June 15, 2021
Day 15: Sam Owen Campground to Bad Medicine Campground
Mosquitoes take a bite out of birthday celebration
“Make a wish and light a candle for a birthday is here, may it be the beginning of a long happy year,” Rachel sings as we are all packing up. It’s Janet’s birthday today!
There was quite the thunder storm last night, it even hailed briefly, starting as predicted about 4:30am. Our tent kept us dry, but the splashing has made the sidewalls wet and dirty. We are out of camp first, together with Robert who is planning to ride with us for a couple of days. At Clark Fork we stop for a second breakfast and the O’Brien’s catch up. The road follows the Clark Fork River. When we reach the turnoff to Heron, we spot the pipe with spring water at the side of the road. A man is washing his car. After 27 miles we reach the junction to Hwy 56 and stop at the café for lunch. It’s a funky place, with a Little Free Library, and pretty well stocked with supplies and food.
Highway 56 slowly gains elevation along Bull Creek. There is a lot of forest, mostly private land heavily sign posted. There are some views of the Cabinet Mountains, but the clouds have not lifted enough to see the peaks. At least it is dry. The campground turnoff is 17 miles from the junction and then another 2 miles off the main road. We pick a site that will accommodate 5 tents. The campground is on a hill-peninsula that extends into Bull Lake. The trees are dense, there is no wind and the mosquitoes are out and biting. After our tent is set up Patrick and Robert ride 4 miles on their unloaded bikes to see the Ross Creek Cedars, Rachel escapes the mosquitoes diving inside the tent. There is a scenic walkway along the creek between the huge cedars. The sun briefly comes out to provide some nice light, but there is also thunder nearby.
Besides the bugs, thunder is heard in the distance with more rain threatening, damping the plans for a birthday celebration. We had purchased a bubbly white wine, only to find out Janet red wine would probably have worked better, and shared two pies. But Terry and Ross had brought along plenty of fireball and Bailey's for Janet to enjoy to celebrate a birthday on the road.
We don’t really cook dinner, only heat water for cup of soup and eat peanut butter sandwiches. Our panniers with the food go in the bear box. When it starts to softly rain again we retire to the tent away from the mosquitoes.
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Racpat
3 years ago
Today's ride: 54 miles (87 km)
Total: 564 miles (908 km)
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