> Looking for advice from anyone who has done the Selkirk loop.
> We are planning a self supported tour for this summer- looking for good campgrounds, restaurants and points of interest.
Last summer my husband and I and six friends rode the Selkirk Loop. An additional three people stuck to the support van. We started and ended at the Newport City Inn at Newport, WA.
Our itinerary:
Newport, WA to Ione, WA (Riverview Inn), 53 miles
Ione, WA to Nelson, BC (Dancing Bear Inn), 64 miles
Nelson, BC to Ainsworth Hot Springs, BC (Ainsworth Motel), 26 miles
Ainsworth to Creston, BC (City Centre Motel), 59 miles
Creston, BC to Sandpoint, ID (K2 Inn), 69 miles
Sandpoint, ID to Newport, WA, 35 miles
Total 306 miles. Actual was 323 miles due to wandering off route, seeing the towns, etc.
Now, have you discovered the International Selkirk Loop website,
http://www.selkirkloop.org? It has all kinds of information and maps. You can order a free copy of the 64 page Travel Guide which has a map in the middle. The 2008 version measured 5.25” X 8.25”, so you could stow it in your handlebar bag. There is also a bigger map that measures 16” X 18” and folds to 4” X 9”. It’s thin, so if you treat it with Map Seal (Google it) or a similar product you can fold it any way you want. The information in the Guide is much the same as the information on the website. It lists restaurants, groceries, motels, campgrounds, and things to do.
Adventure Cycling has a 10-day self-supported tour:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/tours/tourdetail.cfm?t=SC&id=152&p=1 Wright Wheels,
http://www.biketoursbc.ca, also has tours. They’ll provide bike rentals, help choose restaurants and accommodations, provide guides, support vans, customized tours and self-guided tours. Costs vary with services desired.
The International Selkirk Loop is a great route. There are also several side loops.
For more details on our trip, write me at judybikes “at” yahoo.com (replace the spaces and “at” with “@”).