Coast2Coast Day 17: Missoula/Lolo to Sula, MT; going through the Bitterroot Valley

Woke up a bit earlier this morning to wonderful biking weather!!  Sunshine and mid-50s to mid-60s for riding.  Just a bit of an increasing headwind as we progressed down the Valley.  

Cathy drove us from our wonderful ABNB to Lolo where Melissa and I had made the turn to Missoula a couple of days ago.  (On the drive, we again appreciated the Bitterroot Trail that we had ridden that runs past Route 93 (where the speed limit is 70 mph, and is a bit concerning if one is riding in the breakdown lane)!!  We headed South through Lolo, again on the Bitterroot Trail which took us through Hamilton.

In Hamilton, we were excited to join the B.O.W.s for a few miles through town.  [B.O.W. = Bike On Wednesday]  They reported the average age of the group is ~80, and they have been biking on Wednesdays for 15 years or so.  Once a rider in the group reaches 80, they may be authorized to utilize an e-bike.  (It seemed slightly more than half of their group today had e-bikes, and nearly all seemed to be carrying a lunch cooler, or a favorite beverage cooler along on the ride.)  Their plan for the day was to be ~38 miles, and when they were stopping Melissa and I had completed ~38 miles to that point.  It was great to see the group out enjoying the weather and the activity.  They also ski and hike when the weather might not be as inviting for biking.

We targeted the Montana Cafe in Darby for our lunch, where we met up with Cathy.  Melissa had received the ‘tip’ for the Cafe from a fellow biker at the ‘cyclists’ lounge’ at Adventure Cycling while we were waiting for our tour.  Pulling up to the Cafe, we came across a couple of fellow cyclists, Tom and Anna, who are doing the Transamerica Trail, as well.  They are targeting a similar diversion to RAGBRAI via the Parks, Peaks and Prairies Route, but maybe heading down to Nebraska to pick up a Rails-to-Trails route to Iowa.  Anna and Tom are from London, looking to finish in Yorktown (am not sure they know the historical significance of the location), and we expect to cross paths again!  At the Cafe, we also were introduced to young Cynthia (age ~9 months), who likely had never before met a man in Lycra.  After lunch, Cathy caught a great pic of Melissa and me riding side-by-side, with the Bitterroot Mountains in the background.

We finished our riding day at Sula Camp, where Darren (Melissa’s husband) has met us, with their dogs (Moose and Reggie).  Melissa is a very happy ‘camper’ being re-united with the three for a few days before Darren heads back to Colorado on Saturday.  Cathy’s been playing frisbee-fetch with Moose for some 45 minutes.  Cathy’s arm needs a break, before Moose chooses water over fetch!  All of us will sleep well tonight!  (Tomorrow’s climb will take us over the Continental Divide!)