Day 53: Lowell, ID to Missoula, MT; Escape From Idaho, Gonzo Day Yields Several Milestones

August 23, 2015

Notes:

1.) If you select the “Comment” link near the bottom of the page you can leave a message for me. I enjoy getting them.

2.) Climbing Today: 4,348 ft -- Total So Far; 127,712 ft

3.) Average Speed While Biking Today: 10.7 mph

4.) Mechanical Issues Today: none

5.) Miles Remaining to Canon City: about 1,073

6.) Miles Traveled to Date on This Half of the Journey: 927

7.) Money Found Today: 0

8.) Total Money Found: $0.21 (Will I find enough to buy a cup of coffee?)

My plan today was nothing short of crazy. I desperately wanted to get away from the close proximity of the forest fires near Lowell. We were in Evacuation Level 1, which is the lowest warning level and basically means "keep a bag packed so you can leave quickly." I needed to get to cleaner air. It may not be in Montana, but unless I move forward I will never find it.

My original plan was to cycle from Lowell to Powell, a distance of 66 miles. It was an uphill climb of some 2,000 feet along the Lochsa River, but for the most part it was a gradual climb spread over the distance. So that would be a reasonably hard but normal day. There are no services along that section, so that adds to the challenge. The Lodge at Powell where I was going to stay had been put into Evacuation Level 2 status, so they had to cancel my reservation and could not let anyone stay there, or even camp there. The nearby Forest Service sites were also prohibiting camping, so there were no realistic options at Powell.

From Powell I had planned to cycle to Missoula, Montana, a reasonable day of 60-something miles. The first 12 miles would involve a 2,000 foot ascent of Lolo Pass, and the remainder was generally downhill. It would be a hard day because of the ascent up Lolo Pass, but it was reasonable.

I was behind schedule by a day now, due to having to stay in Lowell an extra day and figure out what to do. So now enters my plan; I'll just do both of those days in 1 day and get back on schedule! That's a crazy-stupid plan; in other words it's totally Gonzo. I generally define any day of 80+ miles on a loaded touring bike as being a Gonzo day. The weight of a loaded touring bike makes it significantly harder to cover distance than on a road bike; I think it's about 50% harder, except when you are going uphill, and then it's a lot more effort. Today I would be cycling 75 miles uphill (way uphill, more than 4,000 feet gained) and then another 48 miles mostly downhill, so this was the mother of all Gonzo rides for me. Hang on, here we go.

I awoke at 3:30 am and was on the road at 4:15 am. It was eerily spooky, as I was traveling in absolute total darkness save for my bicycle lights. It's going to be a long mountainous road.

The smoky conditions prevent any starlight or moonlight from getting through. Once I passed the few remnants of civilization on the outskirts of Lowell, I was immersed in a cocoon of total blackness. It's hard to show my view in the darkness, but here's a feeble photographic attempt;

I was Riding in TOTAL Blackness, Except For My Dynamo-Powered Lights

No stars or moonshine could penetrate the smoke layer; the darkness was other-worldly, it really wasn't normal. I could hear the Lochsa River running beside me, but for a long time I couldn't see it. Here it is in the faint light when daylight finally tried to break through;

The Lochsa River in the Early Pre-Twilight Hours

The Lochsa River Slowly Becomes Visible Through the Smoky Haze

The Lochsa River is a Beautiful Mountain Stream

The Lochsa River is Unusually Low Due to Drought Conditions

I was traveling through the Bitterroot Wilderness. Here's a wee bit about it;

More Detail About The Bitterroot Wilderness

It was disconcerting for me to see these signs indicating closures of roads and campgrounds ahead.

These Fire Activity Signs Were A Concern - Road Closures Can Be Tough When You Are Traveling by Bicycle

These signs were downright frightening;

Camp Grounds and Lodges Were Intermittently Opened and Closed Depending on the Fire Conditions

I would have called the 511 info line to check on road closures, but gee whiz y'all; cell phones don't work in Lowell and won't work anywhere along my route until I get near Lolo, Montana. If the road is closed ahead, it will be devastating, as my only "retreat" will be to travel back downriver to Lowell.

My smoky sunrise view;

The Hazy Early Morning Sun Almost Looks Like The Moon

There are numerous little side streams that enter the Lochsa. People travelling at car speeds never see them, but at bicycle speed I get to enjoy them all.

Numerous Small Side Streams Tumble Down Towards the Lochsa

Not much wildlife activity today, at least that I saw. So some shots of ducks (later discovered that these are Common Mergansers) swimming in a rare pool of still water on the Lochsa will have to do.

No Deer Shots Today, So How About Some Ducks (Common Mergansers as identified by Winnifred Homer-Smith)? They Both Start With "D" Right?

As I traveled along, probably due to my mind suffering from being a bit sleep-deprived, I made up this little jingle for my own amusement;

“I breathe the smoke, and I just climb higher,

I'm a Gonzo rider, and I'm on fire.”

Actually, being on fire is something I'd like to avoid, thank you. The local gang at the café back in Lowell had joked with me that I could just jump in the river if things got really bad. The problem with that was pointed out by another local fellow who said "The river's not deep enough now. I've never seen things this dry before or the river this low before. I'm seeing rocks now that I've never seen before." And he's right; the river is only a foot or so deep in most places. The reason these wildfires are so out of control is that the entire northwest is suffering from a lack of moisture. The world just set a record for the hottest July ever since records have been kept. Can anyone say "global warming?" As I got closer to the Lochsa Lodge at Powell and eventually to Lolo Pass, I was still traveling in smoky conditions.

Approaching Lolo Pass It Didn't Look Like I Would Get Out of the Smoke Today

Lewis and Clark are featured often on the local history signage.

Lewis and Clark History Blurb. It's Hard to Imagine Crossing This Rugged Terrain Without Our Road Network

I had to stop for off-bike rests twice, and each time I rewarded myself with a peanut butter and jam on bread to keep me energized. I was working steady and moderately hard. I had to get to Lochsa Lodge at Powell in time to refuel and then start the harder climb up Lolo Pass, and I had to top Lolo Pass in time to make the push for Missoula so that I could arrive at a reasonable time; it's no fun trying to navigate a strange city on bicycle in the darkness looking for your hotel. I knew I was going to arrive at the Lochsa Lodge pretty much spent, but I counted on a real meal being enough to get me going again. My EMP (Energy Management Plan) for each day's ride is usually quite conservative, leaving me with some wiggle room if things go south. But not today - today I knew I was going to be maxed out and running on fumes by the time I reached Missoula -IF I could make it to Missoula. Gonzo day.

I made it to the Lochsa Lodge at 12:30 pm. I had been cycling almost continuously for 8 hours and 15 mins, minus maybe 15 mins of off-bike breaks and maybe that much of straddling the bike during short stops. That would have been a routine hard day. The sign entering Lochsa Lodge reminded me that I’m still in the fire-fighting area.

Local Fire Command Posts Were Scattered About the Country

The lodge restaurant was a nice place, and it was busy that Sunday with folks who had traveled over from the Montana side for lunch. It took a long time for the waitress to finally get my order taken, but the food arrived surprisingly fast afterwards. I had a salad and a reuben sandwich; the sandwich was huge and the waitress asked if I wanted a go box for half of it; that made me laugh, cause she had no idea how hungry I was. I ate every single morsel. The lodge had WIFI, and while waiting for my food I reserved a room in Missoula at the Townplace Suites using awards points. So now I was committed and I had to get there - or maybe I should be "committed" for thinking I could make it considering my morning exertion. But there wasn't any other good options. The hotel would be a nice place and I was going to take a rest day tomorrow to recover, so I was motivated to get there. There was just this problem of Lolo Pass being in the way, and then after that; oh yeah, I would still have 48 miles left. Gonzo Day.

So I pretended to myself that I was just starting the day’s ride as I left Lochsa Lodge. I had 12 miles ahead of me to the summit of Lolo Pass, with most of the 2,000 foot elevation gain occurring in the last few miles. “Child’s play,” I said to myself. My legs were a bit stiff and it was harder than usual to convince them to put out as needed. For the most part, I took it 1 mile at a time; cycle 1 mile, stop for a brief straddle-the-bike rest, drink some fluid, and continue. Along the way up, there was an info sign about the “checkerboard” practice of forest management.

Only when I was near the summit was I certain that I could actually make it to Missoula tonight. The last mile is easy once you realize you will actually make it.

Almost There. It Was Challenging, But a Gentle Grade Compared to the Appalachians

And now I was back on Mountain Time, again. Let’s see now; I went from Pacific Time to Mountain Time, then back to Pacific Time, and now I’m going back to Mountain Time. Pilots fly using Zulu Time (Greenwich Mean Time) so everyone communicates using the same standard. Maybe we should too. But that’s about as likely to happen as the U.S. finally accepting the metric system. Here’s proof of my time zone change;

Lolo Pass is the Change From Pacific to Mountain Time Zone

There’s no summit sign for Lolo Pass, but it’s the border between Idaho and Montana. Here I am about to enter Montana.

Montana! I Made It Despite the Smoke, But The Smoke was Getting Old

Now all I have to do is bike another 48 miles and find my hotel in Missoula. It would be nice to get there before it’s very late. So off I go, but I like to stop at the roadside history signs and such. Here’s one about how soldiers helped us understand the environment in the early days;

Soldiers Provided Much of Our Early Scientific Knowledge of the Northwest

Hey, I’m in Montana and I haven’t shown you what Montana looks like. Here’s a little piece of it along my route;

The sign says that moose cross here.

Really? I Don't See Any, And I Was Looking

So I put my telephoto lens on and cycled for miles with the camera dangling from my neck to be ready. The sign lied, there were no moose crossing the road or even anywhere near the road. Montana wants to be a bike-friendly state.

Montana Wants to be a Bicycle-Friendly State

Here’s Lolo Peak, a bit over 9,000 feet. Unfortunately, as has been the story for days, the smoky haze prevented me from getting a clear photo.

Lolo Peak, 9096 Feet Elevation, Seen Through the Smoky Haze

I was fatiguing and would not be very efficient on the bike without some energy intake, and I needed a bit of off-bike rest. So despite the need to rush on, it was best to take a break. The forest service provided the perfect spot to do so at this little stop.

Forest Service Day-Use Area Was a Perfect Rest Stop For Me

All the picnic tables at this stop were placarded with warning stickers saying to not leave any food that would attract the bears.

Bear Warning Placards Are On Each Picnic Table

Rolling on, I came upon this burned area;

I don’t know if this burned area is due to the recent fires or to former year’s fires. I do know that the smoke density was increasing as I cycled further down into the valley.

The Smoke Density Increased as I Got Lower Into the Valley

Here’s a bit about the Nez Perce and the relationship they had with their horses;

We’ve only had the automobile for a little over 100 years now. While the convenience of powered transportation is significant, the negative impacts to our environment from burning fossil fuels are even more significant. There must be a better way; electric vehicles, maybe even bicycles? I don’t think we want to use horses again for routine transportation.

I very seldom cycle long enough to observe the sunset, but it’s about to catch me as I’m hustling down the Lolo Creek Valley.

It's a Rare Event For Me To Be Riding at Sunset - Must be a Gonzo Day!

Rolling into Lolo, I finally have cell phone service again; it’s been over 100 miles since my cell phone worked. I called the Townplace Suites in Missoula and told them I had requested a first floor room when I made the online reservation. It’s good that I did so, because (as I suspected from previous experience) no one had bothered to read the “requests” section of the online form. I needed to hustle on as I had about 14 miles to go and it included a wee bit of climbing, but I saw a McDonald’s restaurant! I hadn’t seen a McDonald’s for weeks, and I was ravenously hungry, so I simply had to make a quick stop and scarf down a couple of burgers, fries, and a chocolate shake. James Filmer, the English cyclist with whom I rode for portions of the first half of this journey, considered McDonald’s to be a big reason for the obesity of Americans. James, I agree with you, but I earned this little treat today! Rolling on, I still had more than an hour of sustained medium-hard effort to reach Missoula. Missoula is most definitely a bike-friendly place.

Missoula is a Neat City, and Very Bicycle-Friendly

I rolled into the hotel (literally, I rode right into the lobby through the automatic doors) at 9:00 pm after 15 hours and 45 minutes of pushing. I accomplished a few things with today’s Gonzo ride:

1.) I cycled completely out of the Pacific Time Zone,

2.) I reached Montana,

3.) I rode my first (maybe the only) century ride on this half of the journey,

4.) I rode 123 miles, which is the longest distance I have ever ridden in a day, and

5.) I got back on my planned schedule after being delayed by the fires/smoke/lodge evacuation status.

Strangely enough, now that I had survived the day, I wasn’t all that tired. “Child’s Play,” I told myself. Still, sleep came easily that night...

Today's ride: 123 miles (198 km)
Total: 3,224 miles (5,189 km)

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