Riggins, Idaho

Saturday, May 4, 2002

My next stop was Riggins, ID. I had some choices about which way to get there and, in hindsight, I probably could have made better choices. Nevertheless, this is how it went.

Riggins sits almost due east from La Grande, but in between those two points is Hells Canyon and the Snake River. Now, it turns out that there are several fine bridges across the snake but there aren't any street bike friendly roads that pass directly through the canyon. My decision was to go around from the south and to sneak up on it. (Real quiet like).

What was I thinking? I rode along I-84 to Ontario and I checked into a hotel where I would ultimately spend the night. Then I headed north on US-95.

Coming out of Ontario into Payette was a bit of traffic snarl and after already having traveled 375 miles, I was a bit impatient. Once north of Weiser and Cambridge, the speed limit went to "whatever" and the scenery turned downright beautiful. I passed very near a town called Fruitville which at first made me think I had gone in a circle; there is a town called Fruitland near Ontario. There were several signs that said "Watch for Stock" and I was reminded of work for some reason.

I slowed WAY down for Council and then resumed at light speed up, up and up into the Nezperce National Forest (around 3500 feet in elevation). Along the way I saw some snow in the corners where it had accumulated and not quite yet melted and I also so one of those deer things (cloven rats) making its way across the road. Turns out that the yellow signs with deer silhouettes on them aren't just decorative.

As I got closer to Riggins, I saw an increasing frequency of campers, pickups and tents along the side of the road. People were setting up camp just anywhere there was a flat spot to be found. Occasionally I would see a person or two dart across the road and, as if the need for supervision had been forseen, a number of Idaho State Troopers could be seen "working" the route.

Riggins was full of people (most kinds). The streets were clogged with cars and pedestrians where everywhere. I was able to sandwich my bike into a spot just across the road from my checkpoint, The Cattlemen's Restaurant. I collected a stamp but declined an invitation to stay for dinner. Idaho (and part of eastern Oregon) is in the Mountain Time zone. In addition to having ridden al day, the official time was just that much later. I was running out of sunlight and needed to hightail it back to Ontario. 325 miles round trip.

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