His Own Private Idaho

Fifty-four-year-old Bill Westmacott, came from the United Kingdom to ride the TransAm Trail in 2009. He planned an early start and left Florence, Oregon, early enough to reach Missoula by May 27.

In Idaho he found a wonderful place to “pirate camp” along a secluded stretch of the Clearwater River near Kooskia. He drifted into a comfortable sleep and awoke in the morning to discover he was on an island. The Clearwater rose two feet during the night from snowmelt. “I had several wading trips with bike and gear to get back on the road,” he recalled.