The Northern Tier 2016 - The Return Home - Spokane to Boise

Continued from The Northern Tier Phase VI - New England 

Day 110  11 Sep 2016
Spokane, Washington to Colfax, Washington
63.5 miles  6:33 riding time    2,425 ft elevation gain

I left the train station at 0530 eager to get on the road but headed for breakfast before sunrise.  McDonald's was close, but it wasn't opened.  Carl's was opened but without WIFI.  I thought one of the Amtrak employees told me there was a real restaurant further out, but it was dark and I wasn't too adventurous, so I settled for the closest place to eat- Carl's..  By the time I had finished breakfast, it was dawn with no traffic.  I worried about safely getting out of Spokane, but this was a great escape route from Spokane.  It was, however, the shortest, fastest, and easiest route to Colfax- things I'm not looking for on tour. There's not a lot of interest along hwy 195 even with its great shoulder, but it felt good to be back on the bike despite my allergies.  Had I been able to remember the old Tour Des Lacs route out of Spokane over the South Hill or gotten Google Maps to route me that way, I'd have ridden hwy 27 which has far more interesting terrain and more interesting small towns.

My allergies went crazy the last 24 hours on the train and weren't settling down.  I wasn't sure it wasn't a sudden cold, but for all the excess mucus, riding was still enjoyable though I was concerned about visiting relatives and passing on a nasty cold.  I was pretty sure there was no camping in Colfax, and I didn't see the Wheatland Inn.  If I had a cold I didn't want to take it to cousin Connie's, but  I still headed there.  She lives at the top of an extremely steep hill.  I decided to let my excessive panting die down and was hoping for less mucus secretion, so I lay down on their lawn for a 20 minute rest before knocking.  My sinuses seemed better than they had since the thing hit be about 24 hours before, so I knocked on the door.  Great to see my cousin whose life had been threatened with a kidney shut down just before the tour started and a vehicle wreck which totaled their pickup and camp trailer in the early days of the tour.

They suggested a shower (I had none since getting on the train 3 days earlier) and a nap.  I don't think stretching out on my back ever felt so good.  3 hours later I hadn't moved a muscle,  and Ed woke me with a knock on the bedroom door.  My allergies had settled down a lot, and we went out for Chinese food.  Despite that 3 hour nap, I still slept soundly for 9 hours that night and awoke with the allergies almost controlled.  I'm blaming the allergy attack on too much air conditioning combined with too little sleep.

Cousin Connie sends me off (timed photos with Ed didn't turn out well) - photo by Ed

Day 111  12 Sep 2016
Colfax, Washington to 3 miles east of Moscow, Idaho
31.2 miles   3:22 riding time  1,327 ft elevation gain
I felt much stronger today and the excess mucus was nearly gone.  I stopped at B&L Bicycles in Pullman where Chris, who came to my aid back in Dobson, MT had  shipped the failing White Hub.

Mike, Sean, and Brice of B&L Bicycles which had rebuilt the failed hub Chris had sent them

Apparently, it was difficult to get that hub apart, but Mike had succeed, put in new sealed bearings, and built a new wheel around the restored hub.  While I was there Brice changed the sealed hubs in the front wheel in less than 30 minutes.  I do miss this shop and know if they had they checked out my bike before the trip, I would have had no issues with the hub while on tour.

Then it was off to Moscow and cousin John's via the Chipman Trail.  Enjoyed catching up with cousin John and his family though Lois was in Hawaii.

cousin John Largent sends me off

Day 112  13 Sep 2016
3 miles East of Moscow, Idaho to Sean & Carol's Lewiston, Idaho via Uniontown, WA
42.4 miles   4:02 riding time  2,037 ft elevation gain

harvest of dry peas and lentils is still going on in the Palouse

Off by mid-morning and down Hwy 95 to the Uniontown cutoff which is a great route and then down the Spiral Hwy into Lewiston.  A cousin had called asking to meet me as I rode into Lewiston but they forgot about the appointment which led to several hours of wasted time.  It was good to see Sean and Carol again!  Carol baked one of her great cherry pies to celebrate our brief reunion though we were missing Christy who was in Portland on a work trip.

my bike overlooking the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley

WE RODE THE NORTHERN TIER pie baked (by Carol) and eaten to celebrate our accomplishment

Day 113 14 Sep 2016
Lewiston Loop & misc with Carol
38.0 miles   3:16 riding time   1,892 ft elevation gain

I'd missed Sandy and John (Luca's parents) on the way out of Lewiston, so I was glad to spend a night with them. Carol was pleased with her riding time on the Lewiston Loop, but I'd watched her increasing speed and endurance across the country, so I wasn't surprised.  With all the photos I'd taken of them this summer, I didn't think to take one on this visit.

John and Sandy (Lucas' parents from minor lakes) send me off from Lewiston

Day 114  15 Sep 2016
Lewiston, Idaho to Grangeville, Idaho
81.4  miles   8:44 riding time   6,019 ft elevation gain

Cousin Ken and Patty weren't home when I reached Winchester, so I decided to ride on thinking I could easily make Ferdinand.  I forgot how much higher Winchester is than the prairie, so I was surprised at my speed.  When I reached Ferdinand, I decided to go for Cottonwood and was projecting I could reach Grangeville before dark.   I did skip the great back roads between Cottonwood and Grangeville staying on highway 95, but I easily made it to Grangeville before dusk, had dinner, and then went to set up camp in the Lions Club park at dusk.  It was getting dark and cold quickly, and this became my only evening without a shower or swim this summer of touring.  It was cold enough I didn't mind sleeping in my sweats which kept me from sticking to myself.

wheat harvest isn't completed  at the nearly 4,000 ft elevation of Winchester - looking South toward Mason and Cottonwood buttes

early morning over the Grangeville grain warehouses

Day 115 16 Sep 2016
Grangeville, Idaho to Riggins, Idaho
52.8 miles  5:02 riding time  3.100 ft elevation gain
I had a quick breakfast at Taco John's on the way out of Grangeville then climbed over the Old Whitebird Grade.  It was warming up and I was a little uncomfortable without my usual nightly shower last night, so I went for a swim in the Salmon River.  I met my first Trans Am rider, Austin, today.  He's riding to Pueblo, a goal that may be difficult to reach this late in the fall.  I got to Carolyn's and Johnny's in mid afternoon. This time they were home, and I didn't have to set up my tent in their yard.


Day 116  17 Sep 2016
Riggins, Idaho to New Meadows, Idaho
35.9 miles,  4:30 riding time  2,738 ft elevation gain

Carolyn and Johnny see me off from Riggins

I had planned to ride on to cousin Marsha's in Cambridge.  A storm in north Idaho where the clouds were black in my rear view mirror was interacting with the visibly blue skies of South Idaho creating quite a headwind out of Riggins.  Near the top of the grade to New Meadows I was surprised to meet Sarah, a cross-country bicyclist tourist who hopes to reach Virginia by late November.  She's not blogging, so I can't follow her adventure.  By the time I reached Mike and Nicki's in New Meadows I'd decided to take them out to a late lunch as it was close to 3:00 MDT.  They were planning an early dinner with friends at 4:00 MDT and pretty easily talked me into staying there though it was a pretty short day.

Nicki and Mike send me off from New Meadows

Day 117  18 Sep 2016
New Meadows, Idaho to Mundo Hot Springs 3 miles outside of Cambridge, Idaho
49.5 miles  4:16 riding time  1,370 ft elevation gain
Visiting friends can give me a late morning start and that happened again this morning. When I saw the first desert valley of South Idaho reaching north to Council, I actually became excited to be so close to home, an emotion that surprised me as I've been dreading the end of this extended tour. 

my first view of South Idaho's desert reaching into the mountains of North Idaho- a view that left me excited to be nearing home

 
I thought I'd visit cousin Marsha and Roy, but ended up just stopping in Council for snacks.  On this Sunday there was a little Sunday traffic with only a few of those campers that had filled the roads here the week before Memorial Day.  I decided to have an early day and enjoy a relaxing soak at Mundo Hot Springs outside of Cambridge arriving by about 3:00 MDT after a meal in town.


Day 118  19 Sep 2016
Mundo Hot Springs 3 miles outside of Cambridge, Idaho to cousin Judy's 10 miles W of Emmett
80.3 miles  7:13 riding time  2,065 ft elevation gain

Mrs. G's had sold out and become CJ's Grill since I was in Cambridge in May Breakfast was good, but not the equal of the earlier breakfast on the way to Lewiston- only two pieces of bacon instead of five, but still of excellent quality.

Not quite the equal of Mrs G's, but one of the better breakfasts out of the tour

I'd had a little concern about Midvale Hill since my back went out on it on the way up to Lewiston.  This time it was no big deal,  maybe because I'm in better shape, maybe because it was cooler, and the climb is less heading south.  I met three tourists today: Brian headed on a loop ride to Joseph, Oregon, and a couple hours later Mike and Sukki doing a similar route but going only into Hell's Canyon and Halfway, Oregon.  I considered joining them, but my lawn and bills are calling for my attention after almost four months!  My housesitter left on 1 Sep.

I wanted to arrive at cousin Judy's by 1700 hous MDT, but I followed Willow Road instead of turning off, and added at least five miles to the trip.  That mistake took me by a class of junior high cross country runners, and their coach was pretty impressed with the trip and wanted me to talk to them and answer their question about the trip which was fun.  It was nearly 1830 hours when I arrived at Judy's though.


Day 119 20 Sep 2016
Cousin Judy's 10 miles W of Emmett to Boise home
56.2 miles  5:16 riding time  1,599 ft elevation gain
  
This is the back half of my most common century, a route I know well, and I was finding myself excited to be almost home.  Judy sent me off with a big breakfast like most of my hosts.  Her brother, cousin Phil, joined us for breakfast but wasn't feeling well, so was gone for the photo.

cousin Judy sees me off for the final day

It was a great summer, and I want to thank everyone mentioned in any section of this blog for making it an almost magical summer of adventure. 5,749 miles since departing home on 25 May 2016.

Happy cycling for fun, fitness, and transportation!


Steve