Month: August 2016 (Page 3 of 7)

Wieppe

August 21, 2016 / Bruce "Buck" Nelson / 2 Comments

August 21, 6 PM

All is well. No coverage in days. I’m in Wieppe, Idaho having hiked the Lolo Trail. Will try to post more tomorrow, if not, on the 23rd. Thanks for checking in!

Cedars near “Clark’s Tree”

Colter

Trip overview and route map with position updates:

https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html

Lolo Hot Springs

August 16, 2016 / Bruce "Buck" Nelson / 6 Comments

August 15, Day 145

Bruce Ford whipped up eggs and sausage and I started a pot of strong coffee. Next stop was the grocery store for supplies to last to Wieppe.

On the way out of town we swung into a grocery store where I also bought some bottled water that Steve Baker will cache in dry sections ahead of me.

It was about 9 when I started walking up the gentle slope towards Lolo Pass. All day long Lolo Creek was on my left. That’s good for melting ice off the road in the winter, but made for some hot walking in the sun.

Late in the day I started watching for Bruce coming out of Missoula and Steve coming out of Boise on his motorbike.

I’d just reached Lolo Hot Springs, 20 miles, when Bruce drove up in his pickup. We sat on his tailgate in the shade and ate sub sandwiches he brought. An hour later Steve Baker rolled up on his motorcycle. It was great to see him.

We headed up a logging road and found a good camping spot. Needless to say it was really fun to be hanging out with smokejumper bros and telling stories, old and new. I can confidently state that my IQ is about 40 points lower than either of them. One, for example, is working on mathematically confirming quantum mechanics. The other is a PHD-DVM and musical genius. I walk and paddle. Colter

Bruce Ford, Steve Baker

Clark: September 11th Wednesday 1805 A fair morning wind from the N W we Set out at 3 oClock and proceeded on up the Travelers rest Creek, accompanied by the flat head or Tushapaws Indians about 7 miles below this Creek a large fork comes in from the right and heads up against the waters of the Missouri below the Three forks, this river has extensive Vallies of open leavel land, “and passes in its Whole Course thro a Valie” they call it our Guide tels us a fine large roade passes up this river to the Missouri—The loss of 2 of our horses detained us util. 3 oClock. P.M. our Flathead Indian being restless thought proper to leave us and proceed on alone, Sent out the hunters to hunt in advance as usial. (we have Selected 4 of the best hunters to go in advance to hunt for the party. This arrangement has been made long sinc) we Proceeded on up the Creek on the right Side thro a narrow valie and good road for 7 miles and Encamped at Some old Indian Lodges, nothing killed this evening hills on the right high & ruged, the mountains on the left high & Covered with Snow…

Trip overview and route map with position updates:

https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html

Travelers’ Rest

August 15, 2016 / Bruce "Buck" Nelson / 0 Comments

August 14

Note: I will probably not have coverage for most or all of the next week or so. No need for concern.

It was another quiet and cool morning. Traffic increased as the day warmed, but once again I had a bicycle trail to follow.

The Bitterroot Mountains were the highlight of the scenery. There was a flock or two of bobwhite quail along the way as well as whitetail deer.

I stopped for breakfast at a little bar/ casino, all-you-can-eat, a real feast.

At Lolo I took the trail along Lolo Creek to see Travellers’ Rest, a rare site that archaeologists have verified with exact certainly. An expert happened to be out there and related a lot of intersting information. Among the items found were a trade bead, a button from the army uniforms of that period, some lead, and even their latrine. They were very interested in my trip at the Visitors Center.

Lewis and Clark Campsite, Sept 9&10, 1805

Bruce Ford

It was still a very hot afternoon when I turned to walk west on Highway 12. My old smokejumper buddy Bruce Ford was driving out of Missoula to pick me up at 5. He was right on time.

It was great to see him. We headed back to his place in Missoula, which had numerous completed and partially completed paintings. He is a very talented artist and all around “renaissance man.” He cooked dinner and we told many fire stories and discussed the current crazy presidential race. Colter

Clark: September 9th Monday 1805 a fair morning Set out early and proceeded on thro a plain as yesterday down the valley Crossed a large Scattering Creek on which Cotton trees grew at 11/ 2 miles, a Small one at 10 miles, both from the right, the main river at 15 miles & Encamped on a large Creek from the left which we call Travelers rest Creek. killed 4 deer & 4 Ducks & 3 prarie fowls. day fair Wind N. W…

Trip overview and route map with position updates:

https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html