PowerCycle

06/13 Staying at the Swan River Lodge tonight. It’s about 3 miles south of Salmon Prairie. I was planning on staying at a campground in a town called Condon which is a few miles back up the road but they only have cabins; no tent camping. It’s called Swan Valley Center Cabins/CG. Needed to get cleaned up a bit and do some laundry so I guess it worked out.

This morning was a little crazy. As soon as I left Hwy 200 and started heading north on Hwy 83 I had to deal with a bunch of raving lunatics towing boats. It was only for 7 miles until Salmon Lake but it was a long 7 miles. <rant>Montana doesn’t have a 3 foot law like some other states but its just common sense that you don’t fly by a guy on a bike doing 70mph unless you are just plain stupid. Any number of things can cause a rider to unexpectedly swerve a little even if the driver thinks they know to the inch how far out their mirrors/trailers stick. Cyclists can’t control the wind, pot holes or broken beer bottles (from more stupid people). Try slowing down and waiting until it’s safe to pass! 10 seconds isn’t going to kill you but it could kill me.</rant>

After several near-death experiences on Hwy 83 I could actually enjoy the scenery a little. What a spectacular view so far. Development was minimal and what buildings there were didn’t look out of place or abandoned. Great views on the mountains on both sides and lots of trees including my favorite, the Ponderosa Pine. Even one of the lakes was left in its natural state with no lodges, cabins or gas stations sitting on the shore.

GPX Track