State route 71 from Brownlee Dam to Cambridge ID. Today: 30 miles. Total miles: 557. Beautiful sunny weather, blue sky, 75 degrees. Elevations: Brownlee Dam ID: 2074′ Cambridge ID: 2650′ Total ascent: 3100’ Total descent: 2800’ Max speed 35 mph
Route 71 is an amazing winding, curvy, up and down road from Brownlee Dam to Cambridge – many switchbacks, especially approaching the summit of the pass, no shoulder, little traffic. Jeanne used the tow-haul and pack brake almost all the way pulling the trailer up to meet me at the Gateway Cafe, 6 miles into today’s ride. We ended up having lunch instead of breakfast, due to the time change. Thought it was an hour earlier, when it was actually an hour later and breakfast no longer being served. So, lunch it was! Great hamburgers and milkshakes at the Gateway Cafe!
More beautiful scenery – high rolling mountainous hills along the Snake River for the first 4-5 miles, then along the East Brownlee Creek to the Summit, then along the Pine Creek almost all the way to Cambridge. Mostly farms and ranches, cattle and horses.
Cambridge is a small town of 360 people with 3 restaurants, a general store and a few other businesses and lots of young adults riding around in their “unmufflered” trucks on this Friday night!
Camped in a little bicycle park on the west side of town at the suggestion of a couple of its neighbors across the street. Has a pavillion with picnic tables and 4 electric outlets (can charge our computers), bathrooms, and a water spigot. Set up by the town for bicyclists passing through Cambridge. As it turned out, this was a noisy spot due to the large youth gathering a block away from the park with a party that went well into the early morning hours. It was suggested that we move early on Saturday morning as a Farmers Market would be taking over the bicycle park. Turns out the farmers market consisted of one vendor with a small outlay of produce.
Old Timers’ Weather Rock at the Bicycle Park
The Weather Rock
Bicycle Park in Cambridge ID
Jim with Wade Spain, Detective with Boise PD, Blake and Shelby Spain and their cute doxies!
Along the Brownlee Reservoir
Idaho’s beautiful countryside
Horse farm country
Proof that I’m really climbing all these passes!
Recent motorcycle accident on this curvy road.
Quote for the day: “Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile and a grateful heart.” Zig Ziglar
