August 13
Last night I slept under the stars and when I awoke about 1 AM I stayed up for a while to watch the meteor show. I am a big believer in keeping it positive but that was a lousy show. 🙂 I only saw about a half dozen mediocre streaks in maybe 45 minutes, nothing like the amazing, unforgettable Leonid shower I saw in 2001-ish. This one likely got better but I fell asleep again.
Nearly all day long I had a bike path to follow which was nice as the traffic was heavier as I moved farther north. The scenery was really pleasant, featuring the Bitterroot Range. There were also some especially pretty horses: gray roans and paints, buckskins and more.
Horses and Bitterroots
I saw what must have been the remains of the Roaring Lion Fire, plenty of smoke patches but no flame. Glad I was able to walk right through this area.
In Hamilton a guy walked over to talk to me. It was long time smokejumper Jeff Kindermann who jumped out of Missoula. He knew I was hiking and happened to spot me. It was really fun catching up with him.
In Victor I found a cafe just 10 minutes before it closed, good thing since I’d been walking the last two hours looking for hot food. I ordered a giant burger that must have been at least 4 inches tall, pre-squishing.
It was probably the hottest feeling afternoon in a week. Dave and Marty Hade texted me saying they were in the area. They drove up to see me and we had a good break in the shade while they gave me fruit and ice water and a pastry. It was a good day for seeing old smokejumper buddies.
Late in the day I found a nice hidden camp spot in some Ponderosas. Three whitetail deer watched me and snorted for twenty minutes. I walked about 23 miles today. Colter
Clark: September 8th Sunday 1805 a Cloudy morning Set out early and proceeded on through an open vallie for 23 miles… two of our hunters came up with us at 12 oClock with an Elk, & Buck—the wind from the N. W. & Cold. The foot of the Snow mountains approach the River on the left Side. Some Snow on The mountain to the right also proceeded on down the Vallie which is pore Stoney land and encamped on the right Side of the river a hard rain all the evening we are all Cold and wet. on this part of the river on the head of Clarks River I observe great quantities of a peculiar Sort of Prickly peare grow in Clusters ovel & about the Size of a Pigions egge with Strong Thorns which is So birded as to draw the Pear from the Cluster after penetrateing our feet. Drewyer killed a Deer. I killed a prarie fowl we found 2 mears and a Colt the mears were lame, we ventered to let our late purchase of horses loose to night
Trip overview and route map with position updates:
https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html
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