The start of our day 2 was Sunday. Walla Walla has over 50 churches and just about every denomination. We enjoyed sacrament meeting with some good friends, returned to our room at the Whitman, changed clothes and headed-out for a sunny day of Eastern Washington riding. We caught WA-12 northeast and rode through a number of small towns - Dayton, Roman, Whetstone, Tucannon, and then took a right at Delaney and the junction of WA-12 and WA- 261. The distance from Walla Walla to Delaney is roughly 46 miles and takes about an hour. Traveling east now, WA-12 wanders through rolling hills of wheat fields and farms for another hour - ~52 miles - to the sister cities of Clarkston,
Named after famed explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, Clarkston and Lewiston flank the Snake River, which runs north eventually flowing into the Great Columbia River. The setting for another great ride is just 100 miles south - Hell's Canyon National Recreation Park. Please stay tuned for an itinerary of this national treasure. Either of these towns provides a good respite - time to stretch your legs and refresh your backside, have a snack, liquid refreshment or meal. We stopped for a quick salad at Jack-in-the-Box, a popular fast food chain that holds charm for our family from our time in the Bay Area. The outlets are clean and the food is fresh and inexpensive. It's also a good time to refuel. While there are gas stations between here and Missoula, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Leaving Lewiston, you'll stay on Highway 12, traveling in an easterly direction along the Clearwater River to Orofino [43 miles, 55 mins]. Then southeast to Kooskia [32 miles, 38 mins] before turning east northeast for the 101-mile ride through the Bitter Range Mountains and up to Lolo Pass, MT elev 5,233ft.
We think the journey from Lewiston to Lolo Pass is one of the most beautiful mountain rides we've taken. Climbing roughly 4,500 ft, the road parallels crisp mountain streams with enough twists and turns for the most enthusiastic motorcyclist. Believe me; my throttle wrist experienced the workout of a lifetime on this stretch of road. There are a number of turnouts and historic markers along the way to satisfy the cruising historian and rest the weary traveler.
Missoula is the second largest city in Montana, home to the University of Montana. Missoula is alive with activity. It offers a full complement of services and retail including Harley, Honda, Yamaha and BMW dealers. Missoula also provides numerous hotels, motels and restaurants. We stayed at the Sleep Inn, which is near the University.
The next morning, I was fascinated by my first glimpse of 'Big Sky Country.' There is something about Montana - the sky REALLY IS BIG! I can't put my finger on why, but I almost felt as though I would drift away, weightless, into Montana's massive, overwhelming blue. It's truly an amazing thing. You've got to experience it to believe it.
That brings us to the close of the second day of our BEST first ride to Montana - a great ride through awe-inspiring beauty to a wide-open, friendly, inviting city. Stay tuned for the next installment in this series, and Sleep tight!
Craig Rollins is a senior marketing communications professional. He and his wife are motorcycle advocates and love touring the US. Craig's website is [http://www.CraigsFavoritesList.com] which focuses on motorcycling, products he recommends, and professional training & communications services.
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