Day 17
Lolo Hot Springs, MT to Hamilton, MT
Distance: 61 miles
Miles on Bike Path: 38
Hangovers: One
...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
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