Day 17: White Bird, ID

Start: Zims Hot Springs

End: White Bird

Distance: 59.87

Elevation: 692

I woke up early today to get an early start, but I woke up to dense fog! Not what I expected at all. Everything was soaking wet, except for the inside of my tent, so I went back to sleep and waited for the fog to lift. It would be crazy to ride in dense fog, for cars could not see me.

About 1.5 hours later, the fog burned off enough to start packing the bike. The tent got pack wet, but that will be okay as long as I get it out tonight. Priority one, though, do not get down sleeping bag wet or even damp.

I started off with a bit of flat then 30 miles to Riggins ID, following the Little Salmon river. Little Salmon  was rocking! No eddies or calm spots for miles just white water drops, holes, wall, and wave trains. Only crazy people would kayak at this level.

Arriving in Riggins, I got a whiff of bbq right around the bend. Oh yeah. I could use some breakfast/lunch of smoked brisket and beans. Very good.

Riggins to White Bird was a bit of a hot mess. Hwy 95 winds along the Main Salmon river. I was racing logs floating the river, 12 miles per hour. That dang hot head wind kept me from going faster.

While the scenery was still amazing, I seemed to be fighting myself most of the day. For an all downhill day, it seemed hard. I don’t know if I am eating and or drinking enough. Time to start eating more food I guess to keep energy up. That and pound more water and electrolytes.

I am camping along the Salmon River. It is huge, to me anyway. I am from Colorado so most rivers are huge to me.

One memory did cross my mind. We were finishing up a rafting trip on the Salmon and were taking out east of Riggins. There was a train trestle crossing the river that was 20-25 ft up and open for jumping. I did my normal spectacular feet first bomb. I got out proud of myself. Then a good friend Jon, gets ready to jump and pulls off a back flip twist. Yeah!!! Fun. 

That is it for the day, heading to Kooskia tomorrow.