Michael Richardson
Another splendid day of pedaling in the books. Usher tells me that his favorite miles are the ones leading into our rest days but I’ve been loving these post-rest day miles even more. Today they were fueled by last night’s peach cobbler and this morning’s huckleberry oatmeal provided by our favorite cooks—Mike and Billie. We set out at 8am, waved goodbye to our gracious hosts, and gazed into a clear and sunny Montana morning.
Last night’s peach cobbler
We had plenty of room in the shoulder of Highway 93 to observe the countless ranches spanning the Bitterroot Valley, and even a minor headwind couldn’t disrupt our mojo. Mike warned us about a 7 mile section with no shoulder and harsh visibility but we entered the gauntlet right as Sunday service began, meaning we had the road all to ourselves.
For some reason, it is always my turn to blog on the days when we take on a massive climb (e.g., Santiam Pass and White Bird Hill) and today was no different. By the time we arrived at the bottom, we were already at the same elevation as Lolo Pass from a few days ago—just with 2,250 feet still ahead of us. Lost Trail Pass was certainly a force to be reckoned with but we were rewarded with a nice picnic area for lunch at the top. We hit a new elevation record for the trip—7,014 feet above our starting point in Florence—and this was even more evident when Brian’s hot sauce exploded all over him due to the change in pressure. After one more mile and a brief rendezvous with Idaho, we crossed over Chief Joseph Pass and raised the bar once more (7,251’). At this point, we also crossed the Continental Divide, a big milestone for us bikers and the sweat dripping from our handlebars.
Michael climbs up Lost Trail Pass
Brian’s hot sauce acclimatizes to 7,014 feet
We continued along, soaking up the first proper tailwind in several days before stopping at the Big Hole Battlefield visitor center. After biking through much of the traditional Nez Perce land in Idaho, I was glad to take a moment to commemorate this piece of history. We initially planned to spend the night in Wisdom, but after making good time through the valley, the group decided to press on to Jackson where there is a hot spring and biker-friendly hotel. After a quick flat fix and some Snickers ice cream bars, we were on our way. Side note—I just want to say how proud I am of this crew. I have been so impressed by how each of us has stepped up to help the others, and we’re all so self-sufficient and capable. It’s truly a sight to see.
Big Hole National Battlefield
The crew rides through the Big Hole Valley
More good tunes from Friend and a constant view of the Rockies kept our spirits high. We made it to Jackson with several hours of daylight left (granted the sun doesn’t set till about 9:30 here) and made our arrangements at The Bunkhouse Hotel. We’ll be camping in the yard, but still taking full advantage of the showers and twosome toilets. In addition to our elevation record, we completed our longest ride today at 91 miles—and it wasn’t even that bad! I’m itching for our first century whenever that becomes a possibility. Hopefully on a day as beautiful as today.
The Bunkhouse Hotel in Jackson, MT