Days 7-8: Kamiah, Idaho to Missoula, Mont.

We have arrived safely in Missoula! After Kamiah, we lost service almost immediately, and did not hear the buzzing of our phones until about 25 miles west of here as we descended toward Lolo, Mont.

We had two great days of riding. When we arrived Thursday in Kamiah, we wandered around town looking for someplace to eat. There was a taproom right next to the motel that served food and he told us a few other places to check out. As it turned out, they were all closed, so we ended up eating, along with what I gathered was more than the typical crowd, at the taproom. The owner was frantically rushing to get everyone beers, make food in the back, and ensure that a few locals never had an empty can of Coors.

Friday morning we began climbing along highway 12 East of Kooskia, and we did not stop climbing until about 11:30am Pacific Time Saturday. It was an extremely gradual climb, and we were following the Clearwater, Selway, and Lochsa rivers the whole way. We’d set out for the day thinking we would camp either around mile 55 near the Lochsa Historical Ranger Station, or at the next campground with water, near mile 95 at Powell Junction. Stopped for breakfast at Lowell, however, we met some cyclists heading west who told us of a campground with water that wasn’t on our map near mile 85. We decided that would be our destination and, after a long lunch (and brief nap) at the historical ranger station, followed by 30 more miles of slow climbing along the river, we reached our campsite near the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs. The campground was mostly empty and clearly set up more for trailers than tents, but we got by. We enjoyed the box of wine I’d carried up the mountain by the river and went to bed early. I awoke in the night to what looked like someone flashing a light in our tent but was actually lightening flashing over the hills behind our camp. A few hours later, the rain found us and we learned a few things we might do differently next time we set up the rain fly.

This morning, we continued climbing for about 24 miles, doing about the same total climbing as we’d done during the pervious 85 miles. Finally we reached Lolo Pass and entered Montana, and lost an hour to Mountain time. A couple we’d met at breakfast approached us at the pass and asked if we were trying to make it to the Adventure Cycling office before they closed at 4. With that as a goal, and thunderstorms crackling behind us, we raced down the mountain at probably our fastest pace into Missoula. We arrived at Adventure Cycling just after 4pm but learned that if they were open at all, they likely closed at 1pm. We were glad to have made it into town as rain and thunderstorms have been hovering here all evening.

All in all, it was a great two days of cycling. We’d considered a rest day here in Missoula but I think we will instead take a more leisurely pace up to Glacier NP over the next few days.

By the Numbers:
Total Mileage: 85 miles Friday, 70 miles Saturday
Highest point of the trip: 5225 feet (Lolo Pass)
Hours lost today: 1
Times we stopped to put on our rain coats: 3-4
Times it then immediately stopped raining: 3-4
Adventure Cycling Maps ridden on: 2

Enjoying a beer after our arrival in Missoula.

 Sign on Friday morning just as we left Kooskia, Idaho, heading up highway 12.

 Ascending slowly in the heat Friday.

 At the ACA HQ in Missoula.

Enjoying dinner at the campsite yesterday.

 Ed at the Grizzly statue in Missoula.

 Coming into town Saturday on the Bitterroot Trail.

Entering Montana just east of Lolo Pass.

 At Lolo Pass.

 Climbing Lolo Pass. Note the rain jacket. It was not raining.

Along the river near Lowell, Idaho.