Sisters On The Fly- Day 12

July 31, 2009 – Lochsa Lodge, ID to Lolo Hot Springs RV Park - 21 miles:

Thank goodness for a good nights sleep, hot showers and a good breakfast. We climbed Lolo Pass today without pushing the bike! What a great nights sleep we had in our little cabin at Lochsa Lodge. I relished the hot shower to start the day and loosen up my sore shoulder. We downed endless cups of coffee and huckleberry pancakes for breakfast with our new friend Randy (who was also kind enough to treat us to breakfast). Gregory and I played a couple of games of checkers and we watched a brief morning rainfall before things cleared out and we loaded up. The kind owners of the lodge found a nut and washer for our B.O.B trailer and we added this great sticker to our fender (“iRide wild and scenic U.S. hwy. 12”) and then we were off.

We had a strong ride up Lolo Pass. We were so proud of ourselves because it was the first time climbing at 7% grade where we didn’t have to push the bike. We’d pedal as long as we could giving ourselves a small goal like the next snow marker or sign post alongside the road. We’d rest just long enough to catch our breath and have a drink and then hop back on the bike. It worked pretty well until about the last mile and for whatever reason Gregory kind of lost it. I think he thought I was making fun of him because whenever he’d say, “Stop Mom!” I’d say, “Go!” I was trying to keep him pumped up for the last mile of the climb and make him laugh but what I got from behind me was a sort of laugh-cry. By the time we stopped at the entrance to the visitor’s center he was crying pretty hard. Though I tried to hug him and calm him down he just fought me and cried harder. I finally let him walk away and he sat cross-legged along the roadside for quite some time before we could convince him to mount the bike and coast down to the visitor’s center. It took him a while to let it go but when he did we enjoyed watching a video on the Nez Pearce and one on Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. While Gregory and I watched our movies Mike met a large group of ladies inquiring about our trip and received an invitation to stop at their camp at Lolo Hot Springs RV Park just 8 miles down the hill. It turns out they are a group called “Sister’s On The Fly” (with over 1300 members) and they gather together hauling their darling custom vintage campers and go fly-fishing. We took them up on their offer and they are just some of the nicest ladies you could meet. Gregory and Mike were “honorary members” for the night because no men are usually allowed. Gregory helped set up chairs in the creek and they served up beverages as we cooled down. Gregory lucked out because the only thing they had for a child was one Pepsi. Mom caved and let him have his first caffeinated soda. When that accidentally spilled and resulted in a banged knee and tears we had to hike up to the little store and make it up with a Dr. Pepper. O.K., not one of my best parenting decisions but the kid worked hard today climbing that pass! Dinner was burgers, grandpa’s famous beans, corn on the cob and salad. It was mighty delicious and we couldn’t have been more gracious. Gregory retired to the tent with his hamburger and started building forts inside the tent (just pooped I think and maybe too many “girls”). I joined him shortly after dinner and promptly passed out so Mike was left alone with the ladies. It just goes to show that when you leave yourself open to anything you meet amazing people and have special times. (P.S. We are in Montana now and the Mountain Time Zone...again!)