This is Jason Christensen’s blog for June 18.  To read more about his adventures on the 5,000 mile, cross-country ride, click on the Cycling for Change blog link at the bottom of this page.

We knew ahead of time that there was a tough climb.  For the previous 3 days, anyone who asked about our route either gasped or rolled their eyes and wished us luck at our route through Lolo Pass.

The first 12 miles were to be our toughest.  Of those 12, the first 8 were about a 3% climb.  The final 4 miles were 5-6%.  It was cool and damp this morning; however, the climb left most of us drenched with sweat.

As we reached the summit of Lolo Pass, we all gathered in the Forestry Service Center for coffee and hot chocolate.  We dried as best we could.  It was to be an easy 47 mile descent into Missoula.  Yet, while we warmed up inside the Forestry Service facility, the temperature dropped dramatically as a cloud rolled in.  It was now raining and a chilly 40 degrees.

Stepping out into the cold air tightened the muscles and made even the most stout riders grimace.  A turn outside the lot and we were in Montana and descending at speeds of 25-35 mph.

Never had I experienced a cold like I did during that descent.  NEVER.  Words like “hypothermia” and “frostbite” ran through my head only because they couldn’t be uttered from my chattering teeth.  The temperature warmed up a bit as we emerged from the cloud and rain and steeper grades.  It was still overcast and the riders had little interest in stopping for snacks, fluids or even bathroom breaks.

For about 15 miles going into the town of Lolo the highway was flat, relatively dry, and allowed me to run around 20-23 mph….which also allowed me to stop at a gas station for some thinly watered-down broccoli-cheddar soup that was absolutely delicious…an assessment based solely on the soup’s temperature and not its taste or texture.

A dozen more miles and we were into Missoula where we were scheduled to visit the headquarters of Adventure Cycling Association.  ACA is a non-profit committed to promoting cycling.  They are a resource for cyclists in providing a system of maps for trails and cycle-friendly routes throughout the United States.  ACA is also a resource for cycle-friendly lodging facilities where individuals or group riders (such as C4C) can plan their trips.

ACA has a tradition of taking photographs of cyclists making cross country trips and posting them on their wall.  Their other tradition:  Provide free ice cream to all cross-country riders!

After touring the facility and taking our group shot, most of us weren’t going to pass up on the ACA tradition…no matter how cold we had been!

Riding cross-country? The ice cream is free at Adventure Cycling!

After our visit, we pedaled over to the University of Montana where we settled into one of the residence halls for a welcome night of rest and a non-cycling day to follow.

From the road,

Jason