Stanley, ID to Missoula, MT for 3 nights

256.28 Miles | 4:37 Riding Time

It’s Tuesday, July 2, 2024, and it’s Day 83-85 of my cross country motorcycle trip.

Waking up in Stanley, there was a heavy fog. So I packed up the bike and went downstairs to have some coffee. Several other guests were down there as well, and we were all chatting about our trips. It took a while, and several cups of coffee for the fog to clear enough that I wanted to head out. We all wished each other safe travels, and started on our various ways.

I was heading up to Missoula, so I could get new tires on the bike. I got new tires when I was in Colorado springs, and that was just about 9,000 miles ago. They were worn almost to the minimum tread indicators, and there wouldn’t be another opportunity to get new tires until after Yellowstone and into South Dakota. Buster, the servicer Big Sky Motorsports, said they could change them first thing on Wednesday.

The ride up was beautiful. Another day of gorgeous weather, and a road that followed the river with sweeping turns, lush green forest and very little traffic. As all Idaho rides seem to, this one started out with a long, gradual downhill to the town of Salmon, ID. It was about this time, I noticed that I was developing a slightly sore throat.

After lunch in Salmon, I continued along the Salmon River, through Carmen and North Fork. Crossing the river in North Fork, I started a steep and twisty climb up toward Lost Trail Pass. You know it’s going to be an interesting section, when you pass a “chains advised” sign, and it was.

I was throughly enjoying the twists and turns and having both uphill lanes completely to myself. There wasn’t a vehicle in sight in front or behind me on my side of the road. So, I was happily using both lanes, practicing and talking myself through sometimes finding the fastest line, and sometimes doing a late-entry turn (so you have better visibility). It was somewhere along this section where I got a quick lesson on tar snakes.

If you don’t know, tar snakes are those black lines in the road where they fixed cracks by filling them with hot tar. They offer different traction than the rest of the pavement, and they can be quite slippery when they’re hot. Car drivers don’t really even have to think about them, because you folks have so many wheels on the road. Anyway, it wasn’t very hot, and I wasn’t speeding, but I did catch one that caused my back tire to lose traction for a split second. The bike has great traction control systems, and all was well. Just a PSA to keep your eyes peeled for them when you ride.

I crossed into Montana, and started the long, twisty downhill through the Bitterroot National Forest, the Peaks and Pines Park and lots of small towns on my way through Lolo and on to Missoula. I checked in to my hotel and had some wonderful Thai noodle soup from Zoo Thai. I figured that would soothe my throat, and I’d be fine in the morning.

I was wrong. The next morning I was sick. On my way to the BMW dealer, I stopped and got some cough drops and face masks. At the shop, I wore a mask and stayed as far away from everyone as I could. Once the new tires were on, I headed right back to the hotel and crawled into bed, where I stayed for the next 2 days.

Being sick in a hotel by yourself just stinks. You have to go out and get food (no restaurant or room service here), but you don’t feel like moving and you don’t want to get anyone else sick. So, I tried to run in and get takeout as fast as I could, so I could eat in my room. One night, some tasty ramen from a local store. The other night, a ham and cheese Hot Pocket from the hotel “market.”

The Route