Missoula is home to the Adventure Cycling Association headquarters – a nonprofit that creates maps of recommended bike routes, hosts organized tours, and does bicycle travel advocacy. And they have free ice cream for touring cyclists!
We stopped by the headquarters and got a warm welcome – signed their guestbook and then posed for a photo to go up on their wall of bicycle tourists. We then got a full tour of their office which had dozens of touring bicycles of all eras mounted on the walls. A lot of love has gone into making their office unique and it really is worth a visit. The tour ended with a ceremonial weighing of our bicycles. Loaded up with food after our resupply day in Missoula, Donald’s was about 65 pounds and mine was about 72 pounds. Carbon fiber!
We didn’t hit the road until the afternoon, but the weather was nice at least. Much cooler than when we got into town. Highway 200 has an amazing wide shoulder and winds through pine covered mountains. Before too long we turned north onto 83 and into a stiff headwind. We ended our short day in the small town of Seeley Lake, surrounded by cabins and camping resorts, it seems this town will get crowded in a few weeks when summer arrives but for now it’s pretty empty.
Notes from Donald: “How can you trespass if you have permission? We saw what looked like dust blowing across a field, but it turns out it was pollen! I hope I can breathe tomorrow.”
Today’s mileage: 62 miles
Total: 1938 miles
