Plains to St. Ignatius
June 22, 2003
Westbound: Sandpoint to Plains Eastbound: St. Ignatius to Missoula
Having pushed more than a hundred miles yesterday, today was to have been an achievable 80 some miles to Missoula, but a combination of factors produced a shorter and eventually pleasant day.
Breakfast across the street was everything I expected. Getting everything packed up took some time. In fact, everything seemed to take time. Perhaps I stayed up too late with the computer. Perhaps the last twenty miles was more than I could afford. Perhaps I hadn’t had enough for supper. Whatever the exact cause, the effect was clear: no pep. Nonetheless the road called and off I went.
MT 200 continued to offer nice riding. The river remained on my right and appeared from time to time. As I went by the intersection for MT 135, a little voice urged me to regret looking at it more carefully. But I was racing the rain again and not endowed with surplus energy for speculation. Onward and noticeably but not severely more upward. And then instead of misting, it really started to rain. That I had crossed the river on a bridge but it was no longer called the Clark Fork was a puzzle but I had more important stuff to worry about.
At first rain is just annoying. Then, depending upon the temperature, the wind, clothing, and energy, one either blends into it and moves forward or one chills and shrinks. On this day, chilling prevailed over assimilation. After about 45 minutes I knew I could not ignore how I was feeling. I knew that Ravalli, named for one of the pioneer, Jesuit missionaries, was not far ahead. At the intersection of MT 200 and US 93, it could not fail—I believed—to offer all that I needed in exchange for a swipe of my MasterCard. My faith, however, was unfounded, misplaced, and contrary to research.
I reached Ravalli just before noon. Inspection on the ground, confirmed Ravalli does not have a motel. Street Atlas had told me that, but I knew Street Atlas largely reflected AAA ratings and many fine and many more acceptable institutions escape that listing. Yahoo’s Yellow Pages had also told me there was no lodging in Ravalli. For that oversight, I had less of a rationalization. My maps therefore had told me there was no lodging there. What is the point of research and planning if one won’t act upon it. Well, I was cold, wet, and therefore tired and faith had helped me roll forward to get there.
Ravalli, does however, have a very nice restaurant. I went just beyond it to stop at a gas station to ask about lodging. Turned out the place was no longer open as a gas station but the canopy provided some shelter. Not getting fresh water poured on me by itself did wonders to warm my body, soul, and spirits. I asked a young couple about local lodging. They confirmed Ravalli offered none but believed St. Ignatius just to the north did have acceptable places to stay. He even offered to put the bike in the back of their vehicle and transport me over the hill between Ravalli and St. Ignatius. I dithered.
I wanted to remain pure, to pedal my way across the country. Putting the bike in an SUV would be impure. I didn’t want to go five miles out of my way and find that St. Ignatius also lacked lodging. And I was too cold and tired to think really clearly. I’m not saying I was so impaired to be a risk on the highway. I’m just admitting that I didn’t have the strength to make a decision whilst procrastination seemed an option. By the time I made up my mind to prefer prudence to pride, my would-be benefactors had evaporated. He who hesitates remains cold and wet. So I put the bike on the porch between the restaurant and the gift shop where the roof extended forward, went inside and had a good lunch, warming up, and drying off in the process. I might even have gotten a dry shirt out as well.
By the time lunch was over, I had also inquired inside about St. Ignatius and other opportunities. There was nothing between Ravalli and I 90 but there were two options in St. Ignatius. All I had to do was climb 500 feet in less than two miles. I got a clear recommendation for the less expensive and said-to-be nicer motel. I also got a break in the weather. The rain had stopped, the sun was out, and I was tempted to head for Missoula. But somehow the momentum of the day was gone and being safe seemed more important. I had a few days to spend on rest and maybe this was a good day to quit early. I did have about 40 miles accomplished.
The climb was slow but comfortable and over quickly. Allard’s was just where and how described. I got a really nice room at a good rate, cleaned up, asked directions, and set off to do laundry and visit the grocery store. By the time I was walking back from the downtown, the day was so nice I had trouble believing I’d been in any difficulty. If I were a younger there would have been no problems; if I were much older, I wouldn’t have remembered having problems.
My room was equipped with what amounted to a full kitchen, but it lacked pots, pans, and dishes. Makes sense for hunters but not so much for credit card tourists on bicycles. So I bought disposable aluminum bake pans and made my pasta and sauce anyway. It was a nice “rest day.” Again, I had good cell coverage and could download the day’s mail and usenet.
Looking at map above, it is easier now to recognize that the Clark Fork makes a big backwards “S” turn east of Plains and heads over to St. Regis where it meets I 90 and the Mullan Road. I knew I 90 repeatedly crossed the Clark Fork River west of Missoula and the question of how it got from there to Thompson Falls was at the back of my mind as I was planning this part of the tour. Stuff came up and departure arrived before I scratched that particular itch.
Now, I understand the topography better. If I ride up the Clark Fork again, I’ll follow it along MT 135 and then I 90 rather than continue to Ravalli. I think the longer path would be a bit flatter, it would offer lodging at St. Regis and Superior, and it would be more faithful to the river. One could stop at Thompson Falls instead of Plains, continue to Superior for a comfortable day, and then spend only a half day getting Missoula, where there is much for a cyclist to enjoy. And that, 2003, would be my recommendation to subsequent credit card tourists.
Subsequent touring and more attention to shoulders and such while driving I 90, however, have found some hairy spots along the Interstate between St. Regis and US 93. As of 2014, the recommendation is to stay on 200. Indeed, if one tackles Lookout Pass either on I 90 or the adjacent back roads, the recommendation is to consider the trail from mile post five to St. Regis and then to follow the river to 200 and thence to Missoula.
44.08 miles in 3:55 on the bike for an average of 11.2 mph.
Westbound: Sandpoint to Plains Eastbound: St. Ignatius to Missoula