Longer Rides

Sage Bakery

This would be an easy ride if you didn't have to climb the old Spiral Highway. The Sage Bakery in UnionTown is only open on Friday and Saturday. If it's baked goods you want, just visit their Lewiston Shop.

From Southway Boat Launch ride north on the bike trail, exit the trail, ride across the railroad tracks and through the alley at Hahn Supply. Turn left onto the sidewalk and cross the Memorial Bridge.

At the end of the bridge follow the curve to its end to find the off ramp. Make a sharp right and cross the street following along the frontage road.

At the intersection cross onto the highway and begin climbing. This first mile is arguably the hardest part of the entire ride. At the top of the first climb, turn right onto the Spiral Highway. Enjoy the many scenic turnouts. You've got seven miles to go to the top.

The scenic lookout is where we usually stop and regroup. There's half a mile of climbing yet before you hit highway 195. It has wide clean shoulders and you have only 5 or 6 miles to go to Uniontown. Not all of your climbing for the day is done quite yet. And the return from Uniontown presents a couple of humps.

Have a delicious confection or soup and sandwich before retracing your route back to the boat launch.

Three Summits

We usually do this ride only once each season. It is our tune up before riding to Joseph in Sept. or Oct. It consists of climbing the Old Spiral Highway, the Cloverland Grade, and the Anatone Grade. The best part of this ride is when you have descended from a climb, you are never more than 5 miles from the boat launch. So this ride is as tough as you want to make it.

Spiral Highway

Follow the route for the SageBakery ride up to the scenic overlook.

On the descent you might add miles by turning right on Downriver road and riding around Red Wolf Crossing. Either circle under the bridge and follow 13th out to the Asotin highway (hop over to Clemans at Critchfield--less than a mile of highway riding.) Or, you might turn right off the bridge onto highway 12 and follow the Evans Road route to Clemans or the bike path.

Cloverland

However, you return at Asotin you follow the Asotin Creek route to the Y where you take a left.. Then you begin climbing. The rest of the climb is easier. We usually stop well short of the end of the pavement at the silos.

We usually stop for a cold drink and a snack at the Asotin Market just over the bridge a block or two before starting this climb as well as the third climb.

Anatone Grade

Follow the highway south through Asotin where a stop intersection gives you a free right turn up the Anatone Grade. This is a five mile climb and the easiest of the three.

You won't see Anatone which is 20 more miles from where we stop at the driveway into a pig farm. There's plenty more climbing for the rabbits who don't want to wait on the rest of us.

Descend back into Asotin and head north. Get back on the bike path just past the sewage treatment plant (you won't miss it). Follow the trail back under the Southway bridge and make the sharp climb to your left taking you up a twisty path to the bridge. (I always use granny). This will take you out on the bike path a half mile from the Southway Boat Launch. But you know that already if you rode back from Spiral the same way you went out.

Lapwai Loop

This is a popular winter, spring, and fall ride. At 47 miles it is of moderate length but it is not a beginner ride. There's the long climb on Tammany over Web Ridge and several more rollers on the return. It also finishes 11 miles on highway 12. The shoulder is wide but debris strewn and oddly paved. This route stays open most of the winter months affording good cold weather cycling.

Leave Southway boat launch on the bike path south to Hell's Gate Park as you would on the Lewiston Loop. At McIntosh, however, turn right until you come to the Y. Turn left to climb Web Ridge. We like to stop at the top and put our jackets on in cool weather before descending. In the summer, it's nice to sit in the grass in the shade near the farmer's fence.

The steep descent is only a mile. The route continues to highway 95 where a left will take you toward Lapwai. A right will take you to CuldeSac which you will do on the Winchester Century.

If you stay on this busy route, traveling north you'll come to Lapwai but the backroads are more interesting.

Taking the left, travel a half mile before taking a right into Sweetwater. You'll cross both railroad tracks and a wooden plank bridge before the road takes a sharp left through the appaloosa country in Lapwai Valley. Keep an eye out for dogs though mostly they are fenced and are all bark and rarely give chase.

Take a left at Garden Gulch road back to 95 and turn right for a mile or two into Lapwai where there is a grocery, cafe, and convenience store. This is a cycle friendly community. We use the rest room in the grocery or the convenience store.

Back on 95 traveling north about a mile turn right on Tom Beall road. Take the first left off Tom Beall and head north along another country road. This one will dump you out on 95 unless you take the old road to your right just before hitting the highway. This road takes you to the Spalding bridge which is closed. It is safe but you will have to lift your bike over jersey barriers on either end of the bridge.

On the north end of the bridge you are in Spalding park. This is a cool shady park with water and restrooms. If you head west through the park, you can reach the Spalding Visitor Center which has an excellent museum.

From the end of the bridge we head east on what we call the Arrow Bridge extension. It is maybe 4 miles to the bridge with one good climb. Turn left on the bridge back to town on highway 12. Follow this road back to the Nez Perce Casino. We usually take frontage roads into town. These are less traveled and provide more variety for your legs. Study the map.

Be careful crossing the traffic lane as it descends from Moscow short of the Rose Garden. If you stay straight, you can cross back onto the same frontage road that will put you back on the sidewalk across the bridge. This takes you back through Hahn Supply to the bike path which you may follow back to Southway.

Kendrick

Follow the Lapwai Loop route to Arrow Bridge but don't go back to town yet. Instead take the right on Highway three toward Julietta and Kendrick. It is about 14 miles to downtown Kendrick where we like to have lunch at Zoe's or grab a bite at the grocery and eat in the park.

Outside of Julietta turn on to the bike path near the ball fields and continue riding on to Kendrick. Stay on the path to the last silo on your left where you'll see two rocks set up to form a gate. Ride through to main street. You'll see the park across the street. Zoe's Cafe is on the right and the grocery on the left.

Wawawai Canyon Loop

Follow the Wawawai short route all the way to Wawawai Canyon. You can turn the corner, cross the tracks, and climb a few tenths of a mile to the park entrance. You have to descend into the park and climb back, but there is a nice grassy slope for napping, water, and toilets.

You've got a steep, unforgiving, six mile climb. Don't do this one in hot weather. At the top the road turns sharply left and climbs some more. You have cell phone service here but not in the canyon. You have 12 miles into Pullman along rolling hills and agriculture.

Cross 195 at the intersection and continue into town. You'll see a right turn taking you past a cemetery. If you take that route you'll come down a steep, yes, steep, hill to the stop light on Grand Avenue. Lots of places to eat in town and our favorite bike shop B&L just a block ahead. Turning right on Grande, you start back toward Lewiston passing through Colton and Uniontown about 18 miles away. There is water in the park and something to eat at Eleanor's Tavern. You are only 20 miles from Southway. Make sure you take the old Spiral Highway down rather than the new highway.

Kendrick-Troy-Moscow Loop

This is a long ride however you do it. The long version follows the Kendrick route which itself starts with the Lapwai Loop. You can shave a few miles off by riding out Highway 12 to Arrow Bridge instead of up Tammany.

From Kendrick ride west to the Troy highway. This is a 5 mile climb with the first two being the worst. This is gorgeous even when its hot, but don't wait for hot weather to ride it. You could ride all the way down into Troy, ID but it isn't necessary. Look for Lamb Road. This hilly and scenic route takes you mostly around Troy and joins the Moscow Highway avoiding the long climb out of Troy. Follow the main road staying to the left at the one intersection you'll see.

Look for the Latah Trail on the north side of the highway. You may have to carry your bike over the berm to get to it or you'll see a dirt road with bridge over it (if it is finished). Climb up to the trail which will run all the way to Moscow.

Study the map or just ask for directions. There is a trail that will take you through the UofI Campus and join the Chipman Trail into Pullman. At the end of the Chipman trail climb over Bishop Blvd. to the Lewiston Highway. Good Shoulders all the way back to the top of the Spiral Highway with food and water in Uniontown.

Winchester Century

Follow the Lapwai Loop Route to where Web Ridge road intersects highway 95. Turn right toward Boise and ride about 5 miles to CuldeSac. This is a good opportunity to take a bathroom break and get a snack before climbing the old Winchester Grade. Back on the bike ride a quarter mile up the new grade and look sharp for a road on the right which does almost a 180 from the highway. You'll be riding switchbacks looking South and East for the next 8 miles.

At Winchester, turn left to move over one block to the main street. You'll find a dandy cafe. Or stay straight and get something at the convenience store before you dip down to Winchester Lake. There's a bit of climb up from the lake and then rollers out to 95. You'll turn right on 95 and ride the shoulder for about 3 miles before making a left onto Reuben Gifford Road.

Now you are in for it. You are heading North and west across a series of rollers that can be fun or exhausting if the wind is in your face. Don't be fooled by the long down hill before Gifford. You have to climb out again and go several more miles before the real descent on Magpie Grade down to Highway 12 on the Clearwater.

You'll ride 3.8 miles before reaching Arrow bridge and good shoulder. Be extremely careful. This stretch is unavoidable and dangerous. Stay single file, well-spaced and keep an eye on your mirror. The traffic's not bad if you hit it midday..

From Arrow Bridge you can stay on 12 following the Kendrick Route or do the South side of the river through Spalding Park on the Kendrick Route.

Joseph Ride

Ride to Oregon's Wallowa Lake. We do it once each year in late September or early October. It is 95 miles from Southway Boat launch to the Indian Lodge Motel in Joseph where we usually try to stay. Some of us like to add on the five miles to make this a century each way. This is not an organized ride. It doesn't require an entry fee, but we do try to arrange sag support chipping in for gas. Usually there are two or three folks who either drive the whole way or trade off with others. No one is expected to ride the entire distance either day. The second day is actually easier with a little less climbing. Several of us have ridden our first centuries on this second day.

Follow the Anatone Grade route but don't turn around at the top of the grade. You'll ride on through Anatone and begin descending just before you reach Fields Spring Park. You may want to put on a jacket. Mornings are cool and you have 11 miles Rattlesnake Grade ahead of you before reaching Bogan's Oasis. Take it easy. Stop at the turn outs--save your brakes.

Bogan's is a great little restaurant but don't overeat. You've crossed the Grand Ronde and will start climbing immediately up Bufford Grade. There's a running argument about whether Rattlesnake is harder than Bufford. You'll climb Rattlesnake tomorrow unless you sag.

We usually regroup at the top or at the Joseph Lookout. Lots of rollers now until you begin the long slow descent into Enterprise. There's a convenience store when you enter Enterprise. Turn left and follow the main route to Joseph but when you leave town don't make the sharp left. Instead follow the jog back and continue straight. There's a slight climb all the way to Joseph making tired cyclists think this is worse than it is. Just study the scenery. You'll come out in downtown Joseph. The Indian Lodge Motel is to your right a couple of blocks toward the lake.