June 19, 2013

Back in Idaho on the Salmon River

Two more days with Mike and Gladys and then east toward our adventure.  Stopped in Coeur d'Alene for gas.  Combination of Costco pricing and lower tax in Idaho made it pretty good deal.  Then accross the Idaho panhandle to Montana.  Not a fan of interstates but the scenery is great and the road is easy driving.

 We have driven I90 from Spokane to Missoula several times so we recognized the sights and turnoffs we had previously taken.  Did not stay in Missoula this time but headed south a few miles to Lolo, Mt.  In Lolo there is a state park/national historic site called Travelers Rest.  It is a spot where Lewis and Clark camped on their journey.  Very pretty area.  Flat valleys filled with trees and rivers running through them.  We stayed in a RV park/Square dance club (go figure) several miles from the main highway.  Large sites scattered amongst the trees.  Full hook ups, very good wifi, and a whiffle ball golf course (a first for us).  Could see spending several days there.

This was our odometer reading when we parked in our campsite. Cool huh?

Today we continued south to Salmon, ID.  The is flat for 40 or 50 miles up the Bitterroot Valley.  It is so flat that there is a bike trail the whole way. 

First half of day's drive was in rain

Eventually the road starts to climb into the Bitterroot Mountains.  Good road that twists up to Chief Joseph Pass at 7280'.

 A few miles down the south side of the pass the geology starts to change.  Bitterroot Valley and Mountains are green with lots of trees typical as seen in the Sierra.  South of Bitterroots things change to high plains/dessert.  Mountains give way to bare buttes and hills.  Evergreens give way to deciduous and sage brush. 

We stopped in Salmon, ID to have lunch. 

Salmon River - "The River of No Return"

 

We decided to go an hour further south for the day and stopped in Challis, ID.  Small town with a rather depressed economy.  Local mine is major employer and it is cutting back.  The area is also not the most hospitable climatewise.  Challis gets less precipitation per year than Phoenix. We may stay here an extra day to take a scenic drive and also check out a road we would like to drive in the carbus on our way south.

I know this picture is contrary to what I wrote above but other direction IS baron.  Snow on mountains is what fell from storm we drove through.  Yesterday the mountains were bare.