I agree with Jacinto that twisty means hills, which are fun. Unfortunately, twisty might also means a lot of blind curves. I hope Highway 3 will be a highlight for you too, and for the right reasons. It will be straighter down there and I wouldn't worry too much about the logging trucks. They're all over the northwestern states and the drivers seem to know what they're doing, unlike a lot of auto drivers coming from who knows where.

I'm not surprised at the scarcity of places to stay on Highway 3. I was counting on a couple of National Forest campgrounds along the way or, as a last resort, wild camping.

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of route you're putting together and, of course, reading your journal about it.

We were originally going on the west side of the lake to stay at the CDA casino, which would have put us on the bad road going into St Maries. Jacinto took note that the road on the east side was twisty, which must mean more climbing. He wanted the east side! We found a place to stay in Harrison, so that worked out. The only lodging I could find after that was Airbnb’s. One woman warned me about logging trucks on Highway 3, which is what I was digging around looking for. I’m hoping Highway 3 will be a highlight of the trip for the right reasons!

Yes, I had been looking forward to Highway 3, that is, until I got bad reports from Marilyn Swett and that guy at Hells Gate State Park about scary cycling conditions on the roads north and west of St. Maries. Add to that, there was an active forest fire somewhere to the east of Santa and I didn't want to get into any more smoke than I already had. I guess I just chickened out.

Anyway, I think Highway 3 south of St. Maries would have been quite pretty and not so busy.

You are sure correct about CDA being a tourist town! I've just booked us for our summer tour. The Super 8, up by the interstate intersection was $150. Best Western $250., down by the lake, $400. We ended up at the Budget Saver, where Wayne Estes stayed, for $109.

I'm mining through your journal, trying to find mention of Highway 3 from Harrison to Santa, and Deary. It appears that was on your original plan, but you didn't go that way? Would you have any intel for me on Highway 3?

I agree with you that those big-arse campers are not camping - they are simply parking somewhere. It is very sad that that is what people now consider 'camping'. I do remember that in MT and ID you had to remember that they a big arse vehicle like that would be likely towing something behind the main trailer and so you had to not move back to the lane too quickly.

The sleeping bag people noted your concerns about comfort vs survival ratings. The bag I bought in 2017 shows a temp range from t-comfort to t-limit. It's a 15F bag and says comfort is down to 28F, transition is 27 to 16F and limit is 15F with "risk" below 15F. I'm a cold sleeper and a 15F bag on its own keeps me warm to about 37F - if I add various layers, I'm comfy to about 30F. I am too wimpy these days to camp when the low forecast is below about 25F (and we don't generally get anything below that here anyway).

And I love the pic of the reflective bike tyres by the tent. I ride Continental tyres too, after a very disappointing experience with the supposedly great Schwalbe Marathons, and your pic is why I lay my bike down when I'm wild camping :-) Don't really want to advertise my presence and that is like saying LOOK RIGHT HERE!!!!

Hope you, the Feeshko and Diggity had a safe trip home and the pasties in Butte (?) were fantastic on the way.

Thanks for another great journal, Greg! Looked like G-2 was also having fun!

That sure is one devoted dog! Thanks for taking us to the moon, Greg.

Another great journal Greg.

Great tour! Thanks for the cool photos!

I agree with Andrea.

Looks like a match for dwarf buckwheat with a little fleabane/aster nested in there.

https://wickershamsconscience.wordpress.com/2020/09/29/field-notes-craters-of-the-moon/

https://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+1115+3808

What an amazing spot!

Great photo!

She'll have to pry that jersey off of my cold, dead torso.

Wow! You look like twins.

And a Vicious Mosquito! Plenty of calories in that.