Day 22: Day two of no service

Start: Wilderness Gateway campground

End: Lochsa lodge

Distance: 40.48 miles

Elevation: 1342 ft

Day Two of no phone service or food options. All food to eat, must be on the bike.

Arriving last night into Wilderness Gateway (so named because guides and hikers start from here to enter Selma wilderness area), I was fixing some Ramen when I forgot to remove a plastic cup one the bottom of the small cook pan. Picture is of the plastic burning. I know I am not the first to do this (Shane. 😊). Hahah, I screwed that up!

I had a good nights sleep, and started off packing. I have come to realize that my tent is not good on condensation there is not enough vent capability, so each morning I have to dry the fly cover, which is time consuming. 

I am ready to ride at 10 am, weather is blue sky and sunny, no wind. Lovely day. Today’s goal is 40 miles away. Challenges will be restocking water bottles. Not all campgrounds are open. Campgrounds have water. Other challenge is to make sure I eat enough during the day.

Scenery, is more beautiful river. This is rafters paradise and the river is running full. I come to Three Rivers (video) where the Selma River joins with the Lochsa River to create the Clearwater River.

I continue riding along the Lochsa river for the next many miles. The Selma comes out of the backcountry, no road access further up the Selma in the wilderness area.

The Lochsa river looks like it is for river day runners, for the a portable message board says to watch out for Rafters next 22 miles. I would imagine this place will be full of associated vehicles for all the rafting put ins and takeouts. My day was coming to an end, I was running out of energy when I saw that the Lochsa Lodge was open! It has a restaurant! Happy time. This was unexpected, most businesses had been closed so far. I pull in, find out where to camp, enjoy the best $10 shower and saunter in to have dinner. Perfect. However my selection for tent could have been better. Right next to a Sinclar gas sign. But it was the flattest area next to a tree to lean my bike against. Even so, I still slept great. Bike riding does have its benefits.