June 30, 2008 Thompson Falls to Missoula, MT 101 miles (104)

Today the group split into two groups; one skipped breakfast in order to get on the road early while the other riders opted for the free food in town which meant a later start. I like free food. Mimi’s Café served a great breakfast and I was very uncomfortable when I got on my bike due to the amount I’d eaten. Other riders felt the same.

While on the topic of food, it is truly amazing how much we all eat only to be hungry again an hour or two later. Its not uncommon to eat breakfast before the day’s ride and then stop 25 miles later for a second breakfast! We have one rider who amuses us all…when he is done with his meal he looks around for ANY food left on other rider’s plates. To him any unattended morsels are fair game. I’ve witnessed him “clean” two and three plates, other than his, at a sitting!

Back to the ride – hot, sunny, hotter, sunnier, headwind, tailwind, scorchingly (is that even a word?) hot, intensely sunny and then, at mile 76, a fairly challenging 4.5-mile climb. Once again temperatures were in the 100+ range (104 by one thermometer) which stressed a few riders. Beautiful scenery and snowcapped mountains helped keep my mind off the heat. In the town of Rivali, at mile 64, there was a small sandwich shop that made GREAT huckleberry shakes and tropical smoothies. (Food again) Many of us sat on the shaded porch, enjoying the breeze, and watching the huge trout in the pond below. Alaska John met us there as well.
This was a well-needed break because earlier on the road trucks posed a problem – I have an issue with truck drivers who play god with my life. One trucker appeared to see how close he could come to me while traveling at 65 mph. Pretty unnerving!

Long rides in adverse conditions do strange things to one’s mind. I swear there was a heat exhausted, dead or dieing, Grover lying by the side of the road!

Two miles from the UM campus Rosie got a flat tire. Luckily there was a small patch of shade where she could fix her tire in relative comfort. Because she designated me as her “closer” I stayed with her and we finished the ride together.