Hamilton Peach

Day 18
Hamilton, MT
Distance: Zero (rest day)
Trips to bike shop: two
Trips to Walgreens: one, very long

A word about Hamilton, MT… the word is FANTASTIC!

I woke this morning without an alarm in the comfortable bed in my motel, ate some of the free breakfast, did a load of laundry (clean clothes…yay), charged up all of my various devices on the single board next to the bed that charges five things at once (genius), caught up with a few lovely peeps using the super-quick wifi, and then Steed and I went out to go about my various outside chores, which were not so onerous or chore-like at all.

First stop, Valley Bicycles and Ski, where I pumped up Steed’s tyres for the first time since Baker City, OR, bought some handlebar bag essentials and had a lovely chat with Annie, Randy and Kerri, who run the store.

Second, a trip to Big Creek Coffee Shop on Main for a yummy latte made with fresh ground beans roasted on the premises, and a cheese bagel with Honey and Walnut cream cheese.

Third, a ride up to the other end of town to Bellezza Salon for a deep tissue/sports massage by Meredith to ease the legs, and a chat about the new business/farm she and her man are setting up just outside Hamilton. Then a princess-treat of a pedicure by Tiffany, whose parents used to cycle all over the world (hmmm, food for thought).

Back to the bike shop with my helmet this time to see if they had spare pads to fit my helmet in their magic box of tricks – they didn’t, but it was kind of them to offer.

Then off to 2nd Street Sushi (recommended by Tiffany) for a superb Spicy Tuna Roll and some Chicken Teriyaki served by the lovely Katie. Oh, and a bottle of Japanese mega-brew to balance out all the Montana micro-brew I’ve been putting away (apologies to the FB crew who will be bored seeing the same photo again).

A stop in at Walgreens on the way back to indulge my favourite pastime of walking the aisles looking at all the things I could buy but don’t really need (and certainly don’t want to carry). With as much discipline as I could muster, I limited myself to a tiny nail-brush to clean the straps on my cycle helmet, and some new insoles for the cycling shoes which are not coping well with the bare feet and the hot hot condition - need I say more - except to admit Valerie that I used some of the ironing spray miniature you sent through to freshen up the foxy feet a little… I'm sure that’s precisely why you sent it!!

Back to my comfortable room again… and time for an early night!

Me x

P.S. Happy Birthday to my wonderful nephew Leo for tomorrow - 5 years old already??! High 5...

Beatles Back to F**k Sh*t Up...

Day 17

Lolo Hot Springs, MT to Hamilton, MT

Distance: 61 miles

Miles on Bike Path: 38

Hangovers: One

Total miles on trip so far: 1009 

...two beatles to be specific. 

The first is an ancient pest that has been wreaking havoc in this area of Montana, the other is Paul McCartney.

Yes, it’s true. As I cycled down from Lolo Hot Springs this morning, hanging like a bat after too many beers and shots with my new friends from the bar last night, I noticed that whole stretches of the hillsides are missing the dense, emerald green pine trees that are characteristic of the region, but instead are sparsely dotted with patches of dead and dying tress, stripped of their foliage, their brittle grey wood drying and breaking in the sunshine. And it’s a species of bark beetle, the mountain pine beetle which is to blame, laying its eggs under the bark of the trees and then eating the tree from the inside. It’s sad to see, and yet curiously beautiful in a poignant way, and the scientists and ecologists are doing their best to come to grips with it.

And as for Sir Paul, he is the reason I have been forced to go straight from Lolo Hot Springs to Hamilton, by-passing the buzzy, sassy, chic city of Missoula that I had been looking forward to visiting again, having been captivated by since I visited it four years ago. Yes, it wasn’t a festival or a convention that meant that all the hotels, motels and B&Bs have been booked up for months, it’s because Sir Paul played the football stadium in Missoula last night, holding the biggest concert ever in Montana. Thanks Paul!! Although, reports actually suggest that he was excellent.

Still, I had a flat and relatively straightforward ride today to Hamilton, including a lengthy stretch on a paved bike path separate from the road, for which my hungover self was extremely grateful. And I am back in the land of the reliable wifi, the 24-hr pharmacy, and the chain motel (this particular one is truly excellent and cheap).

The big dark mountains that I will start to cross on Friday loom behind the green fields and the horses, framing the landscape, and yet again it is spellbindingly beautiful. But still hot!

And you notice I mention Friday… YES!! I have a rest day tomorrow, and this time I intend actually to rest.

Thanks again for all the FB and blog messages of encouragement – they really make a difference, especially on days when I don’t get to speak to many people!!!

Me x

Lololololololo by Slo-Rida (feat Steedy Steed and the Pan-y-As)

Day 16

Lowell, ID to Lolo Hot Springs, MT

Distance: 87 miles

Bottles on board: 5

Energy gels: 1

She got those triple-ring gears, with the whirr, the whole road is lookin’ at her, she took it slow, next thing you know, Steedy’s climbed Lololololololo.

What a fantastic day! It started with a perfectly cooked breakfast eaten with two great guys riding Harleys, who were staying in the same motel. Turns out they own and manage an organic cattle ranch in Oklahoma (amongst other things) and we had a fun time shooting the breeze before it was time for them to cruise off down hill Westbound and for me to start plodding uphill to the East.

And it was a day full of meeting people. Next, it was David, a touring cyclist doing the TransAm in the opposite direction, and then Alex and Alice, two cyclists who had topped and tailed the TransAm to take them from North Carolina to Portland. And so I plodded, and I plodded, and I took photos, and drank water, and chilled.

It was 4pm PCT by the time I set off from my only rest stop for the day, and I had the small matter of the Lolo Pass to conquer. But the heat of the day had subsided, and it was wonderful. And as I climbed steadily, the scenery became more and more enchanting, and the elevation slowly rose, and the summit came by in no time at all.  Woooohooooooo!

Jumping my whole self in, and my whole self out, I once again did the Time Zone Hokey-Cokey, and moved back onto Mountain Time.

And I left Idaho behind and entered the beautiful state of Montana.

Or to follow the hip hop theme… “You may think you’re still da man, but I-da-ho no more” (quote Kim-Kan or Bey-Jay, you take your pick according to the trash mags).

And so now I’m happily checked into the Lolo Hot Springs, drinking Missoula micro brew and playing pool with my new friends, Aaron, Jesse and Damian.

Me x

Laying Low before Lolo

Day 15

Whitebird Summit, ID to Lowell, ID

Distance: 57 miles

Top speed: 45.98 mph

Just a short day today, to give my little leggies a rest after yesterday’s mammoth climb, and before tomorrow’s daunting challenge, of which more below.

From my map, it looked like today was going to be pretty much all downhill. And although there was more down than up, there was still quite a bit of climbing. Coming out of Grangville, ID and through the beautiful Nez Pearce Reservation, surrounded by fields of golden wheat, I cruised along straight rolling road, trying to pick up enough speed on the downhills to get me up the other side without having to reduce myself to the snail’s pace that has become my usual climbing style.  

And then the descent proper began… winding my way down a number of steep, tight, switchbacks towards the small town of Stites, such was the severity of the grade, I could feel myself picking up too much speed for the loose gravel lurking on the concrete. Until I saw a straight piece of road and let it roll. Crouching down into a streamlined position, flying faster and faster, I could feel the wind tearing at me … and then at my shades, which were up and off my face before you could say sh*ttng b*ll*x .

I knew better than to react suddenly at that speed, and so it took a good hundred yards or more to slow to a halt, get my gears right and swing round to get back up the narrow road without having to unclip, and then start the painful process of picking my way back up the hill to retrieve them from the ground before they found themselves under the wheels of a passing vehicle. I came upon Rudy Project road kill broken into three pieces, but luckily was able to snap them back together before continuing my descent at a more moderate pace.

I treated myself an omelet for lunch in a cute little café in Stites, and then plodded on in the afternoon heat until I was only seven miles from my destination, and ready for an ice cold drink. Unable to choose between the Huckleberry lemonade and the regular lemonade, I ordered both, and promptly sucked the whole of both of the glasses up through a straw (very Alberto Frog… the squirrels think it’s going to be vanilla).

My stop for the night really is pretty much in the middle of the wilderness. Although of course it has a café, and a shop, TVs in the room, and you can get wifi if you stand in the middle of the owner’s lawn!

Perfect for an early night in preparation for tomorrow’s 87-mile ride over the Lolo Pass to Lolo Hot Springs, about which I have to admit to being slightly nervous for the first time yet this trip. 66 miles with no services first thing tomorrow, over which distance I will climb 2,500ft.  Then a final super steep climb up to over 5,000ft. Planning and preparation obviously key with lots of extra water and handlebar bag snacks, and a close eye on the heat…

Wish me luck.

Me x  

The Time Traveller’s Wifi

Day 14

New Meadows, ID to Whitebird Summit, ID

Distance: 77 miles

Max temp: 105.6F

Switchbacks: lost count

Welfie (noun, informal) (1) a photo that one has taken of oneself in wet-weather gear; (2) a photo that royalty or a cast member of Made in Chelsea has taken of him/herself, repeatedly, and posted on social media; (3) (adjective) polite description by an East Ender of someone in category (2) above. 

So, in case you hadn't guessed, it rained this morning, and I got caught in it.

After a fantastic and restful time yesterday, it was a bit of a wrench this morning to tear myself away from Phyllis and her comfortable cabin in McCall but, seeing as the rain and storms overnight had cleared up completely by the morning, I had no excuse but to get back on Steed and pedal my little heart out again.

And although I felt sad to leave, it wasn’t long before I was bombing along at top speed, in a gorgeously cool and calm morning, talking to the cows and the birds and generally feeling on top form again. For a few miles. Until I heard a rumble of thunder, and felt a few large spots of rain, and pulled over to extract my new wet-weather gear from the panniers and give it its first airing.

In fact, it rained quite hard. It rained for around 20 miles of my journey, giving ample time for me to snap my first Welfie…

And then the sun came out.

Stopping at Riggins, ID, the first town of the day and around 35 miles into the ride, I found a great little coffee shop called Twin Bridges, which roasts its own coffee, and knows how to make them properly too. I lounged around in there for a while eating a cinnamon roll and a bagel with cream cheese while sipping my delicious latte, and availing myself of their excellent wifi.

And that’s when the puzzle starts. At 11.05am I was licking the last remnants of the cinnamon icing from my lips, packing up leftover items and squeezing them into the handlebar bag with all the other crud, and getting ready to depart. So, then how is it that at 11.05am precisely, I was 15 miles down the road taking a photo of the salmon river gorge?

How can that be? It’s a bit like the guy in the full frogman suit who was found miles from anywhere in the middle of some burnt out woodland; or the guy lying dead in the middle of a large field with an unopened package next to him…

Well, this is why… 

Bizarre, but true. Southern Idaho is on Mountain time and so although I lost an hour leaving Oregon and entering Idaho, Northern Idaho is on Pacific Time, so I’ve gained it back again…  It’s like the time zone hokey-cokey for pete’s sake.

Anyhow, after stopping for half a sandwich at White Bird, over 60 miles into my ride, the real challenge for the day started. Climbing over 2,000ft to a height of 4,245ft to the top of the main road passing over the Whitebird hill, and then climbing a bit more to get to my B&B for the night. It might not have been so tough were it not for the 105.6F temperature, and the 20 or so switchbacks that had to be navigated to make it to the top. I have to say that, even employing my Florence and the Latrine antics of dousing my white top and neck cover regularly with water, the heat was still draining, and it was a real slog getting to the top.

But when I got here, I received a warm welcome from the owners Terri and Frank, some of the other guests, and the many dogs of various sizes and colours that live here. Getting to my room, I was transfixed watching a group of humming birds drinking from a feeder…yay, I got a photo this time.

And then Terri insisted that I joined a group of them for dinner at the lodge (rather than cycling a long way into town and back), which was a godsend, and great fun to boot.

Retiring to my room to chill out and write this blog, I note to myself that I will certainly not want to be sleepwalking in the night. The property is full of stuffed animals, most if not all shot and stuffed by Frank, and very elegantly displayed around the various stylish rooms that make up the lodge. Waking up face to face with my head in the jaws of a snarling black bear isn’t something that particularly appeals. Although I’d be more worried to see an empty space with a plaque below reading ‘touring cyclist”.

And so as I turn out that light, I shall be thinking happy thoughts of Terri’s delicious cooking and the promise of a hearty and healthy breakfast tomorrow, before I get to freewheel down the other side of that hill, wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Me x

99 Problems and the Jay Ain't One

Day 13
McCall, ID
Distance: Zero
Gin & Tonics: one small one

Yes, that’s right, I treated myself to an improtmptu rest day today in McCall, ID! And what a great day it’s been.

Waking up at 5.30am in the pitch black, I leant forward to pick up my phone from the bedroom floor to switch off the alarm, head-butting the large and full glass of water on my bedside table and creating a lovely waterfall effect from the edge of the table top and onto the carpet. After clearing it up, and mucking around doing other bits of I don’t know what for around half an hour, I came through into the living room at Phyllis’s cabin to find her sitting, still in the pitch black (odd I thought that it wasn’t yet light) sipping coffee and saying “you’re not going to ride in this are you” just as a rumble of thunder rolled in and almost across the living room floor.

Having been blissfully unaware of the weather calamities unfolding outside, I stepped onto the deck to perform a quick “pitch inspection” and pronounced it “not too bad”. But as we sat and drank coffee and debated the options, and it stayed dark, the rain picked up, and the thunder cracked again from a closer location.

Really, the idea of sitting it out today was pushing at an open door, given that I was exhausted from the day before, and so as soon as I had made a few calls to re-arrange the next few night’s accommodation, Phyllis and I both got round to the activity of seriously resting…

After just sitting and watching a Steller’s Jay and her teenage offspring (Tufty Crest) pick up peanuts from the deck and hurry off to hide them...

...and then a hummingbird whirr around the trees (sorry no photo), we headed into the town of McCall to run a few errands (including picking up some essential items prescribed by Valerie with her doctor’s hat on for my various minor ailments), and then having a wonderful early dinner in the Salmon River Brewery, including some delicious SRB special called Grapefruit Gold, which really did taste refreshingly of grapefruits.

Now chilling and ready to get an early night. Back on the road tomorrow (storms permitting…)

Me x

Sweating and the Small Stuff

Day 12

Oxbow, OR to New Meadows, ID

Distance: 88 miles

Total ascent: 5,600ft

Energy Gels consumed: 1

Yes, I have finally waved goodbye to the beautiful and sassy Oregon, and have moved seamlessly into the world of Idaho.

After yesterday’s shocker with the heat, I was up at the earliest time yet, eating scrambled egg cooked by Julie, the lovely owner of the B&B, well before 6am and and hoping to get on the road by 6.30am. But inevitably with my general faffing, and despite the earlier start, it was more like 7 before the wheels were actually turning.

Rather than my usual zen like state of awe at the scenery and the freshness of the morning, today’s ride started with a catalogue of minor irritations.

A sweat/heat rash on my legs not from exposure to the sun but the heat permeating my long shorts yesterday leaving a red raw bumpy mess just below the line of the shorts I had on today; a sore patch on my right ankle where my cycling shoe has been rubbing and which I have been covering with band aids for the last few days kept getting exposed again as the plaster simply would not stay in place; stray hairs that had escaped from my pony tail and helmet and were tickling my face; but worst of all swarms of tiny black flies that were coating every inch of exposed skin and sticking to the sun-cream. Yeukkkk!

It was while I was stopped for the third time in as many miles to adjust the band aid, hair, and wipe off the flies that I noticed a huge bird fly over above and perch on a nearby tree. The fact that it was a vulture seemed rather fitting. I could quite easily have given up there for the day and allowed the bird to invite his mates so they could all pick over my rotting carcass, spitting out bits of mangled band aids and tiny flies as they went...  

And so I wasn’t in the best frame of mind as I crossed the state line and into my second state of this trip. Losing an hour on moving from Pacific Time to Mountain Time, I was upset to find it was already 10am by the time I started the big climb for the day, and the sun was starting to get hot. With legs tired from yesterday and a general weariness from the extreme heat the day before, it was a real gritty plod to get to the top of this climb, but I made it. And it turns out that Idaho is pretty damn beautiful too.

Coasting down into the small town of Cambridge, I stopped for a swift grilled ham and cheese and then set out into the real serious heat of the afternoon.

But this time I was prepared.

Not only did Florence make her second appearance but I also donned the matching long-sleeved white number, and only after dousing both in cold water in the restroom and wearing them damp. They dried again within a few miles, but I just kept repeating every opportunity I got and before I knew it, it was after 5pm and the temperature was dropping again.

Eventually rolling into New Meadows at a fairly late hour, I was overjoyed to be greeted by Phyllis, Valerie’s mum, who packed Steed and me and the rest of the team into her SUV and whisked us all up to her cabin in McCall, just around 12 miles away.

Phyllis prepared each of us an oversized Tanqueray & Tonic as I showered off all the griminess and insect life of the day, and then we ate fried chicken, with buttered sweetcorn and other lovelies on her porch and chatted away while the Pine Squirrels and Steller’s Jays made their presence known in the surrounding woods.

What a great way to end a day.

Me x