COLVILLE NATIONAL FOREST (RIVERVIEW CAMPGROUND): The Luckiest Bike Rider of All-Time

July 28, 2019

Pend Orielle County Park was my starting point and U.S. Route 2 was my first dotted line highway. Within one mile I spotted my first deer. Somehow I already knew my bike trip was going to be a huge success.

I actually heard the deer before I saw it. Wild animals usually see humans before we see them, and this deer had already been spooked by me and was crashing through some dense underbrush in the forest. I did have a blaze-orange shirt on so she probably thought I was a hunter--a hunter on a bike.

I've seen hundreds of deer in my lifetime, but I still get a thrill every time I see one, and the thrill is TRIPLED when I see one while on a bike tour.

Good God, I've just written three paragraphs about the first mile. At this rate I'll be writing this thing all night and, worse than that, it would take all night to read it. NOBODY would do that.

I preach brevity, so let's fast forward to a point about 25 miles north. It was there that I conducted a rather odd and personal experiment. It was a test of The Feeshko's love for me.

I felt pretty good about that because when I conduct such tests back home, often in her presence, it turns out that she does NOT love me approximately 50% of the time. Of course she tries to tell me that she DOES love me, but what am I to believe--her guilty assurances . . . or SCIENCE?

I'm just glad she loves me right now. It's proof that absence makes the heart grow fonder, though I've only been absent for a couple of hours.

This brings me to where I have to try to describe the scenery. It's been a good mix really. From a couple of lakes, to some flat wide open landscapes, to some curves and hills through tunnels of view-blockers (trees), past nice views of the Pend Oreille River, always with mountains looming all around. Oh, who am I kidding? Here are a few pictures. My words cannot compete with photography.

Then down to river level. (An aside: I rode down to this spot thinking it was a public park. It didn't take too long before I noticed some signage and other indicators that I was an intruder on a Bible Camp. Given that I'm the self-appointed pope of my own rather secular religion, I felt a little uncomfortable. The teenagers playing basketball off to the right didn't seem to care though.)

The Reckless Mr. Bing Bong stands guard while I use the Great Outdoor Restroom across the road.

As a few of you know, urinating outdoors is the most important ritual of my religion--The Church of the Great Outdoors. The ritual is sort of a Zen thing . . . only better. Back in the town of Cusick I used the restroom at a convenience store. It felt blasphemous. It was then and there that I decided I will no longer use any indoor lavatory facilities while on this tour. No outhouses, no rest areas, no gas stations, no grocery stores, no restaurants, no McPisses (stopping at a McDonalds for the sole purpose of using the restroom,) no nothing except for peeing on the ground--like the wild animals do.

The only exception will be when I stay in a motel. I mean, sometimes civility is called for.

I'm not sure why I'm including another scenery picture. It's nice, but I think the real reason is that if I bothered to stop for a photo I feel the need to post it.

I've said it before on previous tours but I'll say it again, "I am the luckiest bike tourist of all-time." Here's why: I exited dotted Highway 31, crossed a see-through bridge over the Pend Oreille River, and went up and down the steepest hills of the day to this National Forest campground, only to find it was completely full. I was hot, I was tired, and I did not want to ride any further. Plus, I didn't have enough water to continue down the road and wild camp.

I went to the campground host's RV to ask if a humble bike rider could set up a tent in the "day use area." I'd be just fine there. The host wasn't home, so I waited. And waited. I rode another loop through the campground and, I'll be damned, a site had opened up. And it was not just a plain old campsite, it was arguably the very BEST campsite. I raced to the fee station to pay for the site before any car and RV campers could beat me to it. They don't deserve it. I do.

The see-through grid of the bridge over the Pend Oreille River. I was not afraid. I was on a mission.

The campground host stopped by later to emphasize the bear risk. He handed me this informational sheet of paper. I assured him I've camped in bear country before and promised to be a bear-conscious camper. Little did he know that "bear-conscious" to me means I want to attract a bear. (Just kidding folks.)

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Today's ride: 56 miles (90 km)
Total: 56 miles (90 km)

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