An Update & Planning the Idaho Backcountry Discover Route

 Hi everyone,

I haven’t written in quite awhile, mostly because I haven’t been traveling since my arrival at CORA. I have done some fishing, not a lot of catching, a little hiking and made some changes to my lot at CORA. Changes have included, spreading 15.4 tons of 3/4” stone by wheel barrow shovel and rake on the lot with the park model (DSP 24) and placing my vacant lot (DSP 25) for sale. It’s been nice having a double wide lot, but as with other real estate, it has become more valuable for cash than the pleasure I gain having it. Over the six or so years, I haven’t had that many visitors, so that also factored into my decision.

I also had 6 of Nancy’s original paintings matted, framed and they are now hanging in the park model. 

Here are two of my favorites, "Brown Trout" and "Hope Floats" which are hanging in the living room of my cabin. Reproductions are still available, but these originals will remain at CORA until I join her.

This part of Colorado finally got back to normal with regards to moisture and we have been getting more normal weather, with sunny days and afternoon mountain showers. The high peaks still have some visible snow.

I drove up to Weston Pass the other day, parked at 11,921 ft elevation and then hiked a mile up to a prominent spot at 12,500 ft elevation. These photos don’t really do the views justice, but you get the idea.

                                                     

With regards to travel plans, I’m in the planning stage for my 3-4 week July trip to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming in Enzo. Most of the trip will be a true overland or geezer backpack adventure. I’m planning to drive over 800 miles on the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route (IDBDR). There are currently ten Backcountry Discovery Routes in the USA. Individuals map out these routes over Forest Service roads with the goal being to maximize unpaved roads and minimize paved roads. The IDBDR goes from the Nevada border to the Canada border and is 1,250 miles long. I’m doing the middle sections from Pine to Wallace. It will include the Magruder Corridor and the Lolo Motorway. No permits are required, there are some Forest Service campgrounds, but mostly I will be dispersed camping. The route passes through a few small mountain towns left over from bygone mining days, with populations of less than 300 inhabitants and now and again crosses state highways. I purchased the IDBDR map, read an accounts written by an overland and an account by a group of adventure motorcyclists. The whole BDR thing was stated by adventure motorcycle riders, these people are true motorized backpackers, since they can only carry what fits on their motorcycle. In comparison, I will have many luxuries with me. 

If you want to learn more about the Backcountry Discovery Routes, check out https://ridebdr.com

I hopefully will be able to document my adventure as I go, on a limited basis. My plan is to write at night, then upload to my blog whenever I have cell coverage, which I suspect will be very limited and probably only at high points along the route. 

I’ll get an ID fishing license and hopefully find some campsites near rivers and lakes along the way as well as stop during the day when passing likely trout habitant. This will also be a shakedown for my trip to Alaska next summer.

Stay tuned.

Tight lines and safe travels