Road Lessons/Day 11

Paul and Kay try out the bike

It was hard to say goodbye to our hosts in Jackson, Paul and Kay...but, as they say, all good things must end...and so we loaded up and were on the road once again.

(BTW, one of the highlights of the day here took place at bedtime:  Paul would get out his harmonica and play and the dogs, Seneca and Lad would join in...it was quite the chorus! And then it was time for bed)

It was a beautiful morning, but before long we knew we were going to need more clothing as we got out on the road, and stopped to get out gloves and jackets before getting underway in ernest.

 Up and over the Teton Pass and soon we were in Idaho and flying past potato fields that were in bloom with very fragrant flowers.  We stopped in Rexberg at a Great Harvest Bread shop for sandwiches and a giant cookie, but when we asked where there was a coffee shop to get a cappuccino they said there were no coffee shops...this is Mormon country!   Coming across the open plains, Idaho tried to throw some wind at us, but Wyoming had tested us, and we were ready...Idaho had nothing on Wyoming! However, having learned from previous experience,(see lesson #11 ) we watched very carefully a dozen or more dust devils in the distance sending dust, like smoke, into the sky....we did not want to repeat that experience and so watched to be sure none of them turned and came our way!

Near Gilford Summit, Bitterroot Valley

The landscape began to change as we entered the
Bitterroot Valley, which is largely National Forest land, and so no crops or grazing livestock to speak of, just large open space and the hills rolling away on either side of us.  We were just a little nervous out in this desolate area,  not wishing for a repeat of flat tire episode, but we made it through with nothing to report.

We stopped in Salmon, Idaho where we found a little bike and rafting shop that also had served a pretty descent cappuccino, no longer in Mormon country I guess, and sat out on the deck and took our shoes off and cooled down. By afternoon, it was quite hot on the bike, so it felt good to get off and sit in a cool breezy spot.

By Hamilton, Montana, we had reached our goal of 350 miles for the day and decided to camp here.
We stopped at a fly fishing outfitter  and asked about campgrounds and places to eat.  Frank,
the proprietor, sent us down to The Black Rabbit RV camp on the other edge of town and we got there just in time as the attendant was just about to close up the office.  The campground was largely long term RVers and so we had a beautiful green space all to ourselves and set up the tent quickly and got back on the bike to head into town to try the local brew pub: Bitterroot Brewery.  In Montana, brew pubs must close at 8:00 and so we made it just in time to sample a pint.  The waitress, Jo, told us at David's request,
about what a great town Hamilton was to live in.   She was from Palm Beach and had been in Montana for 9 years and loves it...and only gets snowed in a couple times a year, but her mortgage is only $350 a month for a 3 bedroom house on 40 acres.
Frank had also recommended, and Jo concurred, that a good place to get dinner, was a couple blocks down: the Spice of Life Cafe, so we headed over there.  David had clams and linguine and I had  tofu/ veggie curry.  Jo and Frank were right, very tasty!  David continued his queries to find out what life in Hamilton was like, (he was very taken with the town),  and Eileen was happy to fill him in.
She and her husband are caretakers on a 5 million dollar ranch and LOVE Hamilton,  they had lived in Portland for a while and decided to come back, despite the conservative bent of the community.  We were the last people in the place, closed it down and then some...the other waitress came over to chat about Sturgis and bikes (her husband is building her a trike so that she can go to Sturgis with him), and where we were going etc etc.  After some disappointing creme brule, we headed back to the Black Rabbit RV Camp and crawled into sleeping bags and that was that.

Today's quote....David: "Idaho threw seven different kinds of beauty at us today."  True enough.

One of my favorite pieces of Kay's artwork
This painting is of Seneca Park in Maryland
The park is where they found & rescued their dog, emaciated and
dying, and how she got her name!

Laddie the singing dog

Salmon, Idaho Bike and Rafting outfitters
and cappuccino makers