Author: Bill

This morning I awake from numerous dreams none of which I can remember. Yesterday I had vertigo after a morning ride. I can say this. It wasn’t the ice cream I had right after breakfast. lol. Why because I ate the rest of it last bight before bed and this morning I feel fine. I do feel a little ruff from the extreme activities from last week and last weekend in particular.

Last Sunday I climbed Warren Peak in the Pintlars with Paul, Ethan, and another guy. I cant remember his name but I do know he used to work in Denali National Park in Alaska. The hike was strenuous and long … around 10 hours. The day before I did a very strenuous bike ride. I did Mount Dean Stone. In my attempt I ran amuck and got lost. I had to hike a bike up Mitten Mountain before riding the ridge over to Dean Stone. Very strenuous activity.

I have most of my bills paid off and CITI along with MBNA are completely paid off. The VW loan (my car) is under 10,000 along with back child support. So I should be sitting pretty. My only tarnishes are my student loan and this computer load from Best Buy. I must pay off Best Buy before one year but for now it is no interest. Now I just have to find a job.

Well today I hope to get out to do the Wallman trail out at the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area. Yesterday i took Paul riding out there and we saw a bear crossing the wetlands high up in the corridor. That was before we flatted twice getting to. Last night I met up with him and his family Niko and Lucy for some pizza and bowling. I started to have fun but after a beer started to feel angry and resentful. I don’t know why. Well I am starving and I cant remember my dream last night so I better sign off.

I just had some vertigo today and I am finally getting up. Still feel weird. Going to meet Paul, Lucy, and Niko for a pizza buffet and then bowling. The weather is a little stormy here but cant complain.

Yesterday, which was Thursday, I planned an outing into the Rattlesnake Wilderness. Marcy did not come with me. The first part of this adventure biked up the Rattlesnake Corridor to a point where I stashed my bike and put on the hikers. The second part of me hiked up to the saddle between Boulder Point and the unnamed peak to the northwest. I checked out Boulder Point and then topped the un-named high point…

Terrain Distance (approx): approx. 32 miles (rt)
Climbing Distance: 4,180 feet
Highest Altitude: 7,422 feet
Trip Time: approx 5 hours

8:25 AM – Left the car at the main Rattlesnake Trail head. I hampered this adventure at the beginning because of a fanny pack (newly bought) that was not working correctly. It is a Kelty and I would recommend that no one purchase one of these fanny packs. The reason is that how they locate their suspension straps are bogus. The only way to wear this one is upside down. That’s crazy. The absolute worst fanny pack made in the world today.

10:00 AM – After about two hours delay I got underway and rode for about an hour up the Rattlesnake Corridor. After the switch back and rocky scree section of road after the Franklin Bridge, I took a break and watched some moose.

10:20 AM – About a mile and a half past the high wetland on the left there is a sign in for the wilderness. A little past this post is a trailhead for trail 52. Continue along the corridor and keep an eye to the right for a sign that signifies the Porcupine Creek Trail.

10:45 AM – I reached the trailhead for trail 504 (Porcupine Creek Trail). I stashed the bike and dawned the hiking shoes. The trail heads off North East alongside the Porcupine Creek. The trail goes through burned sections of forest, so pay attention as the trail is hard to find.

12:50 PM – The trail comes to a T. I took the right and stopped for a jerky break on the rock cliffs overlooking Boulder Lake. The sun was high, and the day was nice. No bugs made the day even tastier. From here there are views of Mc Cloud, the highest point in the Rattlesnake, the Mission Range, and the Swan Range.

From here go over the ridge down and take a right at the junction of trail 333. Go about off the ridge and take a trail up the ridge to the top of Boulder lookout. The trail is off to the left. I returned up the ridge and continued through the junction that I came to first. The prime point here is the mountain top within view to the north. It is a short 1/4 mile climb.

2:10 PM – Summit of un-named peak overlooking Boulder Lake. From here return the way in. It will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get back down to where I stashed my bike. The bike ride back to the trailhead is just a little over an hour to an hour and ten minutes.

Good morning.  Today I head out for an adventure into the Rattlesnake Wilderness. I will bike into the wilderness and then hike up to my destination.  I am trying something new today.  I bought a water purifier so I don’t have to carry so much water.  Last night I enjoyed a summer picnic at Carla’s house.  I have a feeling we will be good friends because she likes to hike and bike.  Her friends do as well and that should be good. 

If not for the long winters, the northern Rockies timber town of Missoula (population 57,000) would certainly keep company with Moab and Crested Butte as one of America’s fat-tire epicenters. But the rolling and steep terrain, bisected by well-maintained singletrack and logging roads, is ridable only from June to October, a short enough season that obsessives don’t live here and itinerant bikers haven’t caught wind of it. The result is blissfully empty paths — in spades. “If you include logging roads, there are thousands of miles of trails,” says local rider Sam Schultz. “There’s a lot of variety, a lot of really fast, hard-packed, and smooth rides.” The 18-year-old Schultz, who is the youngest member of the U.S Under-23 National Mountain Bike Team, divulged his list of the best trails in Missoula.

For a warm-up Schultz suggests an easy spin up the main drag of the Rattlesnake Wilderness and National Recreation Area, a gravel road along Rattlesnake Creek that turns into a rough doubletrack. By the time you’ve pedaled to Franklin Bridge you’ll have covered eight miles. From there you’ve got multiple extension trails to choose from, including Woods Gulch Trail, an epic ride with a 2,500-foot elevation gain in 22 miles. “It’s the longest climb in Missoula, a good four-hour ride with three hours of uphills,” Schultz says. Heading northeast from the trailhead, located on the east side of the Rattlesnake road, you’ll slog up toward 7,650-foot Sheep Mountain. Snowbowl Overlook Trail starts at the main Rattlesnake trailhead, 4.5 miles from downtown, with a seven-mile climb up steep but ridable singletrack to a ledge above the Snowbowl ski resort and views of the slopes. After that? “A superfun descent from slow, steep, technical, and rooty to really fast with gradual turns.

Sam Shultz in a article I cant remember

Just got up from a nap.  Thought I would log on to comment on today’s ride in Lolo. I am heading out the door for a project. It is two actually. One is to upgrade my bike carrier with new pads and the other is to make map hanging in my apartment more attractive and easy. Right now I use duct tape. Tonight is a party at Paul’s friends house. I hope to meet up with some playmates here in Missoula. Chow.

Well fire season has begun.  There is  a forest fire in Lincoln Montana.  Yesterday I could not see the surrounding mountains as I rode my mountain bike.  I guess the smoke had made things hazy.  Yesterday I guess a man fell in a glacier and died up in Glacier Park.  Montana is not for the meek societal types.

Paul and Lucy are at Yellowstone Park and I have enjoyed the return to my active lifestyle.  While they are here I have been sitting by the phone waiting for them to get out and do something.  I guess I didn’t realize until now that they don’t do as much as I thought.  That’s fine though but I must get out and enjoy what’s left of my summer more.  Next year this time Ill have a job. 

In a couple weeks I am going to get a job.  Probably right after the reunion.  Actually I cant wait.  I just hope it is a good enough job to live in Missoula.  I figure only 1200 a month is needed to live.

I just got done with a movie. I thought when I visited a familiar feeling. Sadness! I ask myself why after every movie I watch do I feel sadness. I mean sadness into the core of my being. I feel loss. I grieve, but I don’t know why. I just had an idea. I sat and feel and try to sort this out. I love movies because I get lost in them. They are make believe; I know. Movies let me feel the things I have never allowed myself to feel. I get caught up in the movie and fall in love, I care, and I feel compassion. Great compassion. When it is over I grieve. I never feel those things in life. I won’t let them, and I wonder why. People who know me must wonder if I fell in love or really care in sympathetic interests towards the people that are associated with me.

But wait. I do in life fall in love and care. But now I look back and reflect. I have always sabotaged those relationships. Unconsciously, I always let them go. I never have told those people how I feel about them only those That I find I can manipulate do I think I feel and I report to them I care and or love. Does this make me a vulgar person? Only if I cannot reverse this and start living!

Here I am at the Liquid Planet. I missed Paul at his office (Break Expresso) so I came here. I am really liking this place. Well let us see! Yesterday I attempted to ride my bike along the ridge from Blue Mountain to Petty Mountain. It was hot and I blew myself apart on all the extreme climbs. I gave up before getting close. All in all I did 40 miles and 8,900 feet of climbing. Not bad. That brings us to today. I am fried and sun burned from this mornings trip to Out 2 Lunch festival so I am taking a break and writing some stuff. Tomorrow is the group ride so Ill concentrate on getting my bike fixed up and maybe do a short hike in the morning. Take care all … Happy Summer!

Good morning! It’s shaping up to be a gorgeous day – the sun is shining, and there’s a crispness in the air. I’m currently enjoying my breakfast of eggs and toast, waiting for my friend Paul to call. We’re planning to meet at the coffee store for a bit of online work.

Yesterday was pretty productive. Managed to get my laundry and grocery shopping done. In the evening, I joined the Thursday Night Group for a mountain bike ride. We started from the Crazy Canyon parking lot, rode up to University Mountain via trails and the access road, and then the real fun began. We descended the ridge to the saddle between Sentinel, and finally down towards town, then back to the parking lot via single track. It was a blast, though quite a long ride since I biked from my home to meet them and back, getting home around 9:30 PM.

This weekend, there’s a big hike planned in the Mission Mountains. I’m a bit concerned about the lack of planning, but I’m trusting the experts. I’m also looking forward to joining the Rocky Mountaineers to learn more about mountaineering. Hope everyone has a great day!