Spearfish to Baker City and Back - Why Not?
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:06 am
My friend Scott Henley joined me for the ride to Baker City - "take me out and make me ride my motorcycle" said he.
We left Spearfish at 0800 on Tuesday, September 5th, rode over the Cloud Peak Skyway, stopped at the Ten Sleep Brewery for a sandwich and a beer (they were out of sandwiches,
and on to Cody WY where we rendezvoused with a couple of Washington reprobates, escapefjrtist and Panman.
Wednesday morning we awoke to a beautiful but brisk day, rode through Yellowstone Park on a Northerly loop, George led us through a fog, breakfasted in the park then exited through the west exit— taking various courses and speeds along the Big Hole River and then the Salmon River ending up in Challis, ID for the evening. A superb day of riding hence no pictures taken by me.
Thursday morning it was KSU at 0700 for a blast down US 93 to Stanley ID for breakfast. The first 50 miles were beautiful if a bit nipply, low 40s to low 50s then George again led us through dense fog as we approached Stanley, hard to see 200 yards. Breakfast was tasty and the coffee was welcome.
From Stanley, we rode West on ID 21, getting out of the fog about five miles from Stanley just in time to give Scott his first look at the Sawtooths then on to Lowman, down the Lowman Banks Highway to Banks with very little traffic on both roads. At Banks, we headed towards Payette ID where George, having concerns about rear tire life, headed directly up I-84 to Baker City while Panman, Scott, and I took the more adventurous route through Oxbow OR and Hells Canyon. We took a short break at Cambridge ID in honor of 'Pants
We arrived at Baker City about 1700 (5:00pm for some of you)
Only to find things already in full swing.
JP must think he is on a Harley - he beat George to the wash rack.
He had plenty of supervision.
The onsite restaurant was pretty good - the Thursday night Chicken Fried Steak was quite popular and quite filling.
Parking lot social was still going on when I went to bed at 2200 (10:00pm).
Friday, JREW (John Wilson) joined Scott and I for a ride. We left the motel at about 0830 and headed North and West of Baker City:
The Little Alps were beautiful, there was little traffic, the whole day was fantastic.
We spotted this beautiful clump of flowers down the hillside and risked life and limb to grab a picture in true "Tyleresque fashion" only to discover that they were fake flowers
Saturday morning the lot was full -
As Scott and I packed up to head back through Hells Canyon and up to Kamiah ID for the evening.
Neither of us had been up to the Dam so we rode up and back through 10 miles of fresh chip seal.
We left Spearfish at 0800 on Tuesday, September 5th, rode over the Cloud Peak Skyway, stopped at the Ten Sleep Brewery for a sandwich and a beer (they were out of sandwiches,
and on to Cody WY where we rendezvoused with a couple of Washington reprobates, escapefjrtist and Panman.
Wednesday morning we awoke to a beautiful but brisk day, rode through Yellowstone Park on a Northerly loop, George led us through a fog, breakfasted in the park then exited through the west exit— taking various courses and speeds along the Big Hole River and then the Salmon River ending up in Challis, ID for the evening. A superb day of riding hence no pictures taken by me.
Thursday morning it was KSU at 0700 for a blast down US 93 to Stanley ID for breakfast. The first 50 miles were beautiful if a bit nipply, low 40s to low 50s then George again led us through dense fog as we approached Stanley, hard to see 200 yards. Breakfast was tasty and the coffee was welcome.
From Stanley, we rode West on ID 21, getting out of the fog about five miles from Stanley just in time to give Scott his first look at the Sawtooths then on to Lowman, down the Lowman Banks Highway to Banks with very little traffic on both roads. At Banks, we headed towards Payette ID where George, having concerns about rear tire life, headed directly up I-84 to Baker City while Panman, Scott, and I took the more adventurous route through Oxbow OR and Hells Canyon. We took a short break at Cambridge ID in honor of 'Pants
We arrived at Baker City about 1700 (5:00pm for some of you)
Only to find things already in full swing.
JP must think he is on a Harley - he beat George to the wash rack.
He had plenty of supervision.
The onsite restaurant was pretty good - the Thursday night Chicken Fried Steak was quite popular and quite filling.
Parking lot social was still going on when I went to bed at 2200 (10:00pm).
Friday, JREW (John Wilson) joined Scott and I for a ride. We left the motel at about 0830 and headed North and West of Baker City:
The Little Alps were beautiful, there was little traffic, the whole day was fantastic.
We spotted this beautiful clump of flowers down the hillside and risked life and limb to grab a picture in true "Tyleresque fashion" only to discover that they were fake flowers
Saturday morning the lot was full -
As Scott and I packed up to head back through Hells Canyon and up to Kamiah ID for the evening.
Neither of us had been up to the Dam so we rode up and back through 10 miles of fresh chip seal.
