Monday 7-2 Day 8

Start Point: Thompson Falls, MT
End Point: Missoula, MT
Scheduled miles: 101.1
Actual miles: 100.9

This morning we had breakfast at the Elks Lodge. This was put on my a Friend of one of the riders. Thank you Freddie!! Got to have my first taste of biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Delicious!

Decided to go on my own today, with the schedule being 100 miles. Which when you think about it is only 10 or 12 miles more than what we have been doing. No big deal.

Ben from the Mocha express joined me and we spent the morning pretty much going at our own pace, stopping for photos and historic signs and such. Much easier to stop for these types of things at 17 miles an hour rather than wizzing by them at 70 MPH.

Another thing I just had to do, which is probably all me, but I just had to stop and look closely and touch the drill marks left behind from when they blasted the rock formations to make room for the road. Those holes they drilled are about 2 inches in diameter, and could be up to 20' long/deep The sides are very smooth, I thought that the drill bits may have left some machining marks, but if they did the weather has erased them. When you go up and touch that hard rock it really gives you a better understanding of what those workers had to do to make the roads we tend to take for granted. Being on a bike with no suspension and skinny tires you really learn to appreciate good road building and good surfaces.


The terrain was varied, some forest, some scrublands, it unfortunately is really all starting to blend together. Still had some spectacular views, I am going to miss the mountains. After lunch Ben went back to the Mocha express, and I went on my own again. We went through some pretty impressive passes and the Flat Head Indian reservation. Stopped at a road side truck vendor and picked up some buffalo and elk jerky.

There was a long gradual uphill climb toward the end of the day, visually it was hard to discern the slope, but your legs felt it. it was about 20 miles of continuous climbing and the shoulders were narrow with lots of gravel. Cars and trucks were going by at 70 mph so this was my least favorite section so far. But we did get a nice fast downhill which really raised the adrenaline level. Yee Haw!!

Coming into Missoula, I stopped at the airport to see their Mountain Aviation Museum. Missoula is the headquarters and training center for the smoke jumpers. The guys who parachute in to fight forest fires. They had some great planes on display including a DC-3. I didn't ask but it looked like it could still fly, as the entire museum was in a hanger.

Staying tonight at the University of Montana. No bunk beds thankfully. After dinner in the cafeteria, we played a little Frisbee, and then went to have, what else, a few beers.

Tomorrow is a rest day, so it will be laundry, clean the bike update the blogs and relax. There is a huge hill behind the University with a big "M" on it, some riders are hiking up it today, but that sounds like more work than I want to do.

Our next rest day is July 8, so look for new posts then.