* Harrison to Chatcolet * Down Dobson Pass * The Snake Pit * Home Through Montana *

 

Much of the area and many of the towns around TaterTOT were destroyed in the largest forest fire in US history--the Big Blowup, or the Big Burn. The 100th anniversary was commemorated last year, with an exhibit open through this summer at the Fort Missoula Museum.

The museum also featured a museum relating to cycling. Fort Missoula housed the Bicycle Corp, a army unit exerimenting with the concept of bicycles for military use, particularly World War I.

Heading back toward Idaho, we spent the night a Ghost Trails bed and breakfast in Alberton, Montana. Among other features in this town of 300 people was a bookstore with a stock of 333 books for every man, woman, and child in town. Even though Alberton was small, it contained a third of the population of the entire county.

For my first ride in Montana, I crossed the Alberton overpass of I-90 and found a 100-year=old one lane bridge. Each of the two wooden car tracks was barely wide enough for the trike. The four inch raised planks kept me focused on steering straight and hoping for no oncoming traffic.

We then packed up and ended our first TaterTOT experience with the long drive back to Enumclaw.