Cycling for Shelter - Post #8

TransAmerica Day #20: Missoula, MT, to Hamilton, MT.

Yesterday, I took my 2nd rest day of the trip in Missoula, MT, and stayed at the home of my dear friend, Sherry Bloker, who moved there from Chico five years ago. I spent a couple hours cleaning, checking, and lubing my bike, and then rode on the wonderful set of bike trails that criss cross all of Missoula as I was running a series of errands restocking supplies. The main east-west bike route is the Milwaukee Trail along the south side of Clark Fork, which is the river highlighted in “A River Runs Through It” novella/movie.

Sherry Bloker

Clark River - A River Runs Through It

Pedestrian/Bike bridge over Clark Fork

Today, I left Sherry’s home before 8 am and when I turned south on to the Bitterroot Bike Trail, I ran into a fellow TransAmerica cyclist heading east. Today was his first day of a month-long trip down in to Colorado. The Bitterroot Trail follows Hwy 93 all the way to Hamilton - nearly 50 miles. We had a north wind at our tails and the ominously dark clouds held off until after we’d arrived.

Regarding my cycling companions, I was sad to have my initial partner, Paula Sunn, leave the trek a few days before her intended endpoint in Missoula. She made an epic bike ride and rental car drive to get back to her husband in Chico as he had to get emergency heart bypass surgery.

Paula and I at campsite in Kooskia

Tery Arnett joined me in Kooskia, ID, which is the same place from which Paula departed. Tery started his trek on the Olympic Peninsula on June 1, and he and I had discussed the possibility of riding together from Missoula to Yellowstone.

Tonight all 3 of us are camping under a farm animal pavilion at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds in Hamilton, MT. A couple that I ride with a week ago, are also in Hamilton tonight, staying at a motel.

Tomorrow morning, all 5 of us will head of town together and will ride together for 30 miles.

TransAmerica trio at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds: Tery, trek day #22; Bruce, day #1; and me, day #20.

Ravalli County Fairgrounds