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Published: November 5th 2021
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The road from Pierce to Wallace is one of the best known sections of the Idaho route. Everyone does it. Access is easy from either end. It is very beautiful, with creeks and forest and old railway lines and mountain villages. North of Pierce I faced the usual mix of gravel and track, ridge and climb, drop and turn, getting closer to the North Fork of the Clearwater and the Dworshak reservoir. The best part was the signs for the bridge over the river -- known as the Grandad bridge -- pointing for Grandad to go here, or there. I instinctively obeyed. As with previous reservoirs, this one seemed over half gone, with multiple sand rings circling the lake from the line of forest down to the water. All of the reservoirs were affected by the drought. The track continues North through the forest out of nowhere pops a little cabin -- painted blue as the sky -- and named Blue Heaven. It was built for riders to use as they needed. Equipped with kitchen, bunk beds and an outhouse, it's a shelter in a storm should you run into trouble. It is located about half way through the day's ride,
most of the bikes on the trail that day landed there at the same time.
The road North winds through the forest when of a sudden, rounding a turn, one enters a grove of ancient trees. The Land Board Park, created by the state of Idaho, protects this grove of cedars which include one monster, the Jordan Tree, said to be over 1000 years old. They were so old, but they looked perfectly healthy and stable, hidden in the middle of the evergreen forest. May they last another 1000. I could have spent a lot more time there.
The road runs right through the forest that burned in the famous Great Fire of 1910. One crosses the much discussed St Joe river and reaches the town of Avery -- once on the Milwaukee Road railroad line (full name was the "Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad") , and still sporting a carriage in the town park. The railroad served as a lifeline for citizens escaping the Great Fire of 1910. Eventually one gets to Placer Creek. It was along here that Forest Service ranger Ed Pulaski saved 45 fire fighters by taking them into an abandoned mine
tunnel to shelter from the flames. There is now a trail to the tunnel and a memorial to their efforts to fight the fire. While he managed to save a few lives, many men perished fighting the blaze.
Avery took a hit from the fire, and has been rebuilt. Wallace on the other hand escaped intact. Most of the brick buildings in Wallace date from the early 20th century. The wide streets give the town a pioneer feel, and it appears to be finding new life as a tourist destination (just off I-90). It felt great to be in civilization again. I ate at a fine restaurant and slept in the 120 year old Brooks Hotel, which has seen better days but was fun to be in.
Days Travel - Pierce ID to Wallace ID - 134 mi
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Tot: 0.105s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 11; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0763s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
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