Day 8, Missoula, Montana

hey, on rest day today in missoula, i will update my blog later today..take.care.ttyl

Missoula Weather Forecast, MT

Day #8

Today was our first Century mileage day on the Big Ride. The weather forecast was for temps in the 90-100's. The route today took us on SR 200 and then US 93 into Missoula.

Daniel gave everyone the option to skip breakfast in town and start riding early. He said that breakfast would have to be on our own if we started early. The four of us decided to get an early start, so my breakfast was twizzlers. When we got to Plains, Montana though, at mile 23, we all knew we needed fuel, so we stopped to eat at Benji's restaurant. I went into the Sinclair station to get some Gatorade while the others went on to the restaurant. I ran into a group of men having their morning coffee. I just started laughing when I saw them because the reminded me so much of my Step Dad, Maynard. Dad has coffee every morning at the local hardware store with his buddies in Belmond, Iowa. I told them about Dad, and took their picture. I asked them if they told tall tales and solved all the world's problems before lunch time. They all laughed and said, "You betcha!" ( I hope one of you gentlemen will email me a picture of your crew to post, as I forgot to save the really good picture that I took of you on my cell phone)

We had a wonderful breakfast, great service and got to visit with the locals. Steph insisted on mixing me up a cup of tea with honey as I have been coughing for two days now. She messed up and put it into her coffee cup instead. I took a drink of it thinking it was tea and almost spit it out ( I hate coffee). Steph drank it anyway, and then mixed some honey into my tea. She got it right the second time around.

We all did well until about Dixon (mile 56), Kevin was feeling good so he went on a head of me, James and Stephanie. The heat was getting to all of the riders (some more than others). Most of us have to acclimate to the high temps (especially us Northwesterners). At mile 75.7 we hit a 4.5 mile climb up and over to Missoula on SR 200. Steph and I went a head of James, and he joined up with 3 other riders behind us. The last 1.5 miles up that climb were brutal, but the ride down was sure fun. Steph and I got into Missoula before I really started noticing that I felt really bad. I have been fighting off a cold for a couple of days and the heat was getting to both of us.

When we got to the dorm at the U of Montana, we went to find Daniel to let him know that we had arrived okay. He took one look at me and came over to feel my skin (Daniel was trained as a medic in the Army). I guess that I was gray, cool and clammy. Daniel took me to the infirmary in the dorm and iced me down. I guess several other riders had had to get ice baths too. After my color improved and my mentation got better (Daniel kept asking me for my last name. I told him that I remembered my name, but had no idea what day it was as I had lost track several days ago, and that the President was still George Bush) I took a cool shower,was put to bed and brought some food from a local pub. Later that night Daniel took my temperature and it was 100 degrees. I guess that is why I looked so bad when I rode in because I had a fever as well as exposure to the heat. Daniel informed me that I will have to take the next two days off (one a rest day and one a ride day). I will come back someday and ride this piece of Montana that I am missing.

The brightest part of the day was that Steph, now her first Century under her belt. It was my fourth, but by far the hardest.