Day 49 - Powell, Idaho to Wilderness Gateway Campground, Idaho

I am traveling on a gorgeous stretch of U.S. Highway 12 that follows the lovely Lochsa river beneath the mountain ridge that the expedition discovery traveled. Lewisand Clark could not travel along the river because their horses could not cross the gullies of the numerous streams that come down from these mountains.

It is actually safe to drink the water from the streams and many people do.

I took two hikes up  to warm springs today.

I had an interesting experience on the road today. It was reminiscent of the slow speed O.J. Simpson bronco chase. 

A guy in a white SUV passed me traveling at about 50 mph. In close pursuit were four police cars, all with their flashers on. The guy swerved back and forth into the passing lane. But there was absolutely no place to go. Highway 12 runs through the national Forest and is tightly bounded by the mountains on one side and the Lochsa river on the other. 

I later learned from someone on a construction crew that The pursuit ended miles down the road where the road was blocked by construction equipment. The suspect, who I understand was allegedly running drugs,was apprehended Without further incident.

Many of the cedar trees i am seeing are trees that Lewis and Clark would’ve seen. Cedar trees in this area can live up to 3000 years and grow to over 200 feet tall. Many, however, are killed prematurely by forest fires started by lightning strikes, a natural phenomenon that is very common out here.

I camped  tonight with Robert, a fellow cyclist from Barcelona who is doing a tour of the American and Canadian national parks in the Pacific Northwest. A fellow camper, who is also a bicycle enthusiast, invited both of us over to his campsite where he treated us to a spectacular dinner of fresh rainbow trout he had caught.