WWR Day 27 Soda Springs,ID to Montpelier,ID
Fri Aug  23 2019

Distance 38.5
Start elevation 5774
End elevation 6120
High point 6120
Low point 5760
Climbing about 700'?
Ride time 3:58
Total time about 5:00
Days bike camping: 18
Contiguous days riding : 1


A little cooler weather forecast today. I will veer off route for an easier trek to Bear Lake.
There seem to be very few camping options on route, contaminated creek, mine traffic plus a big climb before returning to hwy 30.
I find a back roads route to Montpelier, and then back roads to regain the route near Bear Lake.

Bear Lake is a very large lake 20 miles long, 8 miles wide straddling the Idaho Utah border, and is quite popular. Alas all of the on route East side camping options are state parks and they are booked up for the weekend.

I take a paved back road out of Soda Springs and quickly become rural. We are in foothills and trees are nearby, including a few groves of Aspen's. I summit the small ridge and it is hot work.  I get to zip down the other side as a reward and I start the dirt for the day.






The route is one ridge over from busy hwy 30, and it is quiet and smooth as I peddle through range lands and hay and wheat fields that line the Bear River meanders.
I pass a number of ranches and ranch homes, many well kept, some fading over time.  I think I pass some Oregon trail wagon ruts in the barren hillside.

The route eventually turns to cross the river towards Georgetown, but I take a road following the river further. There is no traffic, just RR tracks and their ever present power poles paralleling the river and my route.
I follow this all the way south to Bern where I veer east to reach Montpelier.








I get a few groceries for dinner and head to RV park to camp for a couple nights.

Side Note
On my groggy day off in Soda Springs, I explore their sights. They have quite of few monuments, and springs, including a geyser, which I hang around to see go off. Pretty cool. They claim it is the only man capped geyser, as it was accidentally discovered when drilling a well back in the 30s.



Comments

  1. wOwAugust 24, 2019 at 10:26 PM

    I see a pool at that KOA, did you get a dip in it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OuttaDoorsDanAugust 25, 2019 at 12:59 AM

      My toe did. It was kinda cold, and I attempted a bit too late in the day. Turned around and took a shower instead.

      Delete
    2. DonAugust 27, 2019 at 8:02 AM

      How often does the geyser erupt?
      That's an interesting story.

      Delete
    3. OuttaDoorsDanAugust 27, 2019 at 1:18 PM

      Every hour on the hour, curious timing indeef

      Delete
    4. DonAugust 27, 2019 at 3:51 PM

      Very curious indeed. I suspect more man made intervention.

      Delete

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