Stories & Updates

We add new stories and updates every few Months. Sometimes we're traveling, often, we are riding.

Lolo Pass 2023

Lolo Pass, straddling the border of Idaho and Montana, offers a thrilling and scenic motorcycle ride with sweeping views through 5000 feet in elevation. It forms part of the Bitterroot Mountain Range along the Lewis and Clark Highway (Highway 12), stretching over 150 miles.

Fact. Did you know 22 miles were added to the Winding Road in 2008. This was a renevue effort for Idaho as other improvements along the rough promised traffic through the pass. The 99 mile sign used to be 77.

What Is Lolo Pass?
Lolo Pass is located in the Bitterroot Range, the northern section of the Rocky Mountains. It marks the highest point of the Lolo Trail followed by Lewis and Clark in 1805 and offers panoramic mountain views. The pass is part of the historic route traveled by the Corps of Discovery, and its remote beauty makes it a memorable ride, featuring a series of smooth twists and narrow, winding roads.

The 99 mile sign (West Side)

West Side GPS Location: 46.138932,-115.9643637.
You can find this one just as you exit Kooskia, ID, after the east exit from town but before you get to the next buildings on the right. 

Map: Here you can see 22 miles that were added.

Below: West Side HISTORICAL Location: The old 77 Mile sign was up near Icicle Creek, 46.1579359,-115.5919589.

Today, there is nothing there.

The 99 mile sign (East Side)

HERE IT IS! 46.6184735, -114.5899481. Paste THAT into Google.

I found this by accident when a friend got caught by smokey in the curves. I turned around an BAM! There is was! 11.5 miles from Loscha Lodge as you head east. Keep an eye on the odomoter, this one is easy to miss coming from the West.


History: In 2008 this sign was replaced and 22 miles were added to the West side of the "Winding Road". However THIS Sign, on the East side, is the original that riders in the New York Times have written about. 

The Spiral Highway

Don't Miss This! 

Starting from Lewiston, OR, or Clarkston, WA (see what I did there), I highly recommend you visit Lewiston Hill Overlook. “The Lewiston Hill project, lead by Nez Perce County engineer E.M. Booth, took shape in 1917. The 2000 foot climb utilized a series of 64 switchbacks and sharp curves, doubling initial cost estimates to more than a million dollars. America’s new automobile could now scale the hill reaching speeds up to 30 miles per hour.” https://www.scenicusa.net/121509.html

The curves are twisty AND cambered! WOW. Old cars could go 30. Imagine what we do on super bikes! hahah. You need to ride this!

Lewiston Id to Kamiah Id. 

The ride along the river is really beautiful but you may get a lot of traffic that is packed up in bunches. Watch out for the sleeper smokeys in there, as you will have to get around most of this traffic on double yellow. As you make your way farther east, the traffic thins out and you start to feel the wild side of Lolo.

If timed right, you can ride this during the annual Hydro races, with stories in the past of riders racing the boats! 

Kamiah, Id to Loscha Lodge

From Kamiah, after gas and drink. A spirited group of sport bikers could easily break here for 30 minutes as the next 90 minutes are going to be exhilerating. Along THIS route you will find places to turn out and cool off.

YOU MUST GET GAS at Kamiah or you simply won't make it to Loscha Lodge (Sport Bikes with 100 mile range) 

Freak Rain Storms! Communicate! 

Here's where rider training really pays off. We got caught in a freak rain storm that dropped half an inch of rain in 1 hour. Needless to say this is how it played out. The group was already many miles into Lolo pass when the rain hit. And it hit HARD! 

Needless to say, group riding can have it's challenges and when rain joins the party, it's easy to forget details. Make sure you communicate before leaving Kamiah. Make sure everyone knows the mileage to Loscha. You don't want to spend 50 miles looking for it either. 

DON’T MISS THE TURN INTO LOSCHA LODGE!!! 

NO GAS for another 30 miles. Most sport bikes have a whisper of a chance if you miss this turn off. It looks like this and It’s EASY to MISS. 

The final leg
Loscha Lodge to Missoula

Don’t forget The 99 mile sign. 11.5 miles from Loscha Lodge as you head east. (A little blue tag in this map)

Further down the hill you will find places to eat, but beware the long winding dirt roads of Montana! They've been know to chew up a few Ducati. 


Lolo Historical Significance

Lolo Pass was a critical part of the Lewis and Clark expedition. As Howard Frank Mosher recounts in The Grandest Sight I Ever Beheld, the explorers faced steep, treacherous terrain, with horses slipping and the men enduring blizzards. Mosher’s trip retracing their path reveals much of the route remains unchanged, allowing modern travelers to experience the same rugged beauty and challenges that confronted the Corps of Discovery.

For motorcyclists, Lolo Pass offers an unmatched combination of history, scenic beauty, and technical riding. The route is an homage to the resilience of the Lewis and Clark expedition and a testament to the raw landscapes that shaped American exploration.

Ask ANYONE who rides in the PNW and they’ll tell you, this is the place to be. Lolo Pass. Leave a sticker on the East sign! 



What A Blast! Washington Pass. 

May 15, 2021

12 bikes at Washington Pass.... We were Aprilla, Ducati, Suzuki, and more... 

For an extra treat, Bring some seed for the birds. They'll love you for it.