A short day today...only 555 miles. My GPS had said it would be 10 hours driving time and it was almost exactly ten hours driving time. Since it was a short day, I didn't leave the motel till 8:30, got gas, then went to a Perkins for a real breakfast. I decided not to ride US-30 to Boise and just hopped on I-84 with its 80mph speed limit (and a 30mph) headwind. Those two things played hob with my gas mileage. I only got 37mpg between Twin Falls and Boise. But riding up to McCall was great. Riding ID-55 to McCall was great. Somehow I managed to be the first vehicle out of every passing zone and every town. Passing would have been nearly impossible because of the holiday traffic heading back to Boise. From Horseshoe Bend I was following the Payette River. It was a great road with fleeting glimpses of kayakers and rafters. After Smith's Ferry, the pace picked up a bit until I got to McCall with all of its traffic and tourists. I stopped there to make an important purchase -- Imodium AD. One dose seemed to have fixed me up.Re: The Three-Flags Classic
End of Day 3: Walla Walla, WA
Miles for Day: 555
Total Miles on Bike: 91,839
Miles for year: 9,612
Total for 3 Flags Classic trip: 2,970
3 Flags Total: 1,855
At New Meadows, I turned on to US-95 and that was almost completely the end of traffic. My GPS was showing a couple of gas stations near both Oxbow and Brownlee Dams and if I put off getting gas till there, I'd get all the way to Walla Walla without having to make another stop.
The station at Brownlee Dam didn't have gas. The station at Oxbow Dam didn't have pumps! But they'll be getting them soon. Fortunately there were two gas stations 17 miles down the road in Halfway, OR. That was almost as big a relief as the Imodium!
From Medical Springs to Union, the sun was in my eyes when it wasn't behind trees or rocks. There was a strobe effect that was annoying. Still I made good time and could see well enough to spot the doe and one of her fawns cross the road in front of me. Sure enough, there was another fawn and it really, really wanted to get across the road and be with its momma. I stopped and waited till it worked up its nerve to cross in front of me. From Le Grande to Elgin, there was quite a bit of traffic and two Goldwings passed me doing about 80. I caught up with them in Elgin and stayed with them across the Blue Mountains. That stretch of road was great. New pavement, not much traffic, and sweepers that could be easily taken at speeds of 50-75mph. We got to the hotel here in Walla Walla 45 minutes before check-in stopped for the day at 8PM.
I've eaten and, once more, I'm going to bed!