June 20, 2024
Cruisin’ along Clark Fork
Quinn’s to Thompson Falls; “shoulder” concerns; Amber & Rich take a side trip to Missoula; Jim and Genny get 2nd lunch
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This morning was sunny and warm. All four of us met for a great breakfast before we packed up the truck. Today Jim and I are riding while Rich and Amber are driving to Missoula to look for a better sling for Amber’s broken clavicle. All things considered, Amber is doing really well. Her bite wound looks so much better today and although her shoulder hurts, painkillers are keeping it bearable and her attitude is phenomenal!
During the packing process, I ran into Tom, a gent who befriended me in the pools yesterday. Both yesterday and today he was excessively worried about us riding on Hwy 200, due to the skinny or non-existent shoulders in parts of our route. He even offered us a ride if we needed it. I tried to assure him that we would be fine, that we were used to such conditions and we were very careful.
Jim and I pushed off about 10:20. Traffic was light on the road from Quinn’s to Hwy 200. Today is easy to navigate-36 miles on 200 until turning left into the motel.
The shoulder was quite good for about 8 miles-24 inches with a rumble strip just outside the white line, leaving us just enough room to ride pretty comfortably. But then both the shoulder and the rumble strip disappeared for several miles and so we had to ride slightly in the lane. Fortunately the traffic was sparse enough that cars were able to easily move over for us. They never slowed down, but they would move over.
Eventually the shoulder and rumble strip came back, then it went away then it came back…you get the picture. But honestly, it never felt particularly scary or dangerous.
Shortly after we passed through the hamlet of Plains, a Wide Load Pilot car came up behind us, honking and waving us off the road. Fortunately there was a turnout right there so we pulled and stopped. The car continued to clear traffic going in both directions! Then we saw the wide load-it was the most ginormous storage tank that I have ever seen-it literally took up the entire road. It was followed by about 50 backed up vehicles. Needless to say, we let them all pass by before resuming our journey.
All day we followed the Clark Fork of the Columbia, which was apparently explored by Lewis, who named it for Clark. It is the largest river by volume in Montana and eventually empties into Lake Pend Oreille, which in turn, empties into the Columbia River.
We stopped several times for photos and to read historical plaques and once to eat our 2-day old leftovers for lunch. (We thought of Jacinto as we did this.)
We arrived in Thompson Falls about 2:20 and we were able to check in right away to the Rimrock Lodge. This is an older motel, full of interesting memorabilia. It is very clean and we have a river view from our room. As we were checking in, a housekeeping woman came over and, without us having to ask, gave us rags for wiping off the bikes. She also asked us “if we had been warned?” “About what?” “Your room is the one without a coffee pot.” Apparently it had broken recently and hadn’t yet been replaced.
Now if you have read any of my previous journals, you probably know that in-room coffee is one of the ways I rate motel rooms. I consider it practically an entitlement. Hell, I once camped in an RV park where the proprietor inquired as we were pitching our tent, “What time would you like me to put out your coffee? So I have come to expect in-room coffee practically everywhere.
In any case, although I said we would make do, she must have seen my face or something, because within 3 minutes she showed up with a Keurig that she snitched out of the employee lounge. Now that’s great service and she will be getting a good tip!
Another funny thing- the shower contains use instructions-I think it is amusing because the fixture is identical to the one in the house I grew up in and I am 66. The instructions are clearly for more recent generations who cannot figure out such a “primitive” fixture.
Amber and Rich were about an hour away when we arrived so we killed that time by going to the associated restaurant/bar and having some cold drinks and “second lunch,” i.e. an order of potstickers and 2 pieces of pie a la mode.
Once they arrived, we could unpack, do some laundry and eventually make our way back to the restaurant for a casual dinner.
Tomorrow is a relatively short day to Trout Creek Resort-28 miles, all off the highway. Jim and Rich will ride while Amber and I bring the truck. Check-in is at 4 so we plan to leave here late, go slow and stall wherever we can.
Here is some of the scenery along Hwy 200:
Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 252 miles (406 km)
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Amber is a trooper!
6 months ago
5 months ago