It was a perfect day!

The Kootenay River

Gravel or Highway 95 is the choice today. Most of us pick gravel. The bonus is we get to bomb down the steep hill we rode up in the blistering heat on Sunday.

The air is chill at 7:30 am. The hill is exhilarating. The Monday morning commute is intense. But soon, we turn right on Pine Island Road, drop down a steep gravel road, cross the train tracks and ride out into the Kootenay Valley along the Kootenay River. The river is mirror calm reflecting every leaf of every tree: every blade of grass.

The valley is open and wide. I ride into the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge; see an antelope running. It is quiet, calm and I am ecstatic! This is what I came for. A long ride down a huge valley, along a grand river.

The road takes me through big fields and shady forests. There are wheat fields, yellow blooming rapeseed and tall, deep green hops. The sky is big and blue. The riding is easy, generally down hill and down river to British Columbia.

Hops!

Notice the wooden boat on the bank!

Several of us gather and ride in refreshing light rain to the Canadian Border and cross into Canada without a hitch.

In Creston, we complete our 46 mile ride. We camp at the Pair-a-dice RV Park and Campground. There is plenty of time to set up our tents and take showers before the wind suddenly picks up, lightning flashes, then crackles above us. Big raindrops, then torrential rain sends us racing to our tents for an hour of tent shaking wind and cool, cool air. There is nothing better then weathering a big storm in my tiny tent. I get chilly, toss my down sleeping bag over my legs, laugh then smile. What a difference a day makes!

The weather moving in!