Day 7 - Wallace to Superior

First, a note:
Because it's been more difficult than we thought it would be to access a computer for updates, we've added a link to Kevin's website, "Outside Montana", at the upper right here. When you check in and see we haven't made a new entry, just click on this link and it will take you to his site which will have our current location.

WALLACE TO SUPERIOR

63.5 miles

After a great night of sleep, we jumped back on the Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes and rode to where it ends at Mullan, where we had to get on the interstate to start the climb up Lookout Pass.

It took only a little over an hour to climb to the summit (4724') from here. The temperature was cool but we hardly noticed, our body heat was fairly elevated. This is looking back down toward Mullan; it looks pretty level, doesn't it? NOT!
Aah, back in Montana!

At St. Regis we needed to make a decision: continue on I-90 or turn north onto Hwy 135, going up and around through Ravalli and Arlee, down to Missoula. Our decision to continue on I-90 was based more on Hwy 200 (narrow, twisty, no shoulder) than on the extra miles it would add.

We stopped at the 50,000 Silver $ bar parking lot for lunch. We wondered about it now being $50,000 rather than the $10,000 that we've always known it to be. Surely they wouldn't have added $40,000? Maybe they're accounting for inflation. Or...maybe they've moved the fuel pumps inside! (After asking inside, the answer is the first one.)

Every one of those little silver dots is a silver dollar.

Did you know that sometimes a big rig semi truck can be controlled by a bicycle? We did it - not by choice, or in arrogance, but out of necessity. When road construction forced traffic to one lane for a couple miles, with NO shoulder, the only option was to ride in the lane. And we rode as fast as our four little feet could pedal us with that truck right behind us (and several other vehicles piling up behind him)! He was courteous and didn't crowd us at all, for which we were grateful.

Some thoughts:

While grinding up the pass today, I was thinking back to some of the last lessons in my BSF Bible study just before we left. We studied Matthew this year, getting to the crucifixion of Jesus toward the end. As I reflected again on Him hanging on that cross with the weight of all the sin of the world on Himself - in darkness and separation from His Father - I was overcome, tears welling up. THAT is love. THAT is redemption.

I had to force my thoughts elsewhere, not because I didn't want to think on that, but because it's just plain hard to breathe when you're already panting for breath and then get choked up.

So I thought of Joseph of Arimathea who took on the task of taking Christ's body down from the cross. What was that like? It was probably cool/cold, semi-dark, people still hanging around either gawking or mourning or mocking. Joseph had to climb up to the body(on a rickety ladder?), pry the spikes out of Jesus' hands and feet, make his way back down with the battered body, His precious blood soaking Joseph's own body and garments. Did Joseph comprehend that this was the Savior, his Savior? That this blood not only covered him now, but could cover him for eternity? (I Peter 1:18-19)

This is good.

Pat