Miles 85.89 Total 3,383.51 Daily Avg. 70.49
Avg. Speed 15.9 Max speed 33.4 mph Atl climbed 2,280 ft
After a busy day in Glacier National Park we arrived back in Missoula and check in the Bel Aire motel for the second time in three days. The pink tile, tub and toilet let you know how old the place is. Kelly and I visit the Adventure Cycling Association headquarters which is located around the corner from the hotel. All cyclist coming through Missoula stop in for information, to register and receive a free ice cream. We meet up with David from Rockville, Maryland, whom we had met on Sat afternoon riding out of Dillon. David later joined us as we visited several microbreweries, enjoyed dinner and played a game of tabletop shuffleboard at Rhinoceros's.
We left Missoula after a great breakfast at Broadway Bagel. Our ride started at Lolo where we stopped on Sunday. We completed our last 25 miles of Montana and climbed Lolo Pass, where Lewis and Clark climbed the Bitterroot Mountains. At the top of the pass we entered our 9th state Idaho, started our ninth map and crossed over to Pacific Time zone. Our progress west continues.
The ride down into the pass was fantastic. We were riding along the Lochsa River in a gorge with tall mountains covered with spruce trees on both sides of us. The river is wild and fierce with snow melt. No pictures of the river do justice to the force and intensity of which it is flowing. This has got to be the most ideal 100 miles of cycling we have done on the entire trip.
We arrive at our destination Wilderness Gateway, at 2:30 and headed to the local warm springs, 20 miles back upriver. To reach the springs we crossed a narrow suspension bridge over the Lochsa River and hiked 1.5 miles along a roaring creek. Our destination was a small grassy clearing next to the creek with a natural hot spring seeping through the rocks. First we submersed ourselves in the freezing water of the creek then entered the hot spring baths with the natural rock sides and sandy bottom. While we were soaking a moose entered the field behind us. We have all been jaded by all the wildlife or just to relaxed, no one bothered to grab a camera to photograph the moose.
We are camping along the Locusha River tonight. The roar of the river drowns out all other sounds around the campsite.
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| Lochsa River |
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| Lochsa River |
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| The road through the Lochsa gorge |
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| Lochsa River |
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| Our Ninth State |
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| Must go for ice cream in Missoula |
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Taking a break for ice cream
Bridge leading to the hot springs
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| Loshca River |
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| Warm springs |
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| Warm Springs |
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