July 25,
2001. Wisdom to Angler's Roost Campground (S. of Hamilton), Montana. (73 mi.)
Mile 3353
Montana's
historical trails
We said good-bye to Jen this
morning as we headed off to a big breakfast at the town's restaurant, while
she pedaled westward after her breakfast of an apple and PBJ sandwich. We
weren't sure if we'd see her again and wished her well.
Our late start allowed us to visit
the Big Hole Battlefield Visitor Center a few miles west of Wisdom. At this
site in early August, 1877, the U.S. cavalry surprised a village of 800
sleeping Nez Perce Indians. The Indians were fleeing the army to avoid forced
compliance with relocation from their homeland to a smaller reservation. 
In
the battle that followed, many Indian women and children were killed. This is
just one of many battle sites along the Indians' 1,300 mile journey toward
freedom before eventually surrendering just south of the Canadian border. We
spent at least 2 hours here immersing ourselves in the history of this area,
reading books, watching a movie, and trekking down to the tipi poles erected
on the sites where the Nez Perce had been camping peacefully. This story never
fails to have a profound emotional effect on us.
The 1877 Nez
Perce encampment here on the Big Hole River included 59 tipis and 2,000 horses
grazing on the treeless slope in the distance. Earlier in July 1806, Captain
Clark made camp near here on the Lewis and Clark Expedition's return trip
eastward.
As we continued
pedaling up over Chief Joseph and Lost Trail Passes, the recent history lesson
helped us imagine the experience of those who had preceded us on this historic
trail across the Bitterroot Mountains. Captain Clark had complained in his
journal that this trail was particularly rocky and hard on the horses' hooves.
In our case, we encountered road construction and at least 14 miles of new
chip and seal, with gravel so thick in places, that our hands tired from
squeezing the brakes to ease ourselves down the steep west side. I guess some
things never change.
From the top of Chief
Joseph Pass, it was a gorgeous downhill along the Bitterroot River to our
destination. I find myself wanting to talk to the landscape and tell it,
"Montana, you are a big, beautiful state!" We stopped at Sula on the way down for lunch, the best tuna melts
of the trip. Capt. Clark spent a cold night here in 1806, close to where there
is now a KOA campground.
Near our destination,
we passed a man walking toward his stranded car with a can of gasoline. Mike
told the man that he should consider riding a bicycle instead, since Mike
"had never run out of gas" since he had been on this bike trip. I
can vouch for that.
Our campsite at
Angler's Roost Camppground, on the banks of the Bitterroot River
Tomorrow we make it to
Missoula, where we are anxious to have a layover day. We have not had a day
without riding since Missouri, and though we are feeling stronger than ever,
it will be fun to spend time in other ways too.
