THIS again.

Day 3: Twin Creek U.S. Forestry Service Campground, Salmon National Forest, Idaho

Distance traveled: 401.3 (Felt like 600)

Cumulative Distance: 1250 km

Maximum Speed: 138 kph

Moving average: 86 kph

Temperature range: 19.2 – 28.4 (but it was 6.8 when I got up this morning.)

Considering we were not even served a hearty breakfast, unlike the prior morning, we had a hard time getting going this morning. I was awake around 6:00 a.m. but dozed off and on for about an hour. Nan slept an hour longer than that. We both woke up tired from our bear ordeal. We passed our story on to the campground host, who had seen the bear about two weeks before. He figured it was about 150 pounds but this point I was thinking 1500. On to the dusty trail around 9:45 to head into Kalispell.

We had some business there, first. My number one items was to get the bike washed because I hate having to handle all the gear when it is covered in dust. We ended up going to two places because the first place was strictly drive-through. I tried to convince Nan that it would be better because we would get ourselves washed at the same time but she didn’t see the logic in it. Then we went to get rope because our new policy was to hang our food rather than keep it inside the bike somewhere. By this point, someone – not saying who but let’s just say not me – was getting hangry. That means damn all torpedoes, just find a place – anyplace -  to get food (and coffee). The gal at the hardware store gave me two suggestions while Nan walked to the gas station next door where we were going to fill up.

We came across the first place, which turned out to be a drive-through espresso window. However, someone – not saying who – was getting really hangry, so we opted to check it out to see if they had food. Turns out they did have food, plus a little patio table outside, four bar stools inside, a washroom, a settee and lightning fast internet. Since I wanted to post the blog and respond to a couple of emails, it worked out and we sat at the bar trying to chat up the two girls working in there but they each had their own espresso window and they were flat out busy the entire time we sat there. It was clear many of the people coming were regulars because the gals new several by name and what they liked. And it was great coffee; the food was o.k. but pre-prepared and microwaved to order.

It was 11:45 a.m. by the time we got out of there. I was going to do a quick check of the planned route but someone did not want to wait around any longer. I guess there are only so many cat videos to see. Anyway, we ended up driving down Hwy 93 to Lolo. I had somehow been thinking that the drive was gong to be shorter than it was but it might just be that it was frightfully dull. No offense to any Montanans who pick up this blog but wow, that was really dull. Before the trip, I had been struggling with choosing the east side of Flathead Lake or the west side; due to the circumstances, it ended up being the west but given the time of day, we would have chosen that anyways. Bit for any readers who are heading this way, take the east route.

We had to go through Missoula to get to Lolo and from there, out plan was to head west on Hwy 12, a well known motorcycle twisty. However, as were were getting close to Missoula, we could see a large plume of smoke coming up from the distant mountain range. We had seen a small fire over on the east side of the valley earlier but by comparison, much smaller. Once we were through Missoula, I said to Nan that we might be getting a closer look at that fire, given that we were heading “sort of in that direction”. I had been advised earlier to get gas no later than Lolo because there was none along Hwy 12 so we pulled up to the gas station at that corner only to meet two other motorcyclers who were contemplating their route as HIGHWAY 12 WAS CLOSED DUE TO THE FIRE. There was a bulletin board which had been posted by someone from the forest service and a large electronic sign just up the road indicating it was closed due to fire activity; it had closed mid-morning. These two were traveling from the south and heading over to Oregon to see the eclipse as well. They were one step ahead of us, though, as they had already made up their minds that they were going to head north to Spokane and then head south into Oregon. I wasn’t too keen on that, since we had just come that very boring route and besides, we needed a break and a cold drink.

We sat inside the gas station considering our route choices (two) and then looking to see where we might camp along the way. I talked to some “smoke eaters” (forest fire fighters) who were coming through on their way to the fire and they told me it was “blowing up to the south”. I didn’t really know what “to the south” meant; was that a few kilometres to the south or 250 km to the south, which was the way we were contemplating.  A few minutes later another one, a crew chief or commander, told me that heading north might be fastest but the southern way, through the Sawtooth National Forest, would be much more interesting and that the route was clear.

So, we had our route and a campground targeted. Going this way was going to add some distance plus, we were going to go a route that I had already planned us going the other way, from west to east, after the eclipse. And, in my mind, there must be thousands of other travelers in the same circumstance as us and some of them would be choosing the southern route and competing for those precious camp spots. In the interim, we had to ride south and while 100 km of it was the same slab riding, by the time we were on our last 50 km, the elevation started to climb and the road started to twist. What we did get to see though, was the southern flank of the fire.

It really was horrific. The whole side of the mountain was engulfed and there were several planes dropping fire retardant and helicopters dropping water. Many roads that head into the mountain were blocked by police, giving it a surreal feel. Smoke along the highway was thick and brown but actually, once we got past the southern flank, it cleared right up.

We pushed on, heading south. We were tired from the short night and long ride though really, this length of ride shouldn't bother us. I think we were still feeling the anxiety of having fought off a bear the night before.  We settled on the Twin Creek Campground and here, I will give a shout-out to the U.S. National Forest Service. Sitting in a gas station in Lolo, we were able go to their website and identify a campground with enough details that we could target it as our destination. Twin Creek Campground has 40 sites, a half mile of gravel and exactly 150 km from where we were sitting. The campground itself was nowhere near full, had great tent sites, concrete fire pits, iron barbecues, big picnic tables, nice fresh water and was only $10. Many are listed on their interactive map, some with as few as 10 tent sites, and while my anxiety about finding a place was unfounded, there were many selections of campgrounds and I'm sure that any we had chosen would have worked out fine.

Since we were working with emergency rations, it was pasta soup for dinner. A few campers were having fires, which seemed odd to us given that there were fire warnings all over the state, though the posted restrictions indicated fires were allowed in pits.

We arrived at the campground and to my surprise, there are few campers. There is a sign at the entrance indicating motorcyclers should push their bikes in the campground, as a courtesy to other campers. Not sure how that would denote a courtesy, given that there would be a generous content of foul language. We pick a spot and then pick a different spot.  It's level, tidy and there is even wood for a fire but it doesn't even cross our minds.

Getting the stove out for dinner, a made a terrible discovery: water has leaked out from the ice had had to keep the beer cold the other night and has soaked our three pairs of eclipse glasses. Not only is our vision going to be at risk, but that is seven dollars down the drain! (plus tax) I had carefully wrapped them in plastic and then taped them to a piece of cardboard, which at this point, is like an overcooked wet noodle. My biggest worry had been that they would get bent inside all the travel stuff and potentially get a crease in one of the lenses. I lay them out on the table cloth with hopes that they will dry and be salvageable because I may be hard pressed to by new ones this close to the eclipse, particularly ones that have not been recalled or exposed as fake. News.

Aside from that trauma, it was an easy night to get to be early.

Our new acquisition went into use right away: rope, to hang our food from bears.

The Kalispell State Fair was happening when we were there.

We didn't partake, but it looked like fun.

We didn't partake, but it looked like fun.

This is where I was getting guidance about what route we might take, since our planned route was closed.

Twin Creeks Campground, and Nan putting together the camp chairs.

Table set for dinner and dinner cooking. You can see the eclipse glasses laying out to dry.

Bear proof.