Welcome to post 3 of 18 in our Driving to Alaska series. We hope you enjoy the stories from this unforgettable 4,000 mile road trip!
Emmett, Idaho –> Riggins, Idaho
It was mid-day when the last of Cade & Becca’s belongings were loaded up and secured inside their cargo trailer. After double-checking to-do lists and packing lists and verifying that we all had our passports, we were ready to get on the road. It felt strange to watch our truck camper disappear in the rearview mirror as we pulled away in a truck we’d never driven. Would the seats be comfortable? Would the stereo work? How well would it handle a trailer? We had no idea. For Mark, a man that knows his truck like the back of his hand, this long list of unknowns was all new territory. But we knew this trip was a step outside of our comfort zone and we were ready to embrace it.
The goal for the first day wasn’t to get far, just to get going. From Emmett we hopped on a two lane highway and made our way to McCall, weaving our way alongside the Payette river most of the way. Aside from a temperamental ABS warning light and a grumbling speaker, we were feeling pretty good about our ride.
From McCall we made our way to Riggins where we followed a narrow ribbon of asphalt that hugged the main fork of the Salmon river. It was early evening and the mountains that rose steeply on both sides of the river were glowing a vibrant green. It was exquisite, and looked like the Idaho I’d dreamed of but had not yet seen. Our home for the night would be a dispersed campsite on the water’s edge that we would have all to ourselves. It took no time to settle in and enjoy snacks and beverages while we watched the sun set behind a rugged peak and the beautiful Salmon river flow past our feet. Tacos filled our bellies for dinner and the temp dipped just enough to make our cozy sleeping quarters comfortable.
Day one was in the books, and if the start of the trip was any indication of what the rest of this journey would be like, we were just beginning what might be one of the best road-trips of all time.
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