WWR Day 25 Blackfoot, ID to Trail Creek Bridge CG on Blackfoot River
WWR Day 25 Blackfoot, ID to Trail Creek Bridge CG on Blackfoot River
Tue Aug 20 2019
Distance 38
Start elevation 4498
End elevation 5502
High point 5880
Low point 4498
Climbing about 2000', and hot!!!
Ride time 4:41 and hot and dry!!!
Total time about 5:30
Days bike camping: 17
Contiguous days riding : 8
I sleep in today at the hotel. I enjoy waffles and yoghurt this morning and 2 teas.
I splurge time wise and take a morning shower and pack up. I get out about 10:30 AM, about an hour later than the norm.
It is blue sky with a few high clouds, with a forecast high of 91 today for Blackfoot
The route meanders the back roads of Blackfoot, modest homes and light industry gives way to more irrigated hobby farms to real irrigated fields on the Snake River Plain of wheat, corn and potatoes, with the huge dinosaur rib cage sprinklers.
The roads are on a regular rectilinear system as is typical in Mormon founded towns, each road is a number north or east, etc. The homes are well kept, indeed many look fairly new. Good to see the agriculture families doing well.
The road is paved and Snake River plain flat for 18 miles. Then I start climbing over a ridge to start following the Blackfoot River. I note it is getting warm, no hotter. It is far below as the road follows a bench above, dipping down for each drainage joining the volcanic rimmed Blackfoot Canyon.
I stop at a junction figure the route, a young rancher with a load of corral timbers stops to chat, wondering what the heck I am doing out here so loaded up. He is Jason, and his life is all about his cattle, grows hay and corn for the beasts, and never gets any real time off. But he seems to be a positive fellow, and asks if I have enough water. We shake hands and go on our way.
The gravel road is, unfortunately, in the "improved" state, with loose round gravel and it is hard peddling. Soon I meet a section of active road construction, with attendent graders and tnadem dump billowing clouds of dust as the hurry to meet the graders.
There are 4 basic BLM campgrounds between 38 and 50 miles. I am targeting a couple closer to the 50 mile range.
It is hot and dry, and the hills climbing out of the drainage are taxing in the mid afternoon heat. There is little if any shade up on the bench lands or even in the dips
I take a break at an historic site of a school, all that's left is a plaque and a huge cottonwood. I enjoy the shade at the picnic table there, but I need to make more progress.
The weather is not making me feel strong, I start thinking about the first campground at the bridge. If it has shade and tables I will likely stop. Going beyond is a couple of bigger climbs and 10 more miles. In either case I will make it to Soda Springs on the morrow.
Campground little used and has a great shady site right along the river, so I stop and start cooling down and setting up camp.
I wash up in the river, water is cool, not very cold, and someone has created a dammed area for me to use.
There is a big difference on heat index between sunny picnic table and the shady camp area, so I hang out at the rivers edge, listening to the ever present murmurring of water slavishly following the pull of gravity.
Tue Aug 20 2019
Distance 38
Start elevation 4498
End elevation 5502
High point 5880
Low point 4498
Climbing about 2000', and hot!!!
Ride time 4:41 and hot and dry!!!
Total time about 5:30
Days bike camping: 17
Contiguous days riding : 8
I sleep in today at the hotel. I enjoy waffles and yoghurt this morning and 2 teas.
I splurge time wise and take a morning shower and pack up. I get out about 10:30 AM, about an hour later than the norm.
It is blue sky with a few high clouds, with a forecast high of 91 today for Blackfoot
The route meanders the back roads of Blackfoot, modest homes and light industry gives way to more irrigated hobby farms to real irrigated fields on the Snake River Plain of wheat, corn and potatoes, with the huge dinosaur rib cage sprinklers.
The roads are on a regular rectilinear system as is typical in Mormon founded towns, each road is a number north or east, etc. The homes are well kept, indeed many look fairly new. Good to see the agriculture families doing well.
The road is paved and Snake River plain flat for 18 miles. Then I start climbing over a ridge to start following the Blackfoot River. I note it is getting warm, no hotter. It is far below as the road follows a bench above, dipping down for each drainage joining the volcanic rimmed Blackfoot Canyon.
I stop at a junction figure the route, a young rancher with a load of corral timbers stops to chat, wondering what the heck I am doing out here so loaded up. He is Jason, and his life is all about his cattle, grows hay and corn for the beasts, and never gets any real time off. But he seems to be a positive fellow, and asks if I have enough water. We shake hands and go on our way.
The gravel road is, unfortunately, in the "improved" state, with loose round gravel and it is hard peddling. Soon I meet a section of active road construction, with attendent graders and tnadem dump billowing clouds of dust as the hurry to meet the graders.
There are 4 basic BLM campgrounds between 38 and 50 miles. I am targeting a couple closer to the 50 mile range.
It is hot and dry, and the hills climbing out of the drainage are taxing in the mid afternoon heat. There is little if any shade up on the bench lands or even in the dips
I take a break at an historic site of a school, all that's left is a plaque and a huge cottonwood. I enjoy the shade at the picnic table there, but I need to make more progress.
The weather is not making me feel strong, I start thinking about the first campground at the bridge. If it has shade and tables I will likely stop. Going beyond is a couple of bigger climbs and 10 more miles. In either case I will make it to Soda Springs on the morrow.
Campground little used and has a great shady site right along the river, so I stop and start cooling down and setting up camp.
I wash up in the river, water is cool, not very cold, and someone has created a dammed area for me to use.
There is a big difference on heat index between sunny picnic table and the shady camp area, so I hang out at the rivers edge, listening to the ever present murmurring of water slavishly following the pull of gravity.
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