MONTANA - The Last Best Place

[Timolgra]

Well, I'd just written a long pontificating passage about wealth bringing change to wild places etc. then decided against it and thought instead to consider how best to enjoy all our 'Last Best Places', but then we already know that.

Get on your bike (or fuckin SUV in my case) and do it before you're dead. Simple

I'd left the Bear Spray as a gift back at the last air b&b unused, I hadn't even removed the safety tab.
Was it $60 well spent?
If I'd been on the bike with a bunch of guys of course I wouldn't have bothered.
The remote possibility of Ange being confronted by a bear and I rush in to save the day? Fucking priceless.

Surely they won't be here? ( as I write that, I imagine a huge Grizzly behind me say "Don't call me Shirley)

The Americans are just great with their signs aren't they, 'don't drink the fucking battery acid', 'avoid putting your tongue in the electrical socket'.....

This was the best I saw

Back to our last few magical hours of Montana.

 

[Timolgra]

Early next morning in Missoula airport, I have that feeling I'm being followed.

Thanks for all the comments and messages, I have Frank Zappa in my head now, hope you enjoyed

 

[richardbd]

Excellent trip report Tim - even if it was on four wheels.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Rich C]

Tim

Fantastic thread, many thanks for taking the time..

The Americans great enthusiasm for religion is a curious one isn't it, in a western world where it's (thankfully in my humble opinion) on its last legs. I've always assumed its because so many of the early settlers were fleeing persecution in Europe for their beliefs.... and is therefore part of the history and culture of the place... I'd probably put their obsession with guns into the same category. Hard for us to understand but is what it is..

Looks a beautiful and interesting place to visit.... must add to the list...

cheers

Rich

 

[Posh Pete]

Early next morning in Missoula airport, I have that feeling I'm being followed.

Thanks for all the comments and messages, I have Frank Zappa in my head now, hope you enjoyed

Superb. Those frontier tales are wonderful and there's still an element of them in such communities. My brother in law's a retired GP and worked a few hundred miles north west of where you were. His patients came from all over the boondocks, two of whom were a family of father and son lumberjacks. One day, he was sitting in his office and the son came in.

"Hi Doc. How you doing?"
"Great. Is your dad with you? Bring him in for a coffee."
"Can't do that Doc. Come and see."

BiL goes out and there's the family pick-up with the aged father sitting in the passenger seat, stiff, dead as a doornail!

"Thought I'd bring him in and save you the journey Doc."

Certifiable behaviour here but perfectly normal in the Rockies!

Sent from my moto e30 using Tapatalk

 

[timeandtide]

Great report Tim, stunning pictures and entertaining commentary - thanks very much for posting!

 

[Tinytim]

Again. brilliant and thanks for posting Tim. Fantastic photos and yes, zircon encrusted tweezers are also on my mind....."no foolin'"

 

[Orinoco]

What a wonderful trip and amazing photos, thanks for the report, appreciated. I'd love to go to the USA, but probably never will, but being able to read yours and others trips I can enjoy the trip and scenery. Thanks

 

[Arsey]

Did you do the Lolo Pass ? You may well have mentioned it already .

 

[Timolgra]

Did you do the Lolo Pass ? You may well have mentioned it already .

No but I had thought that would be a good route on a bike into western Montana.
I'm sure Bilco and probably Mike O have been that way.

 

[Arsey]

No but I had thought that would be a good route on a bike into western Montana.
I'm sure Bilco and probably Mike O have been that way.

I was just watching a vid on YouTube by The Missenden Flyer and they rode the Lolo Pass on their trip down from Alaska.

Obviously you’ll have no idea who I’m on about

 

[Timolgra]

I was just watching a vid on YouTube by The Missenden Flyer and they rode the Lolo Pass on their trip down from Alaska.

Obviously you’ll have no idea who I’m on about

Sorry I really do have no idea again, I'll have a look at some point.
At least I recognised Steptoe's beautiful friend

 

[Arsey]

Sorry I really do have no idea again, I'll have a look at some point.
At least I recognised Steptoe's beautiful friend

Don’t waste your time

 

[sutty]

all good things come to an end, great RR

 

[Micky]

Had a great meal at some friends last week, I say to his wife that was delicious, what type of stove do you use?

Clever fecker

 

[shuck raider]

Excellent report, made me quite nostalgic for my many summers spent in MT - most of your pix were taken around areas I know well. Skalkaho Creek is one of my favourite rivers, a go-to place to catch cutthroat trout. I stayed in a cabin on Rock Creek on a few trips, although I still have nightmares about that road down to Drummond in the dark and wet. Tight gravelly hairpins with 100 feet drops and no guardrails

After descending from the Lolo Pass and down to the Lochsa River, you come across a sign on Hwy 12 which says "Bends for 99 miles" and it's the most perfectly surfaced tarmac for bikes with big open sweepers for miles and miles in staggering scenery.

Dammit, I'm going to have to go back

 

[Mzokk]

Thanks for taking the time for the write up and great photography

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Wonderful write up Tim and really shows the real beauty of North America. The pictures are fantastic as usual.

There are still plenty of places over which are seldom visited but are just staggering.

One of the great things about US history is it is fairly recent and whilst we were busy steaming ahead with the industrial revolution, they were still discovering the new frontier and having civil wars.

Lolo Pass, Hwy 212, runs from Missoula to Lewiston and is around 200 miles of fantastic riding. We do it on certain trips and it's one of the great rides and definitely better on 2 wheels than in 4.

I've had a trip in mind for that area on big ADV bikes so digging it out to see if I can get it sorted for next year or 2024.

 

[boatman]

Thanks for taking us along on your trip Tim
Much appreciated

 

[Davel]

Really enjoyed this and so envious.

What camera did you take ? Great photos