July 26, 2001 - Mike and Marilyn's 2001 TranAmerican Bike Tour

 

Angler's Roost to Missoula, Montana. (55 mi.) Mile 3408

The home of Adventure Cycling

We're in Missoula this evening, and glad to be here. Missoula is the home of Adventure Cycling, the organization that created the Bikecentennial (TransAmerica) Bike Trail 25 years ago, our map makers, the Mecca of Bicycle Touring. We received a warm welcome at the Adventure Cycling headquarters, where they receive hundreds of cycle tourists passing through each year. We were encouraged to sign in on the registry, jot down comments, look at the photo gallery of other cyclists, and have our own pictures added. They also have a small room where the cyclists can help themselves to complimentary Internet access, pop, cold water, and ice cream bars. I had 2 of the latter. While eating them, I noticed that there was an article in the latest Adventure Cycling magazine on the peculiar ice cream craving that has afflicted me and other cycle tourists. Willie Weir writes:

"When my bike sat idle, I could control my cravings, for the most part....but on a bicycle trip, my desire, my lust, my absolute need for ice cream bordered on manic. There was just something about that cold combination of milk, fat and sugar that made ice cream the breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack of champions. Soft-serve, home-made, premium, bargain-brand. It didn't matter."

We rode through the Bitterroot Valley to Missoula

Jen Saks spends part of her 23rd birthday pedaling toward Missoula on her TransAmerica bike trip.

Here she is riding 8 miles of paved bike trail paralleling US 93.

Bitterroot River 5 miles south of Missoula

While we were relaxing at Adventure Cycling headquarters, in came Jen. She had just arrived in town too, and it turns out, today is her 23rd birthday. She is celebrating by getting a motel room, and we are too, even though it isn't our birthdays. Mike brought Thai food back to the motel for the three of us, and we're all kicking back. Jen plans to continue West tomorrow, while we have plans for a layover day. Our room has a refrigerator, and we have already filled it with goodies to load up on calories. Half a bag of Oreos has already been consumed.

We feel as if we are in the home stretch and are beginning to look ahead and contemplate the end of this incredible journey with both sadness and anticipation.

Outside the Adventure Cycling headquarters