First Jedediah Smith Trail 1822 — 1824

Day 28: September 12th, 2009 Montpelier — Idaho Falls

Map Montpelier to Idaho Falls

Just past seven in the morning I wake up. But it takes me until half past seven before I am able to crawl out of bed. I pack all my stuff together and put it in my car. Outside, they are busy like hell due to the market. I check out and drive again over to the truck stop. A hitchhiker sits at the entrance and asks, if I am heading east. Not yet, currently I am driving north…

Highway 89/Washington St, Montpelier, ID

For breakfast, I have my usual American Breakfast and receive again a very good service. Also the food is very good with a great bacon. I pay and drive back to town. Unfortunately, my trail starts at the other end of town. Therefore I must again work my way through the city. A large number of flaggers are on the road — and into the bargain, it seems that a bicycle race is also running through town. This causes me to be blocked again. Then I am allowed to proceed. But there are a whole bunch of bicycle riders oncoming on the other side of the road. Anyhow, I soon turn onto Bern Rd and leave all the traffic and hectic behind me.

Bern Rd, Bear River, ID

Turkey Vulture, Bern Rd, ID

Bern Rd, ID

Lower Bern Rd/Pescadero Rd, ID

Lower Bern Rd/Pescadero Rd, ID

Lower Bern Rd/Pescadero Rd, ID

Now I am passing ranch houses and drive along Bear River.

Nounan Rd, ID

Nounan Rd, ID

Nounan Rd, ID

Nounan Rd, ID

Nounan Rd, Bear River, ID

Nounan Rd, ID

Nounan Rd, ID

Nounan Rd, ID

On Nounan Road, I continue following the Bear River course.

S Main St, Soda Springs, ID

Only once I am forced to drive a detour due to private property. Then I arrive at Soda Springs. But I am not able to leave Soda Springs on my originally planned road.

China Cap Rd, ID

China Cap Rd, ID

China Cap Rd, ID

China Cap Rd, ID

Dike Rd, Blackfoot Reservoir, ID

Government Dam Rd/N 3rd St E, ID

Anyways, I am soon back on my backroad. Now I am passing the Blackfoot Reservoir and follow the Blackfoot River.

Lincoln Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, Corral Creek, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Lincoln Creek Rd, ID

There I am again in a National Forest and therefore able to follow the course of the river very well. But you only have the real good views if you follow the short 4WD spur roads to the bluff. There I have the chance to get many picturesque shots. The river has cut here deeply into the lava stones. In some places, it is 300ft deep, if not even more. This is all very impressive.

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, ID

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Trail Creek Rd, ID

Wolverine Rd/Blackfoot River Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Backroad, Blackfoot River, ID

While I am driving on the gravel road, two hikers in shorts and without shirt approach me. First I start to wonder. But then, one of them waves to me: They are a party of four and have done a kayak trip down the river. Unfortunately, they have forgotten to take the car key for the car with them, which they parked at their destination before. And now they must hike all the way back.

When looking at my laptop, this show me, these are probably a couple of miles. But how shall I take them with me, everything is stuffed here with my laptop and equipment. One of them suggests, that they could ride on the roof top. But my roof rack carrier is only holding up on small plastic pieces. I doubt that would be stable enough.

But I make the suggestion, if they would like to try to get into my trunk and on top of my suitcase. They are both young and skinny, so they give it a try — and it works!

Anyways, it is a bit uncomfortable. But they are both super happy, that they don’t have to hike all the way back. Just when we arrive at their parked car, another car arrives, who also took one of their friends with him in the trunk. They say thank you, then I am driving back. This operation has now cost me almost half an hour. When I am back on the starting point, it probably sums up to almost an hour. But therefore I was able to help them out.

When continuing my drive, they catch me up again, because I make plenty of stops for pictures. Then they leave the road to get to the point, where they have left their canoes. When I pass them, they wave at me again. I continue my drive and take plenty of pictures from this fascinating landscape. This reminds me on my drive along the Snake River, when this river also went through lava stones. There I have taken similar pictures. Finally, they pass me again, this time with two cars. The Jeep from Arkansas is carrying the canoes and the car from Idaho Falls is just a regular passenger car.

Wolverine Rd/Blackfoot River Rd, ID

Wolverine Rd/Blackfoot River Rd, ID

Wolverine Rd/Blackfoot River Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Wolverine Rd, ID

Wolverine Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Wolverine Rd, Blackfoot River, ID

Wolverine Rd, ID

The road takes me further along the Blackfoot River, finally on pavement. But I am still traveling on smaller roads. Not before I reach the area of Blackfoot, I must drive a detour due to private property.

Thompson Ln, Blackfoot River, ID

Thompson Ln, ID

Thompson Ln, Blackfoot River, ID

S Mitchell Rd, ID

Finally, I am back on my planned road and it takes me into a nature area. First, the road is just a regular gravel road. But suddenly, it turns into sand. I put in 4LO and work my way through. By looking at my software, I can roughly see where the road should run.

Now I am again on a 4WD Trail, where I have never thought, I will end up today — and especially at this time of day didn’t wanted to be!

But I have now no other choice. Anyhow, the “road” doesn’t run like it is shown in my software. Therefore, I wander around a bit until I am able to find an exit point for this area. As crowning accomplishment, I must pass two small hills, which I would have not been able to drive over without my lift kit. But so, I am just able to make it.

But back on the road, I am still not able to travel in my planned direction, because a “Road Closed“ sign shows that the road will end soon. Therefore I must turn around again. At the property, where I am turning around, are placed huge signs stating: “No Towing, No Phone”

I must smile: It seems like there have been a lot of other people got stuck on these hills and the residents were getting annoyed to pull them out all the time.

Riverton Rd, ID

I get around this area and arrive on small paved roads in Blackfoot — and also leave it again to reach the confluence of the Snake and Blackfoot River.

W 500 S/Ferry Butte Rd, Snake River, ID

W 500 S/Ferry Butte Rd, Snake River, ID

Unfortunately, there is no good opportunity for stopping. Therefore I just let the video camera run while crossing the bridge. Now I am driving back to Blackfoot and the Interstate. On my way back, I pass again the farmer, who needs the whole road with his tractor. He probably thinks, why this bloody Chevy is always traveling up and down this road…

Well, I have no other choice. I must reach my destinations somehow. Finally, I am on the Interstate and my software shows an arrival time of 6:29pm. That’s not too bad. This should be early enough to still find a room. The only problem could be, if they also have a major event like in Montpelier.

On the Interstate, I set my cruise control to 67mph. This way, I am still slower than the regular traffic with 75mph. But with all my setup I would kill my old truck, if I try to squeeze out 75mph all the time. Even these 67–68mph are already challenging, while they have been no problem in the past. You can tell this on inclines. But it still works out.

Interstate 15/Veterans Memorial Hwy, ID

Finally, I arrive in Idaho Falls. When I have already reached my motel I remember again how everything was laid out here. The restaurant just below was good with breakfast. This is where I plan to go to tomorrow. I check in and double check about the restaurant. She says, it is as good as always. Nothing has changed.

I receive a room on the upper level and again to the rear. It’s either, because I am late or because I have booked for a couple of days. All in all, I will stay here for three days. I put my stuff into the room. Then I do my bookkeeping. While doing this, I listen to my Martina McBride CD. But somehow, my CD player hast lost its memory due to be shaken around and forgot, which was the last song I have been listening to. So I listen to the CD from the beginning again. It is a pretty good CD with almost all well known songs! I think, this was one of her first CDs.

When I have finished writing, I get ready for dinner. I look up again where the Outback Steakhouse was located. It is easy to find: Just one exit further down the Interstate. Then I must turn right for two times. Now it will show up on the left. Just to be sure, I also quickly program the coordinates into my GPS.

Around eight I leave my motel. There would also be a Texas Roadhouse. But this is three miles away and in the middle of Downtown. This I would only choose, if the Outback Steakhouse would be bad. This time, they are more busy than in 2007, when I have been there for the last time. When I arrive there, I start to remember. Beside me, there was only one other car in the parking lot back then.

My server Shaunna is very attentive and while my Coke is still a quarter full, I already receive the next one. Also the food arrives very fast, even too fast, because I was not yet able to finish my salad. Around a quarter to nine I pay and drive back to my motel. But somehow, I am not able to get back to the Interstate the same way, as I have arrived here. Now I am driving in the wrong direction. This reminds me, that I was also getting a bit lost back then, until I was able to find my way back to the motel.

Somehow, it eventually annoys me that I have no clock on my radio to see what time it is. Therefore I try to figure out how I can adjust this stupid radio. It seems, like this would only be possible with the remote control. But when I take a closer look I realize, that there is still the protective foil to the battery installed. Therefore I must have done this differently in the past. Then I figure out that it simply works by pressing the big dial knob. But this is something I have already tried in Pittsburgh and it didn’t worked out?!

Oh, well, main thing is that I have now a clock on my radio! Then I walk back to my room and quickly write a text message instead of an email. Using the laptop to send a text message is way more comfortable. Then I continue writing my diary before I get to my video tapes. After this, I download the picture from my camera, do a backup and then I fight again to get the ear plugs into my ear. Just before 1am I am eventually able to fall asleep…

The next day is in preparation…