Day 10: Lolo Hot Springs to Missoula

We’ve returned to the land of internet and cell phones and kale bowls. Yes, they do have kale bowls in Montana.

The kale bowl and smoothie were a much needed nutritional (and mental) boost after last night’s dinner. We started with fried green beans, fried mozzarella sticks, tater tots, and french fries. This was then followed by a green salad (okay not so bad) and then a ginormous plate of food that included mashed potatoes, corn, brussels spouts, peppers, onions, squash, garlic bread, and some patties that they said were vegetarian, but I honestly couldn’t identify what I was eating. I kind of wish I had taken a picture of this plate of food because it was huge. It would have taken me at least 3 maybe 4 meals to eat it all. I then felt terrible almost immediately after the meal, which was either from all the fried food or the unidentifiable patty (or maybe both).

Today was a late start, courtesy of the short downhill route. We were supposed to start at 9am, but during breakfast the guides checked the weather and saw that a storm was coming through at 8:40 so we pushed the start time to 10am. It did in fact start raining right about 8:40 and did let up before our 10am start. However, it started raining again a couple minutes after we started and continued for a good 25 miles. It wasn’t too cold so I didn’t mind much. The sun started to return as we arrived in Missoula.

Tomorrow is a much needed rest and laundry day. And hopefully a cold brew coffee since I haven’t had one since Astoria. I’m also really looking forward to waking up without an alarm clock.

Day 10 stats:

• distance: 37.3 miles

• elevation gain: 351 ft (again less than the route profile indicated)

• nutrition:

  • breakfast: instant brown sugar oatmeal, muffin, waffle

  • lunch: kale bowl and smoothie (after the ride was over)

  • post-ride: 1 recovery drink, 1 Doubletree hotel cookie

  • gels: 1

  • bloks: 0

  • 26 oz skratch superfuel
    

Day 11 details - Rest day in Missoula

• planned distance: 0 miles

• planned elevation gain: 0 ft