Libby to Eureka

Miles 67.5
Ride time 4:42
Elevation gain 3162'

Today we headed out of Libby on quiet roads towards Eureka, a small town that is only about 7 miles away from Canada. The ride was along SR 37, a very pretty stretch of road that ran along the Kootenai River which then became the Kootenai Lake. We came to where they had built a large dam, called the Koocanusa Dam. The name was chosen from a contest and combines Kootenai, Canada and USA. The river runs up into Canada, some 100 miles. It was a beautiful waterway.
It was amazing to see hardly any boats. I think we only saw 3 or 4. We saw a bald eagle fly away quite near us. It was feasting on a deer that was on the side of the road. What a huge wingspan it had!
We were really lucky with nice moderate temperatures, but best of all, we had a lovely tailwind!
The rock walls along the side of the road were striated with so many colors. Sometimes the walls were over 30 feet tall. Signs on the road warned of being aware of "fallen" rock, but honestly I was more concerned about having a slide happen as we rode by. Some of the rocks looked like they were ready to go any minute. We had some nice downhills, but it was surprising how much we actually climbed today. Most of the grades were between 4-6 %, but the legs were a bit tired today.
We had some rollers right before we got into "town". Town for our purposes consists of a combo gas station, bakery, mini mart, Subway, and oh by the way, a motel. We had to go to the minimart to get our room key. But it was great to get in, get off the bike seat and have a sandwich at Subway.
The area around us is stunning with green forested mountains. There are wide open grasslands and rolling hills. If it weren't for the power lines, beer trucks and casinos, it would be a lovely setting all around. Still, is a clean place to stay, a hot shower and a decent bed so I have no complaints!
I hope that Rose is able to view my blog! I will see you in a few weeks in Fargo!