Today’s photos come from Rick.
Me(Tim) looking at Lake Koocanusa;
The bridge crossing the lake near the town of Rexford
Tulsa Bill warms himself by the fire
Oregon Bill jots down some notes concerning the day’s ride.
The steep climbs continued along the eastern shore of Lake Koocanusa. My legs were feeling great and I soon noticed that I was in the middle chain ring at the top of the climbs. I only used granny on the first hill climbing out of the campgrounds. After regrouping on the road with the others to firm up the days plans Rick and I headed off in the lead foolishly wasting time and energy to ride down to the town of Rexford on a Gatorade Quest. Between Rexford and Eureka the two of us were caught in a good rain shower that chilled us off and soaked us to the bone. Grabbing lunch at Subway we debating getting a hotel room next door ainstead of fighting the elements for another 16 miles to our camping destination. As we returned to our bikes Susan pulled up and told us that Kevin and Tulsa Bill were farther in town having lunch at Jax Café. We joined them and learned no one else had gotten rained on. After trying with only moderate success to find some supplies in town Rick and I headed out toward the campgrounds into a headwind and dropping temperatures and me wearing wet shoes and socks. Kevin and Tulsa Bill stayed behind to do laundry, I figured it would just rain more so I would do laundry at camp. After a short stop in Fortine for chocolate milk (the recovery drink of champions…or maybe just peons) we began the last 3 mile ride to the campsite. I was freezing, maybe the milk cooled me off too much, and never did warm up on the bike. Arriving at camp I found out there were no laundry facilities and I had no clean cycling shorts and few clean dry clothes. My mood soured with this news only compounded by the mention that a bear had pulled another cyclist BOB around a campsite 2 days before pining for a snack so we would have to put out foodstuffs in the back seat of the camp hosts truck. Susan who had arrived before us loaned me her rain pants to cover my legs. I set up my tent; aired up my mattress; and climbed inside my sleeping bag to warm up and work on my mood.
About an hour later I heard some noise and just figured it was someone else arriving. Well it was but it wasn’t another cyclist. It was one of Diana’s followers who came out to support us and ride with us the following day; Pam and her husband Sean.
They had travel 6 hours from eastern Montana and brought all sorts of snacks and salmon for dinner. Theyu also had booked an extra room at the Grouse Mountain Lodge. I guess since I had been whining since arriving at camp they chose me to occupy the extra room. So I ate dinner, broke camp and headed into whitefish with Sean, Pam, Diane, and Kevin who was going to stay at his uncle’s house. I wish one of the others would have joined me in the room but no one else would come. It was great to catch up on laundry and begin catching up on the blog, especially with the knowledge that Sean was transporting everyone’s gear to Whitefish making tomorrows 35 mile day a breeze.
Just turn that frown upside down. :-)
ReplyDeleteHope you start having better days.
Good looking jacket.