Cricket Massacare

Brownlee Reservoir, Cricket, Ace Saloon & Hotel

I'm now in New Meadows, ID close to both Tamarack and Brundage ski areas (doing recon for winter). Slipped out of OR via Hells Canyon early Monday morning to avoid the heat, incredible scenery that I really didn't know existed. Stopped by the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. The surrounding hills are scarred with wagon wheel ruts. That story is pretty incredible. OR is truly amazing! The climb out of the canyon into ID passing the Brownlee Reservoir which is made by damming the Snake river was brutal. Made it to Council, ID yesterday and opted to get a room above the Ace Saloon, first bed of the trip and as it was above a saloon....you know what that means. Pretty funny banter in the bar as many of the patrons had passed my on motorcycles or RVs during the day. The motorcycles wave to me and the RV folks sometimes feed me at various stops. Okay, The Cricket Massacre.....descending into Cambridge, ID yesterday it was really hot and a sun shower came which was great but the sun shower brought out the largest crickets I've ever seen. To begin with I tried to avoid them partially cause I didn't really want to kill them but primarily because I was scared they would take me down (very skinny tires). Really no way to avoid them and every time I squashed one I ended up with cricket juice on my legs, pretty disgusting. First flat tire yesterday, front. Knee is doing much better, thanks for the advice. I'll end up in White Bird, ID later today...roughly another 70 miles so I think today is the first day I'll break 100 miles. Tomorrow will start off with a terrible 2500'ft climb to Grangeville and from there pretty much uphill to Missoula. Lots of hot springs along the way which I think is helping my knee. The people along the way are turning out to be most interesting and unique part of the trip. Oh, if it's going to happen it'll most certainly be a log truck not an ice cream truck :)