Monday morning I bid adieu to my former neighbors who let me sleep in their driveway then drove a scenic route to Whitefish Montana and a FS XG on Tally lake.
On Tuesday I pedaled 2 hrs 11 mins on 14.7 miles of gravel road climbing 2441′ to start of trail Reid Divide that at the other end dumped me back almost at the XG where I stayed for 2 nights. Senior pass cuts the camping fee by half.
Seems friend Randy from Spokane and I rode this ride the first year of my travels, the first month. Somehow that rode was 4 miles shorter. I don’t remember the ride. I spent 2 nights at the FS XG. Tuesday was the ride all by myself. Just sit and spin and spin and spin on the FS gravel roads. Needed Trailforks for picking the correct roads. Made the trail junction. By now my morning get up and go seemed to have been used up.
Give man a chain saw and a skidder for somebody’s needs:
9.31 miles descending 2615′ but climbing 472′, took 1 hr 14 mins down. Narrow single track with hardly a feature on the tread. Vegetation grows tight to trails’ edged possibly hiding pedal strikes. Nice sunny day with enough chill to be comfortable with a long sleeved wool top. A woman hiking up greeted me in my passing for my only human contact. 24.7 miles climbing 2953′ pedaling for 3 hours 30 mins. Trailforks data disagrees with EDGE, EDGE gathered descent data of 2615′ while TF reported 3649′. Big difference.
Spent second night in FS XG. No electronic signals
Yesterday I drove out of lake basin heading to Whitefish town. On the way I moved into internet range for researching next ride. I found the Pig Farm on the road I was driving. Exrensive trail net work, another need for phone holder mounted on my handlebar for route finding following a posted ride log. State land. 13.6 miles pedaling for 2 hrs 8 mins climbing 1191′. No trail signs, Trailforks kept me found.
Seems forest is managed for timber yield. All by myself.
Afterwards I drove into town for resupply and contact with people. My body had issues leaving me not feeling well and loss of memory recall. Earlier I read the propane level gauge indicating I needed refill today. While in town I researched future rides. I picked my next one to be on the other side of Tally Lake up high. I drove to TH and parked. I started settling down for the night. OH SHIT. I remembered I should have bought propane. I looked at the gauge which is mounted on the propane tank underneath the van. Needle was on I need to be filled now to last the night. It is about 5:30. I drove quickly the 25 mins back to town to find all 3 refill locations were closed. I will have a chilly night and cold dinner and bfast. I headed back out of town to return to where I started from. i saw a state XG on the shore of Whitefish Lake just outside of town. To stay there would be closer in to town for morning refil and doing wash then drive back out to do my chosen ride. Pulled into XG looking for an empty site. Score, I found 1. I paid the $24 and settled down. Shortly a loud mechanical noise sounded. Another shit (but smaller) my spot was hidden from a busy railroad track. Frequent train passings. Seems Randy and I prolly slept in the same site. Back then the host gave each of us soft ear plugs, this year’s host made no mention. Last night’s sleep was toss and turning during train passings. Hardware store in town opens at 8 AM. I arrived shortly after their opening. Guy pumped 5.2 gals in to 5.6 fill. I cut it close. Propane heats my food and living space and refrigerates my food. I can live around cold and hunger but loosing a frige full of food is a hard take.
Did my wash. Washing machine had selections to make. I selected cold temp. When the machine stopped and I opened the door, I was greeted with a cloud of steam. The machine ran hot water, not selected cold. I suspected possible fabric damage. I caught a management person to show what happened. He said he would make me whole. I line dry my wool and synthetics that will take longer to dry than my stay here in Whitefish to learn of fabric damage. 5 liners, wool jersey, 2 pairs of overshorts and all the cotton clothes. Prolly $1,000 of clothes in play.
Parked on a side street doing this computer stuff. Big Mountain ski area sits above town.
COVID mask wearing protocol is hardly followed, I wear mine here in Whitefish, MT.
My travel plan is to drive south on US 93 finding riding locations.
Mark attends to my web site. I met him back when we were XC ski instructors at Snoqualmie Pass like 35 years ago, We reconnected at Salida the first year of my travels and he set up my site. Today I received his retirement notice. In almost all cases now I am older than the persons servicing my needs.
Done enough for today.