Veterans Ride Along the Idaho BDR (Episode 1)

In August 2022, I teamed up with Veterans Back 40 Adventure, a veterans non-profit that works with veterans to get them outside and reconnect with other veterans in their area to build up that camaraderie where they can unwind from the daily stresses of life. I was fortunate enough to take four veterans on this amazing journey. Along the way, they got to experience awesome scenery, good camping, as well as some good food along the route. Our final destination was Yellow Pine, Idaho, where we would see the famous Harmonica Festival. So sit back and come ride along with Hey, what's up, guys? So we got the Veterans Back 40 ride. We're doing Wallace to Yellow Pine. We got the crew here getting all geared up. We got Matt over here from Tall Man Moto. He's getting his water done. We've got Logan checking out the bike. We got Ken. Where do you live, Ken? Bozeman? Bozeman. Logan lives around Spokane. And Jim? Wenatchee. Wenatchee. Step number one will be from here over to Avery, Avery to Pierce, and then we'll find camp after that. But yeah, it's going to be a good time. We got three and a half days to knock this trip out. It's going to be a little dusty because it's nice and hot. So head that way and let's get to it. And away we go. Because why not? Perfectly good bridge, right? This part of the BDR is part of the old Milwaukee Railroad. It was built in 1909 and runs to the town of Avery. Back in 1910, what is known as the Great Fire came through and obliterated this area. It was then added to the historic registry. In the 1980s, after the railroad went bankrupt, it was turned over to the town of Avery. The tracks were then pulled up and a road was built over to Wallace. People have been able to ride the old Milwaukee Railroad railhead by vehicle since then and enjoy the great scenery it has to offer. All right, so we made it to Avery. Waiting on one guy who wanted to take the two-track. We're going to come over here. We're going to visit the Avery Museum, check out the Avery Jail, like legit Avery Jail. And then over here we have a really cool train car we can go through. So let's go check that out. And there's some massive trout in here. Take a walk through the train car. Got the whole conductor room right here. No bathroom. Not a whole lot of space. Common area. Some tables and lots of history about the old times. I've done a video about this in the past, but check it out. Tall man moto. Just checking. Hey, where are you going buddy? Oh, you're fine. Hey guys. Yeah, this kitchen's legit. What, 200 years later, 100 years later, nothing's changed. Right, it looks the exact same. Basically. What's your experience of the ride so far? It's super great. I'm pushing my limits. There's lots of gravelly turns. Yeah, it's only gonna get about the same the whole time. Back in the day, the Milwaukee Railroad was like the premier rail line across the northern United States. Lots of history. Moved all the timber and all the silver out of this area. So yeah. Get, uh, man, don't fall down those stairs. Those suck. Load back on the bikes and be on our way. Well, we made it to Blue Cabin. Ken, what do you think? Outstanding. Good, good. Outstanding trail. Good trail, good company. Jimmy, the speedster. You got it, baby. This guy rips on this, uh, 890. Logan, what do you think, buddy? How's it going? Super dope. I'm putting my name on the thing so everybody forever knows I was here. So this is Blue Cabin for those of you who don't know. It's a first-come, first-served kind of cabin. It does have running water. It does have a hot shower if you build a fire in this fireplace. It's got a homemade hot water heater here and then shower back here. And then out this back door, there's the, uh, creek that runs back here and gravity feeds the water to inside. So pretty rad. All righty. So just leaving Blue Cabin. Had a little snack. Gonna head in across the reservoir and into right around 100 degrees. Matt had said a few times that he wasn't feeling very good and I think it just caught up to him because he had a pretty nasty crash right here. And luckily he was okay but it really put a damper on his day. That one, that one was hard. That one hurt. Guys up here doing some culvert work. Guys over here taking a break. Luckily we got here just as they were starting to fill it in so shouldn't have to wait too long. All right so we made it into Pierce. Gonna grab some lunch here at the steakhouse. You could tell who was definitely taking one for the team and riding in the rear. It was dusty for sure. And then you got Logan. Logan's just as bad. At the steakhouse in Pierce. The only place that's open. That is a fat burger. That's what I'm about to tell the world too. Tell the world. I'm at the steakhouse. Video him telling the world. And this is a fat burger. That's exactly what I just said. I know. We did section what three today? Right? Six. Six. Six. Uh and I think I absolutely killed it. Going through the rocky parts. I got tired. Yeah dude. You get tired. Stop. You know why? You drop your bike and you get up and you're like and you drop your bike again and you rip your wrist up. Yeah. Uh it's pretty good. It's a nice little puff there. Yeah. It's still mobile but I'm gonna make it. So. Old man choice. You're gonna what are you doing tonight then? Uh I'm going down to allegedly Pioneer Inn. Pioneer Inn here in Pierce. I have Wi-Fi so I can sort out a plan. Okay. And then I'm gonna figure out how to get to uh. They're gonna try to meet us in Yellow Pine then? Hell yeah. Alright. You think you're gonna miss our harmonica festival? Heck no. That's what brought me into this whole thing. Alright man. Well. So smart choices. Good. I'm glad you didn't get hurt hurt. Just just bumped and bruised. And yeah I'd see us in a couple days. After leaving Pierce it was getting a little bit late in the day so we decided to hit the Lolo Motorway on our way up to Rocky Ridge Campground to find camp. Some ride-a-ho guys doing the ride-a-ho route. Alright. Rocky Ridge Lake. Hopefully there's Everybody good? Yeah. Okay. Dude that long straight away. That was so fast. Oh. Y'all and um here's the lake. And right across the way you can see down this. Everybody's got their tents all set up. Stripping down and getting ready to go jump in the lake. Set up here. Logan over here. Glamping over here with the picnic table. Well guys what do you think? It's a good good good ending to a day huh? I don't know where Logan's at but. He's coming down behind your head up there. Hey. Yeah so Moose is just hanging out. Doesn't really care that we're here. On the next episode. Just a gorgeous morning. Nice little sunrise. And it was at this moment he knew he f***ed up. Well gentlemen. I have him. No one died today. No one died. Barely. In fact we got it got close but no one died today. If you like this video try checking out the next episode or maybe this video here. If you'd like to support the channel check out the Patreon page or maybe even the website at backcountryadvmoto.com and pick up some merch. Thanks again for watching and don't forget to hit that subscribe button as well as that bell icon that way you know when new videos are released and I'll see you in the next one.