Once we had enough water, we were able to get going. We had to return to the route about a mile back. By the time we got back to the route, we were warming up. I still kept my warm jacket on for a bit more. Then it was sunny, and warming up nicely.
We didn't really have any major climbs today, just some long not too steep climbing. I was my usual turtle self, even though it wasn't too steep. There were some nice little waterfalls along the way.
Apparently, at this one Derik decided to get a closer look and ended up dunking his shoe.
We made a turn onto a different road, and there was a sign that indicated road work ahead. Sure enough, they were regrading and laying more gravel. We seemed to hit it in every process except the dumping of the gravel itself.
First the grader, then the roller, then the watered. We were the first ones on the new road! It was nice and smooth.
After a few more miles, we stopped for lunch where a truck was parked. I leaned MC against the front bumper of the truck. We just sat (on our little seat pads) in the dirt.
After lunch there was more of what we'd been riding. Not too much up, not much down, some relatively flat. There was one turn we needed to make that, at first, we weren't sure. I didn't think we had gone far enough. When we went further, we found the correct turn. This was a closed road that is now more of a singletrack (oooh, my favorite...not).
It's hard to tell in this picture, but the grass was really high. The panniers were getting whipped by the grass. Sometimes my legs would also get whipped. Fortunately, it wasn't too long before we got back to a double track.
We continued on getting glimpses of the Swan Mountains.
Then there was a clearing and we could see them much better.
Before too much longer, we popped out onto Swan River Hwy. we had about two miles on the hwy before we turned off toward Holland a Lake and our campground for the evening. Not long after turning off the highway, I noticed something weird with my back tire. I thought I had a flat, but when I stopped, I could see the tire sidewall had blown out. I quickly let the air out of the tube before it burst. We were right next to a guy's house, so we pulled off into his driveway to replace the tire. He came out and asked us where we were headed. We weren't sure if he thought we were just going to camp right there, or what. We got the new tire put on and took turns inflating it. Derik thinks the reason the sidewall blew out was because of not enough tire pressure with all the weight on the rear. I guess that's a pro for the trailer instead of panniers. I never had that problem last summer in Idaho. Now I no longer have a spare tire, yet we have lots more miles to go. Tomorrow, in Seeley Lake, I'll find wifi, or maybe have phone service. I'll call the bike shops in Helena and see if by chance they stock the Surly Knard tire. If not, I'll call a shop in Butte and see if they can get one in before we get there.
When we got to the campground, Gary, the campground manager told us we only needed to pay $7.50 (half the regular fee). I thought that was quite nice of him! After dinner, I walked down to the lake. It is a pretty lake with the mountains.
Tomorrow we have more singletrack...YAY!
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