The diversity of people, geography, culture and roads constantly astonish me. Just when you think that you have "seen it all", you round a corner and something totally new appears.
Today was one of those "diverse" days. Starting off later than normal due to sleeping in (I do not have George to throw pillows at me when the alarm goes off!), I spent the next couple of hours on the freeway (I-86) heading for Twin Falls. There I turned onto secondary highways heading north into the Sawtooth Mountains. This part of the trip took me through lava fields that looked a great deal like vast areas of broken up asphalt (sorry I do not have a my own picture of this) on what would otherwise be a barren, tumbleweed-strewn stretch of highway.
Despite the sunny day, it was windy and a little cold (50 F or 10 C) climbing up the relatively steep south face to the Galena Pass where the above picture was taken (looking down into the Salmon River valley below). In due course the road led past numerous recreational areas, including Sun Valley (Ketchum), and ultimately reached Stanley, where I stopped for lunch. Stanley is known as "routinely the coldest place in the lower 48 states" and is the population center of Idaho (despite the fact that it only has 100 people). It also has the youngest female mayor in the United States (22 years old).
Leaving Stanley, the road became particularly "interesting" (in motorcycle language that means lots of sweeping turns and twisty corners). Comparing only to Lolo Pass, the road (Route 21) to Lowman and then to Banks (on the Lowman Banks Road - what else), was perhaps the best motorcycle road in Idaho. This route followed the Payette River, sometimes at the same level, and sometimes high above it (see picture). Its non-stop corners (mostly 30 - 40 mph) required 100% concentration (so if there was any wildlife I did not see it). It was at least 100 miles of fantastic riding, with very little road construction.
My plan was to stay overnight at McCall, Idaho, where I found that the motel I had planned to stay at was "home" to at least 10 other motorcycle riders. 7 of them were from Alberta, and do annual trips together, and we had an enjoyable time sharing road stories, and "the greatest motorcycle roads ever ridden", at a place called "Paradise Burgers" (the manager of which is an avid biker). McCall is a tourist town with a long and rich history. The area was originally explored by a French Canadian trapper. It was the filming location for "Northwest Passage", a 1943 movie with Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, and Walter Brennan, and as well is one of only 8 smokejumper training locations in the United States. It has seen better times, however, as one of the 2 ski areas located nearby went into bankruptcy earlier this year.
Despite the fact that today is Day 40, new discoveries are constantly being made; previously unknown towns are being explored, and adventure and a beautiful picture wait around every hairpin corner.