US Northwest Idaho BDR (and then some!)

[ctcv1984]

I don’t think that will work I’ll probably head to Jarbridge Wednesday morning sometime

No worries. See you in Jarbridge. I'll be in a white 4RNR towing a trailer. Pete.

 

[Redruby]

Pete I’ll be in a red gladiator see you later and drive safe

 

[rslagle]

I should be rolling into Jarbidge early Wednesday afternoon. I want to spend some time looking around and take a few photos before checking out the campgrounds. I'll be in an Anvil JKU. There shouldn't be too many Texas plates running around town.

 

[jad3116]

I'll be there Wednesday afternoon too. Probably be camping just south of Jarbridge at Pavlak or Pine Creek campground. I'm in a red Tacoma truck with black shell.

 

[armyRN]

I should be getting there Tuesday afternoon or early Wednesday. I’ll be coming in from the north. Don’t know where I’m camping yet.

 

[mtn]

I expect I'll get there fairly late on Wednesday, also coming in from the north. I'll check out the campsites along the road, starting with the one just north of Jarbidge. I'll be the gray old dude in a gray old 4Runner (the one in the picture to the left).

I'll holler on the local repeater (147.16 (+) Jarbidge, NV. Deer Mtn. 100 pl) in case any of you will be monitoring...

 

[armyRN]

I expect I'll get there fairly late on Wednesday, also coming in from the north. I'll check out the campsites along the road, starting with the one just north of Jarbidge. I'll be the gray old dude in a gray old 4Runner (the one in the picture to the left).

I'll holler on the local repeater (147.16 (+) Jarbidge, NV. Deer Mtn. 100 pl) in case any of you will be monitoring...

And that Wednesday I'll be monitoring GMRS channel 15 for those non-hammers. If there's a lot of noise on 15 I'll switch to 16. It's getting close! I need an adventure.

 

[armyRN]

Doing logistical stuff to get ready for the trip. Hit the grocery store this morning to restock vittles, and got some engine oil and butane cylinders and other misc. items. Sunday I'll pack clothes.

I still need to get a scrunch sack for my sleeping bag, and some more bug spray. And I want one more quart of bar oil for the chainsaw (anyone else bringing a chainsaw?).

Made a reservation at the KOA in Meridian, ID for Monday night. It'll be about a 450-mile drive from my home in SW WA to Meridian, so it'll be nice to have a destination and a shower. Then it is only supposed to be about 185 miles from Meridian to Jarbidge. But part of that final stretch to Jarbidge isn't paved, and it is a bit of a higher elevation, so I won't be going highway speeds. Still, I should get to Jarbidge sometime Tuesday afternoon. It'll give me a full day Wednesday to chill before 0800 on Thursday.

I've been watching some videos on the IDBDR. Sounds like the IDBDR really gets pretty after the first day. And what I saw of the Magruder Corridor should really be a highlight of the IDBDR.

 

[jad3116]

FYI, not sure if you are aware but starting next week they will be doing work on the McGruder corridor and on the Lolo trail. The hours of work are from 7am-4pm, Monday-Friday, with up to a four hour delay. So when we get there we'll have to plan accordingly.

 

[armyRN]

FYI, not sure if you are aware but starting next week they will be doing work on the McGruder corridor and on the Lolo trail. The hours of work are from 7am-4pm, Monday-Friday, with up to a four hour delay. So when we get there we'll have to plan accordingly.

Most definitely. That would suck though. Those two sections are supposed to be very scenic. We'll make it work - might just have to do some detours and rerouting. Won't be my first time doing so.

I've been more concerned about fire detours - there's always something. Thanks for the heads-up.

On one of the videos of the McGruder Corridor, she said it was posted all vehicles had to have a shovel, an axe, and a bucket. Seems like parts of the trip I took in OR (Pacific Crest Overland Route) had the same or similar requirements. I think OR required a shovel, an axe, and a fire extinguisher. Hence the fire extinguisher mounted on the back of my trailer. I've also got a shovel (three now that I think about it...), an axe, and a bucket.

I'm figuring most of ya'll have at least a shovel, and maybe an axe in your vehicles.

 

[mtn]

FYI, not sure if you are aware but starting next week they will be doing work on the McGruder corridor and on the Lolo trail. The hours of work are from 7am-4pm, Monday-Friday, with up to a four hour delay. So when we get there we'll have to plan accordingly.

If the dates quoted here are correct we should be able to get ahead of the construction. The official usfs news release doesn't have dates listed, unfortunately.

 

[mtn]

Did you guys find this Magruder Road Corridor pamphlet from the usfs already?

 

[M Rose]

. And I want one more quart of bar oil for the chainsaw (anyone else bringing a chainsaw?).

Starting July 22nd at 12:00 pm the whole northwest NFS went into fire restrictions… 2 most notable notations are Gas powered chain saws are prohibited on NFS and BLM lands due to fire danger… second a 2.5 LB fire extinguisher or larger must be carried in every vehicle along with 1 gallon of water, a shovel, and an axe.
With the chain saw, I don’t know for sure if electric saws or ok or not… I would contact the ranger districts in the areas you guys will be traveling through to get the most up to date fire danger information…

 

[rslagle]

Good info all around, thanks all! Packing today for AM departure tomorrow. Doesn't sound like there will be many campfires. Looking forward to getting out on the trail.

 

[mtn]

Starting July 22nd at 12:00 pm the whole northwest NFS went into fire restrictions… 2 most notable notations are Gas powered chain saws are prohibited on NFS and BLM lands due to fire danger… second a 2.5 LB fire extinguisher or larger must be carried in every vehicle along with 1 gallon of water, a shovel, and an axe.
With the chain saw, I don’t know for sure if electric saws or ok or not… I would contact the ranger districts in the areas you guys will be traveling through to get the most up to date fire danger information…

Mike, do you have a link to the details of this order?

 

[mtn]

Just called the Lolo visitor center, they said there are no campfire restrictions in their forest or along the Magruder. Probably worth checking with the ranger stations when they open on Monday.

Fun fact: the Lolo visitor center is on the eastern side of the Lolo motorway - in Idaho. If you step out of the visitor center and walk about 300 feet towards the west you'll be in Montana...

 

[M Rose]

Mike, do you have a link to the details of this order?

I do not… I caught it on the news last night… I tried searching for it but could not find it… the inter webs might be a few days/weeks behind at the moment… hence I suggested calling the ranger districts within the forests you will be visiting.

 

[armyRN]

Convoy operations & instructions

Ok... listen up and pay attention. This is serious. I may get snarky here if I haven't already. I'm explaining this now so when we meet-up on 28 July I don't have to go into detail explaining it for the first time.

We are going on a one-to-three-week trip with multiple vehicles. This isn't one of those little weekend get-together thingies where we meet and just hang-out for a day or so. We will be traveling daily. There is a procedure we will be following to do so. This is not optional. If you can't do this 100%, then stay home.

We will be meeting up early in the morning (0800 Pacific Time) on 28 July. Not only will we be doing a meet-and-greet, but we will also be doing convoy preparations.

Oh, by-the-way; show up with bellies full, gas tank full, cooler full, and bladders empty. Once we leave our rally point, we're not stopping anytime soon.

First thing we will be doing convoy prep-wise is issuing vehicle sequence numbers. For this example, we will be assuming we have eight vehicles.

Vehicles will be numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. You will be given a small post-it note with your vehicle's number to put on your dash to remember your sequence number. You will use your number, not your name when we are doing a radio check. You will use your number. Your number may change during the course of the trip.

When we get ready to head out (every single time for the next however many days or weeks) we will do a radio check. The lead vehicle (#1) will initiate the radio check. It will go like this:

"Number one ready to roll - radio check". Vehicle #2 will go "Number two, ready to roll" (or words to that effect as long as you start with "vehicle #2 or "number two")". Vehicle #3 will go "Number three, ready". Etc. all the way to Vehicle #8. We will stay in sequence - WE WILL NOT JUMP AHEAD OR SKIP OVER NUMBERS. YOU WILL USE YOUR VEHICLE NUMBER. AGAIN, YOU WILL USE YOUR VEHICLE NUMBER UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. NOT YOUR VEHICLE TYPE, OR WHATEVER - YOU WILL USE YOUR VEHICLE NUMBER.

The purpose of this is to make sure everyone's radio is on, and everyone is ready to roll. And to do it quickly and efficiently. It is also a safety thing. Did I mention you will use your vehicle number and not your name when we're doing a radio check?

Some people have an issue with using a number and not their name. It is your vehicle that has a number. Not to sound mean, but get over it. You're not special no matter what your momma told you. If you seriously have heartburn with this process and with using a number (or you can't count single digits), please do not sign-up or show-up for this event. Save me the aggravation. I will ask you to leave the group if you cannot cooperate.

If say... Vehicle #4 does not respond, WE DO NOT SKIP #4 AND GO TO VEHICLE #5! We need to find out what is going on with vehicle #4. Preferable the last vehicle to respond (in this case it was Vehicle #3) would get out of their vehicle and find out.

If say... Vehicle #4 just isn't ready for some reason (passenger outside of vehicle securing gear or passenger is using the restroom?), then Vehicle #4 would say something to the effect "Vehicle #4 not ready" (they can say why if appropriate) and will say something to the effect "Will let you know when we're ready". Then we just sit there and wait till they say they're ready ("Vehicle #4 ready to roll"), AND THEN we go to Vehicle #5. Does that make sense? It will take a few times before it is second nature.

This can all actually be done in about 60 seconds or less if everyone is ready and paying attention.

Question to armyRN: "Dude, chill out. Numbers, sequence... got it. Easy enough a fifth grader could do it. But from your tone, it sounds like you've had issues with this in the past. Have you?"

Answer: "Sadly, yes. And it caught me off-guard, because yes the process seems simple enough. I had one person once who just didn't/wouldn't seem to get it or follow it. Even with pulling him aside and explaining the reasoning behind it didn't seem to help, and it caused a little bit of tension in the group. So yes, I've had a problem in the past (or they had a problem with me), and I'm trying (as Barny Fife would say) to "nip it, nip it, nip it" early. Some folks just aren't cut out to participate in an organized run.

Once radio checks are done and we're ready to roll, this is what happens next.

Vehicle #1 will say (something to the effect of) "Vehicle #1 moving out". Then Vehicle #2 will say (essentially) "Vehicle #2 moving"... all the way to Vehicle #8 who will say "Vehicle #8 moving - Everyone's moving".

Vehicle #1 will start out slowly on the road till everyone is moving, then we'll pick-up speed.

As mentioned, you will use your vehicle number. However, here are the exceptions:

If you are number one, you are out in front. You can also use the term "Group Leader", Front Vehicle", etc. However, I just usually used the term "Number One".

I will be pulling a trailer, so it is difficult for me to make a U-Turn. So we can have a person in the #2 position as the Scout Vehicle (or just "Scout"). If we come to a fork in the road and we're not sure left or right, I'll send the Scout vehicle ahead to see which is the correct route. So the number two position can either call themself "Number two" (sometimes folks don't like that term) or "Scout" (i.e. "Scout ready to roll").

The last person is designated as the "Tail gunner". So instead of using their number (in the example above they were #8), instead they can/usually identify themselves as "Tail gunner" ("Tail gunner ready to roll").

When we come to a turn, Vehicle #1 will say "Vehicle #1 turning left at the red barn" (or whatever is appropriate). And Vehicle #1 will slow down after making the turn. Vehicle #2 will repeat, as will the rest of the vehicles as they make the turn. Once everyone makes the turn, the tailgunner will say (essentially) "Everyone has made the turn...". And then Vehicle #1 (and everyone else) will resume speed.

If we are making a turn and you (#4) can't because of oncoming traffic, you will say on the radio something to the effect "Vehicle #4 waiting for traffic to clear before making turn". Vehicle #1 through #3 will continue to proceed slowly till everyone has made the turn.

Another unofficial (but very important position) is that of "Navigator". We will most likely make a wrong turn or miss a turn daily - seriously. Sometimes we have a couple in a vehicle who are very navigational savvy with lots of apps on their device(s) for camping and such. Or the passenger is just bored and wants something to do/concentrate on. I welcome someone being navigator to help keep me (or the person out in front) aware ahead of time of upcoming turns and such ("In half a mile be looking for route 76 on the left and take the left").

Are you with me so far? I will briefly go over this again on game day.

I'm bringing this back up again just so you all might review it again before we meet up Thursday morning. I'm heading out Monday morning (tomorrow morning) for Jarbidge.

And I will add one more thing to the convoy operations and instructions above.

I plan on being out front (#1 vehicle) the first two days or so to set the rhythm and get folks used to the flow and how we're doing convoy procedures and such. However, I'm not on an ego trip. I can be vehicle #1 all the time, but I don't feel the need to always be out front if someone else wants the experience. Leaders are supposed to train leaders. So....

After the first couple days if someone wants to be in the front (#1 vehicle) position, talk to me. The only requirement I have (other than me thinking you can handle it) is you need to have successfully been the Tail Gunner at least once for a full day. These two positions keep the group together, and the Tailgunner keeps the #1 vehicle informed of what's going on behind him.

Sometimes it is fun to be out front, other times it is fun to be in the rear watching the group snake through the trail.

So Thursday morning I'll be needing a Tailgunner, and a Scout (vehicle #2) volunteer. A Navigator would also be a bonus to help keep us on the trail (Navigator can also be the Scout, but doesn't have to be).

Woo Hoo!

 

[Redruby]

Paul I’ll be happy to be the tail gunner

 

[armyRN]

Left WA this morning. Spending the night in Meridian ID. Will get to Jarbidge tomorrow.