Motel...Arrggghhh!

Monday August 22
Missoula MT

I got into the edge of town last night after a very HOT day of pedaling. Since I wanted to go to REI this morning and it was on this side of town I decided to CP out there. After a bit of scoping, I finally ended up on a vacant lot behind WalMart. No sprinklers, but hard ground and weeds. Worked out fine. Only the sound of big trucks idling. Beats loud music:)

Missoula is a great place. Much like Boise. Went over to Adventure Cycling...they're the folks thar make a ton of maps for many bike routes across and through the US. I wanted to see what the suggested to get down and across Yellowstone.

While I was there, they took my pic for their wall. (Like at Harper's Ferry and the ATC.). And because they don't get many trikes, they took another pic of me and Blaze that they can use for their mag or decorate their walls. It was one with my umbrella up!

Then I did laundry. Nothing special except they had an ice cream and soda counter in it! Great idea. Captured audience.

Couldn't decide whether to stay or linger. Beautiful warm evening. Sitting outside drinking a smoothies and reading mags about Montana. Let's bike around and see this town...and maybe a sleeping spot will appear. Lots of green grass. Not good sign. Lots of kids with backpacks and dreds not good sign. Guess I'll have to break down and get a room. The hostel is $30 and I'll have to haul all my stuff around. Not easy. Get a motel room, ground floor, and Blaze can roll right in. Sure I'll take the one without A/C. Better yet! Got a fan? Ok. Does the window open? Yes. Liar!

Bad TV. A great shower. And 10 hours of sleep. All for $50 ...thats the aarrgghhh! Add to that some lousy Thai food and I'm ready to roll on out of Missoula. After I go back to the laundromat and see if my sleeping shorts are still sitting on the curb drying. Otherwise I've lost yet another item.




Another hot one expected.

BagLady


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My Forgetfulness

Friday August 19th
Flathead Lake Montana

Another lost item. Items. Not lost. Left behind. I broke the cardinal rule of every hiker/biker. Double check that you packed everything up. I mentally made sure that I had my phone and iPods. But left my coffee mug and book on the table. (not the one of yours that I borrowed, Skyward...I still have that:))

More items to add to my ever lengthening Lost Items list. Don't think I've mentioned I lost my ski cap in Glacier. Had it one minute, then later...gone. My ADD is getting worse and it's a bit frightening. Yesterday afternoon I poured the last of my water into my bike bladder and made a mental note that I needed to get water before stopping for the night. Then I proceeded to bike past a gas station, then a restaurant totally forgetting I needed water. Yikes. I did finally water up at a church when I remembered. But what if I hadn't? Pretty scary when ya can't count on your own brain. It's not like I can put a reminder in place anywhere out here.

Today was a wonderful leisurely day. That helped to cope with biking 30 miles on a busy road with no...I repeat, no shoulder. The white line was painted underneath the guardrail. But it was a beautiful 30 miles along Flathead Lake. Oh, the views! And I took them all in. And the water was crystal clear. Just like we saw in Glacier. Where you can see the bottom 50 ft from shore! So why would I hurry? And mountains on both sides of this very wide body of water.

Just today I told someone it had been a while since I had a flat tire. Me and my big mouth! Yup, my front right. And right on that busy road with a guardrail. Luckily there was some room on the other side. I have a thorn-resistant tube on it and it makes getting the tire off and on a major chore. If I didn't know it could be done I would give up every time. The tube is ultra-thick and bulky. Otherwise changing a tire would be a snap. And then tonight...flat again. Patch didn't hold. And when I finally got the tire back on...finally...the nozzle was jammed and wouldn't align right so I had to start over. Arrgghhh!!! Deep breath. You can do this.

So I didn't get out of Pulson, a lake town. But I did find a quiet spot with a view of the mountains and the lake. And I think the traffic noise will quiet down. I'm on a road of a new subdivision with vacant lots and NO sprinklers. Overlooking the golf course too. My brother, Steve, would approve:)




I inserted a pic. We'll see if it sends.

Got a new book. Looks better than the one I lost. "The Bone People" by Keri Hulme. It's about New Zealand. Time I started thinking about my next trip:)

Sleepy BagLady

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Glacier was the best!

Wednesday August 17
West Glacier Montana
Robin's front yard

I was reunited with Blaze this evening. And with my phone. The week break from both was good but it feels good to be all back together. Glacier has got to be one of the most beautiful places on this earth! Every day it just got better and better culminating with today's hike down from Siyeh Pass. Not to be missed!

It's late and I need sleep. I'm camped on Robin's front lawn. I met her when I was setting up my tent behind the Post Office and she was walking her dog. She warned me there was a bear in the area. After chatting a while she also told me there were SPRINKLERS! And invited me to use her front yard. Ok! She also offered the shower but I'm not too dirty yet:). A wonderful evening of conversation. A kindred spirit.

Off to sleep now. Off towards Missoula tomorrow.

Sleepy BagLady

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Almost There

Tuesday August 9th
Whitefish Montana

Toodling along busy Rte 93 yesterday, I spotted a restaurant in the middle if nowhere. Ah Root Beer. My new drink of choice. I wonder what a rum and root beer would taste like. Hmmm! Gotta try it. The bartender mentions a place to camp and swim about 13 miles further up the road. Sounds like a place to stop. And maybe stay the night. When I find it, the water looks so inviting. Ah a swim. Now ya have to understand. To minimize what I carry, things have to have double function. So my bathing suit is actually dark purple sports bra and panties from EMS. Stretchy and quick drying. And double purpose. And


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Ah! Wilderness!!!

Saturday August 6th
Lake Koocanusa
33 long miles:)

Last night I camped 10 miles beyond (east of) Libby MT at Osprey Landing...a boat launch. I know! I know! That's on my list of poor camping spots. But it was so idyllic and some locals promised the boaters wouldn't be there before 6 am. It's a point built out into the Kootenai River. And I had stopped there for a swim...which turned into a dip because the water was soooo cold. Doesn't look like swimming is a big sport in Montana. Water's too cold!

And then I met Alex, a guy from NYC who was bumming around the west scouting out rainbow trout. A fly fisherman that translates old English fishing books into modern English. It's a slow process. If I remember right, it took him a year to do 14 pages! Fascinating guy originally from Korea. He's tracing the lineage of rainbow trout that are now in Korea trying to determine where in the US the original eggs came from. He certainly kept me intrigued:)

Today was a long lonely road down the west side of this very long lake. Reminds me a bit I'd Chelan Lake where I went backpacking. There were so few cars on it that I'd forget to look out for them and then one would surprise me.

I found this dog trotting along the road. (There are no residents along it that I could see.). I thought maybe he was lost. After offering him some of my precious water, which he refused, I read his tags to see if he was local. One tag listed his owner in Jackson Creek "at the end if the small road". And the other tag said "leave him alone!". Ok. Guess he's not lost. It was a couple of miles before o got to the Jackson Road turnoff. He's a ways from home.

The road is a forest service road if sorts, but it's paved. It runs along the water but way high up. That's why I said "precious water" 'cause I didn't know when or if I was going to be able to get more some time today. Finally I came to a boat launch and scooped up some lake water. I have no purification system with me. I had a new (replacement after Nepal) Steripen but I could not get it to operate even once. Arrgghh! So I shipped it with other stuff back to my car. It's pretty remote out here. I'm not worried about the water.

So on I pedaled today I'm the 90* heat. Oh look at that water! I want a cold drink. And I want to swim! Torture to see it and not be able to get to it!

"Fishing Access". I'll take it. To the water! Yippee!! Be careful what you wish for. Down, down, down this dirt and loose stone road. For nearly a mile. Oh how will I ever get Blaze up it in the morning? Who cares! I want water. To drink. And to swim. Down. Down. Oh look at this delight spot to swim and camp. Best spot I think I've had this whole trip. What? What is that I see? Blaze has another flat on the back? How long has that been there? At least I have all evening to fix it.

Delightful evening: swim (water not too cold...yippeee), bath, hair washed, and cold drinks.

Now to hang a bear bag and go read. Yup. Delightful evening. Don't think about that hill until morning. Ok!

Pedal on,

Swimming BagLady


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Serendipity in Eureka

Sunday August 7th
Eureka Montana
42ish

The hill. Remember the hill. I was able to bike it. It took me 17 minutes to get to the top. What a way to start the day. Blaze was amazing!

I really didn't want that empty road to come to an end. Best road I've bikes this whole trip. Nearly a bike path there were so few cars. And the views were amazing! Barb and Bob, thanks for making it possible and suggesting it!!

Hot day! Thank goodness for the umbrella. Could not deal with the sun without it.

Tonight a serendipitous series of events happened. After my usual root beer float break and a 6" sub from Subway and a grocery stop, I finally managed to leave Eureka...about 6 pm. And I wanted to get about 8 miles in before stopping. So about 7:30 I started looking. This is later than my usual quitting time. And since the road is quite busy, I was having to explore side roads. Very residential out here. One spot I started to set up just had too much traffic. And no flat spot. So I packed Blaze up again and continued on. Have faith. Something will turn up. Looking. Thinking. Wondering. Side roads seemed to be mostly driveways. Down another road. Wasting time. Getting later. There's a spot. Not too flat. Too close to highway. Start to move on. Meet Paster Curtis and wife Stephanie out for a walk. "is this your property I ask" explaining that I'm looking for a place to camp. No but you can camp in the church yard...and use the shower...and do a load of wash if you wish. Yippee! The jackpot! Talk about things having to align so that I'm sitting at the end of their road just as they are coming home from an evening stroll! Ya can't make his stuff up!!!

Pedal on,

Serendipitous BagLady


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Montana!

Friday August 5th
Libby MT
35 and more to come when it cools down this evening

Trail angels. That's what they are: Bob, Barb, Kellyann, and Erin. This family responded to my plea of a lift when I found out Amtrak wasn't going to take Blaze.

So Wednesday went like this: Skyward shuttled me to Coulee Dam (couple hours drive) where Kellyann and her nana picked me up and shuttled me back to Spokane. But their generosity didn't end there. These guys are Warmshowers hosts (people who give cyclists a place to stay) and the fed and bed me. AND threw me a birthday party, complete with the tastiest, gooiest brownies ever! AND then when it didn't look like I still was going to be able to get to Glacier on time, Bob and Erin drive me nearly another 100 miles into Idaho! So, with about 215 miles to do in 6 days I was in great shape to make the meetup 4pm on next Wed in West Glacier.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!! Best Warmshowers Hosts EVER!!!!!!!!!

And now I'm in Libby sitting out the heat of the afternoon at an ice cream shop. Where else?

Pedal on,

Scorched BagLady

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The Universe Provides

I think I have the blog issues ironed out, but I don't know where my blog posts from the backpacking trip went.  LaLa Land.  I'm hoping the developer can help me find them.

Yesterday was a pretty stressful day.  I called Amtrak in the morning to make my reservation from Spokane to West Glacier with my trike...and they dont take bikes in boxes wider than 8 inches.  Screwed!  Now how do I get from Winthrop to West Glacer, 470+ miles, in a week?  Panic for a moment.  Then trusting.  If it doesn't work out, then the Universe has something else planned for me.  Ah yes...trust.

But also do my part to resolve the issue.  So I wrote an email to as many Warmshowers hosts (a site of folks that will host bicycling travelers) in Winthrop and Spokane as I found listed asking if they could help me close this mileage gap by giving me a lift for any part of my journey.  I got emails and phone calls offering a variety of help.  What support!  Problem has been resolved and the trip is going to be better than originally planned!  I'm getting 2 rides today to get to Spokane by tonight and I will be staying at a Warmshowers' host house, Barb Stuebing's!  Her mom and daughter are meeting me in Coulee Dam this afternoon.  Skyward has generously offered to drive me there...after all she's already done hosting me this last week and a half:))  Then tomorrow I'll bike out of Spokane with about 270 miles to cover in 6 days.  I'll huff and I'll puff, but I'll make it!   And I get to bike the mountains of Idaho and Montana instead of the desert of Washington.  Yippeee!!! 

The Universe provides...for sure!

Pedal on, pedal on,

Amazed BagLady

Test

New software. Let's see if I can post.


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More Torments

So, the blog isn't loading from my phone...and now I find out I can't take my bike on the train.  It won't box up as small as they require.  So now I have to hitch to get to West Glacier in a week.  I'll have to start hitchig right away because I don't know when the rides will come.  And I may not make it in time to meet up with the group.  

Skyward taught me a great saying.  "An adventure isn't an adventure until something goes wrong."  So I guess the adventure is just beginning!

I just talked with Sylvia, my inspiring trike traveler from Portland...thanks for the words of support.  I'll just go with the flow and see where the universe takes me:)  

As to my lost posts, I've written to the developer to see if he can find them.  For now let's just say Chelan Lake and Stehekin village with the snow capped mountains and azure blue rushing rivers was paradise.  Best hike in America!  and no crowds!!!

And I don't seem to be able to post a blog now from my phone at all.  I'm reinstalling the BlogPress software, so I will try some tests to see if I can get that to work.  If not, you'll all have to go to Facebook to see what I'm up to...I'll post to that.  

Stay tuned...

BagLady