June 20, 2024
Thompson Falls by Way of Missoula
The need for a better arm sling
Today’s official route. Though I’m not riding, I’m planning to continue posting the planned routes as well as my and the riders’ experiences, to the best of my ability.
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I was a little slow getting started, adjusting to having only one arm to work with. Rich and I met Jim and Genny at the resort restaurant for breakfast at 8:30. Then Jim and Genny went back to their room, loaded their bags in the truck, and got on the road by 10:30 AM, while Rich and I finished packing. In spite of my fears to the contrary, I had slept pretty well the night before—drug induced, I’m sure. But the arm sling provided by the ER in Saint Ignatius was just not doing the trick, so Rich and I decided to pick up a better one. We located a surgical supply store in Missoula, 69 miles and about an hour and 20 minutes away, so off we went.
I was a little worried about Jim and Genny traveling down highway 200 without a sag wagon backup, because there are several long stretches of road with no shoulder, and the cars travel anywhere between 60 and 75 miles an hour. As Rich and I were heading in the opposite direction, several trucks with wide load warnings came towards us. The drivers began waving red flags to warn us off the road, so we pulled over. Then, a truck loaded down with an enormous yellow tank lumbered Toward us. It was so wide, it took up the lanes in both directions and then some. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Comparing notes at the end of the day, Genny said the road was no problem and that traffic was very light, except for the truck with the crazy wide load that also caused them to have to pull off the highway. It was a warm day, and they had a great ride here. In fact, they made it to Thompson Falls before Rich and I got back from Missoula, as we had stopped for lunch and gas for the truck after purchasing a new sling (and yes, I’m much more comfortable). After we arrived, I was exhausted and in some pain, so I laid down and took a nap. That helped a lot.
The Rimrock Lodge is located right on the river. It’s a bit on the rustic side, but has a restaurant, a bar, and an associated RV park just a little ways up the lane. It also has a bowling alley, which is unfortunately closed, not that I could bowl anyway in my current condition.
They also have a laundry facility. Yay, clean clothes! Rich had to do all the laundry, since I can’t carry or fold anything—well, not very well. And you should see me trying to get dressed with one hand—pretty comical.
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Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 247 miles (398 km)
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