WWR Day 10  Kelly Forks CG Lolo Creek CG
Sat Aug 3, 2019

Distance 68.5!
Start elevation 2752
End elevation 2897
High point  4573
Low point 2897.
Climbing ~2800
Ride time 7:47
Total time about 10 hours
Days bike camping: 7
Contiguous days riding : 5

Another bluebird morning with high forecast for the low 90's, and yes, another pass to go over. This pass is French Mtn Saddle, and is 2200' above the point where ei leave the N. Fork Clearwater River.
That was a lovely 18 fast miles on dirt this morning, before most motor sports enthusiast s are up.and about kicking upmdust. About 10 I endy Clearwater river deax my and begin the climb. I am slow on the climbs,and today is a no different. 11 miles of sort is a bit steep.in places but I lao.get some.nice stretches where the OroGrande valley is flattish but the traffic does pick up. Road  turnst pavement for the final 9 miles to the top and then a ripping downhill to Pierce ID.




Turns out it's their town celebration weekend for their population 500+. I enter to  in the  middle of a team firewood chopping competition. Each team.saws up a log, splits the sections and stacks. The firewood is auctioned off and main  street
is closed.

At 47 miles in for the day, I was planning on staying at a dispersed campsite outside Pierce and availing my self to dinner, but the site wasn't much. Inquiring  in town shows really no options for camping. It is 4 PM after the dawdling, too soon and too hot to quit peddling on this hot hot day. So I fill up my jugs, get a slug of food and electrolyte drink at the fair  sized market and head south.

A short and hot 2 Mile climb out of Pierce leads to miles of mellow downhill following  Joe Brown Creek, Musselshell Creek, and finally Lolo Creek. I am ready to camp any where but it is 11 miles of private land out of Pierce. And did I mention cows? Lots of cows ding a linging with their old time cow Bells, don't want to be listening to them.

One I get to some disperses camping at 11 miles in,  I am only 6 miles from the Lolo campground  though I keep eye dispersed site near the river. There are a few and mostly full. I think some folks are living there, and some look like .they are panning for gold.
I reach the CG and it is my kind of place. I can hear the creek, nice trees, it is only half full, has a toilet and picnic table, and also Free!

At Pierce, the nearly 100 mile long forest Rd 250 comes to its. Conclusion.  I have ridden its entire length since our site Superior MT two days ago. Really lovely country






Comments

  1. DonAugust 6, 2019 at 3:33 PM

    The fair sound interesting, too bad there were no good camp spots.
    I wonder if you can use a log splitter in the competition?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OuttaDoorsDanAugust 14, 2019 at 7:59 AM

      No longer distant runners among the competitors, from what I could see. All beefy boyz

      Delete

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