Rocky Mtns 🇺🇸

KittyTreks

Road tripping on a motorcycle thru the northern Rocky Mountains during an unprecedented heat wave. Journal links provide an animated route for each day.

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itinerary

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Lakeview, Westwood, Adin, Canby, Forest Ranch, Sacramento

Day 1 Itinerary

Places visited: East Sacramento - Hwy 32 - Lake Almanor Rest Area - Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox - The Oney Frosty In Town - Roadside - Hwy 20 - Best Western Skyline Motor Lodge - Eagles Nest Food & Spirits

East Sacramento

Preparing for departure

Day 1

Hwy 32

Lake Almanor Rest Area

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox

The Oney Frosty In Town

The Fireburger wasn’t spicy, but it was flavorful, juicy, and delicious. It was one fantastic burger! Med and Large were huge shakes - Small would have been a better choice.

Roadside in Canby

It seems that Christian holidays “can be” a big deal in this town. There were some other structures that looked like an inn and barn with a manger.

Hwy 20

Hitchhikers

We drove through a swarm and several didn’t survive

Eagles Nest Food & Spirits

$7.50 for 2 beers!

Lakeview, Boise, Denio, Winnemucca, Princeton, Burns, Fields, Ontario, Roseburg

Day 2 Itinerary

Places visited: Warner Canyon Ski Area - Crane Creek Ranch - Hwy 205 - Denio - Fields Station General Store - Steens Mountain - Oard's Gallery & Museum - Onion Capital

Warner Canyon Ski Area

Day 2

Crane Creek Ranch

Hwy 205

southeast Oregon

Steen Mtn - in search of the elusive wild mustang

Denio

Quick stop for relief and refreshment

Fields Station General Store

Stop for gas and water. The second of which supplied by a hand pump.

Steens Mountain

Lots of this today…

Oard's Gallery & Museum

Stop for gas and a lunch of apples, cheese and meat sticks. Soaked our shirts and wet our hair to help keep cool in the 103 degree heat.

Onion Capital

Onions! Also wheat, potatoes, and corn for miles and miles

Boise, Nampa, Caldwell

Day 3 Itinerary

Places visited: Boise - Alondra's Restaurant - July 4th

Boise

Unlike California, the park was green and clean - not overrun by urban campers, the river was full - not well below capacity, and the capital was accessible - not fenced and guarded by police.

Alondra's Restaurant

Not many places were open, but we found a family run business

July 4th

People gathered on the green, ate, drank, visited, played, and danced (all unmasked) for hours and the sunset was like a warmup act for the main event. Smaller fireworks displays started about 8:30pm and continued well past midnight, visible 360 degrees around us at all times. Our show was a 25-minute spectacular set to music. We could feel the heat of the “fireballs” and the boom of the rockets. What a show!

McCall, Garden Valley, Banks, Cascade, Lowman

Day 4 Itinerary

Places visited: Boise National Forest - WildLife canyon Scenic Byway - Middle Fork Trading Post - Idaho Transportation Department Maintenance Station - State Hwy 55 - Salmon River Brewery - Payette Lake

Boise National Forest

We headed south from Boise to catch the scenic road to get to our destination

WildLife canyon Scenic Byway

Amazing rock formations along the river

Middle Fork Trading Post

A quick stop for some refreshments

Idaho Transportation Department Maintenance Station

Yikes! The traffic was staggering - fortunately most of it was going the other way

State Hwy 55

MILES of cars… going the other way. The white water went for miles too. The alpine meadow was reminiscent of Europe.

Salmon River Brewery

This guy was bar tending, serving tables, and selling gear. Seriously understaffed because the government is now paying people to NOT work.

Payette Lake

A dip in the water followed by a nap on the grass. Later, drinks and a small bite overlooking the lake.

Route video

McCall

Day 5 Itinerary

Places visited: Ponderosa State Park - Shore Lodge McCall

Ponderosa State Park

We rented e-bikes to explore Payette Lake. The views were spectacular all around. We brought lunch, rested and swam before heading back. It was a longer day than we planned, so a cold beer was a welcome refreshment st the end. At the north point of the lake, stay on the road. You cannot get back to it along the beach!