Day 3, July 28: terrific progress and harmonious brilliance

Haugan, MT - Arlee, MT http://cyclemeter.com/85ef50859d8f1e5c/Cycle-20150728-0717

Distane: 87.5 miles

Average speed:14.3 mph

Maximum speed: 32.8 mph

Riding time: 6:07

Weather: 45° and foggy when I started, reaching the mid-80s by the afternoon. Bright sun in the morning and partly cloudy in the afternoon. Not much wind in the morning but a terrific 10 to 15 mph tailwind in the afternoon.

Terrain: uphill 3489, downhill 3120. The route followed four river valleys: an amazing 17-mile downhill on I 90 by the St Regis River, a descent on MT 135 along the Clark Fork River, a descent on MT 200 near the Flathead River, and then a climb starting at about the 60-mile mark along the Jocko River valley on MT 200 and Jocko Canyon Road. The profile of the route is shown below as is the route map from my Cyclemeter iPhone app.

Brrrrh! A very chilly 45° when I started riding. I put on all four of my bike shirts and a jacket and two sets of leg warmers, and this worked fine although my fingers were a little cold for an hour or so. This reminds me of the time when my bike partner Tom MacDonald was an undergraduate. We were at some friend's house in a three-story brownstone walk up near Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. Much to the amusement of the group there, Tom put on every single item that he could that was in the closet. I think they were women's clothes.

The first 15 miles were on I 90 and almost all of those miles were downhill. It was actually a beautiful ride. There was very little traffic, it was foggy and still, and there were frequent views of the St Regis River rushing through Ponderosa clad steep mountains.

The St Regis River near I 90.

The sun burned off the fog as I traveled down I 90.

Panorama of the Clark Fork River as it runs along MT 135.

The Flathead River has whitecaps, evidence of the tailwinds that blew me along at a nice clip for awhile.

Homemade irrigation system drawing on the Flathead River near Plains, MT.

Irrigation sprinklers in action on the other side of the road from the previous picture.

Automobile fatality shrine on MT 200.

Automobile fatality shrine on MT 200.

More automobile fatality shrines along MT 200.

The Jocko River is on the left. MT 200 runs to the right of the tall fence. I assume the fence is there to prevent deer and other 
animals from crossing the two-lane highway, which has a 65 or 70 mph speed limit.

Erin (on left) and Courtney from Seattle have been riding through Oregon, Idaho, and Montana for about three weeks. I helped them repair a flat rear tire. They are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

I got off the main road to visit The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas.

This mailbox a short distance away from The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas doesn't quite fit in with the Garden's ideals of joy, compassion, and wisdom.

A panoramic view of the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas shows part of the garden, some of the statues, and the central pavilion.

The pavilion shelters the deity Prajnaparamita, a female supernatural being who advocates wisdom through realization of the
"empty," or ephemeral nature of the sensual world.

Detail of the deity Prajnaparamita,

This statue is labeled Terrific Progress.

Plaque showing title, parentage, and other information about Terrific Progress.

Plaque showing title, parentage, and other information about Harmonious Brilliance.