We Rode the Whole Way

Today I'm wearing a tee shirt that I bought this past summer when my friend and I travelled to northern Idaho to bikepack their abandoned railbeds.  Our plan was to cycle the 320 km. "Bitteroot Loop" named after the mountain range that this mostly paved trail traverses.

The Hiawatha symbol

My friend Roy and I had cycled up an unpaved and rather steep grade from Mullan, a still active silver mining town.  Our plan was to stop at Lookout Pass where we could buy the necessary passes that would allow us to ride the "Route of the Hiawatha", an historic juant along the famous "Milwaukee Road".

The said tee

Every time I wear the tee - shirt I chuckle at the expression We Rode It All - since we rode 150 km. to get there and 150 return - so the 22 km. of trail took only a short amount of the time we spent on that trip.

Not that my friend and I are any sort of super athletes.  Well maybe my friend Roy is.  Me, I just plod along at the same turtle's pace - but I do eventually get to where we are going (giving Roy enough time to pull out his camp stool and relax in the shade while I pump away).

Got it made in the shade

Judging from the crowds we saw on the "Route of the Hiawatha" and the hundreds of bikes available for rental, most people pull their car off the I90, rent some bikes, buy some passes and when they've completed the downhill portion of the trail, they jump on a shuttlebus that takes them back to their starting point.  While Roy and I are still on the trail heading to our campsite for the night.  At least the tee shirt doesn't weigh much - I wouldn't want to slow my athletic friend down any more than I already do.