It cleared off and no rain, but a cold front moved in, and the Temps dropped. I was in my tent last night, just lying there in my usual night clothes, and by morning I had on 2 pr long underwear and my Jammies, 5 layers on top including my heavy rain jacket, 2 hats, a pr of socks and my long fingered riding gloves. I just could not get warm. I had my light weight fleece but I didn’t bring my sleeping bag. Really tho’t I could get along without it. NOT. And now, the lady at the motel said they are calling for snow this weekend. I will be in a motel for sure. Dang!

Because I was so cold, actually shivering several times and thinking, how bad would it be to die of hypothermia in my tent, I laid in bed waiting for the sun to warm things. Turned out clouds had moved in, and the sun never made it to the campground. So now I’m thinking, geez, I really don’t want to put my cold riding clothes on my already cold body, but they didn’t seem that cold. So, I got a late start at 8:30.

First 15 miles were all uphill. Absolutely not a single downhill, not even 10 feet, over Lost Trail Pass and Chief Joe Pass. It was very chilly and at the top, I had to add more clothes for the downhill. I changed jackets and pulled one out of its little pouch and promptly rode off without the pouch, so I backtracked a half mile to get it. Like I needed more uphill. I think my brain was cold, too.

Weed of the day was fan weed. If I remember right, it was introduced from the Mediterranean in dried flowers and, once here, became a common weed seen everywhere. Also, saw lots of Wyeth Lupine, a native commonly seen along roadsides.

The last half of the ride, actually about 27 miles of downhill, went through a 2020 forest fire area. It went on for miles. So sad. But, I was loving that downhill even tho it was cold. Moteling it tonight here in Wisdom, the MT capital of the most ferocious mosquitos in the state, so I’ve been told.