Today all the riders left very early in an attempt to beat the heat. It has been unseasonably warm in northern Montana. Just as I was preparing to leave the hotel, I got a call about forgotten PB&Js in a room refrigerator, so I went back and got them. Then I got a call from one of the riders detailing how they managed to cross the highway over a pedestrian bridge...passed the info along to the other riders. Then I got a call about a broken derailluier...now I have to find this rider. So off I go, through hill and dale and down one lane roads that are just big enough to fit the 'monster' support vehicle. I eventually find the rider, but not before 4 incidents of heart-stopping proportions. First a deer jumps out of the woods right in front of the vehicle. Then just about a half a mile later a large elk decides she needs to cross the road right in front of me. Then, a big deer comes out of the woods right in front of the truck, stops, looks at me, and then leisurely strolls across the street. I had my camera ready for her!
Then another deer decides he would rather be on the other side of the street. Wow, there sure are a lot of large animals in this part of the world!
After loading the broken bike onto the truck (another shirt is now in the 'grease' pile) off we went to pick up a rider at the 30 mile mark. Loading the rider and their bike, we were off to the hotel to drop the trailer so that we could head to the bike shop in Kalispell, MT in an effort to get the bike fixed and get the rider back on the road. We found the bike shop, and yes they can fix it, but it won't be ready until tomorrow. So the rider rented a Trek 520 for the day and will pick up the fixed bike tomorrow.
Then it was back to the hotel and hopefully an opportunity to find some lunch. Along the way, I passed these beautiful fields of bright yellow vegetation that I was told might be Rapesweed. Don't know what it is, but it is very pretty.
The route today took the riders along the eastern side of Flathead Lake, MT. What a beautiful area. The lake is gorgeous and the mountains are stunning.
To complete my adventures today, I went by the Salish & Kootanai Tribe Reservation and when I got back to the trailer, I noticed that it had 'pooped' a beer. I sure hope that doesn't happen when I try to get through customs in Canada!
Tomorrow the riders are off to Kalispell, MT. The weather reports say that it is going to be 97 degrees there tomorrow. I hope the riders have enough water!
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