Bicycling the Lewis & Clark Trail
Lewiston to Orofino, ID

Thursday, July 22, 2004
Distance Cycled: 44 miles
Vertically Climbed: 545 feet
Average Speed: 12.6 mph

We all left the hotel in Lewiston before 7:00 rode down the hill and the next thing we knew we were on the bridge crossing the Clearwater River on Highway 12. We started out on a bicycle path and then we returned to Highway 12 and rode our bicycles up the Clearwater River from Lewiston to Orofino. The scenery was beautiful. The Clearwater River is a great tubing river, a good current with only small rapids.

The Clearwater River Canyon is narrow, in many places only enough room for a highway on the south side and a railroad track on the north side. The road almost never goes down only up at a steady 1 to 2% grade. The 6 of us rode together most of the time today. We arrived in Orofino, in time to finish eating a small lunch at 12:00. We then rode another 2 blocks to our hotel. We were able to check in and then walk around town, wash out some clothes, download pictures, baths and all the other daily things that need to be done when you are traveling. The only bad news is that we are out off AT&T area so we are unable to use our cell phones, so much for national coverage. Tonight we are going to walk down to a Pizza Factory for dinner.