The sun’s warmth woke me up early, crawling out on my hands and knees to see the mist rising from the river. Kim slept on while I watched a grandfather and little boy walking along the river bank in the early light. I needed coffee but we'd used up the water the night before. As I pulled out the water filter to snag some water from the river, the late night bicyclist emerged from his makeshift tent of shower curtain draped over the bars, scratching his head and staggering off for the bathroom.
Our paths crossed again as I returned from the river. He was riding from Idaho to Missoula to attend a bachelor party, some 75 miles away he said. I watched as he packed up for the long ride and headed away for a long, hot day while I made coffee.
The Butterfly emerged shortly after and we began packing up, waiting for the tent fly to dry in the sun from the moisture collected from the river in the night. The Quinn Hot Springs we'd stopped at the day before sounded good so we rode back a few miles to relax in the hot waters.
The springs were nice but I felt out of place in my gear and long hair as it was manicured and sterile, mainly populated by older folks who looked more at home in a country club than a place in Montana. A couple of hours in the hot water pools and sun had us both relaxed to the point of being goofy when we hit the road again.
Since it was a short day we made for Troy, finding a good camping spot near the river and getting set up early enough to excitedly cook our meal of gifted fresh trout. To make the best use of our cooking time and charcoal, we grilled a steak and potatoes along with some garlic and onions. Like kids in a candy shop we feasted that evening and had plenty of leftovers for a few meals the next day or two.
3 fresh trout - yummay!
Oh, and veggies...
and steak for dessert!
We got a slow start the next morning, but a good breakfast helped begin the day:
Leftover steak, garlic onions and butter...
For our eggs and avocados, tortillas toasted on the backpacker stove
(Apologies for all the food pics but I was starving when I posted this :D)
It was sunny as we headed east of Troy to Kootenai Falls. Even with the drought and low water volume they were roaring magnificently. We clambered around and enjoyed the sight, playing a bit in the water and trying not to fall into the roaring falls like a stupid tourist.
It was hot as we hiked back up up to the swinging bridge for the wobbly walk across the Kootenai river chasm. On the other side we watched as three folks started over, the first guy reversing in terror after having stepped out onto the bridge. The other two continued on and when they were finally across, I started back over with Kim ahead. My size and weight got a bad rhythm going and we were swaying like crazy with Kim spinning around to accuse me of trying to make it happen. When I finally got to the steps where the lone man still stood, I gave him a smile and wave, but his eyes flickered back and forth still absorbed in fear from the moment he'd looked down.
As we walked back on the path to the parking lot, we were passed by a woman in Harley type attire who continued on into the lot, stopping briefly at my bike, then Kim's, before walking around behind a van. I watched as she shot a cell phone pic of another R1200GS. As I mentioned her to Kim, she suddenly rode out of the lot with a wave on the R1200GS she'd shot a picture of, her bandana, black leather boots and black muscle shirt looking a bit out of place on the adventure bike.
A young couple were driving this big, bad, bus
From Kootenai Falls we backtracked to the Ross Creek Ancient Cedars near Libby, a remarkable forest of old-growth massive cedar trees replete with ferns, moss and babbling brooks. It truly is a beautiful place and one can feel a real sense that you are walking in a very ancient place. If we'd seen fairies and leprechauns I wouldn't have been surprised. The cedar grove hidden in a canyon amongst millions of acres of pine forests is a real treat, as if set aside in a time warp from a previous age. The base of these trees are easily 10-15’ wide.
On the way back out we discovered a huge hoodoo garden in the dry river bed, adding couple of our own to the hundreds in and along the riverbed.
Two previous trips to Montana had not allowed me the time to do it, but today was the day to take Hwy 508 through the northwest corner of the state to Yaak and then east to Eureka.
At the gas station that morning in Troy, we'd filled up next to a grizzled guy with a beat up truck and large white wolf-like dog. The guy was such a character I really wanted to get a shot of him and his truck, but he seemed skittish and a bit paranoid, seeming to sense my interest and driving out quickly, his long beard blown by the wind through his window. As I stood filling my bike, another guy came over and said "Wow, you guys rode all the way here from Texas?" When I mentioned running up to Yaak that afternoon, he chuckled and said there were more Witness Protection people living up there than anywhere. As he and I talked, a very old man walked over and bent down to read our plates, shaking his head and walking away.
From the Cedars we backtracked through Troy and headed towards Hwy 508, just a couple of miles from the Idaho border We passed the turn for 508 and rode the couple of miles to the Idaho border seeking a “Welcome to Idaho” sign for a selfie. Our previous ride into Idaho was on backroads with no signs, and we needed to get a picture of ourselves with the state sign :D
We started doing the selfies at each border and now didn’t want to break the cycle - silly but true.
After our selfie fiesta we rode back and took 508 north in the lengthening shadows, following the Yaak river's twists and bends. Yet another beautiful highway in Montana. Imagine that. As we rolled along Kim said that so far, Montana had stolen her heart and I had to agree. We have ridden so many miles in such graceful and elegant beauty, with lush forests and gorgeous lakes and so few people it's hard not to fall in love.
As we flew along following the curves of the river, I got a whiff of a strong chemical odor that continued for a ways. It was vaguely familiar and I realized it was bear spray, having experienced it earlier in Silver Gate. Sure enough, my eyes began to water and my throat got scratchy, followed by deep coughing and minor burning in my chest. Kim had ridden through it as well but didn't get the same effect. It was a couple or three miles down the road before I felt better, wondering if someone by the river had had to use the spray on a grizzly or if they had just fired a can for fun.
We stopped in Yaak for a few photos and a butt break, but then continued on for Rexford and Eureka as the day slipped away. The road got narrower and more fun past Yaak, definitely in grizzly territory and fully expecting to see one somewhere on the way. Kim and I both were using our Sena 10C's frequently, trying to capture the scenery, always a frustration when trying to convey the beauty.
The woods were so thick it was hard to imagine anything being able to move through it, thinning only as we got higher and into an area of a past forest fire. The views were amazing at the top as we exited the woods briefly, allowing a view of the mountains bathed in gold from the setting sun.
The road wound slowly down to a great view over Koocanusa Lake, an unexpected jewel at the end of the day. The bridge across was really a treat, straight, open and long. At the far end a couple on Harleys sat watching the sunset from a parking area. It was late in the day but we stopped for a few pics and Kim spoke to the couple while I tried to capture fading colors. They were from Eureka and said we should try to get a motel there since it was getting dark. They left and we followed shortly after, the lady's warning of deer on the roadway ringing in our ears.
It was pitch dark when we arrived, only to find the few motels fully booked of course, but a lady at one of them said they had a single RV slot left behind their motel, which was all we needed for the night.
Watching the stars, the satellites and a few bullet-fast meteors from our backs in the grass was a great way to end a long day.