9 day northern loop (p1)

Bev and I are going on a 9 day bike ride.

Our intention is to ride up to Montana and go through Glacier National Park. However there are fires near Glacier and we know there is a  large possibility we won't be able to get in the park. But there are lots of roads and things between here and there that if we can't get in the park it will still be a good ride.

Our first night is in Arco, Idaho

On the road again we see this cool art at the entrance of a ranch.

I hope they didn't mind us entering the gate and taking these pictures.

Shoshone, Idaho.

We overnight in Garden Valley, Idaho.

As we planned our route for the next day I saw what looked like a nice road on the map, but Beverly pointed out that it was a dotted line, which indicates a dirt road. "Don't worry" I told her, "this is an old map, its most likely paved by now".

Well....it wasn't, and we ended up riding on 45 miles of dirt road to get to Cambridge, Idaho.

It was nice dirt, but was covered with small pebbles....which was interesting two up.

Finally reaching Cambridge (the Gateway to Hell's canyon), we had a nice lunch and then made our way to Hell's Canyon. We went up to the visitors center.

An Angel in Hell's Canyon.

Continuing on we ride to Joseph, Oregon.

And walk around town to enjoy the beautiful statues found there, here are just a few.

Leaving Joseph the next day on the excellent road to Lewiston, Idaho we join a log truck convoy.

Our destination for that day was Spokane Valley, Washington where we stayed with good buddy, Don.

I had heard a very subtle noise on the Tenere and asked Don to see what he thought.

Nothing serious found, but I learned a lot just watching the things he checked out.

After an enjoyable stay with Don and Barb, we went on to Post Falls, Idaho and had a very pleasant lunch with my Niece, Erica and her son Max.

Then on to Bonner's Ferry for an overnight stop.

The Yaak scenic highway in Montana near the Canadian border was our next goal, what a beautiful road!

There is a bigfoot hiding in this picture...

I think we saw less than 5 cars while on the Yaak. I took a very short nap on the road while Bev snapped photos.....

Done with the Yaak we check the internet to see if the road to Glacier NP is still closed...it is. Darn it! So we ride into Canada a ways to get some lunch. Bev samples a Canada original, Poutine.

Poutine originated in Quebec in the 1950s. 

Poutine is french fries with cheese curds, topped with brown gravy.

Then back into the States, we go to our hotel in Kalispel.

And on the road the next day...

Don't Judge me.....  :)

We make our way to Salmon, Idaho but first....

9 day northern loop (p2)

Riding south from Kalispell we go on the west side of Flat head lake, somewhere along the way 

we stop to get some fresh picked cherries....they were delicious!

The fruit stand had a unique fence behind it.

And some  also unique decorations.

Then on our way to St. Ignatius to visit the Mission of the same name.

The Mission was established in the early 1890s. The Mission cook, Brother Joseph Carignano, painted 58 frescoes in the Mission chapel.

Bro. Carignano was an untrained artist but obviously blessed with incredible talent. His works are wonderful!

Leaving the Mission after a peaceful and relaxing visit, we ride about 14 miles to the Ewam Garden of 1000 Buddhas, located near the town of Arlee, Montana

All over the Garden people have left coins and small stones.

The Garden of 1000 Buddhas is another peaceful, relaxing place. We wandered around the grounds for an hour or so and had a nice time there.

On our way to Salmon, Idaho we're getting closer to a storm so we stop to don rain gear. A guy (in a pickup truck) followed us off the road and tells us the storm we're heading into is a 'huge, terrible storm'... "We've ridden in rain before, we'll be ok" I tell him, but he persists saying, "Its a bad storm....hail, rain, puddles...I even had a hard time and I was on a BIG Harley!" looking doubtfully at my, apparently insufficient Yamaha Super Tenere.....

We suited up and rode on wet roads, but saw no rain. Lucky for us considering the bike we were on.....

And then all to soon, we're homeward bound.
At about Idaho Falls we reluctantly got on the freeway to make better time. We had been on back roads for almost all of the trip. But you have to do what you have to do. 

One of the many fires.. North of Idaho Falls.

In the lobby of the last hotel we stayed in...

and around the corner of the lobby.

I didn't see if it actually worked...

An awesome trip...so many back roads, so much scenery, so much in our lives to be thankful for!
Nine days and 2114 miles of America the Beautiful.