The Mobius Trip

This was an eventful day and I took a lot of photos and video. Now I know some of you would rather have fewer vids but whatevah! I'm posting a few

The morning was beautiful, and morning riding is my favorite bit.
The camp host never used the phrase "it's a perfectly good road" so we should have known better, but we thought the toughest sections were behind us in Idaho.

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There were plenty of campers at the rendezvous, many had apparently reserved spots days in advance by taping off prime spots.

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We started to encounter sections that were not difficult but perhaps signs of things to come



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And then...



Dave's scouting report was a "good news and bad news" explanation of what the next two miles held in store. "Nothing as bad as this section" he said "but there are a few bad bits we'll have to slog through". Good enough...let's go!

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A "tough section" where Dave helped me out





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This sums it up...but this is before Dave broke my bike

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I was worried for a while that I'd be camping there for the night.
Francine was extremely patient with us while we were trouble shooting.
Interesting that you don't realize how concerned you were until you feel the intense relief of a successful resolution.
thanks Dave & Francine...great team work

AlbertaStrom, post all the videos you can find. People who don't want to watch 'em don't have to watch 'em. I always appreciate having the choice. Beautiful shots.

This would be our last day riding, allowing Saturday for cushion and bike maintenance. Our objective was to head north and pick up the T2 Tour of Idaho route from the WY border and finish that up. Remember? That's how we started M9 way back when.

We awoke to dreary skies...



It had rained overnight, and it was foggy and cold. Sign says 33 degrees.



We ate our complimentary continental breakfast, and headed out into a light drizzle.



We'd be on Crow Creek Road through the Caribou National Forest for 40-50 miles, then pavement for 25miles or so through a bit of Wyoming, and then back on dirt for most of the remaining hundred miles on the TID T2 'till we split back to Idaho Falls.

was just the ticket. Easy riding, nice scenery, no drama.



'course the weather was crap, but we'd been pretty lucky for two weeks, who's complaining?

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There were some neat interpretive signs, and we took the time to stop and read them,



They were like a book report... I don't think I've ever seen such interpretive density of information.



I'm not a history buff, I'm more a science guy, but I did my best to pay attention. You never know when there's gonna be a pop quiz.

in the clouds,



We could see fresh snow in the higher peaks,



I hoped we wouldn't run into any of that.



Whoops, another sign.

I'd actually read the whole sign,



killing time while Dave and Francine would put some distance on me,



allowing me to push the pace a little to catch up.



Whoops, another sign.

to enjoying these signs was to in no way let them detract from the scenery.







Stop and smell 'em.

if I remember a single word that was written on those plaques,



I will tell you honestly, no.



But that's what photos are for.



What I remember of this section was that it was easy, and pretty, but wet, and I was getting progressively chilled.

To Afton, we crossed through working ranches, but maybe because of the weather, it felt like the Scottish highlands to me.



Not that I've ever been to the Scottish Highlands, but I've drunk their whisky, and the degree to which the beverage reflects the terroir, I've as good as been there.



"Like the last day of the Dakar"... I crack myself up sometimes.

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I thought there was a dog in the barnyard too.

on the pavement, we were really getting chilled. Questor was working all day, so there was no rush to get back. We got held up by some cowboys and girls.





Tell me this isn't sexy.

the chill from our bones, so when we saw this place...



We pulled in to get something warm.





she looks shell-shocked, doesn't she?

dirt section, and met with some traffic,



They soon turned off a side road.

Here we were, the start of the end. The eastern origin of the T2 trail.



Somehow, I didn't anticipate it would be as challenging as, say, Bruneau canyon or anything.



The roads were nicely graded,



Nice and easy.

I wonder if it's a recent phenomenon with the rising price of gold?





The weather was still crap, gotta say.

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but every once in awhile we'd get a break in the clouds,



or see some blue sky,



it was a nice route.

.Thanks for all the hard work and inspiration Doc!!!

I think you need one of these http://www.twiggcycles.com/eyewear-goggle-masks-and-beaks-products.htm

You're absolutely correct, I need to protect my nose from sunburn. For M10 I'm planning on rocking a pair of these liquid image goggles which have a nose guard.

out of the Caribou NF mountains from McCoy Creek road, we headed across the northrn end of the Gray's Lake National Refuge.



This place is another big hit with the birders,





and the birds too, I would imagine.

Cranes Flat,



which was largely more of the same,





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This was the crossroads where we'd joined up the TID two weeks previously. We'd come from the opposite direction and turned right, and now we'd turn right again so we wouldn't cross our own path, and we wouldn't be backtracking.

a slightly different route back to Idaho Falls from here.



This was Bone Road,



To Sellars Creek,



Still a little snow up here, I hadn't routed us this way two weeks ago 'cause of it.



Find the motorbike:

What is this thing called? (not ladder -- there's a specific name)



I've had a mental block about this thing for ages. You can't look up a picture to find the word like you can look up a word to find the definition. Frustrating.

but even the last few miles didn't disappoint visually,






and that's it, the last bit 'o dirt for M9



I think that's less than a mile from Q's, so, I think he's got it pretty good out there.