  Population 4673, Elevation 1614'  Heading out of Colville.  The grouch was noted on another town sign recently and I wonder if it is the same guy? Kettle Falls is on the Colville River just before in joins the Columbia River. The town was moved dur to a flood. The Grand Coulee Dam downriver has solved the flooding threat.  A lot of pine and water in this area.  I think most of this area is managed by the Federal Governement.  This is a wonderful route.  Republic started as a gold mining area. J.W. Slagle was an early pharmacist. 1421' and 1200 people  
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  Camping at Sam Owen Campground in the State Park near East Hope, ID. Reservations through recreation.gov  Such beautiful scenes on this trip. Lake Pend Orielle.  Part of my route is on a designated US Bike Route 10. The map of the North Tier is from the Adventure Cycling Association.  Kootenai River runs through British Columbia, MT and ID emptying into the Columbia. Dams along the rivers control flooding and provide hydroelectric power.  Near Penderay at around 2100'. Penderay is the way you say Pend Oreille which is the big lake that I am riding around. The town has around 1100 people.  Sand Point with a population of 7300+ is a center of action for the neighboring counties. A timber area that cleared space for farming and now a recreation area. Three mountain ranges are close: Selkirk, Cabinet and Bitterroot. The ski resort near is the largest in Idaho. I am now less than 500 miles from the end of my trail. I better get moving again.  So many beautiful spots to stop.  This stretch had many towns and it was fun to explore, stock up and refresh.  On the right is Old Town in ID and on the left i Newport, WA.   I forgot this shot when I entered Idaho.  From Newport I head north along the Pend Orielle River which is a tributary of the Columbia.  Near Cusick.  Beautiful area.  Population 2775 and at 2096'.  Many towns have camping places for cycle tourists.  Libby Dam opened in 1975. 422' high and 3055' in length. Is along Kootenai River.  A road in the national forest.  My 32 tires favor the paved surfaces   Followed the lake on the west side.  Koocanusa Bridge  Turn on Highway 37.  The mountains are quite a change to the bike routes. This means that the traffic will be heavier since this is the only highway to my destination for the day. I remember an article about biking to a fire tower and spending the night. I found the article in the Adventure Cycling magazine. https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/sleeping-in-the-sky/?ruid=817551&utm_source=bikebits&utm_campaign=20220105_BikeBits&utm_medium=email . Photos and article by Aaron Teasdale. What a dream side trip.  This article takes place in the Whitefish Range.  Northern Montana is the best place to find any remaining fire towers.  The view of the inside. Can you imagine the view out the windows?  The city of Whitefish is a resort based area close the the park, skiing, and the lake. 3028' and a population of 7700.  Riding into Whitefish.  It has been awhile since I have been snowboarding. I better be careful.  Population 5308 and at 3087'. These towns have bike shops!  Stillwater River in the Stillwater State Forest.  I never saw anything like this on the road.  I like taking the time to stop and enjoy the scenery.  I checked VRBO and you can rent places here.  Rounding the bend near Fortine. 2972'  Main Street of Eureka. The city park allows camping. 2582' and a population of 1380.  There is no fee for dispersed camping on the US Forest Service land and you may find this option in this area. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5270139.pdf This will give you more information.
 The route above may have more little towns along the way, but I bet it will have heavier traffic. Meriwether, Blackfoot, Browning, Durham and then West Glacier.  This route uses a state road that does not have as much traffic.  Going to the Sun Road is popular for cyclists. Check ahead for the details and time. https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm  Oil and gas country.  Wheat is big too.  Taking a break along the road.  Browning has a population 1000 at an elevation 4377'. The HQ of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation are located here.  Amtrak station in East Glacier Park Village. I have stopped there.  There were 25 active glaciers in the NP in 2010. In the 1800s there were estimated 150. Glacier National Park is on the US-Canadian border and covers 1 million acres. There are over 130 lakes. The Native American groups when the European's arrived were the Blackfeet in the east and the Flathead in the West. The park was established in 1910 and the Great Northern Railway built a hotel and a chalet to encourage tourists.  Amtrak now stops at the stations.  Book ahead it looks beautiful.  The west entrance will lead you into the park.  There is a long steady incline and the ebike sounds good for me. https://glacierguides.com/faq-biking-the-going-to-the-sun-road-in-the-spring/  You can also bring your own bike. Most riders go from the west, but you can also ride from the St. Mary's entry in the east. From the west it will be 35 miles to Logan Pass and coming from the east it is an 18 mile ride. Remember you need to ride back to where you start :) or you may ride from St. Mary's to West Glacier would be 35 miles. The maps above will show you the options. Enjoy your choice.
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AuthorI love my riding days and look to find interesting and informative items to share. 
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