Day 11 Avon to Townsend, MT

62 miles. That seemed like a vacation day but, of course there was a catch; we were climbing to the top of the continental divide - 6,356 feet. We gained somewhere around 2,500 feet of altitude during that climb! Before we could cross the divide we would have to climb 11 miles uphill. Not only uphill, but really uphill at the end. According the the Map My Ride elevation charts, the hill would start gently and rise to a 6% grade. (trust me, that's really steep). We were a little a lot worried. Our tandem does not climb well. It is simple science, heavy objects take more energy to move uphill and less to go downhill. Gravity would do the downhill part, we would have to do the uphill. As it turned out, the hill was really long but not as steep as reported. We put the bike in its lowest gears and slowly spun our way up to the top.

I thought there would be a viewing spot on the continental divide. Nope, just a sign that reads: Lewis and Clark County ELEV 6325.
To be fair, there was a viewing spot down a rutted dirt road inside a state park but it was cold and really windy up there. Really cold. We both had on double layers, coats and gloves and we were freezing. We decided to take some pictures and head down the hill.

The view descending the Rockies

And head down we did. Fast. Scary fast. John had to use the breaks so much they heated up and discolored! The grade was steep and the switchbacks sharp, but the view was beautiful and it was nice to let gravity do the work for a change. As we got to the bottom of the mountain, we were able to warm up a bit as the air temperature was a good 20 degrees higher. The rest of the day went by uneventfully, and we were able to sleep inside Broadwater High School that night.

Day 10, Missoula to Avon, MT

No inter net access yesterday. Here is what I would have said last night.

The conditions of ride today scared the heck out of both of us. If I may quote the day's cue sheet, "Today is a very remote ride across the high plains....We gain plenty of altitude today as we approach the continental divide." Distance 98.6 miles. Weather forecast: 50's early, high in the upper 70's, partly cloudy in the AM, PM 60% chance of thunder showers with possible golf ball sized hail. NW winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 35. No services after mile 38.8.

Here is our route. http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39475298

The ride was great! The climbs were long, but once we bonded with the idea of going only 10 or 12 mph, the beauty of the scenery took over. Once out of Missoula, we rode up canyon after canyon each with its own rushing river or stream. Each canyon eventually deposited us into a high valley which we would leave via the next canyon. The storms mostly missed us, and were a relief from the heat when we did get a sprinkle. Finally we had a wonderful, 4 mile descent, with speeds up to 40.5 mph as we entered Avon. The Avon Cafe is renowned for their pies. We stopped for rhubarb pie and coffee before pedaling the last 3 miles into camp.

Starting elevation 3,222. Total climbing 3,471. Final elevation at camp about 4,700.

Tomorrow we cross the continental divide.

Day 8 and 9 - Thompson Falls to Missoula, MT

I've been run over by a truck. I didn't see it coming or going, no one witnessed the event, but it had to have happened 'cause it is the only explanation for the way I feel. Today is a day off and so far (4PM) I've gotten a massage, eaten breakfast and slept. As I write, I have my feet up, lounging on the couch wondering if I can get dinner delivered.

Just outside of Thompson Falls on SR 200

Our first 100 mile day began at Minnie's Diner: Cream of Wheat for me, bacon and eggs for John and coffee all around. We were off to a good start and feeling positive about the day. This was not our first 100 mile ride this summer, and we were not intimidated.  It was cold -low 40's- so we were bundled up. The view, as usual, was gorgeous.

 As we rode we encountered a monster, but thankfully it was behind a fence.

Just before Paradise in someone's yard.

 At 30 miles we had 2nd breakfast in Paradise, MD at the Paradise Cafe. Great food and fun people. We rode on taking off layers as the day warmed. If the ride had stopped at 80 miles, I could have gone Salsa dancing that night (if I knew how to Salsa dance), but it didn't. Closing in on 70 miles we noticed the slowing of the bike. We couldn't figure it out. The road looked flat. We stopped to check the tires out... fine, so on we rode. Thankfully one of our Garmin gifted riders came by a let us know that we were going up hill, just s  l  o   w  l  y. It was a 2% grade; usually no big deal. However after twenty miles of 2-3% grade and a short, but impressive 6% hill, all humor went out the door. At 90 miles we were not happy campers, lucky the last 10 miles was mostly downhill. We arrived at Missoula University just in time to eat a hasty dinner. We'll live to pedal another day. Tomorrow we head to Avon.

Day 7, Sandpoint, ID to Thompson Falls, MT

Well, while day 6 was another gift, day 7 proved to be a little tougher. Today we rode 88 miles from Sandpoint to Thompson Falls. A little longer distance, and a little more climbing. We were also told that today was the day to see moose, mule deer, and all sorts of other wildlife.

It was cold this morning when we got up, 36F. Don't these poor folks get summer? Perhaps the snow still present on local mountaintops should have been a clue. At any rate, we rolled out of camp around seven, wandered through town, and got onto US route 200 which we would be on all day. The wildlife did not disappoint. We had one moose sighting, five sightings of deer, a couple red tailed hawks, and a turkey buzzard attacking a deer carcass along the side of the road.

Our route was through the Cabinet Gorge of the Clark Fork River. We oohed and aahed like the tourists we are. Margaret got lots of pictures of cliffs and mountains and river vistas. No pictures of critters; thay are jus too fast. With any luck we will solve our picture upload problems at our coming rest day in Missoula. We are working very hard each day to bike the distance scheduled, but the experience of seeing this country at a speed slow enough to allow close examination makes all the work worth while.

Our ride tomorrow is 101 miles to Missoula, MT and our next rest day. We are sleeping inside the high school in Thompson Falls tonight. This is bear country. The high school is building a secure enclosure around their trash bins because there is a black bear who has been making a habit of raiding them. We were warned not to have any food, toothpaste or deodorant (deodorant?) in our bike bags or tents to avoid attracting bears. I think everyone has opted to sleep in the gym. The baggage truck opens for loading at 05:30. Breakfast is at 06:00, and I hope to be on the road by 06:30. Got to go to sleep now.

Day 6, Sandpoint, ID

We made it to Idaho in one piece and good spirits. The day began cool (48F) and ended in the mid 60s. It was warm enough to get rid of our coats while riding, but cool enough to need them when we stopped.

After a wonderful breakfast and a sad farewell to Bridgett Herzog at Gonzaga Univ, we left Spokane, WA.  We traveled US 2 ( a federal hwy) east all the way to Sandpoint, ID. Beginning our journey in tall pines and relatively flat road, we made good time to our first checkpoint 26 miles down the road. Soon the pines grew taller and more plentiful and the Rocky Mts came into view. First as foot hills and then as snow capped peaks. The scenery was truly breathtaking. If we ever figure out how to download pictures from John's camera phone, we'll show you!

We arrived in Newport, WA just in time to watch the rodeo day parade. It was great fun. We thought it funny when the town ambulance was followed by a cage fighting float and then the Vacation Bible School. Does the person in charge of the parade have a message or a good sense of humor?

We ended our day having a local brew and an excellent burger. Life could be worse.  Tomorrow we are off to Tompson Falls, MT.  88 miles and more views of the Rockies.

Day 5, Rest day, Spokane, WA

We are staying in a dorm at Gonzaga University within walking distance to Starbucks, a supermarket/pharmacy, several bars and restaurants, and a brew pub. Go Zags! Rest day may be a misnomer; we have a lot of catching up to do.

Laundry needs doing, four loads total. How did we go through so much clothing in four days? All told, four, one mile round trips to the grocer/pharmacy for medicines, toiletries, sun screen, and "stuff." Bike maintenance also needs doing. We have gone over 300 miles in the last four days after all. We also walked to REI, a 3.4 mile round trip for some camping needs. Basically we walk everywhere, but it is nice not to be on the bike today.

So far, I think we have done well, but we have had some challenges.
Day one was the toughest so far. We started the day at an elevation of 30 feet and crested a pass at 3,015 feet. That climb began gradually at mile 51, and finished at mile 74.5. Total climbing was 4,117 feet. Some of the ascent was on I-90, which carried its own stress. We also fell on I-90, the front wheel caught in a sand filled rut on the shoulder, and we went down at about 13 mph. The bike was fine, and we got some minor road rash and bruises, but I found myself less likely to go fast for a couple days after that.
Day two was a great day. We watched the climate change mile by mile, and met some interesting people in local businesses we visited. We did have a gradual 16 mile climb near the end of the day, but that led to a unbelievable 9.6 mile, 1,851 foot descent into Vantage, WA. Can you imagine coasting at 25 to 30 mph (crosswinds) for over 9 miles?!! Total climbing 1,673.
Day three taught us the importance of staying hydrated. Low humidity and a temperature that reached 90 got us both into trouble with dehydration and hyperthermia. Fortunately our support crew was on the spot with drinks and electrolytes, so we were able to recover quickly and finish the day. Total climbing 1,946.
Day four was a gift. A tail wind almost the whole day, and temperatures no higher than 68. We only had two short hills to climb of about 6% grade, and there was that marvelous descent down Heartbreak Hill. Total climbing 1,677.

Tomorrow we go 76 miles to Sandpoint, ID, crossing our first state border. We travel predominately north east, and the weather forecast is for south west winds, sunny skys, and temperatures no higher than 68. Another gift? We'll see.

On a housekeeping note, we are having problems uploading pictures and video. We will soon figure it out, and you'll be able to see what we have seen.

Day 4, Odessa to Spokane, WA

Tail Wind!

We left Odessa around 7 AM aided by a southwest wind of about 10 to 15 mph. We were windstrong, no big hills and a chip and seal road in good repair. We made excellent time to our first water stop at Harrington (23.7 miles). There it looked like our luck had run out.

While getting water, the wind blew our bike off its kickstand, snapping the rear brake lever. Rich, the mechanic on the ride, came up with an ingenious work around. He used zip ties to make a loop that I could fit my fingers through and actuate the rear brake. We only lost about 20 minutes before we were back on the bike. By the time we reached our lunch stop at Reardan (49.8 miles), he had gotten a new brake lever from a local bike shop. He installed it while we had lunch. The man is a miracle worker!

The descent approaching Spokane was something else, long, lots of curves, and good pavement. We lost 431 feet in 2.8 miles and got up to 39 mph, and we might have gone faster, but cross winds were too strong. This hill is part of a marathon in Seattle. It's run in the opposite direction near the end of the race, and it's called "Heartbreak Hill."

Rest day tomorrow. I think most of us can use it.