In Memory of Warmer Summers

June 26, Whitefish, MT

On our way into Whitefish, we ran across Ryan once more.  He was still having bike problems as some welding he had done on his frame to secure his rear rack failed.  We worked on it some and he was going to re-position the rack onto the fender mounts.  We all camped together and Ryan went out to see what was what in the town.  Sallie and I went to see what was happening on the inside of our eyelids.

Whitefish is very pretty and well developed.  It’s the up and coming hang-out of some of the rich and famous in the country so naturally, we felt right at home.  Well, that’s true for Ryan anyway.

This is where they grow seed-stock of ragweed for export to the east. 
(Actually it’s canola; I’m told the price is depressed to about $8 a bushel)

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June 25, Fortine, MT 

There’s a real estate deal out here for anyone interested.  For the discriminating individual or group of investors, Jerry’s Saloon and Restaurant and Golf Course, and Casino, and RV Park is for sale.  22 acres of land, a custom home, all buildings and improvements for $1,000,000 (he says he’s firm at $950,000, but you didn’t hear that from me, okay?). 

As we had our tents here the night of June 25th, we can assure you clientele are already established and they will remain on the premises until closing time.

The area is beautiful as pictured just down the road is Dicky’s Lake – a pretty large body of water (that’s not a dog swimming, that’s about an 18’ boat).

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Montana marks the roadside where fatal motor vehicle crashes take place with the use of welded steel crosses on red poles.  We haven’t gone very far into Montana and we’ve passed far too many of these.  I am reminded at each one of these of the previous topic on this journal from five years ago and the effort conducted to reach out to those who have suffered these losses.

Dear Readers:  Please note my intentions as mentioned in the tab for the 2016 ride are different for this 2016 ride journal. 

The 2011 ride remains a remarkable journey in many ways, not the least of which is the life-changing effect on me.  The 2011 journal is an expression of grief from the perspective of one traveling a healing journey.  Those are not empty words, and the trip was not a false device, but a genuine movement through resolution both physically and physiologically.  The very hard work, exhausting hours, and deep introspection all came to a completion during that journey. 

I cannot go that deep this time. 

As stated, this is a victory lap for me, so I invite you to enjoy the pictures, maybe have a chuckle at the comments and like the reflections seen in the surface of a lake, we’ll skim the top, speak of bike travel and enjoy the journey as it comes. 

Thank you for reading.  Let’s travel on.

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June 23 to Lake Koocanusa

We passed through Libby, Montana and went up the eastern shore of Lake Koocanusa, formed by Libby Dam.  At the dam there was information about how in the 1920’s when building the road, there was a major rock slide at a point where the dam anchors to the adjoining cliffs.  One can see all sorts of monitoring equipment arrayed on the rock faces to detect any shifts in the layers of rock.  It’s a little spooky, but they’ve engineered a way to drill and pin the layers to prevent further shifts.

Libby, Montana

Libby Dam

Rain was forecast for the 24th, and that’s really unfortunate because it’s Sallie’s birthday.  We decided to hole up on the shores of the lake a wait out the rain rather than get soaked trying to ride through it on such a momentous day.  The local marina restaurant may just have a special preparation for the event as well.  We’ll have to see.

In total, we rode some 48 miles along the shore of Lake Koocanusa.  This is a picture of part of the lake.  It’s this big for almost the entire 48 miles.  I’d hate to be in Libby if that dam ever let go.

Oh yeah, birthday treat!

The restaurant/pub no longer makes any birthday treats so I improvised with a Big Boy ice cream sandwich and some cocktail straws

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June 22 to near Troy, MT

Having thoroughly enjoyed meeting Scott Neer, we took our leave of Idaho.  Out of Clark Fork we took a small, seldom used road out on the south side of the Cabinet Gorge Resevoir.  This sparsely used road apparently doesn’t rate a “Welcome to Montana” sign, but there was a white-tailed deer there for that purpose.

Montana is easy on the eyes

Haying the "old school" way

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