2nd Annual Avery Tunnel Ride

[John E Davies]

This is going to be a short report, because I wrote a really long one last year, which included a short railroad history of the area, maps and LOTS of pics. The terrain hasn't changed any, though some of the riders are new:

Across the clouds - the State Line Road Loop
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164352

Most recently, I pre-ran this ride two weeks earlier and posted some teaser pics here:

Railroad Nirvana - Avery ID Tunnels and trestles
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256533

The Avery area is chock-full of railroad history. The Route of the Hiawatha Rail Trail attracts hundreds of bicyclists every weekend, and that trail has many beautiful trestles and long tunnels that are not open to motorcyclists.

However, there are at least a dozen tunnels that ARE rideable, and certainly more hidden away on remote hillsides that I haven't yet found. Some are on well traveled gravel through roads, like the main Moon Pass Road north from Avery along the old rail bed, with sporadic camper traffic, which makes the one-way curved tunnels... interesting, and some are abandoned and passed through only by ATVs and motorcycles. These are the ones I find most interesting, since they pose no risk of imbedding yourself into a radiator grill, and they can pose a small challenge to navigate. Sometimes they are gated and have a rock barricade to keep out the Jeeps, and in some the ceilings have crumbled and combined with the ATV whoop-de-doos to make for a rough, first gear, standing, feet on the pegs riding surface.

It's fun stuff, especially when you are running the stock KTM EXC headlight, which is a little better than a candle, but not much. This winter I may install a HID handlebar light for some much needed candlepower.


Map scan of the immediate area around the campground, showing the bike trail and some of the more popular tunnels. Many are not shown, even on this detailed National Forest Service map - you have to go out and find them!

I arrived at Cliff Creek Campground about 1:30 PM Friday, in convoy with Bob "dirtwirm" in his Toy Hauler camper rig. Bob rides a KLX250S and is a newly returned rider, and is re-learning dirt. He was just back from six days riding in Utah, so I knew this terrain would be relatively easy for him. I drove my lifted LX450 with 525EXC in tow. We were expecting Mike "2Track" late in the day - he was "supposed to be" riding his DR650 from Everett WA to join us. SInce that is about 450 miles away, we weren't certain if and when he would arrive. That's a long day on knobbies.

We set up camp at a primitive site near Loop Creek, with a nice swimming hole 100 feet away - no campfires were allowed, even in established campgrounds, since the forest is a tinderbox. Further south, over half a million acres of Idaho was burning hard, and fire was always on our minds. Cliff Creek is a good choice in fire season - there are three main routes out in an emergency. These Idaho river valleys are so steep and winding, that often there is only one way in and out. That kind of sleeping spot is not so good in late August in a dry year....

Bob rode off to explore the eight tunnels and the high river trestle on the road down to Avery, while I read and hung out, waiting for Mike. Later we ate and talked, and when it was almost dark we were about ready to retire, since we couldn't have a fire and it was starting to get cold. Ten minutes before dark, we heard a bike, and Mike idled into view. He was pretty beat, but surprisingly chipper and talkative. He borrowed a flashlight ("I gotta make a checklist!") so he could find his gear, and he pitched his tent among the gopher holes while we got acquainted.

I was glad he had made it - three is a good number for a ride in the woods, since in the event of an injury, one can go off for help and the other can stay with the hurt rider.






The next morning we rose at dawn, warmed up with coffee and camp toast, and prepared our gear. Mike dismounted his windshield, saddlebags and, it seemed like, the kitchen sink, and then installed a smaller countershaft sprocket. His heavily loaded Adventure bike had now become a Dual Sport bike.

Just as we were about to leave camp, we heard a thumping and noted the arrival of Cris on his F650GS Dakar. Cris is an Idaho native who knows these mountains well - he also likes to show up at the last moment, ready to join in. That made four - a good max group size considering the potential dust.


Map of the north part of the Big Ride, which this year was designed to take in the sights around the Taft Tunnel and Bike Trail early in the morning, before the hordes of yuppies in shiny SUVs with chrome wheels descended on the East Portal Trailhead. Those folks drive on gravel roads as badly as they ride their bikes on the trail, and they are to be avoided whenever possible.

Group Rules called for the leader to pause at every major intersection, and at least every 4 or 5 miles, for the next rider to catch up. When that rider indicated, with a thumbs up or nod that it was ok to proceed, the leader went ahead and the other rider would wait for the next guy. This allowed all the riders to set their own pace, drop back when it became dusty, make a short stop to take a picture, and generally feel comfortable riding in strange terrain. Every three or four stops was longer, with everyone waiting so all could catch up. In the event of a breakdown or injury, the group would eventually stop and re-gather at the restriction. The system works well on these remote forest roads.

We left camp about 9:15 am and rode a well traveled, wash-boarded ("corrugated" as the Aussies say) forest service road up the mountain toward the Taft Tunnel west entrance and Roland Summit. We wouldn't have to worry about the four yellow school buses running shuttle service for the bikes, since they didn't start running until later in the day. I led, since I had a gps, I knew the area well and had laid out the ride, and I ride faster than most my age since my bike encourages that sort of foolishness and I haven't yet fully learned caution.

Our first obstacle was a single lane curved tunnel on the three mile section of bicycle trail shared by auto traffic. Since the buses weren't running yet, all we had to worry about were possible campers coming the other way. Tooting our horns and sweating slightly, we went through in second gear and 10 mph. The tunnel is single lane in places, but has been roughly enlarged to 1.5 buses wide here and there to give cyclists a place to hide. It's creepy as Hades.... and dark.

We stopped at the West Entrance to the Taft Tunnel, which extends nearly two miles through the mountain, and is the Big Attraction for the cyclists. Lights are required, but I have encountered insane young mountain bikers pedaling blind at high speed in the pitch darkness. How they do it is beyond me.... maybe they have infrared eyeballs and good elbow guards.

We parked our bikes and hiked along the short trail to check out the gated tunnel entrance and the waterfall, and watch the first batch of family cyclists come wobbling and blinking out of the tunnel. They were dripping, too - it's pretty wet inside the mountain.


Here's Bob trying to figure out his new Canon camera. The waterfall was used to replenish the steam engines after they finished climbing the long grade from the Montana side of the divide. When the line changed to electric locomotives around 1900, they no longer needed the water.

We mounted up and ascended to Roland Summit via a severely rutted and dusty dirt road, and as soon as we hit the Montana side we noticed a dramatic decrease in dust. Idaho doesn't bother with such things as dust control....

The next stop was the parking lot for the East Portal of the Taft Tunnel. Here the old rail bed extends northeast and acts as a vast Yuppie Parking Lot. At this time of morning there were less than a dozen cars and trucks. We got some serious stares as we rode by slowly, headed for the section of the rail bed unused by bicycles. Six miles of smooth high speed gravel took us to an abandoned tunnel, rideable if you didn't mind risking rock damage to the engine cases. We all chose to stay intact.

Bob and Cris hiked the tunnel to check out the trestle on the other side. Mike stayed with me to chat - we would walk the trestle later when we approached from the other end.

We backtracked to East Portal - there were a LOT more bicycles now - and rode down the mountain to the I-90 valley, swung right and climbed back up via a rough secondary forest road. We detoured up a short jeep track to the rail bed and shortly found ourselves at the abandoned trestle.


The guys checking out the Big Drop to the road and creek below. The trees are to be admired for their stamina, but their choice isn't the best - 18 inches of ballast rock over concrete and 150 feet of air isn't the best soil for long life.


An old signal or something, ready to be taken home to hang in some vandal's garage. Please don't loot these old railway relics!


Me, Bob, Cris and Mike, left to right. I used a cool little mini-tripod and self timer to take this pic and a few others. It worked great.

After hiking the trestle, we ascended to the State Line Road and proceeded on rough, rocky primitive jeep road to 6000 foot Dominion Peak, the first great viewpoint of the ride. Generally you can count on the roads in the valleys to be graded, wash-boarded and dusty. As you climb they become rockier, narrow, brushy, and washed out, and by the time you reach 6000 feet you can plan on LOTS of loose rocks. Best riding technique here calls for a loose grip on the bar and a tight grip on the sphincter.


Cris cresting the rise to the summit...


followed by Bob....


and Mike.


Mike appears to be feeling the effects of the long ride from Everett on Friday.

Time for a break.....

John "spokanister"

[John E Davies]

OK, break over....

After enjoying the fine 360 degree view from Dominion Peak, the old lookout foundations and the informal memorial to a dead firewatcher, we descended back to the State Line Road and headed southeast to 6400 foot Crittenden Peak for lunch. The climb from the ridge road to the summit was long, loose and rocky, but everyone made it to the top without mishap. It was challenging but not dangerously so, a good way to add spice to a long ride.


Map of the South Part of the Big Ride. This is a WIDE pic - click here for a readable full-sized version:
http://www.spokanister.net/images_we...rt%20Track.jpg

We spent half an hour munching on snack bars and nuts and taking pictures. then descended the mountain and took the next road down toward the St Joe River. At 25 mph on loose rocks I was startled to see, about 30 feet in front of me, a buck with huge rack launch like a cruise missile out of the trees to my right, land once in the center of the road, and bound into the trees down slope. This is the reason for All The Gear, All The Time. ATGATT wouldn't prevent an antler tip from skewering my throat, but hopefully most of the rest of my body would be marginally protected. I muttered about half a dozen swear words, checked my crotch for leakage, and slowed down a little.

The Group Leader gets to see the Good Stuff. He also gets to carry Bear Spray and a Large Caliber Handgun....

Half way down the mountain we detoured onto a gated double track, officially posted "NO NO NO TRESSPASSING! THIS MEANS YOU IDIOT!" Well, the wording was quite different, with pretty symbols, but we really weren't supposed to be there. Having trespassed two weeks previously I knew there was no valid reason to keep us out - it was a delightful, deserted route.


Cris navigating the NO NO NO gate. It was a tight fit for the bigger bikes, and a potential knuckle buster.




Mike gets his big DR through the gap, with only a little trepidation. Yes Mike, this is the reason we install hand protection and wear padded gloves.




Bob cleans it, one point off for dabbing...

The No NO NO Road was smooth gravel with occasional rockfalls from the slopes above to make it interesting, lots of grass and wildflowers, and one very pissed off logger. He was there on Saturday lubing the log picker or something at the brand new logging site, and told us in no uncertain words to get the hell out! I said "Yessir!" and got out. I was really tempted to wait for the others to catch up and have all of us remove our helmets. I'm sure the sight of four middle aged codgers, with too much gray hair and bald pates, would have calmed him down. I expect he was concerned with moron ATV riders with too much beer and destruction on there dim minds.

The far gate was rather more difficult, with smashed down brush and a sharp drop-off on the right, lubricated by brush stems. I had to massage Mike's front tire a little with my boot to keep it from sliding downhill, but everyone made it through.

CAUTION: I have to suggest that if anyone wants to ride this track, you take the Bailout Route down to the St Joe and do not risk tangling with the humorless loggers on the NO NO NO Road.

We lingered at a nice fishing spot on the Scenic St Joe River and cooled off, and discussed loggers and the National Forest Service in general. We all agreed that those side roads should be open to older Adventure RIders, but not to ATVs of any sort.

We cruised paved NF-50 along the St Joe for two miles, then peeled off back up the mountain along another old rail bed - this one with slick-as-marbles pea gravel that made the turns challenging. The rail bed petered out about half way up the mountain and we road increasingly rough and rocky roads back up to the State Line Road, to begin the return portion back to camp.

The SLR, also known as NF-391, extends along the crest of a loooong ridge that runs along the ID/ MT border. The section open to motorized traffic extends about 40+ miles, rarely dropping below 5500 feet. It's mostly heavy forest, but occasional clear cuts with "Grizzly Heaven" huckleberry fields allow gorgeous views of the St Joe Valley to the west. It's in this area two weeks ago that we spotted a fresh, dinner plate sized Brown Bear track overlaying a recent ATV track in the dust. Time to tighten sphincters another notch and start scanning the hillsides....

We rode along the SLR about 30 minutes, then descended a rough secondary track toward camp, stopping at the Adair Trailhead for the bike path. There we checked out yet another tunnel, and as we watched a teenaged cyclist came pedaling out of the darkness and his left crank arm fell off onto the road. He spent 10 minutes looking for the bolt, and finally found it back in the tunnel.

After hammering the crank arm back in place with a rock, he asked for a wrench to tighten the bolt, but he wasn't willing to wait two minutes for me to finish refueling Bob's Kawasaki, which was down to teaspoons of fuel. Dimwit kid - he rode off with the bolt loose. The crank was probably already ruined anyway....


Bob passes the wildflowers lower down, near camp...


followed by Cris....


And Mike.

A mile from camp I encountered a young black bear, weighing about 300 pounds, who took one look at the strange goggly-eyed apparition approaching and fled up into the trees. I carefully looked around for Momma and saw nothing. We were lucky today!

It was after 4:00 pm and I was a little tired, so I made a fundamental mistake. I assumed that three large "WIRM Dual Sport" signs....

posted prominently at the campground entrance, as well as our familiar vehicles and motorcycles, would be enough clue to get everyone back to the campsite safely. So, I did not pause at the turnoff. Bob and Mike soon appeared, parked their bikes and took off their riding gear. After a few minutes I said "Where's Cris?" Rats, an emergency in the last five minutes of the ride - had the bear come back, or what?!!

I waited five more minutes, then geared up and slowly rode back up the three miles to Adair Trailhead, where I had last seen Cris. Then I rode back down, slower, standing up, searching the bushes along the drop-offs to the creek below. I knew that if he had slid off an embankment, I might not see much sign of it except a tire track. Worried, I go back to camp to find Cris chatting with the others, apologetic for having cruised on by the camp.

I learned my lesson - in a group ride, it ain't over until it's over - never assume anything!

We all sat and re-hydrated and talked, then Cris headed off to stay with his family in St Maries, about 50 miles away. Then as darkness approached, up rode Dick "The Tourist" on his well broken-in TransAlp, covered with travel patches, road rash, cracked plastic, and a nice watermelon for desert.

Dick worked in these mountains for decades with the Forest Service, and has forgotten more stuff than I will ever know about them. He also likes race cars, and we talked well into the darkness about Pro Rally, ice racing, and hot cars in general.

The next morning Dick accepted a ride invitation, with the caveat that he "rides slow and falls a lot". That's fine with me. I ride faster and fall a lot, usually while at a dead stop....it's along way to the ground from a KTM saddle.


Map of the Optional I-90 Loop. For a big readable version click here:
http://www.spokanister.net/images_we...OP%20Track.jpg

We repeated the first part of the previous day's ride up over Roland Summit, but this time we continued straight down to the valley floor and turned left instead of right, following yet another old rail bed that paralleled a power line and the main gravel road and also the Interstate. Crossing under the freeway, we started climbing on the rail bed, which meant 50 + mph on some of the straights, keeping moose and deer hazards in mind. We crossed back under the Interstate and climbed to the abandoned tunnel pictured in the "Railroad Nirvana" ride report


Detail map of the confusing underpasses. The gps isn't much good - it's all a mass of conflicting lines and new highway construction.


Me, Dick, Bob and Mike at the tunnel entrance.

Riding through, over the rough broken up road surface, we emerged onto more smooth gravel and zoomed five more miles up the mountain to Lookout Pass, where I-90 crosses the border into Idaho. At the ski resort we rode to the other end of the vast parking lot, looking for more rail bed, and encountered a frenzied crane operator who shouted at us and told us to piss off! You have to wonder what these guys are so freaked out about....

The skies were darkening and I could smell rain, so we decided to head back home. We rode back down the rail bed, pausing for a photo opportunity at a pretty rock fall. This is why we slow for blind corners....


Mike goes through the gap. Keep your head UP Mike! The rock you stare at is the one that will bite!


Bob rides through.


And The Tourist.

The return to camp over rocky Bullion Pass was uneventful, other than my nearly overshooting an off-camber blind 90 degree turn. The sphincter tightens yet again.

We stopped at the river intersection where the Old River Road and the new Moon Pass Road go down to Avery., We admired a new Polaris RZR ATV and talked to the proud owner, who hopped in and proceeded to spin wild doughnuts in the middle of the road, a common practice for these hoodlums. He happily told us all about the accessories he was going to add, but he got befuddled by amps and watts when I asked about the charging system. That is one cool little wanna-be jeep. I could live with one, if I could ever get a plate for it (forbidden in Washington, common as dust in Idaho).


Yeah, I can see doing that on a jeeplet with a 77 inch wheelbase.... NOT!


Map of the Optional Avery Tunnel Ride.

Since Mike had ridden these tunnels on his way up from the river Friday night, and Bob had done them Friday afternoon, and The Tourist was an old hand at this stuff, there wasn't much point duplicating their rides, so we headed back to camp and lunch, leaving the RZR owner to his spins. No wonder the roads in the valleys are so dusty....

We broke camp, re-attached saddlebags and sprockets, and said our goodbyes.

Great rides, great riders! Next year!

Oops - almost forgot... the DATA:

GARMIN format (version 3)
http://www.spokanister.net/GPS_Data/2007%20Avery%20Tunnel%20Ride%20Combined%20Tracks.g db

GPX Format:
http://www.spokanister.net/GPS_Data/2007%20Avery%20Tunnel%20Ride%20Combined%20Tracks.g px

John "spokanister"

[Duscherck]

Great report..thanks!!

[Gadget Boy]

Looks like a good time!! Thanks for the report and pics

[Bgunn]

Nice report and pics !! What kind of tires was the Dakar driver using?

[Nightstalker]

Fantastic report!! I wish I had still been in Montana, I would have loved to join you guys!