Day 18: Darby to Missoula – 69 miles

After saying goodbye to Patrick, Haley, and Aubrin this morning, I cruised down hwy 93, making exceptionally good time on the increasingly busy road. I was sad to be ridding with my back to the exceptionally pretty Bitterroot Mountains, and the cottonwoods along the river made my allergies unbearable. When I got to Stevensville I took a break at the Mission church historical site (but opted not to pay for the tour) and ate lunch, letting a bank of clouds that had been spitting at me all morning get ahead. Despite my quick pace in the morning, I felt like I was dragging all afternoon- the miles would just not pass quickly.

Around 1pm I got a flat and then broke the valve stem on the replacement tube, which was frustrating. I noticed my other tire was also very low, and so aired it up too. Frustrated, I proceeded to treat myself to an ice cream bar in Lolo before continuing in to Missoula.

As I rolled through Missoula, a lady out walking frantically waved me down– I’d chatted with her on her bike at the top of Lost Trail Pass yesterday, and she saw me looking confused and offered a place to stay for the night. It’s so wonderful how giving people are! I thanked her and continued on to my hosts house– friends of the folks I stayed with in Dillon. They took me to REI to pick up a bigger tent and run other errands.  when we got home I discovered that both my tires were now flat – apparently small leaks. I found small bits of wire stuck in both my tires– frustrating! I went out for burgers with Matt, my hosts’ son, and am once again grateful for a shower and a roof over my head. If either of those tires goes flat tomorrow morning…