Colin:
We got up between 5:30 and 6 and were out of camp just after 7. At first we rolled through similar landscape to the previous afternoon, going up and down rolling hills with deep pine forests all around. We paralleled the clark fork river all day, sometimes looking down over it and sometimes far enough off to be blocked by the dense woods. Compared to what we had seen before the ranches seemed to be a bit larger as well.
In late morning the valley closed in around us and cliffs began to loom over us to the north. Signs repeatedly warned of rolling rocks and big horned sheep in the road. I will admit to spending an embarassing amount of time looking up at the cliffs hoping to spot one, but alas, no luck.
When we stopped for lunch we had already gone 50 miles in part due to the flattish landscape and tailwinds. So we embraced the idea of pushing passed our original targets, the small towns of Plains (note the size of the jail in picture below) and Paradise and began to seriously entertain the idea of a century. This would be Carols first century and so I was careful not to push it.
Around 85 miles in the weather started to turn and we similarly started to think about where to make camp. It became clear that there arent a lot of options, whether campgrounds or motels around the flathead reservation so we were both hugely relieved to find a warm showers host in the small town of Ravalli, right where we would have to turn south towards missoula. I, like a bike sherpa, set off ahead to set up camp before Carol arrived and met our host George.
He owns and operates the Bison Inn Cafe, and in addition to letting us pitch our tent in his yard, let us into the restaurant after hours for a pair of excellent bison burgers.
Beautiful landscapes, bison burgers and Carols first century. It was a very good day.
106 miles
698 miles total.
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