Day 66, Darby to Missoula

Thursday 26 July 2012

Day 66, Darby to Missoula

Start
time: 07.25
Start location: Darby
Start State: Montana
Start weather: Cold
Total millage so far: 3,424.53

Finish time: 13.13
Finish location: Missoula
Finish State: Montana
Finish weather: Hot
Miles today: 83.53
Total millage so far: 3,508.06
Today's top speed: 18.0
Today's average speed: 32mph
Today’s ride time: 4hr 38min 03sec
Punctures - 3 (slow back wheel), (staple in back wheel), (major blowout)
Music played:
The Essential Mix - Maceo Plex -
18-02-12
The Essential Mix - Scuba - 25-02-12
The Essential Mix - Butch - 03-03-12
Blog for today:

Writing this a bit late again. Early start to the day and bloomin' cold too!!! 2pairs of socks, leggings, normal kit, base layer, gore windbreaker jacket, gore waterproof jacket and long gloves! brrrrrrrr. Took a while to warm up especially as the mountains threw lots of shadows. I took a different route, deciding not to do the cycle path, but the nice route through the small villages. I stopped off and watched some jocks play/train for American football. That was fun ;)
Lots of new housing estates again, not sure how the Americans think that they will get themselves out of recession through building new homes like they say will help. I guess the builders will get paid, but i can't see how people can afford new homes when a lot of them aren't working. It will just lead to more debt, especially if the houses stay empty. I could go on for ages, but want to get to bed. Anyway, the road surfaces from Hamilton were amazing, nice smooth tarmac which made for a very fast ride, what with the tailwind. I stopped off at one shop to get some food, the locals were nice and mentioned that there was a new cycle path, but it meant going back a mile and then down to it which would be a few more miles. Stopped off again at the next large town, Stevenville or something. Again, nice people in the shop who I spoke with for ages. Cycle path was ok when I got on it, but side roads kept cutting into it and you really had to keep an eye out for cars.
Once past Lolo it was a very fast and nasty dual carnage-way to Missoula. Not nice at all, very dangerous. This great little town, filled with coffee shops, young people, is very hip. Really liked this town. After checking into the hotel, I popped up to the ACA - HQ to claim my free ice cream lol. It was great to see the place. It certainly is strange being here/there, as when I was reading blogs, planning this route and talking to the people at ACA, it seemed so far away, and yet now here we are! I will try and reflect on this more on the next blog though. Bed is calling.