Libby, MT to Sandpoint, ID
Day: 98.78 miles, Trip: 3765.54 miles
Today was a big day. We cross into the western time zone, we cross into Idaho (our 14th state) and get onto the last map of the trip.
The day started off with breakfast at Henry's. It is going to be a long day in the mountains and I headed out by myself. It is an amazing ride with lots of opportunities to stop and take pictures. I am feeling great again today so I am making good time even with all the stopping. The first rest stop was along the side of the road. I hung out for awhile before riding on. Riding through even more beautiful scenery. The second rest stop was at the Big Sky Pantry located at the intersection of 56/200. It is a great little shop and had amazing sandwiches.
Still feeling good I headed out, I saw a couple self contained tourers in Clark Fork, ID so stopped and chatted with them and Andy. They were doing a multi-year tour of the US. The last stop wasn't much further in the town of Hope. We almost missed it but I saw the trailer on the other side of the railroad tracks so we (Kenny, Richard, Andy and myself) climbed over the tracks to the road. From there I rode with Richard the rest of the way into Sandpoint, ID (pop 7,350). We are staying at the Sandpoint West Athletic Club. This place is great and we have access to the gym, the pool, the hot tub, showers, sauna and even a hydra massage.
I was starving so my priorities were:
1. Shower (it had been about a week and now that we are in civilization it was needed)
2. Eat (tried going to the Brick and Barley for pizza but it was an hour wait so we went to the Jalapanoes for mexican food)
3. Hot Tub and swim
4. Shower again
The group split with some sleeping inside the gym and the rest camping. Those of us camping outside were surprised when the sprinklers popped on at around midnight. I saved a few tents and hammocks from getting soaked by putting cones over the sprinkler heads. It was noisy but at least we were no longer getting soaked. The spot next to my tent wasn't even a sprinkler head, I had spotted those, it was just a hole in the hose pointed directly at my rain fly. After the commotion of that (and those coming back from a night of drinking seeing the sprinklers) I got back in bed and back to sleep.
