When the wife is away...

The wife was gone a few weekends ago so I thought it appropriate that I take off as well and go a short cycle trip.  I headed out up the St. Joe river over to MT and then down Hwy 12 dumping on and off of pavement for some fun riding.

This place was pretty impressive

Look at how many logs they had to use for walls in this log house....if you cant tell there is 4.  Now those are some big logs and makes me wonder how they could even move them into place.

Thick walls which makes me think it is very well insulated.

This county road was awesome and about 2 miles into it I saw a herd of bighorn sheep crossing the road.  By herd I am talking about 15 or so.

Brenda was out in CA visiting friends and family so she took the good one so I used a work camera that has been through the ringer.  The lens on my camera is pretty bad...evidenced by this picture.

I talked to the Forest Service before I took off on the Lolo motorway, a dirt road  of 110 miles that follows Lewis and Clark's return east.  The indicated that it was open and I thought I would try a bit of it.  About 15 miles into the road there was a road closed for fire sign.  The road is narrow, rocky, and slow going so there was little to no chance of me following the rules and turning back

Sure enough, there was a fire and man it can sure make a sound when a tree goes up.  Lucky for me the wind was nonexistent so I felt relatively safe.

More fire.

The road at certain times had so much smoke blowing so fast and thick over it, it was all I could do to keep the throttle on, hold my breath, and hope for a break in the smoke so I could breathe.

Pretty awesome ride through the fire, but I was a little nervous not knowing what I was going to come across next.  I was just glad there was not a downed tree blocking my progress.

Then I saw some ruffed grouse

And a fire that had been there long ago.  There were so many views along the ride, but alas my camera battery was dying.

Rock cairn that was reported to have been put there by L&C

35 miles down and I set up camp.  The exposure is bad in this pic, but the view was awesome from this site.  I ended up taking a left and getting back on the paved road next morning because I had to be home that day and did not have time for 80 miles of dirt at 10MPH.

There is a great rock to sit at sunset and also a great spot to watch the sun rise.

Formentioned sunrise

I figure I should put some pics of Brenda trip here lest you think I forgot about her and James.

 James found a girl...he looks like he wants to kiss her already...standard De Jong.

 Brenda had a chance to participate in 2 legs of a sprint triathlon when she was there.

 There is Mindy and Lucy.  Lucy was born one day after James.

 Amy and Brenden hanging out with the wife. 

 Then we got these characters...Michelle, Makenna, Bria, and someone I cant forget....believe me I have tried...Brett

 Jackie was also there

 Then Brenda went to see Andrea and Jake.

 Beverly (from SJCS) and James.  He looks like he is having a great time.

 He also got to see his great grandparents while he was there.

 He has got a belly just like me now, but unlike me, he has an excuse

 Great to see Kevin and Lyndsay and their brood of kiddos.

 That kid is getting huge and now I think I am getting old.  I got multiple pics of us on vacation with Kevin and Lyndsay in Hawaii where he is yet to be born.

She also got a chance to see our old neighbors.

She had a good time, but I sure was glad to have her at home this week. 

James seemed happy to see me to.