June 7, 2009, Sunday, Orfino to Lowell

Photo: L to R August and Kate Bush, our trail angels of the trip! and Tom B.

August woke us early with a breakfast of eggs, Huckelberry Pancakes, and homemade huckleberry syrup made form berries that he had harvested from the woods himself, plus homemade apple cider made from apples he had harvested nearby in an abandoned apple orchard. He had used a friend’s cider press to make the cider, and had about 15 gallons stashed away in his freezer. Kate joined us for breakfast, and asked our permission to say a prayer of thanksgiving. She actually thanked God for bringing guests to her new kitchen table. The prayer nearly brought tears to my eyes! The table decoration consisted of several sprays of Syringa, which August had picked from the nearby woods for Kate. Syringa is the state flower of Idaho. What a kind, and loving couple!!!

We rode today in balmy 70 degree weather under partly cloudy skies on nearly level roads. We lunched at a town called Kamiahim at a restaurant bar, bowling alley, where we met Katz, who was married to a Nez Pierce Indian. We later learned that Nez Pierce is French for Nose Pierced. The trip from Kooskia and past Syringa was enjoyable until the last 4 or so miles when it cooled and rain fell, mixed with a few hail stones.

At lunch, we had another offer for lodging from a rather intoxicated hunting guide, sporting homemade tattoos. He’s a guide at a hunting lodge at MM 123 on Rte. 12. He promised to feed us and put us up at the lodge. He was depressed that his job was to bait areas around the lodge to lure bears so paying customers could shoot them. Then he had to skin the bears, and prepare the meat. He hated to see animals suffer, but that was his job. He seemed to imply that his drinking resulted from his depressing job. He was still at the bar when we biked away, and we worried he might run us down as he drove under the influence toward his place of employment.

Lowell welcomed us with the Three Rivers Lodge, motel, restaurant, rafting service, and campground. At this point, the Clearwater river became the Lochsha River. Tom negotiated a discount on a cabin, saving us from enduring each other’s company in a queen sized bed. We could have camped, but it was raining! Laura, the proprietor, is a professional clown, who still goes on the road when she needs extra cash. Her husband is also a professional clown. They’ve toured the world together.

Today: 55.81 miles, total so far 509.35