Daily Summary:
7:45 AM to 10:30 PM
Three Rivers RV to Wilderness Gateway CG.
Odometer: 4,780 – 4,812
Average Speed: 14.4 mph
Climb: 3,556 ft. — Descend: 2,919 ft.
50-65° F : Variable light winds.
Battery Performance:
Note: All charging and range data after the World Record Day will be published in Excel format at a later date.
Note: Average Speeds on GPS seem to be about 2 mph below TFT average speeds on scooter even though radar guns match the scooter display speed.
Also, GPS mileage is 12% lower than TFT display (28.23 vs 32.2 miles on TFT). Did the GPS app change recently? Organic Maps shows a distance of 26 miles vs 28.23 on GPS, vs 32.2 on scooter. Google Maps distance is 25 miles. What’s up?)
— 127 —
An almost cold, crisp Fall morning, but not quite.
Perhaps it’s the altitude as I enter the Bitterroot Mountains.
150 years ago Lewis and Clark also found these mountains challenging.
I was shivering a little going up the canyon this morning and had to put on long sleeves and park in the sun in the pullouts a few times to keep warm.
Because I started riding fairly early the sun didn’t come over the mountains completely until just about the time I arrived at the campground.
There is a good amount of fire smoke and haze still clouding the air, but less so than the past few days.
I am again amazed that Lewis and Clark acually passed this way, but today a new thought occurred to me as well: who were the other 30 men that also completed the Expedition?
In the end, this blog and Journey will no doubt also be forgotten.
Whether that’s sooner or later remains to be seen.
The best the solar charging would do today at 1 PM was about 204 watts (6 amps x 34v) so I will need to camp here overnight and charge today from 11 AM to 5 PM PLUS charge tomorrow morning from sun-up until early afternoon.
However, this is a nice quiet place with good water and modern restrooms, so staying overnight is not going to be anything like the pit toilet, mosquitoe-heaven that I stayed in at Bonus Lake on Day 66.. (It was heaven for the mosquitoes, but not so much for me personally!)
I also have a fresh supply of protein bars and Carnation Instant Breakfast that I picked up in Clarkston, so food should be no problem for at least 5 days.
I even indulged in a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino, a snack-pack of Honey Roasted Peanuts, and a can of V8 for brunch after I hooked up the solar panels!
I purchased these items last night at the RV Park anticipating that I might need to wait a while solar charging today.
But guess what!
This campground’s Group Pavillion where I am currently (pun intended) solar charging has no less than 12, 110v plug receptacles all along the sides of the building!
This is the quintessential location for charging personal electronic devices and vehicles!
The only drawback is that there is no power: the main breaker is shut off.
I assume this is the case because Labor Day was three days ago and today NO ONE is here.
Except for the occasional vehicles passing on Highway 12 on the opposite side of the river, this place is deserted.
After weeks upon weeks of noise and people (including another group of inconsiderate, late night Harley fans at the campground last night), I’m finally alone in a peaceful setting.
For me, this truly embodies the idea of a “Wilderness Gateway” (except for the plethora of modern conveniences, that is).
Nice.
But, in a way, now I also sort of feel a bit abandoned like Matt Damon in the movie, The Martian (and he had very modern conveniences!).
So be it.
For the time being I should be fine.
Just as long as I don’t do anything stupid and blow something up (again)…
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