Leg 35 – Over Pine Creek Pass and Across the Snake River Valley to Idaho Falls

I made about 70 miles today, to Idaho Falls, on an easy day for riding.

It was cold this morning, and It takes longer to break a two person camp, so I did not hit the road until after 8. After a short ride to the outskirts of Victor, and across some dirt roads, I climbed over Pine Creek Pass, which, at about 700’ of climbing and 6700’ at the summit, was a nothingburger compared to the other passes I have surmount in the past week. But the ride down the other side was nice, winding curves and views of snow dappled mountains, without the traffic of Teton Pass.

Robin caught up to me in the rental car about halfway down to the Snake River Valley floor, and Robin has a rental bike so we rode together the nine miles into Swan Valley. Then Robin stopped for coffee and the ride back up to the car, while at continued on down and across the Snake River Valley.

I say across the Snake River Valley because the Snake River, true to its name, snakes around several mountain ranges and ridges. The road just crosses them. So I was soon climbing out of the valley to a high plateau, which went on for twenty miles or so.

Robin caught up with me at a rest area and overlook for lunch. Then it was another twenty miles of gentle descent into Idaho Falls and the Motel West, which has a hot tub!

Tomorrow we hope to get to Craters of the Moon. I have most of the rest of the trip mapped out now, with distances based on the availability of lodging or camping. There are two 100+ mile days in the plan, but I will have to see if the wind cooperates