Lewiston, ID to Kamiah, ID

Miles: 90.4
Total Miles: 495.5
Climbing today: 5475’ (wow, big day!)

The ride started at 6:30 AM since we knew it was to be a BIG day, with lots of climbing! Riding on the bike trail in Lewiston was wonderful, cool, and I had a jacket on to start. The wheat which is growing everywhere is in the process of being harvested and I was hoping to see a threshing machine today but it is Sunday and there was very little farm work going on. The fields were so many different colors and it was really a gorgeous ride.

Riding out of Lewiston, the Snake River

The first 30 miles were a warm up for “the big climb” which was 10 miles long, but through breathtaking scenery of wheat, finished wheat, newly plowed black fields, and new light green shoots from planted seeds. We made a quick stop at a convenience store to get Powerade and to readjust and get ready to climb. The three of us, Elizabeth, from the Southern Tier, Kathie, Peg, and I rode together all day and were among the first to hit the top of the hill. Only our 44 year old rider and her ride partner were faster and started earlier that most of the other riders.

The long road UP!

Two riders (dots) with high vis shirts are making their way up the hill

Double click on the photos to make them bigger.

Anne, Kathie, and Peg are happy to have finished the big climb

At one of our SAG stops today, there was a coyote that was dead (fresh kill) and hanging on a fence. We all wondered how it got there! We also saw lots of wild life today, including quail, many hawks, a killdeer, and heard a pileated woodpecker. Later we stopped to eat in Winchester at Miss Lilly’s and we were glad for the calories after that 40 miles.

This hangs over the main street in Winchester, ID

Wheat Farms

Our last mileage of the day was a ten mile downhill run all the way to the motel, which is actually an RV park/camping place with some motel rooms and cabins. We have all the rooms! Tomorrow we are headed to White Bird, ID and will be in two hotels a mile apart as there is not enough room in one for all of us. Several of the riders have done some of this ride in the opposite direction when they rode the Lewis and Clark Adventure Cycling Route a few years ago so all of them had their picture taken with Lewis and Clark at our motel. Kamiah is pronounced cam-ee-eye! People laughed when we pronounced it the way it is spelled! Oh well

Marilyn, who broke her pelvis on the Underground RR last year is back on the bike and riding strong

The gals who rode the Lewis and Clark ride in 2006 together