Well, I'm starting to get the hang of Spot. I have written a few times about this device already and it's mostly been negative. Now that I'm getting into the upper reaches around town, I decided to call the company and visit with them about a few pointers. The guy said only hold the OK button down for a brief period and watch the lights afterwards. Also, he said if putting in track mode, hold the OK button down longer until it briefly goes out. I tinkered around the house last night and had it working great. It sent the OK whenever I tried to and I had to wait until about 24 or so flashes until the right light froze indicating an OK had been sent. Then I put it in Track mode and it was sending tracks (from the back deck) every ten minutes. I dropped the data via
gpx into
Topo no problem too. The key was to keep the thing so the label was pointing at the sky and to watch the lights when sending an OK.
So, this morning I took it for two loops up Sheep to below Blue Point, then to
Wallman, and then to Stuart to the snow line. Sheep is a mess above the last bail out junction. I counted over 20 tree portages up to the above photo, not too far below Blue Point (Box 4-
ok) on the Google Atlas above. I had the device on track the whole way up on my shoulder strap and I guess because it was not "pointing to the sky," I never had one track get received on these climbs. I also had it on track all the way over to and up
Wallman and never got a track. The only received tracks were in the Rattlesnake parking area and the Rattlesnake road. Use the Edge 305 for reliable tracking (your friends just can't follow your tracks). Use the OK for your friends and family.
I sent an OK from just above the below and above photos and it said it went after 70 flashes, but I must have not given it enough time prior to heading down to where I took these shots and tried to send another OK (OK Box 6 on above Google Atlas). It's pretty funny, even up at 6500 feet I can hear the notification e-mail and text
msg hitting my cell with a link to where I am. Not sure what cell towers are working at 6500 feet, but I could hear them none-the-less. I do feel like I have a pretty good handle on Spot now. The tracking feature is still subject and not for mountain biking, unless you can figure a way to keep it on top of your shoulder. It did stay on the shoulder strap on the
Wallman descent and through the creek. My wife and kids now have a little better feeling by the OKs being sent (when I stop to do so) and that is worth something for sure (like my being able to ride deep into the mountains). The Stuart trail is in great shape and almost clear (snow) to the boundary. Dispite carrying pepper spray, refurbed Canon, first aid kit, phone, Spot and other junk, I had a great morning! It does make one work harder.
I did a quick road ride out HWY 12 this morning to spin off yesterday's climbs. It was a cool morning and perfect for a ride.
I stopped at the DeVoto Memorial briefly to snap off a few shots. I love this spot and had to stop for it. The area is lush and the cedars are huge. Ferns abound as well.
The Lochsa was ripping right along and there were many folks staying at the Lochsa Lodge who were rafting, kayaking and generally appeared to be having a grand time. I quickly bought a couple of snickers bars and headed back to Fort Fizzle. I've never tried candy bars for a quick burst of energy, but these worked great!
We got lucky this year. The weather was beautiful. My daughter and I wrapped up the weekend this afternoon with a long hike in the Miller Creek drainage with our two best friends, Wen and Allie.
It was a peaceful way to end the long three days. Earlier in the day we did some garden work and I sharpened two tractor mower blades for future yard details. If you ever want to learn about your children's lives and what they are getting into at school or otherwise, simply take a long hike and just listen to them. A child will open up like a flower and soon spill all that is on her mind. We are fortunate to have the woods. 
I decided to take my wife's camera since it was a mellow Missoula cycling spin and I think photos tell the story. Missoula is a green as I've ever seen it at the moment. The first stop was for a cup-o-joe, venti bold and a cranberry beagle. Then, rode up the Snake to catch the start of Bill's ride. I got there at ten after eight and they were already off. So I headed back out and through Greenough park (top shot bridge) which is like a jungle at the moment with the Rattlesnake running high and everything being lush.
I forgot my saddle bag, so rather than head up the Blackfoot, I tooled around town. I rode over throughout Spurgin and Clements and took some shots of the lambs and was laughing quite a bit at the robins that were acting like they were wounded when I rode by to distract me away from the nests. I then went out Big Flat towards the shooting range. There must have been a running event going on this weekend as there was a rest stop set up for the many runners I passed in the area. Missoula has a lot of fit people. 
I then turned around and went back to Blue Mountain and along HWY 93 and then up Miller Creek. This is the weekend of the Memorial Day 
We went over Saturday late afternoon to pre-ride the course to determine if Todd should race in the men's beginner level or in the junior race. He decided to ride the (11-15) beginner level Sunday (seen below in the Sheephead green and white after the LeMans start). The course was a very fast blend of jeep trail and single track. It was very dry and loose as well.
Friend Max is seen above completing a climb on the course. Max is a mechanic with the Bicycle Hanger in Missoula (when he is not in Utah patrolling or casting flies on the West Fork of the Bitterroot). 
This race was well attended! About 75 racers came out from across the state for the 
Max had one finally to the bank, having hit an egg fly pattern. However, I managed to not be a good host and could not hold onto the fish. It was easily a five pound rainbow with beautiful color. We broke off lots of fish and I was glad I took the XP 6 weight having been warned by Marion not to take anything smaller. Only the Peacher landed a fish this day - a beautiful cutthroat completing a beautiful weekend.
U. Golf Course
