I did not want to leave the hotel this morning. It was, by far, the most luxurious and comfortable room I've ever stayed in... and the price was a steal! I got up around 7:00AM and lounged around with breakfast and coffee. In terms of total distance, I didn't have a long day planned... but, the majority of the day would be spent climbing. The maps have you ride 15 miles off route and into Missoula, solely to visit the headquarters of Adventure Cycling Association, a non-profit cycling organization. I got onto the road around 8:30AM and the majority of the morning was spent on a pleasant bike trail that kept me away from the nasty four lane highway; however, I had to rejoin the highway to get into Missoula.
With the amount of debris (i.e. glass, shredded tires, metal shrapnel, etc.) on the small shoulder, I was genuinely surprised I never got a puncture. On the other hand, I almost urinated myself with a few close calls with semi trucks and dump trucks... It really reminded me of my prior highway predicament outside of Naples, Italy... only I could understand the obscenities being shouted at me.Dear Adventure Cycling: Please raise some funds to create an easier/safer alternative route to get to your headquarters. The most unpleasant experience of my trip was riding to and from your location. This is a big no-no, guys.
I did make it into town and by the amount of hipsters giving me judgemental glances, I could tell I was in a college town. Missoula seemed like a cool enough place to waste some time, and that's exactly what I did. I stopped into the first bike shop I came across and replaced my rear breaks and had a technician look at my squeaky headset. I then rode towards the Holy Mecca of cycling, the Adventure Cycling Association headquarters...
At first glance, the headquarters looked exactly like a church. This, I found out later, is not far from the truth. The building used to be an old church and was renovated into an office/complex. Much akin to a church, they welcomed me in with great hospitality. I was treated to ice cream and "pop." A younger lady gave me the grand tour and I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of history that covered the walls of the building. I spent a lot of time just looking at photos and reading articles. The bike in the photo below took part in the 1976 ride and belonged to a cartographer (a guy who works on maps).
I also found a wall of 2009 cyclists. Most were taking part in smaller tours (like Seattle to Denver, or Missoula to Chicago, etc.), but there were a lot of Trans-Am riders that I recognized. I later had my photo taken and took my humble place amongst these amazing people...
Realizing I could have spent all day here, I decided to finish my Dr. Pepper and hit the road. On my way out I met Dale, a Seattle native riding to Florida. Dale was riding an old Schwinn Varsity and is lugging all of his stuff in a dog trailer. Dale's adventure can be followed from the following website: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/rideout. I spent some more time hanging out with Dale and then heard my watch ringing off it's noon o'clock alarm, thus I had say my goodbyes and began riding out of town...
I stopped for a burrito, which subsequently gave me stomach problems for the rest of the day. I was unpleasantly surprised to find that the temperature had increased dramatically and was in stark contrast of the last few days. I took off any unnecessary layers and slowly rode towards my final destination, Lolo Hot Springs, which was located right near the Idaho border. I decided not to ride any further than that, mainly due to a 66 mile stretch past the border that featured nothing more than trees and assorted wildlife. The afternoon ride was slow and painful. My left leg has been acting up more and I definitely felt it during the climb up from Lolo. Pain aside, it was a beautiful route that brought me through a narrow valley with river streams on each side. I'm sure this area had inspired a local author, David James Duncan, in writing novels such as The River Why and The Brothers K. I'm currently sitting in a bar, snacking on an appetizer and debating my options for the night... it seems they're not many. Hmmm... should I get stung with exorbitant prices from one lodging place or bike across the street and get ripped off by them? Hmmm...
I did make it into town and by the amount of hipsters giving me judgemental glances, I could tell I was in a college town. Missoula seemed like a cool enough place to waste some time, and that's exactly what I did. I stopped into the first bike shop I came across and replaced my rear breaks and had a technician look at my squeaky headset. I then rode towards the Holy Mecca of cycling, the Adventure Cycling Association headquarters...
At first glance, the headquarters looked exactly like a church. This, I found out later, is not far from the truth. The building used to be an old church and was renovated into an office/complex. Much akin to a church, they welcomed me in with great hospitality. I was treated to ice cream and "pop." A younger lady gave me the grand tour and I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of history that covered the walls of the building. I spent a lot of time just looking at photos and reading articles. The bike in the photo below took part in the 1976 ride and belonged to a cartographer (a guy who works on maps).
I also found a wall of 2009 cyclists. Most were taking part in smaller tours (like Seattle to Denver, or Missoula to Chicago, etc.), but there were a lot of Trans-Am riders that I recognized. I later had my photo taken and took my humble place amongst these amazing people...
Realizing I could have spent all day here, I decided to finish my Dr. Pepper and hit the road. On my way out I met Dale, a Seattle native riding to Florida. Dale was riding an old Schwinn Varsity and is lugging all of his stuff in a dog trailer. Dale's adventure can be followed from the following website: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/rideout. I spent some more time hanging out with Dale and then heard my watch ringing off it's noon o'clock alarm, thus I had say my goodbyes and began riding out of town...
I stopped for a burrito, which subsequently gave me stomach problems for the rest of the day. I was unpleasantly surprised to find that the temperature had increased dramatically and was in stark contrast of the last few days. I took off any unnecessary layers and slowly rode towards my final destination, Lolo Hot Springs, which was located right near the Idaho border. I decided not to ride any further than that, mainly due to a 66 mile stretch past the border that featured nothing more than trees and assorted wildlife. The afternoon ride was slow and painful. My left leg has been acting up more and I definitely felt it during the climb up from Lolo. Pain aside, it was a beautiful route that brought me through a narrow valley with river streams on each side. I'm sure this area had inspired a local author, David James Duncan, in writing novels such as The River Why and The Brothers K. I'm currently sitting in a bar, snacking on an appetizer and debating my options for the night... it seems they're not many. Hmmm... should I get stung with exorbitant prices from one lodging place or bike across the street and get ripped off by them? Hmmm...
2 comments:
A few things: Your hair is so much longer than mine (wtf?). Duncan moved to Lola from Portland after writing those novels. I think he was dismayed by the destruction of streams and salmon in OR and he moved to the lovely wilderness of Montana because it is more like the Oregon of his childhood...
I've been enjoying Clem a lot lately! We've become much better friends since you've been gone. She's been a good dog. :)
Awesome entry in your blog, Blake. I can't believe how long your hair has gotten!! You look great, sideways, that is!!!! Stay Safe!!
Love Ya, Momma
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