I had a leisurely morning on Saturday, taking an early hike through the Missoula Farmer’s Market and along the Clark Fork river, viewing fly fishermen and hitting another fav spot, Black Coffee Roasting Co., which is set in an old airplane hanger (so hipster) on the fringe of town. After a short ride to Lolo Hot Springs, I settled in at The Lodge and enjoyed an incredible soak in the namesake hot springs. At dinner, I was touched by the kindness of an Idaho family (Jason, Terry and Maddie pictured in Strava). They had curiously watched me order four, protein-heavy dinners in the restaurant, carefully consolidate and foil-wrap leftover meals for my next day’s ride into rural Idaho. This led them to ask me about my trip and hand me a thoughtful donation to CRI. Salt of the earth people. After this trip is over, I will sincerely miss these unsolicited, warm interactions. My three, relaxing days in the Bitteroot Valley were a helpful way to “break the ice” with my dad no longer around and enjoy a collection of short, scenic rides before making my final, 650+ mile push to Astoria starting Sunday. While with Sue, we toasted to love ones lost at our dinners. I purposely put together ACA routes that would make stops along the way as meaningful as possible, including visits with family and friends. The satisfaction of this trip has grown with each day, particularly supporting CRI, and is genuinely manifesting into a tangible tribute to my brother, mother and father. It’s a strange feeling for me to be, in Springsteen’s words, “The Last Man Standing”, the 2020 song dedicated to members of his original band The Castilles, all of whom have passed except Bruce. With our parents and siblings, we have a trove of memories that only truly resonate within the family. I’m grateful I can fill up some of those “buckets” from the family “well” with Sue, who had been with my father over 35 years. Deep breath and exhale, Astoria or bust!
