August 16, 2015 – Sun and haze, 75 degrees
Miles Today: 53
Miles to Date: 5,727
States to Date: 21
I was happy to discover a coffee spot a few miles beyond Noxon this morning. I chucked to myself when a guy half my age with twice my waist told me cycling was unhealthy in this smoky air and that trucks would run me off the road. I checked delivering a reciprocal comment about what his XXL microwaved burger from Quick Stop was doing to his health. My New England penchant to keep unsolicited advice to myself is a good trait in a country where people dole out opinions as fact and expect thanks in return.
For the next fifteen miles smoke laden air infiltrated my lungs, but the hour of exercise it took to get me out of Montana will probably not kill me. Idaho brought brighter skies and cleaner air, though the summer haze lingered.
Lake Pend Oreille is a spectacular place; New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee on a grander scale. It’s the last remnant of the ancient Lake Missoula, part of the Western Interior Sea that included the Bonneville Sea in Utah and the ancient ocean through Eastern Colorado. I pedaled along the eastern shore to arrive at Sandpoint by noon thanks to crossing into Pacific Daylight Time.
I enjoyed the afternoon in Sandpoint and a fun dinner with my warmshowers – a family with four lively children.
The Awkward Pose 
Paul, I think this is the first I’m writing you. I follow your blog from time to time in the automatic emails. I love them. They’re fun, varied, terse. I love that it’s there and will miss it when it’s over and don’t recall when that is though that’s okay. But honestly, it’s so good to keep hearing your voice through this, I guess you call it blog; so you see I don’t read blogs, but this one I DO. You must be in stupendous shape. I went on a weekend bike and hostel trip, this weekend, at The Vineyard and had a terrific time and worked hard. People were nice, mostly, though pretty safe, till we splintered in a group here and there. Went to Gay Head “grey area” where only one third or less of the folks were nude but we 2 old girls joined the third.
I like the change of your font. Maybe your writing’s shorter, below, and that’s why you’re using it, but it Did draw my eye.
Keep spinning the wheels and I’ll enjoy the stories when I stop to look.
Thank you for them!
love, barbara
Really enjoying this, Paul! I just finished reading a book which ends in Sandpoint, Idaho! (Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter.) The lake sounds beautiful.
Terrific!