Jeff's 2016 Transcontinental Bike Trip: Day 7 - Thompson Falls MT to Missoula MT, 106 miles, 3520' cumulative climbing

No map for today, just the elevation profile. Another route relatively moderate in difficulty, with a couple of medium climbs but mostly just going slightly uphill all day. We ended the day in Missoula which is about 500' higher in elevation than Thompson Falls.
We started out the morning with fog still hovering close overhead, blanketing the hilltops until the sun burned it all off. Chilly air too, but the forecast had it warming up to the low 80's and little chance of rain today.

Fog touching the hilltops leaving Thompson Falls

This day marks the end of our first full week on the Northern Transcontinental. It feels like the daily routines are becoming more automatic: breakfast in the parking lot, eat fast, pack and load your gear bag (and my laptop case) into the yellow motel trailer, check tire pressure, fill water bottles, put on cycling clothing,choose supplies or extra clothing you think might be smart to stuff in a pocket, and go. At the end of the day, wash bikes, haul gear bag to room, decide where to have dinner that's within an easy walk of the night's lodging, lay out tomorrow's bike clothing based on the weather forecast, check bike over for any visible problems that need to be addressed, try to put some thoughts from the day into words on the blog, and collapse so the next morning doesn't come too early.
And if that's not enough, today I heard some unwelcome noises on my bike and when I checked with the mechanic at the end of the day, my bottom bracket was the culprit and it was not salvageable. How fortunate that our motel was barely a block from a full service bike shop! And, they had a replacement part that worked for my bike too! So a potential serious problem was solved within an hour before dinner. All thanks to Lon and John, our mechanical masters, and their willingness to jump right in and help solve the issue.

The crew overall has been remarkable this week. PAC Tour has a repeatable system for how to run each day, and it keeps everything going smoothly. Rest stops are well-stocked, crew members are eager to help (and even brighten up roadside stops with fresh flowers).
They are the folks we depend on, and they come through every time, and cheer us on as well. My friend Michelle Williams is crewing for the first time this year. She's previously ridden the route in 2010 so she knows what challenges we face on a daily basis, and always brings her cheerful attitude to buoy your spirits too.