WWR Day 7 Wallace ID to 50000 Silver $ Bar in Haugen MT
WWR Day 7 Wallace ID to 50000 Silver $ Bar in Haugen MT
Wednesday July 31, 2019
Distance 53.6
Start elevation 2750
End elevation 3150
High point 4940
Low point 2750
Climbing ~3700'
Ride time 6:??
Total time about 8 hours
Days bike camping: 5
Contiguous days riding : 2
Another day, another 2000' climb over a pass. Today it is Moon Pass straight out of Wallace, on my way to the Path of the Hiawatha rails to trail trail. Today it is a mellow grade all the way to the top, so not so much self doubt and ego bursting breaks needed.
I get a good 11 miles of down hill to the lower trailhead of the Hiawatha.
The valley I ride through has ancient snags from the big burn in 1910. A number are of huge girth, befitting the old growth cedars I saw a few days ago. To
Riding the route down is a popular activity with bike rentals and shuttles, with families and oldster alike doing the ride. Indeed Glenda is doing it and I see here in the shuttle at the lower trailhead.
Lots and lots of tunnels and trestles. Tunnels require a headlamp, and trestles just a wee bit of a imagination to see the coal engine puffing along.
The biggest tunnel is at Saint Paul pass and is over 1.5 miles long. Interesting 15 minutes riding through the old dark, damp and cold tunnel. I can see my breath and water is dripping, trickling and running every where.
This long tunnel saved a whole train load evacuees during the big burn when a train was stopped by burning trestles.
I reach sunlight again at the East portal terminus, parking lot, sales booth. I continue on the Hiawatha line, leaving the other riders behind.
I am paralleling I90 far below. If one had need to shared a valley with a freeway, this is highly recommended as I pedal fast miles on smooth and even two track far above the busyness of getting somewhere important fast, far below. At 15 mph on the downhill, I am fast for my travels, but am part of the Slow Movement compared to the denizens of the freeway. I am noticing mossy cliff faces, and even get my own tunnel and trestles to traverse.
I do pick up something sharp in my tire, but the Stans leak stopper appears to manifesting its value and plugging it. I may have to root around to extract the offending object, but a couple inspections in I cannot ID it after washing the spurting area, and the spurting eventually stops. Still I park the bike with leaking patch downward so that Stan's is working on it.
I do a backwoods loop from Saltese to Haugen, and land at the 50000 Silver $ Bar/Restaurant/RVPark/Gift Ship/Motel/ and Casino.
The RV park is free, but no services other than picnic table and a few electrical boxes.
The motel sells me a shower and I get a good meal at the restaurant. The bar provides a Cold Smoke Scottish ale and WiFi, which I use to catch up.
Then nighty night.
Wednesday July 31, 2019
Distance 53.6
Start elevation 2750
End elevation 3150
High point 4940
Low point 2750
Climbing ~3700'
Ride time 6:??
Total time about 8 hours
Days bike camping: 5
Contiguous days riding : 2
Another day, another 2000' climb over a pass. Today it is Moon Pass straight out of Wallace, on my way to the Path of the Hiawatha rails to trail trail. Today it is a mellow grade all the way to the top, so not so much self doubt and ego bursting breaks needed.
I get a good 11 miles of down hill to the lower trailhead of the Hiawatha.
The valley I ride through has ancient snags from the big burn in 1910. A number are of huge girth, befitting the old growth cedars I saw a few days ago. To
Riding the route down is a popular activity with bike rentals and shuttles, with families and oldster alike doing the ride. Indeed Glenda is doing it and I see here in the shuttle at the lower trailhead.
Lots and lots of tunnels and trestles. Tunnels require a headlamp, and trestles just a wee bit of a imagination to see the coal engine puffing along.
The biggest tunnel is at Saint Paul pass and is over 1.5 miles long. Interesting 15 minutes riding through the old dark, damp and cold tunnel. I can see my breath and water is dripping, trickling and running every where.
This long tunnel saved a whole train load evacuees during the big burn when a train was stopped by burning trestles.
I reach sunlight again at the East portal terminus, parking lot, sales booth. I continue on the Hiawatha line, leaving the other riders behind.
I am paralleling I90 far below. If one had need to shared a valley with a freeway, this is highly recommended as I pedal fast miles on smooth and even two track far above the busyness of getting somewhere important fast, far below. At 15 mph on the downhill, I am fast for my travels, but am part of the Slow Movement compared to the denizens of the freeway. I am noticing mossy cliff faces, and even get my own tunnel and trestles to traverse.
I do pick up something sharp in my tire, but the Stans leak stopper appears to manifesting its value and plugging it. I may have to root around to extract the offending object, but a couple inspections in I cannot ID it after washing the spurting area, and the spurting eventually stops. Still I park the bike with leaking patch downward so that Stan's is working on it.
I do a backwoods loop from Saltese to Haugen, and land at the 50000 Silver $ Bar/Restaurant/RVPark/Gift Ship/Motel/ and Casino.
The RV park is free, but no services other than picnic table and a few electrical boxes.
The motel sells me a shower and I get a good meal at the restaurant. The bar provides a Cold Smoke Scottish ale and WiFi, which I use to catch up.
Then nighty night.
The tunnel looked "cool", though perhaps a little freaky, to ride thru.
ReplyDeleteCold Smoke Scottish ale, finally a beer I would like.
ReplyDeleteThe Professor's Meadow? Was Mary Ann and Ginger's Meadow nearby?