Back to the Beginning

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The ride is over. I have now completed the daily entries, and am sending the completed blog of the trip out to friends who might be interested. To start at the beginning, go to the following link. One can then scroll through the days and the pictures. You may have to copy and paste it into your browser.

https://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/West-Virginia/Parkersburg/blog-1062394.html

The overall tour took a month, from Sept 7, 2021 when I left for Parkersburg WV, through Oct 7, 2021 when I flew back to Arlington VA. The first leg of the journey, across the country to Boise ID following US 50 for most of the way, took me 8 days and 2,700 miles (4,300 km). I then rested and returned to Durham NC for a family wedding celebration. Back in Idaho for the second leg I followed the dirt roads of the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route (IDBDR) from South to North, starting at the Nevada line and ending at the Canadian border. This took me from Sept 21 to Oct 2. The round trip from Boise covered 1,950 miles (3,115 km) and took 12 days. Riding the actual IDBDR route following the GPS from Jarbidge NV to Canada took 10 days and covered 1,460 mi (2,340 km).

I think my age may be beginning to show. I averaged some 340 miles per day on the highways and 145 miles per day on gravel. And by the end of the day I ended up too tired to blog. Or I ended up in a campground or small hotel where the internet was inaccessible. These days were the most liberating of the trip ! Only by stepping out of reach of the Immediate Grid do we see how heavily it weighs on our thoughts and actions.

Appreciate your thoughts and critiques -- send me your comments and thanks for coming with me.

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Photos

Grandad Bridge over the Dworshak Reservoir of the North Fork
of the Clearwater River