Part 1)

 

After spending time with JD and Raydonia in Idaho City, the four of us left on Sunday the 15^th heading for the open high country of the Pahsimeroi Valley, north of Howe, Idaho. We traveled separately as we each had last minute errands to do in Boise before we left.  We tried to get a new battery for Wayne’s DRZ, but were unsuccessful. Our trip was uneventful, but interesting.  We went through the new fire area near Fairfield, past the rolling Picabo Hills and next to the Craters of the Moon National Monument.  Soon we got to Howe, and headed up the Little Lost River Rd. This road went on and on, 35 miles of pavement, then an additional 10 miles of gravel, washboard road to find that JD and Raydonia had arrived less than half an hour ahead of us at Summit Creek Recreation Area. 

The rest of the group is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Just in time for a full moon

 

Monday arrived with very stormy weather.  Wayne and I decided to try to get a battery in Rexberg. His DRZ would not start that last day in Idaho City, his battery was dead.  Sounds just like my DRZ.  I see a pattern forming here.  With me on my Suzuki and him on my KTM 400 (with the carved down 2x4 I call a seat) we headed out in a rain and lightning storm. Maybe not the smartest thing we have ever done. But all was good.  By the time we got onto pavement we had out run the rain and settled in to nicer weather.  

It was 218 miles round trip, almost all on pavement.  Not the most scenic trip, but worth it as we got the battery and Wayne can ride his DRZ, finally! 

Linda, Tommy and ElRae arrived just in time for Happy Hour.  The gang is now all here!

Sunset across the valley

Now that everyone is here, the boys started going out on trail rides. ElRae had a senior moment when she was packing, and left all her medications at home.  This is not a good thing.  Today she and I rode north out of camp towards Ellis, ID.  We must be smack in the middle of this valley because once again we had 10 miles of gravel, and then 35 miles of pavement.

We went past the Summit Creek Reservoir and through rolling hills of cattle and hay. 

I love this farm tucked in under the hill

The weather has been rather iffy.  We got a little wet on the way, but we put on raingear in Ellis and of course it didn’t rain on the way back.  Oh well.  ElRae made her phone call to arrange to have her meds sent and then we headed back to camp. It was 96 miles, and showed me a whole different side of the Pahsimeroi Valley.  The boys went on a short trail ride, to preview the area.  It rained on them a bit, but the scariest part was when Wayne stopped on a bare saddle in the ridge, saw lightning, heard the thunder and then realized he was the tallest thing around.  He quickly headed for the tree line to wait for JD and Tommy.

 

On Wednesday we awoke to huge winds, dark, ominous clouds, on and off rain and cold, cold weather.  We all decided to put riding off until tomorrow when the rain is supposed to be gone. 

Wayne worked on bikes in his rolling shop while I worked on my blog.  Tommy and Linda drove to town, while everyone else seemed to find things to do inside their motorhomes.  It was a hot cocoa kind of day.

Thursday began with clear skies but cold.  The boys went for another trail ride and the ladies decided to go across the valley to Sawmill Canyon.  We could have gone by the regular car road, but where is the fun in that?  Instead Raydonia, ElRae and I headed across the cow pastures, paralleling fence lines, crossing through gates and over cattle guards.  Once we got over to the Sawmill Canyon Rd, we headed up the canyon to the Timber Creek Campground for lunch.  We followed some small roads to their ends, just to see the views. On the way back across the cow pastures we saw a group of antelope playing in the field. They would all run in a group then two would break off and run in a circle until the others would catch up and they would zoom around as a group again. And boy, are they fast!!!

After returning to camp, ElRae and I wanted to ride some more, so we set out to use my GPS to find our way on a short ride.  I planned it on my computer, but you never know if the roads your see on the software are actually there, or are they just faint two tracks that haven’t been used in years.  We found that my Topo 9 program did a great job. And I love my new Garmin Montana GPS!!  All I have to do is follow the purple line on the screen and we get to see great places.

Through this gate is the road we started on

We meandered through cow country, stopping to open gates when needed. A very large male Antelope jumped across the road in front of me, so I stopped to see if his harem would follow.  It turned out they were up on the hill waiting for him and then they all ran off over the hill.  Later a female came hurtling down the hill and across the road in front of me. She was really hauling.  At Dry Creek we found this very old settlement.

House built into the hill

ElRae enjoying the view

The walls of this house are about 3 feet thick; I bet it gets COLD here in the winter

The tallest peak is Mt Bell, and can also be seen from our camp

This was a very fun road

We continued up Dry Creek, coming out on a better used road, one that has cattle guards instead of gates to open.  Yeah!

These guys obviously did not come up the road we used; they would not have made it

As we got to the west end of our route, we found wonderful views

Once we turned and worked our way back east we could see Mt bell from a different angle

This ridge is located east of the Pahsimeroi Road that we are camped on

With both parts of our ride we rode 70 miles and had a marvelous day.

Friday found us going back to the post office in Ellis to pick up ElRae’s package. We headed to Ellis the same way as last time but this time we went back to camp on the western road, with a small detour up into the hills.

We started off through farm lands, past small creeks and pastures.

I think ElRae was thinking twice about our route when I took a right onto Lawson Creek Rd, a small obscure two track through the cow fields.  This time we didn’t have any gates, just rolling hills on roads that have no tire tracks on them. 

We kept climbing up the hills, this is looking back at the valley

We turned right onto a Forest Service RD 111.  It was a really fun road, twisting and turning through the sagebrush covered hills.  We even got into some trees, for about a minute before we popped back out into the sagebrush and headed up to Grouse Peak.  As we got to the top a small herd of antelope stopped long enough to check us out and then zoomed away over the hill.  They are always too fast for me to get my camera out….

This very scenic overlook is 8432’ in elevation.

ElRae with the Pahsimeroi Valley in the background

 This gate was too tight for us to get open so we went under the fence with our lunches

Lunch spot with a view

That is the Salmon River and Highway 93 in the distance 

Highway 93 east of Challis

Grouse Peak

The Pahsimeroi Valley from Grouse Peak

The way we came

Challis in the distance

Once we got back down to the main road we continue through the forest and hills to this ridgeback road. Notice this microwave tower in the distance, we stopped there to talk to the inspector who declared “It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.” Yeah, must be rough to drive to locations like this for a living!!

After following the ridge for a while we took Forest Road 109 down Blind Fork Trail Creek

One last look to the east

The road down Blind Fork

The White Hills

Once down on the main road again we headed south toward camp.  We eventually merged with the same road we started on.  This took us past the Summit Creek Reservoir again.  This ranch is located there and in amongst the cows is the largest heard of antelope that we have seen this trip.

Think they know that it’s hunting season??

We finished the day with 104 miles and were home by 4 PM.  It was another wonderful ride!

Saturday brought more clouds and wind; we must be due a change in weather.  The boys went in search of more single track fun while ElRae and I went to Mackay by way of Dry Creek and Pass Creek.

Fish and Game has been busy putting in bird bins at all the major intersections.  Bird hunters have to cut one wing off each bird and deposit it in the barrel.  Yuck…

A small bit of fall color, and a road we did not take!

After rolling along through miles of flat brush land we headed into the hills.  Up we went to the summit at 7641’. 

 

Then it was down the other side and through this tight little canyon.

We followed Pass Creek down toward Highway 93, but soon turned west and paralleled the highway along the edge of the hills until we got to Mackay.

We stopped at the Centennial Rest Area.  I needed a table to sit at while I got out my computer and returned some email.  We finally got our start date for working in Fernley, we have to be ready to start work on 10/12/2013 and our RV site will be ready for us on the 10^th.  That gives us a target departure date of either the 7^th or 8^th from Idaho City.   Once I was done, and we finished lunch we headed north on Highway 93.

 

Only in Idaho, gotta love it here!  This is the Technology Park??

 ElRae’s little bike doesn’t really like to go 65 so we took as many parallel toads as possible as we headed to Double Springs Rd.

Mt Borah, the highest peak in Idaho

We turned off Double Springs Rd to go through Horseheaven Pass

Headed up to the pass, check out the sky!

 

More open spaces on the other side, and rolling hills

We went out across more sage brush flats, and out in the middle of nowhere we found this

We headed out Burnt Creek Rd and joined with Dry Creek Rd and headed home.  It was another fantastic ride, 120 miles of heaven.

Sunday was a travel day.  I really enjoyed our time at the Pahsimeroi, the area is just so huge!  I can't wait to come back again, there are so many more roads for me to explore!!!!