The ride today from the small beach onthe river at Lowell to wemdover campsite was 60 miles of riding along the river lochsa through magnificent pine forests. This area reminds me s lot of Germanys black forest but this is far better! It was a cool day after last nights thunder. I was tired as I got no sleep on the beach as I was watching the rivet rise as the rain increased and a flash flood at 3am was looking on the cards..not good. I won't pitch on river banks again! I
HAD breakfast at a diner and headed off along the river, a 60 mile ride with nothing but trees river..
No water or food except what I carry. I would like to point out that its likely the trick driver who actually touched my left arm at about 50miles an hour when he had more space to pass than an aircraft carrier would need has a co k smaller than a female chipmonk. On the way I met Hayden from virginia riding west to Florence without a map. We chatted and he took some notes from my maps . I am still without phone as the deal I got in Portland for whatever reason isn't working on idaho. I've been washing in the river as I haven't seen a shower in to long a time and I'm starting to smell like a roadkill on a hot day! Big pass to climb in the morning so I'm off to bed.

The climb out of whitebird this morning was ok. My knees hurt. Lot so I took it slow and only used low gears. The view from the top is amazing and there are no cars on this road as they all get to climb up the new road..ha serves them all right!  The more I do these climbs the better o get at them. Mentally I am strong and I know I will beat every hill simply because I have no alternative but to prevail. I saw dear bouncing across the road in front of me...man they can jump! I went to the old battlefield at whitebird where the cavalry met the Indians. I could really see why the terrain was so important in the fight. I'm typing this in the subway shop in grangeville idaho where fat women with tatoos  and foods on cowboy hats are alll eating three times as much as I am. It's 11am and having done the days climb itts mostly flat for the rest of today. I don't feel like a foreigner here.
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Todays ride has been breathtakingly beautiful. Riding along the lochsa river with its dense pine forests and pure fast flowing water was more than special. Tonight I am camping right on a pure white sand beach right on the river at Lowell. I also got a new brooks saddle on hold for me to collect in missoulla any my thanks go to bear on vs planet for literally saving my arse! My cell network isn't covering me here..dunno why.the barmaid let me use her cell to call the bike shop so I should have no problem...hmm. 68miles of perfect cycling today and a big climb as well. Swimming in the river and sleeping on my own beach..paradise. tomorrow I'm off out into the wilderness as the 66mile ride has no water or services marked on the map at all...can't wait.

Do any of my good American friends following this blog have any clue why my cell network isn't working here? I bought a deal In Portland and the guy said it would cover me nationwide. I think it was at t or something. I'm paying $ 50 a month for this. Icant get any signal but locals here can no problem. Tim do you remember the guy who sold it me? Maybe he knows what I have to do? I am sure its some kind of mix up my side but I have no clue how to get connected again. Can't call them either. Round here I could send smoke signals I guess lol!

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So here I am at New meadows city park idaho...campo.g here tonight..I have a washroom WiFi power tocharge the phone and my own swings and rounabputs to play on lol!
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Sitting in the shade of the visitor info centre at council idaho. The heat is intense and I'm stopping a lot just to get out of the sun. The roads in idaho army as good as Oregon and the shoulders have potholes and loose shingle in places. I seem to attract butterflies and wasps today..as with women I prefer a butterfly lol! There are a lot of motor bikers here and the spirit of easy rider is alive in idaho. As we pass most of them wave or salute to say have a great ride and I wave back..those I have met have been good people. One pair of biker were amazed that I kept catching them up..even though they were stopping a lot..so am I lol! At the biker cafe I read the local paper..apparently porcupine is plentifull here and it carried a recipe for porcupine ha ha! My saddle has split and it is pinching my arse as I ride...eek...so I urgently need to get to a bike shop that sells brooks b17 champion saddles. The Issue cyclist I met today said there was one in Montana...just hope my arse will make it that far.

Halfway reminded me of switzerland

This is a rattlesnake on the road into hells canyon.
Small and dead but tonight my tent door is staying shut!

Baker city to hells canyon
I set off about 6am and followed the powder river along to a small place called halfway. Here I ate my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich in America. I had called into the store on my way out of baker city and bough food for the day. The day was mercifully cool for the mostpart and there was a very long downhill stretch early on in the day. I dealt with the climbs and felt strong having rested for a day yesterday. I made oxbow and followed the snake river along to the dam and then the Idaho state line. I headed for the first campsite on the lake but it was dirty and had no water so I carried on along hells canyon and caught up with some fishermen who had caught catfish. I pitched my tent right next to the lake in hells canyon after an 80 mile ride the latter half of whi ch was in extreme heat in the canyon. I went for a swim in the beautiful.lake a couple of times cooked my dinner and watched the sun set behind the canyon wall on the lake. Water on the rides is critical. I carry 4
Bottles and refilled them all twice on the ride. Tomorrow there is a hellish climb to get out of the canyon so I will start very early before the sun becomes to lethal. I saw my first rattlesnake today, a roadkill but it served to remind me they are definatly here!

I surprised this wild deer when I stopped for pee!

Catfish just caught on hells canyon

Crossing the state line into Idaho at the snake river

At the end of the hot ride into hells canyon I found this..I am sitting next to the mos beautiful lake..I jumped straight in and swam...my skin sizzles as it hit the water!  

Hells Canyon Idaho

HELLS CANYON IDAHO.

The climb out
OF HELLS canyon is ten miles long but I did it before the sun came up so avoided the heat. The downhill into Cambridge was real fun though! I met a rider called ed on the way down, he was riding from Yorktown to California. In Cambridge I stopped for Gatorade and peanut butter and met Phil from Australia who was riding from yorktown to AstoriA.

Some pictures from baker city today
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I a cool water bottle with a water filter built in at a hardware store in baker city. That's a weight off my mind as I can now drink stream water as I ride. They also serve great ice cream here so I treated myself. My Brookes saddle is stRting to crack so I thought I'd get one like this lol!

Useful info from the tourist info centre before tomorrows ride!

VIDEOS are on facebook as I couldn't get them up on you tube so if anybody wants to look who isn't already a friend just send me a friend request . Rolf riley.

This Jody whom I met in baker city in the restaurant. He spent time giving me pointers on the rides I have coming as he is very familier with them.
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Made it to baker city oregon
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Shots from along powder river

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This fantastic adventure continued today. I woke up to the sound of motorbikes leaving to go back to Denver..then set out in the direction of baker city. It turned out to be another tough ride as the heat of the day kicked in and I was faced with three passes of over 5000ft and an endless hunt for water. The scenery got better as the day went on and I followed
The powder river. I have learnt that the word pass is code for pain and torture on the climbs here lol! I met some ladies touring on trikes going to Idaho. I found water at a fire stTion but only after I drank it realized it was heavy with iron so I rode several miles to a campground to get clean water and decided to make baker city to.igjt. the climbs are hard on my knees but the downhills are amazing! They go on for miles and miles. I saw lamas and longhorn cows . In baker city I met a great guy who is riding in the races here this week. Jody gave me lots of cool riding tips and a free floorspace to sleep on in his motel. I ate a tuna salad..well two actually as this was the first fresh salad I have found so far. This place is so cool and the people I meet are all so friendly. Why can't it be like this in the UK?