IUA Hike & Bike, Canada to Mexico, Ray & Jenny Jardine

To celebrate the publication of our latest title "The Ray-Way Tarp Book" and as a gesture of appreciation to everyone who has supported our endeavors by purchasing this book, I am focusing this adventure narrative on the tarp featured in the book. For indeed, the tarp shown in these photos is the same one gracing the book's front cover. So in this sequence of photos I will describe some of the nuances of pitching, as used on this journey.

At the border station we began our journey, at 5:30 pm. We walked by a sign that said "Welcome to the United States" and "Welcome to Idaho."

We walked about one mile along the 2-lane Hwy 95. Only a few cars passed by. We were very fatigued from the day's travel and the previous night's lack of sleep. But it felt wonderful having started this trip at last, and the verdancy of the region almost overwhelmed the senses. The sight of all that lush, green growth, and the powerful aromas of the trees and plants made quite a contrast from our home territory in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. The temperature was in the 70's - a little too warm for hiking. We sweated a bit.

About a mile down the highway we turned left onto a dirt road, and followed it past a few houses. The walking was very enjoyable and the mosquitoes were few. The dirt road rapidly diminished, and just before the last house we took a faint road heading west. This paralleled the highway, just out of sight, for another mile. Unfortunately, private property drove us back up to the highway.

Approaching the turn to Moyie Springs, we saw two black bear yearlings. Our shuttle driver, Heather, had told us that the dumpster at this road junction was a good place to watch bears, and she was right.

On the flight to Idaho earlier this day we did not check our luggage. Rather, we used our backpacks as carry-ons. This saved us the risk of the airlines losing our packs. But it did mean that we could not include tarp stakes, as airport security would not allow them. So we included the stakes in our first resupply parcel, and for the initial six days pitched the tarp using various methods. Here we're using impromptu sticks pounded into the ground.

We detoured left along the gas pipeline to avoid the bears, but private property soon forced us back toward the dumpster junction. Fortunately the bears had moved out by the time we arrived.

Now on Road 74, we followed it south at a rather slow but steady pace. We crossed the bridge at Sinclair, and in a short ways we climbed a short hill and made camp above the road. At 9 pm it was still quite light out. Hiked about 6 miles.

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Every hiker's dream: your own trail making machine.

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