11 July 2003 Victor, MT to Missoula, MT 53.2 miles 3:54 riding time
Chris wasnt going to cycle into Missoula with me today, but as I was departing at 9:00 a.m., he changed his mind. 
By 10:00 a.m. we were on the road. By the time we got to Lolo it was evident Id have trouble meeting my goals 1) haircut, 2) visit Adventure Cycling Headquarters, 3) report to National Guard prior to 1700 hours. By skipping lunch, shorting some of our conversations with passing tourists, and by getting my haircut AFTER checking into NG, we did meet the goals. Today we talked to tourists: mother and daughter team cycling from Williston ND to Missoula and down to Jackson Hole, WY; a father 16 year old son & 13 year old daughter doing Missoula to Pueblo on the Trans Am; a couple doing a mixture of NT, L-C, & Trans Am from Wash. To Maine. We also saw a single guy we didnt talk to as we were trying to make up for a 10:00 a.m. departure! Chris called Ken for a shuttle back to Victor and found out my uniform wasnt there at 4:45 p.m., so I reported that while checking in. However, he wasnt able to drive off until 5:30, and he met the UPS mail at the driveway!
12 July 2003 around Missoula 20.9 miles 1:47 riding time
Drill was a bit boring as they were checking equipment in after their 2 weeks annual training near Boise. After drill I rode the bike paths of Missoula and checked out the college campus. Wish Id have had a big tube to go tubing in the rivers!
13 July 2003 motel to armory and armory to Wal-Mart, 3.9 miles 0:24 riding time
Chris got his digital photos processed at Wal-Mart where we met, and tonight got most of his web-site updated with photos for those of you following his site.
14 July 2003 Victor, MT to Lolo Hot Springs MT 61.8 miles 5:09 riding time
Ill miss Ken, his hot tub, well behaved dogs, excellent cooking, and pleasant personality, but it does feel good to get back on the road again. Chris had Ken deliver him to Lolo as wed already ridden this section on Friday on the way into Missoula, so we rode together out to the hot springs where we called the day a bit short of the plan while soaking and swimming.
15 July 2003 Lolo Hot Springs MT to Lowell, ID 89.1 miles; 6:20 riding time
A short but steep climb of about 13 miles awaited us as we left the hot springs and arrived at the new Lewis-Clark Visitors Center which was closed today and every Tuesday and Wednesday. From here, its downhill all the way to Lowell. About noon the prevailing westerlies kicked in. Just after noon we met Matt & Ben two 17 year old cousins soon to be seniors in high school. One is from Pasco where they started and the other is from Chicago. Theyre cycling Pasco, WA to Pueblo, CO starting in Pasco, riding south to Baker, OR where they caught the Trans Am. I joined them for a hour or so of swimming, but I couldnt convince Chris to get in the water, and he soon cycled on without me. Ben & Matt were full of questions about touring and specifically about single touring verses doing it with friends. Seems one like to sleep in, rest most of the afternoon, and get most of the miles in late afternoon when its hottest. The other doesnt like that! Welcome to the world of cycle touring where finding suitable companions can be the biggest challenge! Their parents have forbidden their splitting up and meeting in the evening, so that wasnt an option. They were still swimming with most of their mileage awaiting them when I left them at 4:30 MDT. I arrived at Lowell about 6:30 MDT (drats, Im back in this accursed eastern enclave of Pacific Time and must set my watch back loosing an hour of light as Chris likes to be up by the clock more than by sunrise and the clock has some effect on me as well as the opening time of everything!)
16 July 2003 Lowell, ID to Kamiah, ID 33 miles 3:15 riding time
Seems almost like a day off to put in such few hours! However, with this heat and the pressure we were under to get to Missoula, we have a few easy days. Seven Mile Grade awaits us in the morning, and we hope to conquer it in the morning coolness. We talked to two older guys on custom Co-Motion bikes today doing the TransAm but adding the distance from Seattle to Portland and planning some extra miles back east. They were busy fixing a flat as we rode up on them headed east.
