I began writing this post soon after I arrived in Challis. Our state rally was more than three weeks ago. I must say this has been the busiest summer in recent memory. I've not made any posts since mid June and here it is, August 23. (Yes, my birthday.) So, I am going to get this up if it's the last thing I do today! Actually, it will likely be because it's almost time for me to head to bed. School starts tomorrow.
The rally in Challis was a wonderful experience. And I want to share some of that.
First of all, I live across the river from Lewiston ID which is in the northern half of the state. Challis is smack dab in the middle of Idaho. No matter how you ride from northern to central Idaho, it's going to be a long ride. There are two ways you can get there, neither of them is straightforward. Either you ride out to Montana then back into Idaho or you ride almost all the way to Boise in Southern Idaho then north and east. No shortcut. The difference between the two routes is just a bit over 20 miles. That's it. You may recall my adventure to Challis on the Sportster. If not, please look it up. I can assure you riding to Challis on a Goldwing rather than a Sportster makes all the difference in the world. After 400+ miles of riding, I am still coherent. Exhausted but coherent.
Unlike previous trips to Challis, this time, I took the highway which goes directly into Boise (Hwy 55). I turned off at Banks and took scenic routes through Stanley and into Challis. One of the reasons I have avoided this route in the past is because the road into Boise is always in rough shape with rock slides and constant road construction. Highway 55 did not disappoint. I would guess that construction zones added nearly an hour to my travel time. However, another aspect that did not disappoint was the scenery. Riding into Stanley and catching a view of the Sawtooth mountains more than made up for the construction delays. I highly recommend taking ID 21 into Stanley. Just make sure you time your travel so as not to roll into Stanley during their music festival unless festival crowds primarily from the Boise Metropolitan area are your kind of vibe. 'Nuff said about that.
The scenery does not let up there either. A ride along ID 75 from Stanley to the junction of US 93 is an absolute treat. Back in the day, central Idaho area was a hotbed of volcanic activity. Today, basalt columns and cliffs are to be found everywhere. Riding along this stretch of highway between will bring you up close and personal with these majestic formations. Again, if you're willing to put up with construction and rough (but passable) roads, the rewards will be great.
Once in Challis, the rally did not disappoint either. It was a time of encouragement. Spending time with my CMA family is always a treat. Sadly, because of her work schedule and the length of time it takes to get to Challis, Angela is unable to attend the state rally. I'm disappointed by this and so is everyone else. 😔 Nonetheless, God's grace is great and a wonderful time is had by all. Not to worry. Angela plans to retire year after next. I guarantee BOTH of us will be there.
When I left Challis on Sunday, I rode back home the usual way: US 93 to Lolo MT, then US 12 home. The roads along this route are much nicer and the scenery is nice too but this time, I encountered a major wildlife. I was assured the road was still passable. Seeing I had made arrangements (no refund for canceling) to stay overnight about halfway home I was left with little choice. As I rode north out of Salmon, the air got smoky. At one point, I saw the flames on the ridge just across the river from me. I pulled my bandana over my nose and soldiered on. It wasn't long before I got past the fire and the air began to clear. As I rode over the summit of Lost Pass into Montana, it was as though the curtain lifted and suddenly the sky was blue and the air was clean! 😊
I made it to my lodging that afternoon. It was nice to rest before the long trek through the Selway Wilderness, but I was restless that evening because I knew I could have made it home before nightfall. Oh well... Angela was much more at peace knowing I had stopped for the night.
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