Lolo Trail
Journal Day 6
7/30/04
Missoula, Mt. to Cascade Locks, OR
I am a little unwell--starting last night--nausea, slight fever, chills. Last night after we put up the popup, we realized we needed to change the next day's plan. Just not enough time for a new tire & a 2 hour drive to Helena, the Gates of the Mountains boat ride, a 2 hr drive back, then on to Cascade Locks OR. New plan: new tire, Lolo Pass, Hwy. 12, on to Cascade Locks OR.
Awakened at 6:00am by a peacock in the KOA petting zoo, which sounds much like a howling cat. This morning I got to feed a very tame squirrel peanuts-- by hand. I would not do this at home--my dog would be trying to kill him. Garrett bought a used tire to replace the flat. The Missoula KOA is huge; a city in itself. Lots of nice amenities. I think modern campgrounds are our closest equivalent to Indian villages; except the inhabitants don't all know each other. But they do create their own culture. Urban camping.
Tire $40.
Camping fee at Missoula KOA $26.
Opportunity to stand where Lewis stood: Priceless
We cross Lolo Pass on Hwy 12; (easy route). We can see the Forest Service Road we originally wanted to take that closely follows their actual trail--it looks like fun, (something we'd do!) Maybe another trip . . . This road does intersect with some of the Lewis & Clark sites.
A little wildlife viewing--blacktail deer.
The scenery is beautiful along the Lochsa River. The Selway joins it to become the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River; then the South Fork enters to form the Clearwater. It is 90 degrees in this valley today; yeah, sure, it's a dry heat.
The gas price in Kooskia, ID receives the new record--$2.15/gallon. They know you're probably desperate!
We are on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. The Nez Perce tribe saved the expedition when they came out of the mountains, starving. A church there has a sign for Vacation Bible School-- Lava Lava Island--that one must be popular everywhere. The temperature in the Clearwater valley is 97 degrees. We've never experienced this heat in the mountains before; but our elevation is actually only 1200' in the valley.
We proceeded on--and on. This becomes an incredibly long day of driving for Garrett--I still get achy and a little light-headed; aspirin every 4 hours.
A covey of quail crosses the main street in Pomeroy, WA, right in front of us. Amazing! This area advertises itself as the home of the Forgotten Lewis and Clark Trail: forgottentrail.com
I don't know what this is; probably the route back to home. Much of this part of Idaho, WA, & OR looks like ND.
As we drive along, we get to hear the end of the Cards/Giants game on the radio. O the joy! The Cards win 7-4! We even get to hear interviews of Wayne Hagen and Tony LaRussa.
We stop for a traditional Taco Bell dinner in Walla Walla. Now we are in Oregon on I84, going along the Columbia River, to the Pacific. This river is huge--at least a mile wide--impressive even in the dark. We can barely make out the river and the canyon walls. We are in the Columbia Gorge.
We finally arrive in Cascade Falls & make camp after 1am. An incredibly long, but very rewarding day.
7/30/04
Missoula, Mt. to Cascade Locks, OR
I am a little unwell--starting last night--nausea, slight fever, chills. Last night after we put up the popup, we realized we needed to change the next day's plan. Just not enough time for a new tire & a 2 hour drive to Helena, the Gates of the Mountains boat ride, a 2 hr drive back, then on to Cascade Locks OR. New plan: new tire, Lolo Pass, Hwy. 12, on to Cascade Locks OR.
Awakened at 6:00am by a peacock in the KOA petting zoo, which sounds much like a howling cat. This morning I got to feed a very tame squirrel peanuts-- by hand. I would not do this at home--my dog would be trying to kill him. Garrett bought a used tire to replace the flat. The Missoula KOA is huge; a city in itself. Lots of nice amenities. I think modern campgrounds are our closest equivalent to Indian villages; except the inhabitants don't all know each other. But they do create their own culture. Urban camping.
Tire $40.
Camping fee at Missoula KOA $26.
Opportunity to stand where Lewis stood: Priceless
We cross Lolo Pass on Hwy 12; (easy route). We can see the Forest Service Road we originally wanted to take that closely follows their actual trail--it looks like fun, (something we'd do!) Maybe another trip . . . This road does intersect with some of the Lewis & Clark sites.
A little wildlife viewing--blacktail deer.
The scenery is beautiful along the Lochsa River. The Selway joins it to become the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River; then the South Fork enters to form the Clearwater. It is 90 degrees in this valley today; yeah, sure, it's a dry heat.
The gas price in Kooskia, ID receives the new record--$2.15/gallon. They know you're probably desperate!
We are on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. The Nez Perce tribe saved the expedition when they came out of the mountains, starving. A church there has a sign for Vacation Bible School-- Lava Lava Island--that one must be popular everywhere. The temperature in the Clearwater valley is 97 degrees. We've never experienced this heat in the mountains before; but our elevation is actually only 1200' in the valley.
We proceeded on--and on. This becomes an incredibly long day of driving for Garrett--I still get achy and a little light-headed; aspirin every 4 hours.
A covey of quail crosses the main street in Pomeroy, WA, right in front of us. Amazing! This area advertises itself as the home of the Forgotten Lewis and Clark Trail: forgottentrail.com
I don't know what this is; probably the route back to home. Much of this part of Idaho, WA, & OR looks like ND.
As we drive along, we get to hear the end of the Cards/Giants game on the radio. O the joy! The Cards win 7-4! We even get to hear interviews of Wayne Hagen and Tony LaRussa.
We stop for a traditional Taco Bell dinner in Walla Walla. Now we are in Oregon on I84, going along the Columbia River, to the Pacific. This river is huge--at least a mile wide--impressive even in the dark. We can barely make out the river and the canyon walls. We are in the Columbia Gorge.
We finally arrive in Cascade Falls & make camp after 1am. An incredibly long, but very rewarding day.
posted by carol1211k | 12:51 PM
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