June 28, 2019
So today, which is day… oh man… I actually don’t even know. 15? Let’s just say fifteen. Great band, as well… Fifteen, I mean. Right, sorry… [note: just checked, and I’m wrong… 16 is right]
It started, and I know this is going to shock everyone, but… it started wet. Really wet. Not raining, because that would have been A-OK! Just wet. It wasn’t awesome. How not awesome? Glad you asked. I’ve come up with a great way for you, the reader, to know JUST how unawesome.
Instructions for simulated morning experience follow:
1) Procure chocolate milk (whole, not that watery crap), flour, one spray bottle, helmet (goggles are ok), box fan/hair dryer, friend
2) Fill spray bottle with chocolate milk
3) Put helmet/goggles on
4) Turn on fan – high setting aimed directly at face
5) Have friend spray chocolate milk through fan, periodically adding handfuls of flower
5) Be miserable for a few hours
That should do… simulation over.
Good news was it eventually dried out. Bad news was it kept getting colder. Finally pulled over for a balaclava, and mid layer. While I was gearing up a couple from North Carolina stopped, and we chatted a bit. They’re pulling a big camper. Nice folks.
Pretty soon the scenery changed just slightly. The road got arrow straight, everything dried up, and the sun came out. I kept my layers on, but ditched the ninja hat.
Stopped at what was marked as a restaurant as I was pretty starving. Turns out it used to be a place to eat. Now it’s just abandoned. Perfect spot for a Cliff bar, and some photos. Cool yet eerie. Loved it. Weirdly, in spite of the dilapidated building the sign looked brand new. So odd.
It would be another 100 miles before I’d find food. No idea what the town was… Fort Nelson, maybe. Yup, just looked it up. Dan’s Neighborhood Pub. Really good burger. Also chatted with a group heading to… a place I can neither spell nor find on the interwebs (didn’t try super hard, honestly).
After fueling myself and the bike I kept heading north on 97. It stayed really warm, so I opened the vents up and enjoyed it. Mostly straight road for quite a while, and then I hit the northern Rockies.
As soon as I did the road turned pretty crappy, but the sights turned pretty epic. Climbed a pass that I’d have been happy going along at 2mph through. The sights were that good. Pretty bad roads, which made it start to really feel more remote.
The road wound up, down, along rivers, through valleys. So gorgeous. Loving it. Starting to finally see people on bikes going north. Everyone has been heading south so far. Odd.
The road found its was alongside a river, rugged mountains rising high above. The Rockies. I love ‘em. I didn’t care about bears, I had to stop and enjoy. So I did. Many times.
Pretty soon I rounded a corner, getting my first look at Lake Muncho. It’s rad. Glacier blue. Huge. The road winds along the shore at nearly the same level as the water. Really reminded me of some of my time in Patagonia. Aces!
Then I arrived at my lodging. Decent room. Rustic joint. Gonna go find food before I chew my own arm off.
Oh, wildlife… sheep (with babies!), brown herons (with babies!), a moose (holy hell are they massive), hawks, dive bombing birds (seriously almost hit 5 or 6), big fat crows (they’re hilarious), and…
Today’s bear count:
Black – 3
Grylls – 0
Odo Start: 17,031
Odo End: 17,424
Daily Miles: 393
Cum. Miles: 2,861
Ryan Cavalier 