Up at the summit, Lolo Hot Springs makes a perfect spot to take a breather.
Lotsa shade for you and your mount, general store, and for a little while Arlen's entire motorcade of support vehicles and enclosed trailers. Same old story, met a couple people out for a ride and had a great time BS-ing and swapping stories. But I'm bound for Dillon, Mt for the night and have to hit the road and make some time. Once in Missoula, I opt to hop on I-90
Running so far behind I decide in Butte that I have enough gas to make it to Dillon without stopping. After all, it's only 60 miles or so as I remembered. Yeah, it's 90 or so.
Not gonna make it. Start straining my memory trying to recall if there were any other towns on the way and not coming up with anything. Not seein much either -gettin dark too. Finally see an offramp and a couple buildings, so I pull off to see if there's any go-juice to be had. Because God loves me, there was a gas pump in the booming metropolis of Melrose. In front of a tavern. After having a beer with a couple Marines just back from the sandbox and on their way to the "Testical Festival" in Missoula, the scooter and I head out refreshed and ready to reaquaint ourselves with the Metlin Hotel. To be honest, it was scooter's first time there. But me an' the Metlin go waaaaaay back.
It may not look like much, and it ain't. But back in '96 or '97, I spent a summer over here doing some geologic mapping as an undergrad and we tore that place up almost every night. Schmidt ina can for a buck. Well times have changed -now it's two bucks. And they don't rent out rooms anymore. Nor is it a very exciting place without a dozen or so geology students raisin hell and trying not to get killed by the cowboys. Had a couple beers and split. It was like seeing an old girlfriend after she's "gone to seed" -so to speak.
I'm into it.
