Day 29-Goal Achieved!

What a day!!! We tried to get on the road early (plan was 6:00)…we managed 6:25, which was pretty good. It was 12.5 miles to the top of Lolo Pass, but really, only the last 5 or 6 miles were really climbing. Matty and I chatted the whole way up the climb. Definitely made it go by faster. 

De Voto Cedar Grove. 



Matty squatting to take a selfie. 

The three intrepid cyclists!

Oh look! It’s a river along side a road. Just like the last three days except this is now the Crooked River (same road though…Hwy 12).

The climb. Advantage of early morning starts…shade, and not so much traffic. 

We made it to the top before 9:00!

The Visitor Center. Very nice, and good wifi!

Metal sculpture depicting the Nez Perce Trail. 

These little critters were everywhere!

I’m alright, don’t nobody worry ‘bout me!

The top was a trifecta. It was Lolo Pass, the Idaho/Montana border, and we went back to Mountain Time!

Dennis, below, took this photo for us. 

This is Dennis and Vanessa, and their puppy dog. They are from Portland, and doing Trans Am westbound. Vanessa is just the fourth woman I’ve seen! They were great to talk to, and we got some more intel on where to go (a place in Eureka, Kansas called Cake Batter Batter, and a church hostel in Saratoga, CO).

Except for the fact that there was a bit of a headwind, the ride down the other side of Lolo was good. We were trying to make good time so we would get to Adventure Cycling before they closed. 

We stopped at a food truck between Lolo Hot Springs and the town of Lolo. 

Lolo Hot Springs. If we weren’t in a hurry to get to Missoula, a soak would have been nice!

Cool looking rock formation, and Matty and Doug. 

Was really hoping to see a moose. When Dennis got to the “Welcome to Idaho” sign at Lolo Pass he saw a huge bull moose. So, they are around…

Didn’t see a single one of these signs in Idaho. 

The food truck. I had a grilled cheese, bacon and avocado on sourdough sammie. It was delicious!

We made the final push into Missoula via the Bitterroot Trail. 

Matty on the Bitterroot Trail

The River Trail

We rolled up to Adventure Cycling Headquarters with plenty of time to spare. A supported Trans Am Express tour had just finished at the headquarters, so there were bikes everywhere. Plus, all our new cycling friends were there too, Grace and Matt, Mervin and Ben, and Ben and Raoul. Grace told us that the TV show “Yellowstone” was filming in town, and all the hotels were booked, or super expensive. The KOA was $82/night, but we could fit 6 tents, and split the cost. Sounded good to us!

We had ice cream, then did a tour of the building with Beth. 

Tilmann made it!

Headquarters 

It’s all about cycling and bikes!

Lots of touring rigs around the building. 

Not for us, but we’ll take it anyway!

Beth took our picture for the wall of riders coming through ACA Headquarters. 

Mervin and Ben to our left, and Matty to our right. 

Then, we got lucky, and they invited everyone to the BBQ they were having for the Trans Am Express riders! 

So awesome!

I decided I should get an Adventure Cycling hat. 

I mean…I was actually there!

Once we were finished, we rode as a pack of five, Matt, Grace, Doug, Matty, and me navigating, to the KOA. Matty peeled off as he is staying in a hotel tonight and tomorrow night, then heading north. 

Ben just showed up, and Raoul is not far behind him. Ben looks just like my son, Connor. 

My biggest goal of this tour, going to Adventure Cycling headquarters, has been achieved. Now we just have to ride the rest of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Virginia. Okay, I am also really looking forward to Yellowstone (the park, not the TV show).