a quick tour of Idaho

[thetourist]

Last tuesday I was being hassled by customers and decided to take a few days off. IDC was on, that gives me a goal. So about 4pm I start loading up figuring a way to carry everything. By Midnight I've got everything tied on, It ain't pretty but I figure it will hold together.
Off at the break of dawn...right.
Troy...Julietta...breakfast at Peck...Kooskia...Grangeville...etc. down 95 to Banks thru Placerville to Idaho City. Nice ride.
I've been lurking here for a few weeks. Now it's face to face with the asylum. Don't look them directly in the eye. If you're real careful they won't attack.
Guess what? They are just ordinary guys. Fat, skinny, old, young, minimalists, gadget freaks. My "kit" was much admired and I enjoyed swapping lies. After the teapot went around a few times and the cobbler with home made ice-cream was gone the crowd started to thin out. What a bunch of lightweights, it was only 1 am.
The next morn people started drifting away. I was dissapointed not to get to ride any trails. I'm trying to decide where to ride. I've been over most of Idaho"s hwys but never seen Sun Valley.
East we go. Galena Pass (8700ft) is gorgeous, like a disney picture. Nice roads to Hailey and Ketchum but it I had a couple of days with a D-9 I could improve those towns a lot.
I spent a couple of hours touring and hiking at Craters of the Moon. There was still snow in one cinder cone. No rooms at Arco so I press north on 93. Each village inn says NO VACANCY.
I eventually just pull over and set up camp at a turnout. A full mountain range between me and any village. At least a 100mi to any town. The stars were spectacular. The dirt was soft. The Sagebrush was pungent. Life is good.
I breakfast at Challis and keep heading North.
In the back of my mind this little worm has been gnawing. Shortcut...Darby to Grangeville...come on you can do it...say it out lout...Magruder...MAGRUDER. Old bike, old rider, old tires. This will never do. So I start looking for a new front tire. I find a slightly used dual sport 21 at a snowmobile shop. $55 on the bike with the wheel trued as well. It sings like a truck tire but my tourance wobble is gone. I've whittled it down a bit. Old bike (but reliable), old rider (but not dead), one well used rear tourance (but a nice new front knobby). The odds are lookng better.