It was a sunny, cool day for a ride down one of the most beautiful highways in the country, HWY 12, though the Bitterroot Mountains. It follows several rivers on it's journey, including the Lochsa and Cearwater. The actual Lewis & Clark and Nez Perce Trails followed the mountain ridges because the river valley was too chocked with rocks and underbrush.
Shortly after my ride began today, I stopped in at the "Historic Nacsaw Forest Ranger Station". This multi-building station is a jewel out of a bygone era, when forest rangers often lived very solitary lives, at great personal sacrifice. I found this a fascinating place and well worth the time.
Later I stopped for a picnic and let my gear dry in the sun. Finally I was off to Lowell, a small town of about 30, where I stopped for a bite. While there, I met a gentleman from Slovenia, who is biking across America. We had a delightful conversation.
As I was leaving I realized my sunglasses were missing. Could I have left them at the picnic area? I rode back 7 miles just to check (I know, this is becoming a habit). No glasses. Then it hit, I left them sitting in the restroom at the ranger station. I decided it wasn't worth another 10 miles of backtracking. Finding "over the glasses sunglasses is now high on my shopping list.
I tried to make up a few miles by riding late and paid for it by settling for a dry drainage ditch for a campsite. Let's hope there's no rain tonight.
Miles: 73 (including 14 backtrack miles)
Total: 2,372
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