Map: Day 5 Day: 83.2 km | Trip: 374 km

It was indeed a tough day but only because of the heat which started at 11:30 AM. I left at 8:15 AM after breakfast and a phone call from my parents. After Grangeville the road went downhill quite a bit and then came White Bird Hill. This is a very decent hill. It took me quite some time to climb it. After reaching the top I could see the other side of the mountain. There is a totally different landscape, many bare mountains with narrow deep canyons in between. It looked amazing and scary. Without a map and streets it would be very simple to get lost in them.

It took me a while to find the Old White Bird Hill Road to go downhill. The old road has hardly any traffic and is more scenic than Route 95. Both meet again in the town of White Bird. I had to stop many times on this hill to let my breaks and rims cool down. I also met a bicyclist. He started in Astoria (OR) and is on his way to Virginia. The hot part of the day has just started and he had quiet a climb. I could not find the Nez Perce National Historic Park that the maps says should be at this road. In White Bird I had a snack and then went on the hottest part along the Salmon River. It was also the most scenic part of the trip so far.

After Lucille I saw at least eight river rafting companies with each ten boats in the river. I guess this is Riggins main industry.

I reached Riggins at 4 PM, not bad, but the self-serve campground was already full. I called a phone number at the campground for help and shortly thereafter a guy came and told me that I can camp in the orchard next door. The camp owner had just bought it. I also had my first bad experience of this trip in Riggins. On my way back from dinner and grocery shopping a guy slapped me on my butt from a passing pickup truck. Even though I was in "civilian" clothes. G' what a hero.

Tomorrow I'll go to New Meadows. I don't have any idea where to sleep there, I'll see.