Biking, Day 6: 7/22/2009

Day 6: Mullan, ID to Thompson Falls, MT
Distance: 45 miles
Route: Take the Coeur D'Alene Trail back to Wallace, have coffee at the Red Light Garage, head out of Wallace on Idaho Rte 4 to a road that was supposed to be paved (NFD 7623), to Prospect Creek into Thompson Falls. Idaho Rte 4 was 10 miles, uphill. Then I hit the dirt road, also up hill.
Lodging: Falls Motel, Thompson Falls, MT: http://www.thompsonfallslodging.com/

I started the day early by waking up at 4:45am. I wanted to get biking by 5:30. I had high hopes of possibly making it to Missoula, which would be a long day. I got out the door of my motel in Mullan by 5:30 and took the Coeur D'Alene Trail back to Wallace. The map showed a route up and over Thompson Pass to Thompson Falls from Wallace. There didn't appear to be a route from Mullan. My map wasn't great, though, and I had no internet. There looked like there was a decent road from Wallace over the pass to Thompson Falls.
Basically, Idaho and Montana have this main highway: I-90. Then they have a lot of random roads and dirt roads. It has been hard to figure out how to get from one place to another without going on I-90. Obviously,Ｉrode on I-90 yesterday, but it's not something I wanted to do again. I had heard rumors of a Hewata trail that led down to another road that would take me to Missoula, but the trail is 'multi use', which I knew would be dirt/rocks．Plus, I didn't have a map and my phone wasn't working. No cell service between the mountains.
So, I sucked it up and went back to Wallace. Dios mio! It was COLD. I put on a jacket, but by the time I got to Wallace, I couldn't feel my hands. I got a cup of coffee at a gas station, which was the only place open at 610am. Then, in the distance, I saw the Red Light Garage. I saw movement. They were open.
The Red Light Garage was quite possibly the most adorable coffee shop slash diner slash mexican taco stand slash kitch factory I have ever seen. I walked in and ordered coffee. I pet a dog with three legs. I was greeted by the locals. I was given a map. I ordered a Cinnamon Bun.
I used WiFi on my phone, but the 'RedLight' Wifi network was password protected. Using my skills to break the code, I tried 'Redlight'. Success. I had cracked the wifi code. I used my phone to check internet, call my mom, and check my voicemail (SAGE had called! She was in Wallace! EEK!)
I got my fill at The Red Light Garage and decided to hit the road.
I left Wallace and went out Rte 4. Route 4 went on for 11 miles. It was up hill. Not like up a mountain uphill, but like riding in lowest gear uphill. Hard, but not exhausting or impossible. Soon, I saw the sign that Rte 4 was ending. 3 miles later, I hit an electric grid station in the city of Burke (I had gone through other cities, like Yellow Dog). The road then split into 3 dirt roads. I decided to ask one of the electric men which one to Thompson Falls. They pointed to the road and said it was 'rough', though. I refused to go back down the 11 miles I just went up, so started up the dirt/gravel road.
They were right. It was rough. I tried to ride, but mainly pushed my bike with all the gear on the back. I stopped. I took off my biking shoes and put on my running kicks. It was 9am. I promised myself I would keep going until noon. Then, I would possibly retreat.
I can't really explain how hard this was. I watched the speedometer on my bike slowly tick. Pushing my bike, sweating profusely, too steep and too rocky to ride my bike. I stopped. I was frustrated. I had some anger about everything: carrying too much gear. Idaho for failing to provide decent roads. Thompson Pass for being so high. My dad for suggesting this route. My bike for having only 10 gears.
After about 1.5 hours,I was still pushing my bike up the mountain. I was getting exhausted, my legs shaking. A car passed me and a man yelled out 'you are one brave soul!' and I snapped 'not intentionally'.
I finally reached the top. I took a picture. It was 5800 Feet. There was a very unhelpful sign warning of the road conditions. I started going down the hill.
Now, one might think that going down is easy. incorrect. My hands still hurt from holding onto my brakes. Not to mention that my bike is not meant for this terrain. I was very convinced that my bike was going to break. I stopped a lot to take pictures and shake out my hands.
Finally, I got to the bottom. It was 5 miles up, 5 miles down.
I stopped, changed back into my shoes, put on more sunscreen, and started peddling toward Thompson Falls.
The road to Thompson Falls was 15 miles. Not horrible, but it was HOT. At this point, it was noon.
I got to Thompson Falls at around 1:15PM. I stopped at the post office and mailed Atlas Shrugged, my seat, my fork, Kristy's Tshirt, and an extra shirt of mine to Kristy's house. Streamlining this operation, yo.
I went into town and went to the River Fellowship Cafe. I went because it advertised free wifi. I had an awesome frozen drink and putzed online. I decided to stay in Thompson Falls and plan my next few days. I had only gone 45 miles, which was disconcerting and frustrating, but I had been out for 8 hours. The heat was too much - I could have rested until 5pm or so and then ridden on, but the towns in between Thompson Falls and Missoula were small, so I just decided to stay.

I booked a room at the Holiday Inn in Missoula, then the Shilo Inn in Helena. Both through Priceline ($50 and $40!!)