Back to Montana

Day 21: Sunday, July 17, 2005 Our ride from Missoula to Hamilton, Montana

We knew it was going to be an easy ride so we slept late and waited for it to warm up above 50 degrees before starting so it was after 8 when we ventured out. Still pretty cloudy but a beautiful day!

The parking lot outside of the Sleep Inn in Missoula

Still lots of low clouds and it was still pretty chilly

We had known that Bike Across Montana started on Saturday but did not know their direction so when we began to see bikers behind we still did not know they were part of that Adventure Cycling Ride. There were over 150 registered for that ride and we only saw about 40 so most of them got an earlier start than we did – and this was just the first group we saw as they passed us.

They all had those reflectors with their names and home towns written on them. We saw people from all over and visited with some from California, Alaska and New York and lots from Montana. Some remarked that they had seen us on the road over the past few days as they drove to Missoula.

This was the first tandem couple that passed us – their daughter was also riding with them on a single.

As soon as the sun came out the world brightened up and it was awesome! That is one of the small ski areas that the opponents of the planned Lolo Peak Ski Resort are afraid will not survive the changes! They feel that the whole thing is just set up to be another place for the wealthy to build outrageous second homes under the guise of creating more jobs for the little people! Things are the same everywhere! There is really a lot of room out here!

It is a beautiful morning

About 8 miles south of Missoula as we passed through Lolo we got onto a nice bike path which went all the way down to Florence-about another 8 miles- and all this time we were looking for someplace to have a good breakfast!

We continued to feast our eyes but not our stomachs

Into the sun but I could not resist it!

When we arrived at Florence we caught up with lots of the Ride Across Montana group at a rest stop

but we could tell the major part of the group were away and gone!

Another tandem couple riding past the coffee stop where we were

  Just look at all this beauty!

Crossing the Bitterroot River – and of course we have been riding in the Bitterroot Valley all morning. I thought it was a wide valley but they say “it is only about 10 to 15 miles wide” and call it narrow! Lewis and Clark and the men with them were credited as the first white men in the Bitterroot Valley 200 years ago! And we think this is tough!

I look at all the civilization around us as we ride and try to imagine all of this as it was in 1805.

Coming into Stevensville where we found a great little cafe and stayed until most of the Ride Across Montana group was on their way to Darby, about 17 miles further than we are doing today. 

Now we are getting close to Hamilton. What a wonderful setting.

We come back to Hwy 93 and turn north for a block and here we arrive at our Comfort Inn – which we can hardly believe is a Casino! But what a setting!!!

This has been our easiest day of riding so far and one of the loveliest because we are in awe of the clouds! Probably the incredible blue sky makes them magical for us. Big Sky is truly appropriate!