2024 was hot enough to fry a helmet strap. Anything below 6000 feet felt like riding through a hairdryer, so I stuck to the high trails… where the air’s thin, the pine needles crunch louder, and your legs curse you in slow motion. Meanwhile, Mo was off chasing light across the country—film gear, set calls, hotel ice buckets. I stayed behind, pedaling through the heat shimmer, holding onto a rhythm that kept the noise down. Just the usual: water, wheels, and whatever was left in the tank.
Another installation in my POV series. Yes, we all hate POV but I like them. So there …o/o
The Bear Fork Road leads from Timber Camp Campground.
It was the easiest way just to get out and ride.
No decisions Just go for a ride.
I can’t believe the wildflowers are still popping out there.
What were you doing today August 5th?
Just as we get out to enjoy nature we hope that our friends, heck, every on the planet gets to do so as well.
Removing oneself from the wilds of the Gallatin is hard. Hard because no one wants to leave. You carved a life for yourself out there. And you come to terms with the hardships or in my case FUN. And even though you lost your water filter and killed a baby bird by accident … well … you feel lucky. No one wants to admit what waits for them when they return to the valley and finally home base. Yep, the 40 hour work week.
So we savored every last part of the day long decent past Fortress Peak and down Porcupine Creek. I actually ripped a sidewall and had to endure barbarian horse flies on a trail side fix. But even then I felt lucky and happy. I just did not want it to end. But finally it did and we hauled our asses and bikes back to home base. And back to reality. Until next weekend folks … to Hidden Lakes.
Our last day at the Potosi Campground we decided to head on up to a lake called Bell. The distance seemed easy enough. Only a little over 3 miles. And then there was the 4 mile ride to the trailhead. What we ran into next was some of the most washed out atv trail in these parts. For at least the first mile anyway. But then it got better and eventually turned into a real technical single track. Which we like. And inded the climb was well worth it. After a sit down for some snacks we be-bopped back to camp. Good times. And then realized we had visitors …
Spending time with Mo in Missoula I have come to the realization that no matter where we are there is going to be some dirt bike frolicking. Followed by some sort of adult beverage and a pizza or burger. Life cant get any better … right?
I am doing the Butte 100 but I am concerned for my old pup Marcy. I don’t feel comfortable chaining her to camp while I race for 12 hours. Oh yea! I said 12 hours. I am looking at the race details and the promoter says 15 to 20 thousand feet of climbing. Hola mola! So contact me if you can watch my dog this weekend. She sleeps all the time and chases skunks when possible. My work number is 406.721.18876 ext 152!
Here is a blog that didn’t make it through from my PDA this weekend (no wireless access in Mackay). My Picassa Gallery, check the photos out!
Once again I hear the river running through this canyon in Idaho halfway between Elk Bend and Chalis. Marcy still smells of skunk and the tent holds the smell hostage. We are both up enjoying the fresh canyon breeze. I am laying here under my new lantern (thanks Team G.A.S. ) blogging away on my PDA.
I fell asleep as the sun left the mountain tops and the hot arid air blew through this beautiful canyon. It was too hot to blog at the time and I zipped into my tent to look at the map and escape any flying critters looking for blood.
I just realized the Marcy may not still smell of skunk as much as just be farting. I just got wind of a new strong dose of that skunk smell. It is just about unbearable until a fresh cold breeze carries it out of the tent.
So I fell asleep looking at my map under my new lantern. Then just a little while ago I was afforded this opportunity to blog as I awoke with a bad head ache and a back ache. I just got back from the car to get some Excedrin. It is just just now kicking in and giving me new found energy to blog.
It is nice to be here. Between the canyon walls tonight camping. I do miss my camping friends and I can remember just last week camping in this very spot with Sten on our way to Galena. One the other hand it is nice this time to be solo. There is a simple pleasure to being alone and I think it is less stress to be only accountable to ones self.
I know it is the caffeine talking, but at least the head ache is a little better and maybe I can get another hour of sleep. Whew, Marcy just let another one! I let the breeze take care of that one as the effects of blogging my thoughts (must be therapeutic) take me off to sleep land between Elk Bend and Chalis.
I am sitting in my apartment sipping down a cup of coffee (french vanilla silk). I am coming to life after a restless night of sleep. My friend and I’ll have decided to head to the Mission Mountains today for a back packing trip. I do believe that we are planning the be in the Panorama Peak area.
What does this mean? Well I am charging the camera battery as I blog because I need to dust off my picture taking abilities for this trip. We are heading into a awesome area for beauty and magnificence.
I just turned off the TV and the coffee has begun its work. I have everything I need to sustain myself in the wilderness spread out on the floor and I need to start packing it into the back pack. It is amazing that it will all fit. the only part I don’t like is adjusting to hiking with 50 plus extra pounds on my back.
Have a good weekend everyone and feel free to communicate!
Missoula is starting once again to become the much dreaded smoke filled community as fires are erupting everywhere. Again! Some idiot set like 12 fires along-side Interstate 90. Three fires have also started by Lake Como. Although we saw the fires in the distance it did not deter the Thursday Night Group Ride as we hammered the trails out near Woods Gulch.
Around 6 of us as we set out from the Lincoln Hills Drive trail head and did Sidewinder first and then the others. It was hot, very hot. I started out drinking lots of water because my throat kept burning. At one point I thought one person in the group was going to get heat exhaustion.
It was a good ride and only one accident. A new fellow named Rod took one big header and bloodied up his arm.
Tonight is Art Walk and for me it is laundry and grocery day as well. Looking outside I am wondering if Ill be able to go into the woods this weekend let alone go camping.
Well this morning I feel like a major disappointment. I wanted to see Lucy and Niko off at the airport but things went wrong and I missed them. The thing that makes it worse is that I promised to be there. I feel so terrible.
Today I am taking a day off from extreme activity. I will work on getting some things done that I want to do. I want to figure out how to hang all my maps at home and also get a compression bag and a fly for my tent. Another thing I would like to do is hag at the Liquid and play on the Internet … update my hikes.
Tonight Paul is coming to the Thursday Night Bike Club and I hope he has fun. I always do and until last week found a great new place to ride. Tonight is in the Lincoln Hills Area and I don’t know what else we can do there.
Tomorrow is Friday and I will probably go riding and plan the weekend more. I want to do Sheep Mountain and hike Triangle Peak. Paul and I have to plan our trip to the Crazies also.
Boneshakerbike 