Day 2: Sandpoint, ID to Amber Bear Inn near Heron, MT

Miles: 43
Elevation gain: 1785
Average speed: I don't know, much slower

Today was a beautiful day. We started out around 7:30, leaving our cabin and heading into Sandpoint to meet Jim and drop off our gear. Kim and Theresa we excellent hosts, and the cabin was comfortable and well stocked. Perfect for cyclists who have minimal gear. We did a couple loops of the down town area trying to figure out where Jim's hotel was. From there, we headed out on Highway 200. It was a really lovely morning. There wasn't much traffic heading our direction, it was cool, the views were spectacular.

A few miles outside Hope, Idaho we encountered another couple of riders. One guy decided he just needed to take some time to contemplate life, and so he took off on his bike from Seattle. His friend was accompanying him for a couple weeks, and his wife was sagging the first 10 days. He's doing LONG days, and isn't using Adventure Cycle or other maps, he's just going. I like maps. It was fun to have someone new along for a bit, but Dad and I like doing our thing, and were ready to break off on a side road after not too long. We have a riding routine.

At another point today I started composing an ode to chip seal, but then I couldn't really remember the rules for writing odes, so it didn't get far. I moved on to a Haiku, but counting syllables cramps my style. If you are wondering, I am not a poet. I just taught a big poetry unit this year. Anyways, the theme of the poem was going to be my utter dislike of chip seal, but, as I soon discovered, it could be much worse. (Now I'm foreshadowing...)

We met Jim in Clark Fork for a sandwich, and then Dad and I got off 200 and crossed the river to Clark Fork/River Road. Our Adventure Cycle map said the road was much quieter, but also not so well maintained. It wasn't too bad, and in fact Dad and I could take over the entire road since there were very few cars, until we hit the Montana border. According to our host at the Inn, they tore up all the pavement 3 years ago and promised to repave in 3 months. They're still waiting. I was convinced we were lost and made Dad stop to examine the maps and maps.me (there was no signal). We weren't lost, but we had a bumpy and dusty 5 miles ahead of us.

We eventually arrived, and are utterly charmed by Amber Bear Inn. Our bedroom is enormous, and the view spectacular. Jim and I went on a photography expedition after Fathers Day Brunch (yes Mom, I paid for the meal) and discovered we lack navigational skills. We were on trails, by the way, and carrying a map. Since then we've just been relaxing and enjoying being in the middle of nowhere. Dad and Jim are at this very moment watching the US Open, and I'm sitting on my bed enjoying this view while typing:

Amber Bear Inn is aptly named. We've seen 1 bear so far, an amber coloured young brown bear! The peacocks seemed to scare it away.

Tomorrow we head north to Libby. There should be a few more hills. No more of these almost flat days!