Missoula, MT a.k.a. The Promised Land
So here I am at the Adventure Cycling cyclists lounge in Missoula, Montana. This is the organization that produces the maps that Heidi and I are following on our trip. They have free internet here, as well as free ice-cream and sodas and a library of cycling books. Huzzah!
Heidi and I *blazed* across Idaho in a mere week, completely decimating our Oregon time table of three weeks (granted, Idaho's panhandle is a few miles shorter than Oregon). Initially, I was quite grumpy about being in Idaho and concerned about "narrow winding shoulderless roads full of logging trucks" (description of the road conditions on the map)...However, it didn't take me long to decide that I LOVE IDAHO.
Idaho drivers have been quite polite and have given us plenty of room on the roads (with the exception of a young boy mooning us from his minivan as his father at the wheel honked at us). Idaho scenery is beautiful and mountainous. We met many friendly people. The roads were not heavily traveled, which gave us the chance to relax and enjoy the passing scenery.
A few highlights from Idaho:
One of the first highlights that comes to mind is a short day of bicycling towards a massive hill. Heidi and I both KNEW we had to climb that hill, and yet we took a leisurely start to the day with quiet time by the river, and then enjoyed a stop at a fruit stand and another stop to call home. We tried huckleberries for the first time, and an older gent offered us fresh peaches as a snack. Just as we turned off the busy highway we'd been riding on onto the old highway that would switchback us over that big hill, my chain did its snarling act and became caught up next to the frame. With the help of some friendly locals, Heidi made the repair and we were ready to start off again. But wait! As we pulled into the road we heard "pshhhhhhh" issuing from my rear tire. A flat! We took that as a sign that our biking was done for the day, and decided to rest at an R.V. park just a short jaunt behind us. It turned into a great afternoon of reading, catching up on journaling, and enjoying the river.
Another highlight came the next day when we really and truly had to climb That Hill. However, all of my dread was unfounded. It was a beautiful, slow climb on an old and basically untraveled highway that took us slowly over White Bird Hill. From our slow climb we could see the other highway, full of cars and campers, all going steeply uphill. On the old highway we stopped at a site of the Battle of White Bird, fought between Chief Joseph's band of the Nez Perce and the U.S. army. We also enjoyed the wildflowers growing along the road, the quiet peace of the morning, and a spectacular view of the brown hills and mountains behind us.
After descending White Bird Hill, we entered Grangeville, a massive town by Transam standards with almost 4,000 people! Outside the grocery store a woman asked us a bit about our trip and encouraged us on our way. We got ready to push off when "psshhhhh"...Heidi's tire got a flat. By the time we had it changed, the woman came back outside and offered us a place to stay at her home nearby. So we ended up biking up to Jo's beautiful log home at the foot of the Bitterroot Mountains and enjoying a great evening of feeding her horses, playing catch with her sweet dog, seeing the old bikes she's collected, and touring her property. We had a really nice time visiting...and it was great to sleep in Real Beds and have hot showers.
Another highlight of Idaho is that we finally met the other east-bound folks that we'd been hearing about for awhile. After a LONG day of climbing towards Lolo Pass a few days back (by day's end I was sobbing and saying to Heidi, "I don't know what's wrong! I don't know what's wrong!") we met Mike and Liz, a couple from Seattle who are on a similiar time table as we are. They are a really fun couple. She is a tour guide originally from New York state and he works in the computer industry and is originally from Ireland. So the evening of the long, awful day we got to chat bike touring with Mike & Liz, and we also Heartily Enjoyed a meal at the lodge to celebrate hitting 1,000 miles.
And the final highlight of Idaho has simply got to be leaving Idaho and getting to Missoula, a Huge Metropolis of 60,000 folks. It's nice to be somewhere with multiple book shops and restaurants and, of course, the Adventure Cycling headquarters. Today, here at the lounge, we met a New Yorker named Kevin who is also biking east, so it's a lot of fun to hang out together as the last bunch on the Transam this season.
Thanks for reading! We love seeing your comments. We're really hoping to put some pics on soon, but can't do it here because of a firewall.
Heidi and I *blazed* across Idaho in a mere week, completely decimating our Oregon time table of three weeks (granted, Idaho's panhandle is a few miles shorter than Oregon). Initially, I was quite grumpy about being in Idaho and concerned about "narrow winding shoulderless roads full of logging trucks" (description of the road conditions on the map)...However, it didn't take me long to decide that I LOVE IDAHO.
Idaho drivers have been quite polite and have given us plenty of room on the roads (with the exception of a young boy mooning us from his minivan as his father at the wheel honked at us). Idaho scenery is beautiful and mountainous. We met many friendly people. The roads were not heavily traveled, which gave us the chance to relax and enjoy the passing scenery.
A few highlights from Idaho:
One of the first highlights that comes to mind is a short day of bicycling towards a massive hill. Heidi and I both KNEW we had to climb that hill, and yet we took a leisurely start to the day with quiet time by the river, and then enjoyed a stop at a fruit stand and another stop to call home. We tried huckleberries for the first time, and an older gent offered us fresh peaches as a snack. Just as we turned off the busy highway we'd been riding on onto the old highway that would switchback us over that big hill, my chain did its snarling act and became caught up next to the frame. With the help of some friendly locals, Heidi made the repair and we were ready to start off again. But wait! As we pulled into the road we heard "pshhhhhhh" issuing from my rear tire. A flat! We took that as a sign that our biking was done for the day, and decided to rest at an R.V. park just a short jaunt behind us. It turned into a great afternoon of reading, catching up on journaling, and enjoying the river.
Another highlight came the next day when we really and truly had to climb That Hill. However, all of my dread was unfounded. It was a beautiful, slow climb on an old and basically untraveled highway that took us slowly over White Bird Hill. From our slow climb we could see the other highway, full of cars and campers, all going steeply uphill. On the old highway we stopped at a site of the Battle of White Bird, fought between Chief Joseph's band of the Nez Perce and the U.S. army. We also enjoyed the wildflowers growing along the road, the quiet peace of the morning, and a spectacular view of the brown hills and mountains behind us.
After descending White Bird Hill, we entered Grangeville, a massive town by Transam standards with almost 4,000 people! Outside the grocery store a woman asked us a bit about our trip and encouraged us on our way. We got ready to push off when "psshhhhh"...Heidi's tire got a flat. By the time we had it changed, the woman came back outside and offered us a place to stay at her home nearby. So we ended up biking up to Jo's beautiful log home at the foot of the Bitterroot Mountains and enjoying a great evening of feeding her horses, playing catch with her sweet dog, seeing the old bikes she's collected, and touring her property. We had a really nice time visiting...and it was great to sleep in Real Beds and have hot showers.
Another highlight of Idaho is that we finally met the other east-bound folks that we'd been hearing about for awhile. After a LONG day of climbing towards Lolo Pass a few days back (by day's end I was sobbing and saying to Heidi, "I don't know what's wrong! I don't know what's wrong!") we met Mike and Liz, a couple from Seattle who are on a similiar time table as we are. They are a really fun couple. She is a tour guide originally from New York state and he works in the computer industry and is originally from Ireland. So the evening of the long, awful day we got to chat bike touring with Mike & Liz, and we also Heartily Enjoyed a meal at the lodge to celebrate hitting 1,000 miles.
And the final highlight of Idaho has simply got to be leaving Idaho and getting to Missoula, a Huge Metropolis of 60,000 folks. It's nice to be somewhere with multiple book shops and restaurants and, of course, the Adventure Cycling headquarters. Today, here at the lounge, we met a New Yorker named Kevin who is also biking east, so it's a lot of fun to hang out together as the last bunch on the Transam this season.
Thanks for reading! We love seeing your comments. We're really hoping to put some pics on soon, but can't do it here because of a firewall.
posted by Heidi & Liz at 3:52 PM
3 Comments:
Congratulations on 1000 miles and two states! Yahoo! Liz, it sounds like your emotions go a little bit like the terrain--up and down. If you would graph it, the more up the terrain the more down the emotions; the more down the terrain the more up the emotions. It would make a beautiful graph. That's why I want to join you at the continental divide--downhill all the way to Newton. What fun!Keep plugging away. Hope you got your drops in Missoula. Love, Dad
Hi Liz and Heidi,
I've been checking in often but not commenting much. I was on my bike today---a total of five miles! But I wasn't driving my car those five miles :-). I really wimp out on the hills though, rapidly shifting down through the gears. I have this phobia of first gear so I try really hard not to get there. Somehow being in first is proof of how weak I am. But a couple of weeks ago riding against a 30 mph wind for 5 miles I think I did try first a couple of times. But the first was so terribly easy I moved back up to second again. I'm sure you wanted to know all of that.
Getting mooned while riding across America. That's quite the experience.
I'm impressed with how many great people you've met already.
Time to quit surfing and cook supper.
You must be getting ready for Wy. I love reading your journals and seeing pictures. You better hope for warmer weather in Colo. than we are having right now! It is lovely, tho. Hope to see you. Aunt Myrna
Post a Comment
<< Home