Hi-Ho Idaho

TUES 7/27 -- Missoula MT to Powell Campground ID (56)
This morning we faced cloudy, somewhat threatening skies as we started
our ride out of Missoula -- it seems like weeks since that's happened.
(We've been sooooo lucky on the weather lately!) We backtracked to
Lolo for the first 10-11 miles or so, along the same busy, unpleasant
highway by which we approached Missoula on Sunday. (Which wasn't
nearly as uphill-y going out of town as I'd remembered it, BTW.)

Then we turned west on highway 12, and it was like suddenly entering a
different world -- quiet and peaceful, except for the babbling/
gurgling of Lolo Creek, and surrounded by the encroaching forest of
beautiful [???? -- straight, tall, reddish trunk; some manner of
conifer whose name I should know by now] trees. The road followed the
creek gently upstream for about 30 miles, past a single outpost of
civilization, Lolo Hot Springs [pie potential, but no ice cream --
fuggedaboudit], and then turned steeply uphill for another 3-4 miles
up to Lolo Pass (5,235). Which is where we crossed into Idaho. There
was nobody else around to get me in the photo, so that's my trusty
bike leaning up against the sign. A beautiful, beautiful road, and
we're on it again all day tomorrow.

At the pass's visitor center I got treated to a nice little show -- a
helicopter landing in the parking lot. There was a forest fire (not
very big, I think) about 2 miles east of the pass, and on the way up
I'd seen several choppers pass overhead, hauling big baskets of water
to dump on the fire.

You'll notice, perhaps, that in the photo I've got a cover over my
pannier bags. It started to spit rain at Lolo Hot Springs, so when I
stopped for the fruitless [heh, heh] pie attempt I wrapped everything
up, including myself, against rain. By the top of the pass it began to
rain hard, which meant that the 13-mile trip down from the pass was
very wet and cold -- to-the-bone cold by the time I reached the
campground. Which had a lodge. Which had some empty rooms. One of which
(*) I fairly jumped on. Heater! Dry shoes (take out the arch supports
first)! Hot shower! I made a wild guess that Hugh would be interested,
too -- and I was right. It was a popular choice all around -- only 4
of our group of 14 are in tents tonight.

Camped out not 50 yards from our group were Lois and Kent, who are
[pay close attention] my wife's brother's wife's parents. I had known
that there was a good chance that our schedules would line up, but it
was great that it actually happened. While I was sitting in their RV
chatting, I saw Hugh bike by, so he joined the party. We yakked for a
couple of hours about camping and biking and family and the history of
the area (Kent is a very knowledgeable Lewis & Clark buff), while Lois
plied us with fresh cherries and watermelon. It was a real treat to
see them.

Another treat was a lovely little spontaneous afternoon gathering in
the lodge of what eventually was 8 or 9 members of the group, over a
few beers and some nachos &c. As we sat there talking and laughing the
skies cleared, giving us a beautiful view of the surrounding misty
mountains.

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(*)I was assigned room 4, which was ready at 11:00 when I got into
camp because no one had been in it the previous night. "Here's the
key, but it'll be unlocked; housekeeping always leaves them unlocked."
Ok! I bound up the steps to #4, thinking about that warm shower, turn
the handle -- locked. Hmmm... But, no problem, I've got a key. Unlock
the door, turn on the light, prepare to wheel my bike in... Problem:
there are two people in there, in bed, shielding their eyes from the
light, and suggesting, in quite clear terms, that I should leave. I
offer a quick apology and leave. Back to the office, get reassigned to
#6, return to #6, the door is wide open so I can SEE with my own eyes
that it's empty. I'm about to take occupancy when housekeeping comes
by and says don't take #6, it's not clean yet, take #5, and hands me
the key. But the door to #5 is closed, and locked. I unlock the door
and gingerly push it open... Perfect, empty, just like you want a
rented room to be.