Second Jedediah Smith Trail 1824 — 1826

Day 16: September 6th, 2010 Hamilton — Idaho Falls

Map Hamilton to Idaho Falls

Originally, I planned to get up earlier today. But I was not awake before seven in the morning. While checking out, I have the chance to talk with the employee for a little while because he has trouble with the computer. He was stationed in Munich with the army and he is also interested in the old beaver hunters. So we have with Jedediah Smith a nice basis for our conversation. But I must get moving.

He thinks that “The Kitchen” should be already open at this time. Great, then I will have breakfast there. Thanks to my GPS, I find it without any searching around. But unfortunately, they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Otherwise, they would have been open from 8am! Such a bummer! And I have asked the guy before!

So I drive back to Perkins. To my surprise, the breakfast is quite okay. After breakfast I continue to the next gas station. The sign says $2.869. But this is the price if you pay cash! And my credit card doesn’t work again at the pump. Therefore I drive on. Screw them!

Highway 93/N 1st St, Hamilton, MT

Highway 93, MT

At the city limits is a big Exxon. Then I will get my gas there! There, also the price is right and around half past ten I am eventually back on the road — instead of my planned seven in the morning!

Highway 93, Darby, MT

Highway 93, MT

First I drive on Highway 93 through Darby.

Highway 93, MT

Highway 93, East Fork Bitterroot River, MT

Highway 93, MT

Highway 93, East Fork Bitterroot River, MT

Highway 93, MT

Edwards Rd, MT

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, MT

On this highway, I continue up to the exit for Gibbons Pass. First, I start driving without low range. But then everything starts to warm up quickly.

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, MT

Therefore I put in 4Lo and behold, everything stays cool. Only at extremely steep inclines, I manually turn on the fan, just to be sure. So the temperature stays below 220 degrees most of the time, whereas I must admit that the outside temperature is around 40 degrees.

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, Gibbons Pass, MT

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, MT

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, Trail Creek, MT

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, MT

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, Trail Creek, MT

FR106/Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd, MT

Highway 43, MT

So I arrive at Gibbons Pass just past noon. There, they have placed a restroom this year. This hasn’t been there last year! Then I take a video of the pass sign. While doing this, a RV passes me. Wow, this guy has courage to drive down this small road. If there is oncoming traffic, they all must back up for several miles until they find a turnout big enough…

But that’s none of my business. I continue driving in the other direction. There are no more steep inclines. Finally, I arrive again at the plain, which already fascinated me years ago: I am at an altitude of more than 6500ft and have a huge plain in front of me! The views are again picturesque and with plenty of sunshine, I am able to catch some nice shots. But it is still pretty chilly. The temperatures do not rise above 50–60 degrees. Way too fast I am on Highway 43. But there I am able to gain some time.

Highway 43, MT

At Wisdom I turn onto Highway 278.

Highway 278, MT

Skinner Meadows Rd, MT

Also on Highway 278 I am able to gain some time. Just past Jackson I turn onto Skinner Meadows Road. This one follows the old Nez Perce Trail and this way also the trail of Jedediah Smith. This was once Blackfoot country and very dangerous for the hunters back then. But they made it to the next pass, the Lemhi Pass, without any problems.

FR181/Skinner Meadows Rd, MT

But for me, my travel continues further on forest roads and into the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest.

FR181/Bloody Dick Rd, MT

FR181 takes me through a thick forest, before I reach again an open plain.

FR181/Bloody Dick Rd, MT

Brenner Rd, Bloody Dick Creek, MT

Lemhi Pass Rd, MT

Lemhi Pass Rd, Trail Creek, MT

Lemhi Pass Rd, MT

Finally, I also make it up to Lemhi Pass, without using 4Lo. The inclines are not so extreme and it is cool enough outside.

Lemhi Pass, State Line MT and ID

Lewis and Clark Hwy, ID

Up at the pass, I take some nice pictures. Then I drive downhill. But this drive is really tough! The descend is so steep that I must even hit the brakes in first gear because at 4000rpm I get worried about my engine! The maximum revolution is only 4500rpm! And the road is again such a terrible washboard road. This was also the case on the other forest roads along the Nez Perce Trail. This is something that really annoys my while traveling on the backroads. These roads literally take your truck apart! But I have no other choice, I must get through this now!

Highway 28, ID

The rest of the drive is without any issues. Finally I arrive at the end and drive a short distance on Old Highway 28. There, a mother with her son drive their cattle along the road. Well–behaved, I stop at the side of the road to let them easily pass my truck. Then I drive on. Well, I am now in Idaho!

Highway 28, ID

Highway 28, Leadore, ID

Highway 28, ID

Highway 33, Mud Lake, ID

Highway 33, ID

On Highway 28 I start to make good miles. Only the starting headwind gives my poor old truck a very hard time. Sometimes my truck is not even able to keep up 55mph on slight inclines. And my gas gauge also does not show too much gas left. But I don’t want to stop now at a gas station, because my arrival would be even more late. So I try to save gas with my driving style — and because there is not really much traffic around, I can easily go slow with only 55mph.

Finally I reach Highway 33 at Mud Lake and continue in direction of I–15.

I–15, ID

Eventually I arrive at the Interstate. Also there I try to step back from the pedal and drive only approximately 63mph. So I make it all the way to Idaho Falls with enough gas left in the tank. Unfortunately, I got such terrible migraine from the high altitude, that I am totally knocked out. In my room, I take an Ibuprofen with a lot of water. Then I drive over to the Outback Steakhouse. In my current condition, the Texas Roadhouse is now too far away. And if the Outback should be already closed (there was a story to read about last year…) then I will go to Applebee’s which is on my way back.

But there are even a couple of guests still at the Outback. So my dinner is safe. My server is also very attentive. But due to my headaches, I am barely able to eat my dinner completely. Finally I drive back to my motel. There I just erase my video card and copy the pictures of today. Then I go to bed. I am totally done. My headaches are killing me. Just to be sure, I use my ear plugs that I will be definitely able to sleep tonight…

The next day is in preparation…

Sights
Gibbons Pass
Lemhi Pass

General
Breakfast: Perkins, Hamilton
Dinner: Outback Steakhouse, Idaho Falls
Motel: Motel 6, Idaho Falls
Distance: 297 miles

Go back to day 15

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