Sunday, May 19, 1996
Day 8
Sandpoint, Idaho to Libby, Montana
Today's Miles: 104
Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 468
Degree of Difficulty: Medium/Difficult
Terrain: Lakes and Mountain Peaks
Today we began our ascent into the Rocky Mountains. It was a first on several counts: Lee and my first day to cycle over 100 miles...our first day into Montana...our first sight of the Rocky Mountains...and our first day to make friends with a 250 pound pig.
Adam and Suds
outside the Boar's Breath
I woke at 4:30am, knowing I'd have to get an early jump in order to finish the day before sunset. I was packed and on the road at 5:45, with Lee following close after at 6:45. Ken and Adam felt comfortable with the distance. They've done as much as 120 miles in a day so they didn't get started until 8:00am.
The road from Sandpoint to Hope is a relatively flat ride along Highway 200, circling Lake Pend Oreille. Where in Washington we found ourselves racing the rapids along the freeway, here there are trains wherever we go, sometimes a mile long stretch of boxcars. With the cliffs on our left, the railroad at the base of the cliffs and the lake on the right, it was a relaxing 25 miles before pulling into a 6 table cafe overlooking the lake. Initially, I just stopped to fill my water bottles, but the food looked so good I stayed for a snack of scrambled eggs and pancakes. Sharon, the cook, wasn't in a very talkative mood, but she told about the floods during the past year and how it felt like it had been raining for 40 days, but in reality, it had only been raining everyday for the last two weeks.
We were going to stop in Heron for lunch, but there was only a general store, so we pushed on to one of the greatest adventures of the trip so far, The Boar's Breath Cafe. As we walked up to the front of what appeared to be a wooden shack with neon in every window, we were greeted by the friendly frumps and squeals of a very friendly, 250 pound pig. Her name was Suds. She walked up and wanted to have her back rubbed, so we obliged.
Our Welcoming Host
at the Boar's Breath
Inside the bar/casino, the wooden floor was covered with peanut shells. There was a large bowl of peanuts on each table and when you ate some, you just threw the shells on the floor. Shannon, our waitress, said that they swept the floor when ever it got above her ankles.
Sunday is fish-fry, all you can eat day at the Boar's Breath. Kathy, the manager, cook and mother of Shannon introduced us to the locals in the bar and got them to tell us the history and their family heritage. Leonard was a big man, as you can see. He was born in Hope, Idaho in 1937. His father was born there as well as his grandfather who was a veteran of the Civil War. After the war, Leonard's grandfather provided the Chinese railroad workers with meat by hunting deer and elk.
Leonard
During our hour and a half visit, Suds waited patiently at the front door and wouldn't cross the threshold. She was extremely gentle and would eat peanuts out of your hand. Someone said that pigs are smarter than dogs. After my afternoon with Suds, I would have to agree. Stop in and see Kathy, Shannon and Suds at the Boar's breath when you're headed out of Sandpoint, Idaho. Plan on spending several hours because you won't want to leave.
The Boar's Breath is 1/2 mile from the border. There was a slight climb to get to the top of the Cabinet Dam and Reservoir before entering into Montana. I stopped at the peak of the road to talk with Clarence, who was out cutting wood, with a chainsaw, along the road. He was laughing up a storm, teasing the ravens who were screaming overhead. Clarence likes to tease the ravens by screaming and waving his chainsaw. He was doing a pretty good job of it too, because the ravens were going nuts.Clarence told me of the time he was floating down the river to our right in an inner tube, when he saw a guy on a unicycle. The unicyclist said he was going from Denver to San Francisco and back on a bet. If he won, he would get all of his college tuition paid for. Several months later, Clarence saw an article on the guy in the newspaper. He sounds like he won the bet.The border of Montana came up quickly, as I found Lee and Dave waiting for me with the video camera. The landscape transition was almost immediate. The hills of Montana were slightly rolling with pockets of meadows along the way. We started north on Highway 56, staring straight into the face of the Cabinet Mountains, the first sentries for the western face of the Rockies. The ride along Highway 56 is not steep, but it is steady. The meadows open onto streams that are backed with large, pine covered hills, while all the time, the Cabinet Mountains are right in your face.The Halfway house at mile 18 of Highway 56, no longer has a store, so I had to grab some pickled sausage, a Butterfingers and Reeses Peanutbutter Cups to get me through the rest of the ride. The final 30 miles of the ride was tough. I'm used to doing 50 to 70 miles a day. The extra 35 miles was a strain. The wind came up and brought rain with it for the final 30 miles. I can't say much about the stretch of road into Libby, Montana because I had my head buried in my rain jacket and just kept pedaling. Wouldn't you know it? The rain stopped when I pulled into the campground.So that's it. The ride completely exhausted me, BUT I DID 105 MILES IN ONE DAY! Now, if I can get through the 90 miler tomorrow...
Thanks to all the people that have e-mailed me: Dan, Troy, Rebecca, Nancie, Dave, Patti, Edmond, Sheri, Laura...sorry I haven't responded personally. Between the journals and riding, I haven't had time for much else. I do appreciate the comments and encouragement as do the other riders. "Keep them cards and letters coming in!"
Most of you are loving the pictures of the people we meet, so I hope today's journal gets you fired up. Everyone of the stories is true. It's hard to believe we can meet so many interesting characters in one day.Mark
Bike America Tours
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