Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Day 18. Highway 12, Lolo Pass!!!

We got an early start today, HAHA. We were gassed up and on the road by 0845. Some day we'll get our act together and be moving by 0600, but that's the nice thing about riding with no plans or schedule! We left Grangeville on Hwy. 13. A beautiful stretch of road that takes you down to the Clearwater river. It follows the river and meets up with Hwy. 12.

The view from just outside of Grangeville, looking down towards the river.


Views of the Clearwater River.




The sign on Hwy. 12, at the junction with Hwy. 13. You just know this is going to be good.



Hwy. 12 follows the middle fork of the Clearwater River and also the Lochsa River.
These pictures are from along the Lochsa River.



This is where your Idaho sand came from dear...



We rode along side the rivers for almost all of the 99 miles of Hwy. 12. Pictures just don't come close to showing just how beautiful it really is.



The winding road comes to an end at Lolo Pass at the Idaho-Montana boarder.


A much more realistic speed limit in Montana.


Once into Montana, we had lunch in Lolo and then stopped for gas in Missoula. We took Hwy. 200 out to the east for almost 90 miles.
John stopped and snapped this picture of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Country just outside of Missoula.


We took Hwy. 279 into Helena and ended the day at the Days Inn.
I'm close to 4500 miles for the trip so far.
Tomorrow, we're going to mine sapphires. I hope to be home by Friday night.