2022 Adventure - Day 2 - Wendover to Grand Coulee

September 12, 2022

It was chilly this morning, in the mid-40s, but I eventually got up, ate, and packed up.  The campground was pretty vacant so it was quiet all night.  

I got geared up, started the bike, let it warm up, and then pulled out about 9:20.  The next 90 miles or so is pure heaven.  Sweeping curves, some tight twists, and the Lochsa River on my left surrounded by tree covered mountains. I wanted to take some photos but I didn’t want to stop.  The speed limit is 50 mph and the curves are posted between 35 and 45 mph and that was a very comfortable pace.  

I saw LOTS of other motorcycles going east, more of them than cars.  That surprised me since it’s a weekday.  At a convenient spot I pulled over for a few photos.  The sun is blocked by all the smoke still in the air.

I rode a while longer and pulled off to a river access point for look.

A while later, another photo opportunity.

The road eventually leaves the canyon and things widen up for some farmland.  I passed the town of Orofino and rode along the river on a narrow road that had LOTS of logging truck traffic.  I pulled over a few times to let them pass.  In Lenore I took advantage of a rest stop.

I gassed up in Lewiston.  There was another bike across the island from me and its owner and I chatted for a minute or two.  The bike is a BMW (I’m not sure what model) but it didn’t have it’s side cases or any other luggage on it and it had a California plate.  The owner, about my age, said he was from San Diego and his wife was following him in their SUV with all his gear.  I noticed that when she finished filling the SUV that she gassed up the BMW next.  He said they were going from somewhere in Canada and heading south for a few days.  He asked how many miles I ride per day and I told him 350-400.  His eyes rolled back, “That’s lots of miles!”  Well, I guess.  I had the impression that his bike got shipped or trailered north and then he rides it back for a ways.  Anyway, he said he was from San Diego and only out for a week so, if he was riding only a few miles per day, I’m guessing that he won’t be going all the way back to San Diego on it.

Next, I went looking for lunch. I thought I was headed the right way and went across a a big bridge that spanned the Snake River and ended up across the river in Clarkston, WA.  I found a Subway, which is what I was looking for, and had veggie sandwich and cool drink, sitting where I could see my bike. While there, since I now had cell service, I updated this blog, posting Day 1.

Before leaving, I checked the Google map and realized that I'd made a wrong turn and wasn't supposed to be in Washington yet so I had to backtrack a few miles to get on the right highway.  I selected a route to Grand Coulee so Google navigator would talk me through to Lewiston and on the correct highway out of town.

Once out of the city, there were hours of rolling hills covered with the remains of freshly harvested wheat.  Grain silos were everywhere.  I went through lots of small towns and they all have some great charm to them.  They are clean and tidy and community pride shows.

It was getting pretty warm and I was still layered up from this morning’s chilly ride so I was looking for a place to pull over.  I entered Colfax, WA and found a convenient spot on their Main Street. It was right in front of their county courthouse so I added another picture of my bike in front of county courthouses to my collection.

Outside of St. John I pulled over to grab some shots of the scenery.  It’s still pretty smoky.

It felt like it was getting warmer so I pulled over again to shed another layer.  This time I thought about removing the rain liner from my mesh jacket but after checking the weather in Grand Coulee, the prediction of rain led me deciding to leave it in.  This was a lonely spot on the road.

There is very little traffic on these roads and I didn't encounter much until I got on US 2.  I rode it for a while until I turned off to the road that ran the last 20 miles to the Spring Canyon Campground.  It's near the Grand Coulee Dam and above a huge lake created by damming up the Columbia River.  I have a nice view from my campsite.  I never encountered the rain but it was predicted but it was clear that it had sprinkled here earlier.

Getting the campsite was complicated.  Usually it’s a matter of selecting one and walking back to the pay station, filling out an envelope, inserting the money, tearing off the flap, putting the envelope in a deposit box, and the flap on the post next to the site.  But, no, at this site one has to scan a QR code, register on Recreation.gov, and go through the whole pay online routine.  The signage says if you don’t have cell service to drive back into town where you do have service.  Geeeezzzz.  Eventually I got it done,

Today's ride was exactly 350 miles.