Utah/Idaho border
We left the Bonneville Salt Flats on a high, making good speed along the next trail which was 42 miles long, checking directions at a railway crossing we stopped for some pictures, Gary on the tracks, the line was straight and nothing was coming…I took a few shots when I said “goodness me old chap, I think a train is coming” (or similar words to that effect) suddenly there was mayhem as we scrambled to get him and his bike clear, his crash helmet bouncing across the rails, he was safe, no time to move my bike and it looks a good distance from the track right? I just had time to grab my phone before the freight train passed us……phew that was close!!!! Video here….
Utah/Idaho boarder
We entered Idaho, and what a difference from the Utah we left, it is green beyond green.
with crops growing as far as the eye can see, automated watering systems for the crops (mostly Potatoes) sprayed water at the end of each day moving slowly across the field without a person in sight….
very cool but even more cool was the fact that we were passing these fields for 15 miles of more….truly vast…..#lotof potatoes
We stopped at American Falls for a coffee some food had some good banter with the staff…and were told “that boy makes one hell of a sandwich” and indeed he did 😉
Were about to ride off when Gary said…”should we get some fuel for the bikes” I though what a faff unloading all the luggage an all…but I was glad later as we ended up in the soft sand of the Moonscape Desert and used a lot of fuel…..In America, when in doubt fill up!!
We were running out of daylight on the sandy trails, the wind was high, it was clear we were not going to get out of there before dark, so we found a sheltered spot and wild camped between two small hills ….later the wind died down we ate our humble dinner and had a beer watching the sun go down…..
….getting into our tents after dark……perfect end to the day and of course we had fuel for the next morning…..nice one Gazzer!
We left our wild camp late, it was so beautiful and peaceful, we had camped right on the TAT trail, I mean right on the trail in the middle of the track and no one had passed by all the time we were there…
I could have stayed all day, we headed off and there was not another campsite along the way for the next 20 miles, so good decision to stop where we did.
We met up with these American guys and again spent too much time talking…..no issue there other than the hardest ride for some time was ahead of us….that is Bear and Antelope passes, Bear was OK, Antelope was higher more technical…
and there was still snow at the top, this made things very narrow with big drop offs. The picture below just cant capture how steep it was and how far you would fall if you got it wrong!!!
The view at the top was amazing…..
and we headed down the valley towards our next stop.
Sun Valley
We arrived in Sun Valley and boy it is upmarket, a high end Ski town, frequented by the rich and famous…..
….then we pop out of the mountain looking for somewhere to camp, there is one RV Park but “no chance of camping here” says the lady at reception as she looks me up and down me over her (Pearl) glassed……so we stay at a Hotel (yes Hotel not Motel folks) its a little bit of luxury and we stay for two nights…
The Hotel has Wifi, a Pool, a Hot Tub, and we were promised a magnificent breakfast, its tough being an adventure rider dont you think?
We went out for a cheeky beer all in the cause of promoting the famous Bristol Rovers of course….
…..drinks were expensive so I end doing some bar work.
So quite a wrench to leave Sun Valley, but next morning we are on the trails again after our usual “all day breakfast” at the Hotel and then pack to head off towards Boice, back to the usual beautiful mountain scenery.
Smokey Bar Store
As Sam would say on his TAT maps “find it” great people, nice store and a cool place to hang out..
The SATNAV details are below….
We are told the road is washed out big time and that “one guy made it although but he was young” we laughed (age comment was a bit harsh though) and went to have a look, do they know who we are…
…it’s clear that this may be a bridge too far as there is a 200 meter section where the road has been washed away and this is the first of three sections washed out. 
It may be some time before the road is fixed but if your on the TAT guys stop by and say hello to Kaylin at the Smokey Bar Store.
