Day 32: Lookout Pass, Hello Montana!

Trying to recuperate from a rough day, I took my time in the morning, made myself breakfast, and packed up. Steph had sent me an email with the lyrics to The Beatles - Let It Be, which are so fitting for a rough time that I laid down for a bit and listened to the song. Halfway through a bee came buzzing into my tent! With a little help he got out without incident and the morning continued.

The bike also needed a flat change so I took care of that and adjusted the brakes before heading over to the interstate to descend the east side of the summit. Downhill is always a joy, and today was no exception, a great way to start a ride. I swung by the Mission Inn Restaurant in tiny Cataldo, ID, and had some additional breakfast and charged my phone. Someone asked where I was going so we talked about it, and it turned out there was a guy there also eating breakfast whose brother is running cross-country! We chatted a little bit about it, he is driving the support van for the first few states and found it a good way to see some western states.

I caught the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene and had a great conversation with Everett, Kathy, and Dewey who were all riding it as well and very interested and enthused for my journey. A little ways down the trail I passed a guy in nice looking running gear and stopped to ask if he was running cross-country. "Yeah! You must be the guy riding cross-country!" I rode alongside Justin for a little bit, chatting about our respective journeys. He and two others are running via trail and side roads from Washington to Delaware. They expect it to take 80 days and are running about 42 miles a day. They were doing mostly hotels and had the support vehicle, but still I can't imagine running 42 miles in a stretch ever, let alone for 80 days! Their blog is runacrossamericaontrail.com.

The Trail of the CD'A is the best trail I've been on so far. I was able to follow it for around 50 miles and it was dedicated, smooth, beautiful trail the whole way. The only downside was the dog that chased me in Osburn, it strikes a level of fear I'm not accustomed to. The trail took me into Wallace where I stopped to feast on my snacks as well as to change ANOTHER flat and install a new chain. While changing the tube I noticed the puncture seemed to be in a similar place as the past three or four so I checked the tire. Sure enough there was a piece of staple embedded in the tire that had been causing flat after flat. I was frustrated I didn't think of this sooner, but relieved that I had found the problem.

Next task was making the 2000' climb up to Lookout Pass. I stuck to interstate this time, no gravel roads. It wasn't too bad, though I did get hit with a Rockies storm that dumped huge amounts of rain in a short time. There was also some hail that managed to pelt me for a minute or so. Upon reaching the top I came to the MT state line and pulled out the jorts. It was then I remembered Franks challenge was to have jorts and nothing else! I can't believe I completely forgot about that aspect through the past several states! I couldn't pose in front of the "Welcome to Montana" sign because it was hanging from an overpass. The state line sign is also located on the median of I-90, so I just had to settle for posing near it and blowing it a kiss for Teri's challenge. Hopefully the extremity of this situation makes up for a couple technicalities in the past photos. I'm at 4860 feet and it just finished hailing, and here I am standing on the shoulder of the nations longest interstate without a shirt on!

Once I got going again I figured I could make St. Regis, which was 30 miles away but home to a campground with a shower. Thankfully it was literally all downhill from the pass. But even going downhill my bike seems a little off. It has a little wobble to it, sometimes the brakes sound like their rubbing, and I'm now in constant fear of a flat. Sure enough, I got another flat. This one happened after the sun had dipped behind the mountains. I was in the shoulder of I-90, fixing a flat, with the light waning and no dinner in my belly. I've learned that I need to keep my food intake more regular, and rides are much less stressful when I'm not pushing daylight. This was one of the more nervous situations I've been in, fixing the flat on the interstate.

I just made it to the office before they closed, and got a site. I could see a storm coming down from the mountains so I set up my tent in record speed. No sooner had I staked down the fly and threw my bags and self inside than the sky opened up and let loose. I had music going and couldn't hear it, the rain was so loud on the fly. There was thunder and lightning overhead, but at least I was cozy and dry, and preparing dinner.

This is my one month anniversary and what a way to spend it. I made it into Montana across the highest state line I'll come to. On top of that I was treated to the excitement of thunder and lightning which I haven't seen on the trip yet. It's been a great month, but the past few days have been draining with the bike troubles. Losing confidence in such an integral part of this trip has not been enjoyable, I need to get to Missoula where I'll have a few days to take it to a shop for a full tune-up.