54 miles, we leave Hells Gate at 8 and have a nice slow start up highway 505. A lot more fields of wheat and peas along the way, Come to a T in the road and not sure which way to go as it is not marked. I ask a car that come along and the woman drivers says one way and the man in the back says the other way........so I go to the right and hope for the best as east is our general direction. A few miles along I come upon the Jasper coffee shop and they confirm that I am going in the correct direction. I have a coffee and read the local paper , good article about the Tour de France, then I am off to Cul de Sac, a very small town with just a gas station mini market. I meet Tom the Harley biker there outside and get his entire life's story of woe over a gatoraide while I wait for the crew. After 45 minutes, they don't show so I start up the Winchester grade myself. The sign says it is steep and 8 miles straight up. I make pretty good time and about 2 miles up I stop and call Suz as I have cell coverage back now. I spot a large female elk across the gorge feeding in a green field. Wish I had binoculars, but then for the weight I am glad that I don't. I continue up the hill in my lowest gear doing about 6-7 mph and I make one more stop in the shade of a big pine. Lucky there are no dogs along here as I could not outrun them, can't out ride my Shadow. Finally crest the top and see a cell tower so I know the climbing is over at least for awhile. I have a nice 7 miles on top of the mountain before coming into the small town of Winchester, Idaho. The campground is by a beautiful Lake and is in a stand of giant old forest pines. The pines give the air a fragrance of Christmas trees , all very pleasant with the view. Previous campers left some wood so I will make a fire tonight, it will be cool in the 40's. We go into town and find the pub for a beer and sandwich and chat with the locals and wait for the crew. They show up after another hour and we go to the campground only to return to the pub later for dinner. We make a fire later and relax, the climb was hard on some and we all retire early as it gets chilly. Really pretty sight in the mountains looking down on the lake.
Jim, Suz and Beau
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