Ride report from the Pavement Princess ride

Video Link to ride  youtu.be/PICmapkdgqw

We started at 8:00 A.M. Friday morning,  I was sitting outside the Sticker fuel station waiting to see who all would show up for this ride.  As I am a new member to this group I wasn't sure as to how it would work out planning a all day ride of 500 mile all on pavement.  Alex was the first and only member to show up for the ride, so we got things started....with a low front tire on his BMW,   30 minuets later we were on our way to our first stop. 

We arived at our first location and what a beauty!   The water roaring out of the gates! The roads were clean and clear for the most part.  There were a few rocks and debris on the road way nere Brownlee dam and near Hells Canyon dam were the rock wall towers above.  While enroute to Hells Canyon Alex and I had seen a map on the side of the gas station which showed a road that came up out of Hells canyon and went over to Council.   We both were thinking a bit of dirt would be nice and decided we would take this road out on the return trip.  

The view from this road....EPIC!  As I stated befor I am a new member...along with new to the whole adventure bike, riding.  I have been on a super sport bike for the last 4 years.  I would never have thought I would see stuff like this.  Of cours at 100+ down in the canyon you don't see this...lifes a blur and could be a short lived one at that.  This on the other hand, I could not belive I have been missing out on.     

  Alex and I had asked about the road condition from the gas staion attendent only to be told. "I would't do it, then followed by...your on a motorcycle?"  Another person in a truck coming down the dirt road where it meets the pavment said something along the same.  "Its bumpy and narrow!"  Alex and I decided to do it anyway....what the worst that could happen?

We followed the road winding thew the mountians, and found this old house.   It was neat to see a old place with what I think was a old chimney stucture still standing.  The road was a bit bumpy here and there but nothing like what the other people had said.   We  followed the well maintained road that had great signage to keep you on track, all the way to Council.   

As we were leaving Council Alex spotted another adventure rider taking a break at a fuel station along side the road.  We didn't catch his name but found out he was living a dream.  Recently retired and touring roads and back roads to....well he didn't say.  All I knew was he had left Santa Barbara California and was having fun.  I belive he had said he was on a 2013 GS1200.  Seeing people like this that hit retirement and decide to go for a adventur over sitting behind the T.V. set  inspire me!

  Once we landed in Councile we headed north to McCall Brewing Company for lunch

While the burger was good.  The weather was better.  It was 70 degrees and white puffy clouds floating around the sky.  The view from the patio  was great overlooking the lake.  Over lunch Alex and I taked about the route ahead of us and wanted to try to get into Deadwood reservoir and skip a section of pavement.  (We will get to this later!)

Back on the road we headed Sout to Cascade, then turning east onto Warm Lake Rd.  We  seen cops all over the place picking off the unsuspecting motorist.  We made it to our second check point. Trail Creek Hot springs.  In the past I had speed past this just enjoying the thrill of the road. Now I'm of the bike locking aound in the forest for cool stuff!  Alex and I hiked down the hill side to find a few people at the hot spring.  They said " Its not very warm, and the lower is cold"  There was a lot of water flowing thew the creak.  I supose that has something to do with it.  We got our pictures then headed back to the bikes to try to make it to Deadwood.   Along the way we came across a little snow on the first summit.  We dropped into the next vally and went past Warm Lake lodge.  There were a few campers here and there.  As we made our way up the second summit I knew about a waterfall along side the road.  When I came around the bend I could not belive how much water was coming down the mountain!

We left the waterfall aver a little water break and some pictures,  heading to Deadwood Reservoir we seel a ton of rocks and debris on the road way.  It got realy nasty (for a paved road) near the top.  As we came up to the summit I seen that everlasting thing SNOW!  Dang I was hoping that we were going to be able to make it!

Seeing the snow we accepted defeat on this leg of the trip and turned back to head to Cascade.  We passed thew Cascade and contiued South to Banks were we would turn to the East again and head to our third check point. 

The river along side the road was moving,  It had rapids bigger than I had seen in the past four years of riding this seaction of road.  The water was a light brown color, making me think it was turing up all the silt and dirt along with the rapids mixing into it.  As I am from the deserts of Arizona this river looked angry!

The road from Banks to Lowman was fantasic for a paved road.  It was clean and clear,  There was a section with a few pot holes but I'm ok with that.  The trafic wasn't bad being a Friday evening buy this point into the trip.  We stopped off at Pine flats Camp Ground and just the smell of camp fires getting started up and the evening meal instantly made me wish I was able to tent it that evening and join in.  Alex and I parked the bikes and hiked aways west of the camp ground to get to the actual hot spring for the check point.  When we arived there were a couple of guys and girls hanging around.  One of the guys offered to take a photo of us!  

From pine flats we got back on the bikes and headed just a bit farther north east to the final check point of the day Kirham Hot springs.  On the way there I noticed that there was a fuel station that had been put in at the intersection of highway 17 and 21 meet.  Also the lodge was open for bussness. I have never see that place open in all the years I had been riding.  I did here from another rider that the owner asked if your not a customer to not park in the lot.  I also seen a second fuel station heading north on 21 to Kirham hot springs.   When we arived there was a forest service person there to collect the 5 dollar fee for the day.  She was realy nice and let us pass free of charge, (we were there for the picture only).  We spent a few minuets talking to here about our trip and what we were doing, along with our failed attemp at Deadwood.  She informed us that the southern route was also blocked by snow and that a few people that were staying at the camp had went up there to pull out a Jeep that was stuck in the snow.  

  We thanked her for the info and for letting us pass to get the pictures.  I was somewhat glade our trip was coming to a end.  This was the first time I had ever rode that far in a single day.  As for the bike, it did fantastic, with cruise control and all the other stuff one could want.  The road home was nice as the sun set over the mountians Alex and I headed South on the 21 

The roadway from Lowman to Idaho city had quite a bit of sand on it, not that I was pushing hard enough to worry. I just noticed when I would get near Alex I was getting pelted with debris.   The cool evening moutian air started settling down in the vallyes, It was nice, I belive the lowest temp I seen that evening was around 55 deg.  It felt nice.  We stopped just South off Idaho city and talked about how we were going to head home. From there we poked along enjoyed what few miles we had left!  when we reached the interstate I waved at Alex and we went our separte ways.  Looking back I would hae done this trip again!  Thanks for reading hope to see you some time out there on a trail!