To Clark Fork ID

June 8, 2023

Follow the rivers

The mosquitoes are ready to pounce just outside the tent zipper this morning. I don all my protective gear and exit as fast as possible before they can move in on Barry. Successful, I think.

Since I’ve taken to bulking up our morning granola with extra nuts and fruit I get another half hour or so on the ride before I’m hungry again. I weaned myself off of coffee a couple months ago and have a new thing to try this morning - huckleberry cocoa. It’s nice to have a hot drink but green tea is more appealing.

Barry pumps up all the tires so it’s a surprise when my front tire comes up flat as I roll down the hill from the campsite. He pumps it up again and it holds this time. I guess the valve wasn’t screwed down all the way. I’m relieved that’s all it was; we’re eager to get some distance from this place.

The dumpster is the best prop available, and not at all stinky. Other than the bugs, Dorr Skeels is well taken care of.

Caroline, our Warmshowers host in Moscow ID, tipped us off about today’s adventure. The old growth Ross Creek Cedars are just a few miles south of the campground, on an out-and-back road that adds 8 miles and the biggest climb of the day. With all the tree and brush cover here we don’t see any need to lug the bags up the hill so we stash them out of sight and start up the road.

It’s so much easier to pedal up the hill without our anchors.

At the top we walk a beautiful trail to see the giant Ross Creek Cedars. As much as 1,000 years old, they fill the air with a heavy cedar scent. It’s totally worth the extra miles to see them. I read that they are home to Pileated Woodpeckers, Great Horned Owls and Northern Flying Squirrels. I’m a big fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle and would love to see one of those squirrels.

The flying squirrels are out of sight today

These long descents in beautiful Montana are the best drugs

The bags are waiting for us under the trees at the bottom

Back on MT 56 it’s quiet this morning, just us, the trees, mountains and sky as we follow the Bull River south.

MT 56 ends at MT 200 where the Bull River joins the Clark Fork. We ride north of the Clark Fork for 7 miles but its mostly out of site until we get to Heron. Meanwhile the skies are darkening and there is thunder in the distance. By the time we reach the Heron Bridge the thunder is not so distant.

A quick photo stop at the Heron Bridge, we need to get moving on the last six miles for today.

Big raindrops are falling now and we stop to pull out the rain gear as the lightning gets closer to us on Clark Fork Road. A change in the pavement signals that we’ve just entered Idaho, another new state for us. Things let up by the time we turn off on the gravel road to our WarmShowers hosts in Clark Fork, Jess and Chad.

So long Montana. It’s been an amazing week

What a relief to be inside and start drying out.

Jessica and Chad are newlyweds who moved to Clark Fork from Portland two years ago. Jess is a nurse, Chad is retired from the Navy, and they have started a business called Tender Earth Baking. They bake their breads, pastries and cookies in a bakery they built on their property last year, and sell them at the Saturday Farmer’s Market in Sandpoint. Lucky for us we’ll be there on a layover day.

We have a delicious, healthy meal of chicken with Asian slaw and some of Chad’s delicious super seeded wheat bread, dry out all our wet stuff and crash in a comfortable bed. Very kind people. Looking forward to trying more of their products at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday.

Chad preps some of the dozens of loaves he’ll bake early Saturday morning

Heart

Comment

Link

Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 330 miles (531 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	5
Comment on this entry	Comment	0