Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Finding Sula
07/21/04
The meadow was lovely in the morning. We bumbled around a bit trying to figure out what road, out of the many, that we should be on, then started walking.
Soon we were on MT43 on our way to Highway 93, which I would later find out goes from Alaska to Guatemala. We just wanted to get to Chief Joseph Pass, which we estimated was about 6 miles. We knew it was up and to the west.
The first mile marker I saw on Hwy 93 said 7 miles. The next mile marker gave me the information I needed: 6 miles. We'd have a decent ascent to the pass along a paved two-lane road.
Before too long, I saw a herd of elk, about five young ones and six female adults. I got to look at them while I hiked until they caught wind of me and disappeared like magic into the trees.
I saw a rusty hand saw by the side of the road and decided to carry it up to the pass. There's all kinds of junk along roads.
Spur had a burst of energy at some point and passed me, reaching the pass before I did.
When I got there, he was already talking with Ed and Gordon who have a large red pickup truck. (Pickup truck means potential ride to town.) Ed and Gordon are painting the outhouse at the pass as part of their responsibilities with the cross-country skiing club in the area.
Apple Pie arrives, and we continue to chat about, of course, what a great section of trail we missed and how it was the last section in this area to be completed.
Gordon informs Ed that he's finished his portion of the work for now and that he should give us a ride to Sula. We hop in the back of the red beast and descend.
The shopkeeper Marge is glad to be rid of our many boxes piled up around the store. We are happy to have them and happy to have a lunch.
We get a little cabin, but they upgrade us to a big cabin, which gives us room to do all the town chores.
Sula is a stopping place for lots of bikers, and I chatted with a few while we were waiting for something to happen.
One of the things that eventually happened is that we played miniature golf.
The course was across the highway, arid and tiny. I made the best of it, even getting a hole in one.
Had a great, and HUGE dinner at the Rocky Knob. The Sula Country Store and Resort only serves breakfast and lunch, so we asked about places for dinner. The Rocky Knob came up many times, but it's 4.5 miles down the road. Ugh. We asked Marge about a way to get there, and she offered to take us there, wait while we ate, and drive us back. She'd wait in the bar for us.
Marge got her last drink to go and drove us back.
OK, so this town stop sounds great, right? Well it gets better. Back in the mountains, Apple Pie and I had been joking about going to the Sula day spa and having all sorts of pampering. Sula has a hot tub, a large, enclosed, CLEAN, hot tub. The three of us soaked and talked 'till we were nearly asleep, walked through the comfortably chilly night air and got into bed. What a great stop.
