Sep 07 - Over Hill & Dale thru Idaho into Washington
Just down the Salmon River we saw these folk having fun.
Just south of Riggins we pulled into a rest stop for coffee and a stretch.
Tomorrow we're heading for the Coulee Dam area; for a change, a short drive. We'll see you there.
We stopped in Cottonwood for a bite of lunch then continued our trek north on Hwy 95.
At Lewiston, we hit another major climb. US 95 turns northeast, then westward to climb a steep grade, gaining over 1,900 feet (580 m) in 5 miles (8 km), ascending to the southern edge of the rolling Palouse region. Good old Alfie did us proud again.
We pulled into Pullman, WA for a rest in the Walmart parking lot. An hour later we were back on the road. Fortunately the remainder of the drive was just up and down over the countryside - no major climbs or descents. This is what Washington state looks like from Pullman to Sprague where we're camped for the night.
Heading north out of White Bird, we hit the White Bird Hill: The treeless northbound grade climbs 2,700 feet (820 m) in 7 miles (11 km), an average gradient of over 7%! Elevation at the top: 4,245'. That was some climb for Alfie but we made it. Looking back from whence we came.
After a thoroughly delightful 2-day stay in Cascade, ID, we were on the road again this morning. At 4,760' elevation the last two nights have been cool (3C overnight) - thank goodness for our electric heater! The park was really nice and as it turns out a haven for wood carvers; they even offer courses!
After a short climb to McCall (5,021') on the shores of Payette Lake, we started our descent into Riggins (1,821'). That was some drive down - 2nd gear and a lot 25mph corners for a drop of 3,200'.
