Day 1:


• ISSUE: Except for this route segment, the remaining 2,400+ miles of the GDMBR are in a Natural State.
• The Rail Trail, to ride in this segment, is no longer in a natural state because of ATV Earth Tearing and Idaho State's Trail Repairs have rendered this trail USELESS for Bicycle Touring.


• We had bypassed the Alternate GDMBR Route, unwittingly, without the knowledge that the Primary Route was in terrible condition.
  We missed our initial chance to ride the Alternate Route Choice.
• The Primary Route is a joint use trail that allowed ATVs and over time the ATVs have caused deep cut ruts in and across the rail bed.
• PROBLEM: The deep ruts (1 to 2 feet deep) of the rail trail had been filled with BB sized volcanic cinder. For Every 100 yards of tandem forward cycling motion we had to stop and push the bike about 20 yards because one of the wheels would burry themselves and we'd become stuck. We could not sustain this situation for 30 miles.
• SOLUTION 1: We got off the Rail Trail because it was not a natural off-road riding situation.
• SOLUTION 2: We would return to ride the Alternate Route (indicated as Day 2 & 3 herein).
• Both Routes re-join at the Mesa Falls National Scenic Byway.
• We attempted the Primary Route and Exited at our first opportunity.

Day 1 - Macks Inn, Big Springs, Old Rail Trail, Exit

Above Left: We literally spent the night at Mack's Inn in the town called Macks Inn (no apostrophe), Idaho.

Above Right: An interesting set of porch columns.

Above Left: Some letters are missing, it is Henry's Lake Outlet.

Above Right: The hard road ends and the dusty trail begins.

Above Left: Recreational Trail is the joint use name for the old Rail Trail.

Above Right: NF-059 was our road between Macks Inn and the Recreational Trail. The left fork of NF-059 goes to Big Springs and the Alternate GDMBR Route.

Above: This is the Rail Trail; it is a worn ATV trail filled with BB sized volcanic cinder.
The trail is useless to touring bicycles now; it has been destroyed by ATV use and Cinder Fill.

Above Left: Terry is holding the Bee, it is stuck for the 'umpteeth time'. See the front wheel, the rear is worse. We were in a cycle of ride for 100 yards, get stuck, push for 20 yards, and then REPEAT. We did this for miles and we decided that this activity was a huge waste of our time. The trail is ruined to bicycles, except for maybe fat tire bikes.

We met another rider who told us that the trail was worse at the other end.

Above Right: The wetland scenery and bridges were wonderful.

Above Left: An early morning shadow selfie.

Above Right: A view to the west.

Above: More bridges and wonderful water and wetland views.

Above Left: A bridge and beautiful wetland view.

Above Right: OUR EXIT OPPORTUNITY to get off of this trail - We took the hard road ahead, NF-059, to the right back toward Macks Inn and we then took US-20 to Cave Falls Road which put us on the GDMBR again. We had already passed our chance to get on the Alternate Route. We later learned that the Alternate Route was created just to avoid the cinder filled Rail Trail.

We are Now OFF-TRAIL!
We had decided to ride back to Macks Inn and take US-20 to the GDMBR at Cave Falls Road
It is our intention to return and take the Alternate Route from Macks Inn to Cave Falls Road

Above: Active Wetland with plenty of duck and frog noises.

Above Left: The Ranger Station humorously points out a gap in the cement walkway!

We dropped into the Forest Ranger Station for Caribou-Targhee National Forest to enquire whether Union Pass, Wyoming was open. We had met a cyclist that said Union Pass still had 4 feet of snow. The Ranger Station could not help, all phones were on answering machines. I thought that only happened to me.

Above Right: US-20 goes straight through volcanic rock.

Above Left: There is about a three mile long wood fence here.

Above Right: We were looking for Montana Hwy-47 but it is NOT labeled as Hwy-47, the Hwy is only labeled as Mesa Falls. We missed it. Hwy-47 was right behind us when I took this picture of the only gate in the fence.

Above: Terry and the Bee and Information about Volcanic Calderas.

Above Left: How the name Tetons came about (French Trappers).

Above Right: I cannot see just Three (Trois) Tetons - These are the highest peaks in Grand Tetons National Park (5x telephoto lens). By-the-Way, we will ride through this mountain range just north of these mountains.

Above Left: Flowers near Ashton, ID.

Above Right: Downtown Ashton, Idaho.

Above: It was lunch time for us and we saw this shaded gazebo behind a church so we dropped in to take advantage of the shade and we ate lunch.

Above Left: A lovely cottage just outside of Ashton, ID.

Above Right: Huge storm over Flagg Ranch, Wyoming, we will be there in 2 days and hear about this storm. We're about 75 miles away.

Above Left: The direction from where both the Primary and Alternate Routes come (from the northeast).

Above Right: Cave Falls Highway (road), heading right (or east) is the GDMBR direction to Flagg Ranch, Wyoming.

We started at Macks Inn and attempted to ride the Primary GDMBR Route but found it to be in a manmade un-acceptable condition. About 2-3 miles into the Primary Route, we got off the route and rode US-20 off route to the connecting GDMBR route at Cave Falls Road.

Day 2 & 3 of this Leg exhibits our return trip to the Fish Creek Alternate Route (Big Springs to Cave Falls Road) and Day 4 & 5 exhibits the continuation after reaching Cave Falls Road. It is unfortunate that the Rail-Trail was ruined for touring bicycle operations.