Day 4 - September 10, 2006 Issaquah, WA to Missoula, MT Mileage Today:   474 Total Mileage:   2,066 All images below are links to larger photographs.  Click the image to view the larger photo. The hotel I stayed at in Issaquah was next to a state park and it felt like being at camp—I arrived to the smell of campfires and left this morning to the smell of bacon and eggs!  My goal for today was to get to Missoula, MT which would put me in position to acquire the MT stamp tomorrow (Mon 11Sept06). I was glad to be out of both WA & OR as far as the drivers go.  I've been in 35 different states this summer and I can say that there is a very odd characteristic about WA & OR drivers unlike any others... they seemingly have no concept that the left hand lane is a passing lane.  I'm not talking a few drivers either.  I use my turn signals EVERY time I turn or make a lane change; I think they saw more action today than they have in the last month!  I counted a grand total of 3 signs that said “Keep right except to pass” in all of OR & WA combined!  Of course, I might have missed seeing any other signs because I was too busy passing people who would not move over.  In OR I'd say the average age of the this-is-my-lane-and-I'm-not-moving driver was 109; I don't know what excuse WA drivers have for this strange behavior. Gorgeous ride out of Issaquah, WA on into Spokane riding through several recreational areas like Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.  Red tail hawks were prevalent.  Temps were quite cool, so cool in fact that I have desert rat friends in AZ who would have termed it “freezing” (ahem, Glenn!).  Part of I-90 is called the “Mountains to Sound Scenic Byway.” WA has signs roadside stating “Litter And It Will Hurt” with a phone number beneath to report violators.  I found this wording to be quite strange.  They also have designated “Speedometer Checks” that are noted as mile “O” then in a mile a sign says “Mile 1.”  I wonder how the rest of the country functions without such signs? At Coeur d'Alene, ID I exited so I could do two things... find the Coeur d'Alene Golf Resort so I could take a picture of the “floating green” they have for the Matriarch (who loves golf and was scheduled to play today---yes, at age 83!) and also so I could ride the “Lake Coeur d'Alene Scenic Byway” which runs directly alongside the lake.  Lake Coeur d'Alene is fed by 3 different rivers and is over 30mi long.  Glorious ride!  I stopped at one point to take a picture of a bridge, the “Veterans Memorial Centennial Bridge:” When I was returning back to the bike there was a lady who was lacing up Rollerblades beside her car (and my bike).  I jokingly said “you probably wouldn't ride this and I wouldn't ride those.”  Her name was “Andy” and wow, what a delightful lady!  We shared stories... she's a SoCal (Malibu) refugee loving life on the lake (literally, she pointed to her lakeside house), had traveled many years ago cross country in a VW and was enthralled with my “quest for Key West.”  I actually rode the loop then passed her rolling blading and the arms raised with two thumbs up she gave me was very energizing.  This is an aspect of riding – meeting such wonderful people – that I so enjoy. Pictures of the lake: Got back on I-90 and came upon a trucker that was likely also a rider – he started to pull in front of me in my lane (though not dangerously) which caused me to slow down then as I was passing him he was motioning for me to slow down.  I pulled up beside him and he pointed ahead, displayed 3 fingers, then made the universal “police ahead” sign.  He was right.  In 3mi Mr. LEO was running radar. The ride into Missoula was breathtaking and just wonderful.  I think I smiled the whole ride today. Shots from I-90: Even going through a time change (to MDT) I arrived tonight in time to see a spectacular Montana sunset.  It's been a great ride thus far.  My GPS seems to working fine but Wi-Fi at yet another hotel is not! Copyright © 2006-2008, All Rights Reserved.