Left Spokane, drove across Idaho panhandle, landed in Montana Bitterroot Valley

I really left Spokane! Drove onto I-90 East bound for Missoula, MT. Pretty day for a drive.

Made rattlesnake rec area to a packed parking lot. Found a spot. Geared up & pedaled away. On first baby chain ring climb a new squeak kicked in. Made big climb and stopped to fix the source. Found the crank was loose or the bottom bracket. I tightened up the crank bolts but things were still loose. Decided to return to van and use the crank tightening tool. I snugged the crank down w/ the tool but it was still loose. I was concerned if I really reefed on the crank tightening that the crack would rub against the bottom bracket shell. packed up & drove to bike shop in town for advice. I didn’t finesse my encounter w/ a shop sales person. he tightened the crank arm tighter than I did and the looseness went away. he said the threads bottom out before the crank will  rub against the bracket.

Missoula is mtn time costing me an hour of day light. I bought a home made ice cream cone and drove South; ride day was short. Driving S on 93 I saw forest fire smoke in the sky. Turns out that there is a fuel reduction burn going on @ Lake Como where i planned to ride tomorrow. I walked down to lake thru smoldering or burning wood. Lake basin is very smokey. The lake is way down leaving the boat launch just for your imagination. Safe to ride but inhalation of smoke is a concern.

Temperature @ 5:50 in Darby was 74. High peaks to west of highway, the Bitterroot Divide, are dusted w/ snow. I’m camped off a logging spur road @ 4610′ w/ the door open wearing a sweater. Forecast is for rain for next several days.

Tomorrow is over Lost Trail Pass. I might stop @ a commercial hot spring this side of pass for a soak. the last time I was there my VW bus would not start and was towed back to Missoula. So nice to be driving this Mercedes Benz vehicle and having confidence that it will always run. The bus was choice fun but I was always jittery with it because I feared it wouldn’t start or would break down. I have tow truck driver stories to support.

Randy, I am camped @ UTM 11T, 714644 / 5103281. No conversion to your engineering values.