“If we were meant to stay in one place we would have roots instead of feet.”—Rachel Wolchin

I have feet, and I have wheels, so I mounted my motorcycle, and took a 30-day ride with my buddy Jeff from Virginia to Idaho and back. Our objective was to ride the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route, 1,300 miles of dirt and gravel trails through the mountains and high desert of Idaho from the Canadian border to Nevada. You can read a detailed travel blog about our trip HERE. This post is a “photoblog” of some of our favorite Vistas, Places, People, and Coffee Shops we encountered during our travels. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Favorite Vistas

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” (—Dalai Lama) I’ve ridden east to west along the Snake River across southern Idaho, but I decided I needed to go someplace I’d never been before. The Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route took us off the beaten path into remote places not seen by many people. That’s my favorite thing—-to go where I’ve never been.

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Favorite Places

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” I love maps. Lots of folks go to bed and read books till they fall asleep. I often study maps until my eyes slowly close and the map falls on my face. I often focused on central Idaho, the most isolated and unpopulated area of the “lower 48.” I imagined what it might be like high in the Bitterroot Mountains, along the Salmon River, deep in the Selway Wilderness, and in the nearly-abandoned gold-mining villages tucked in the hollows along the Continental Divide. I followed some dirt trails to see if what I imagined was real.

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Favorite People

“We don’t meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason.” Our trip, by design, was a rather solitary one in the backcountry of Idaho. There were days when we barely saw or interacted with another person. But when we met other riders on the trail, hotel and campground hosts, bartenders, or fellow travelers, all were friendly and helpful. Several were a real delight. Some of our favorites:

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Favorite Coffee Shops

“If it wasn’t for coffee, I’d have no identifiable personality whatsoever.” (—David Letterman) Instant coffee in the campground at 6:00 AM opened our eyes wide enough to pack up and hit the road, but within the first 100 miles, a search was on for the real thing. Some of our favorites:

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For a detailed travel blog of our trip, go HERE.