July 8, 2005
Powell, ID - Kooskia, ID: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
I was on the road by 6 AM this morning. It would be awhile before the sun got up far enough to penetrate the narrow canyon. I hadn't ridden any distance at all before I heard a . . . helicopter? Yes - it was a helicopter. I thought there must have been a bad car accident. I could soon see that the helicopter was used to move cut lumber. Wow. They must really want that lumber to use a helicopter.
The road was squashed in between the narrow canyon walls and the Lochsa River. It was beautiful riding alongside the river. I was going downstream, having summited Lolo Pass yesterday. It was quick and fun - until the logging trucks started passing by. Then the RV's started. Oh, and let's throw in some SUV's and other big vehicles. I would go long stretches with no vehicles. That was very nice. Then I could here a big truck coming. I tried to position myself for the best visibility for the truck. Hurry if I were on a blind curve, or slow down if I were on a straight away. The worst was when two logging trucks passed each other right next to me. Why were the loaded trucks going two directions, anyway? Shouldn't they all have the same destination? The logging truck drivers were always very courteous, but I'm sure the situation wasn't fun for either of us.
I passed several little houses next to the river with cables going over to the other side. That provided me with a few miles of entertainment before I figured out that the cables had little cars on them to cross over to the homes on the other side. That is a whole new meaning to bringing home the bacon.
I took many, many photos of the river and trees. The scenery seemed more beautiful around each bend.
My PB&J sandwiches ran out about 20 miles before Lowell. I was out of steam. I ticked the miles off one by one. Finally I arrived. I stopped in at the little cafe. It was extremely busy with people sitting in both rooms and only one waitress. I sat at the bar rather than sit in the dark back room. Maybe I should have sat in the back room. I felt like death warmed over. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, my typical on the road restaurant fare. I read the local paper in great detail. I was no hurry to get back on the road. It certainly wasn't the terrain - it was all downhill. But the later in the day it got, the more vehicle traffic and the more frequently I got caught as two vehicles passed each other. That very early morning start was certainly a good idea.
The chicken sandwich gave me enough energy to ride the 23-24 miles to Kooskia. It was very warm by the time I pulled in at the city hall to ask if Ryan had checked in about camping in the city park that night. "Yes, he had. Go on over. Sorry, no showers. Oh, and the bathrooms are pretty bad. But if you come back next year, there will be new ones." Ah. Hmmm, maybe I'd get a hotel room. I hadn't had a room the entire trip. Originally I had planned on getting a room for rest days. None of the rest of the group had been getting a room, so it didn't even occur to me.I passed two Mom and Pop Motels that looked like they had seen better days. I decided to go on to the park.
Since Kooskia was quite small I had no trouble finding the post office to mail the photos I'd had developed in Missoula.I went over to the park. None of my group was there. I felt pretty strange being the only one. I talked to a very friendly cat. I hoped it had a home. There were several kids playing in inner tubes in the river. I decided to go on over for a swim/bath. It wasn't too cold once I got wet. I didn't set up my tent because I felt strange being the only one. I sat and read my book.Finally Ryan showed up. He thought I was a little funny for being uncomfortable. Everyone else started coming in right behind him. Then a man from a church youth group came over and said they were having a big BBQ that night and could we share the pavilion. Oh, boy, I hope they go home early. I was tired. I was so tired that I fell asleep in my tent before supper. A mechanical noise woke me up. It was the church groups electric ice cream maker.
We hadn't been in bed any time at all before the sprinklers came on, spraying our tents. I was the only one that moved. I was close to the pavilion, so I pulled my tent right under it.
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Today's ride: 88 miles (142 km)
Total: 591 miles (951 km)
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