Day 15-Powell, ID (Lochsa Lodge) to Lowell, ID-66.21 miles

After breakfast at the Lochsa Lodge in Powell, we pushed off for Lowell. This trip promised to be downhill the entire way. The downhill wasn’t a coasting downhill. We had to pedal, but in most places it was pretty easy to go 14 or 15 mph. In fact, our overall average was 12.7, by far our best average so far this trip. The road was a curvy one; right and left…time after time…following the Lochsa River. The river was a rough, with a good deal of white water and it was always on our left. To the right, most of the way, were high cliffs with a brook every hundred feet or so rushing down the cliff, under the roadway, and into the Lochsa River. Add to that, the sheer beauty of being completely surrounded by mountains and one has the making for a very enjoyable ride. Even Captain Lewis mentioned the awe-inspiring beauty of seeing mountains in every direction, even though it was these very mountains that caused the expedition so much hardship. We went down as far as Wilderness Gate Campground, a National Forest campground about 26 miles short of Lowell and kicked around the idea of stopping there, but we decided to continue on to Lowell. The beauty and downhill ride continued on in to Lowell. We stopped first at the Wilderness Inn for a 3:00 p.m. lunch and then crossed the river to the Three Rivers Resort to spend the remainder of the afternoon and night. With a pool and hot tub just across from our tent, we didn’t have any problem using up the afternoon and evening hours. It was a delightful 66 mile ride and a relaxing afternoon.

-clarkwheel

Student question: The word Lochsa (in the Lochsa River) is a Nez Perce Native American word meaning what? Hint: It translates into 2 English words and I used them both in the narrative above.