The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-23
NO EQUAL IN THE WORLD
The Beautiful Bitter Root Valley
Is Sui Generis.
A TRIP FULL OF INTEREST
Conditions Are Perfect for Wheeling-A
Delightful Ride Along an Ideal
Road-A Two Mile Coast
Above Carlton.


valley is wonderfully beautiful. The
combination of river and mountain
scenery is one that is hardly To be
eaualed elsewhere in the world ana
the stranger is invariably deeply inn
pressed by it. But the view from the
train does not reveal half of the beau
ties of his wonderful valley. The
tourist on the train sees the grand
mountains n gets the glimpses OF
the incompatible river pictures, put
the pretty details of the foreground
which are furnished by the fine ranches
and their substantial buildings, nest
ling beneath grand groves and sur
rounded by orchards laden with ripen-
ing fruit and gardens rich with pro-
duce-the herds of sleek cattle ana
their well kept stables-the p~addocks
with their horses-alI of the sights
that go TO make complete the picture
of this magnificent farming country
can be seen and appreciated III the
trip is taken down the wagon road
that winds along the valley. Man
have taken the trip and no one VINO
has made IL has failed to be pleased
with IT. 1t is a trip full of interest ana
beauty. 1t is a constant succession of
pleasing changes and surprises. Taken
in a buggy, il is enjoyable, but IL a man
/ likes a wheel, he has here "A trip thit
he cannot beat anywhere.
The conditions just now are perfect
for wheeling. The roads in the upper
valley are as hard as macadam, ana
were il not for the overflow of "aggrd-
vating'' ~ditches-as one wheelman has
named them-the ride would seem like
a trip in the well kept suburbs of a
city. To leave Hamilton in the early
morning and spin along the ROAD
through Corvallis and down toward
Stevensville, past the splendid ranches
zach with its pleasant grove OF cotton
woods and its surrounding orchards,
between the fields from which comes
the fragrance of the new hay and past
gardens, green with growing vegeta-
bles, is a delightful experience. A
wheel runs itself over this road n
the trip Is quickly made. Every ranch
man along the road has a CHEEKY word
for the wheelmsn and waves him God
speed as he whirls along the highway.
1t is a two hours run to the county
seat. with its lines of shade trees and
it's good street. As the rider wheels
into S~tevensville he receives a cordial
welcome, and, If he wishes, can spend
half "A day there pleasantly.
out of S~tevensyille for 10 miles the
riding is magnificent. The road skirts
the bank of the Bitter Root river for
a long way and then turns OF into the
pine woods. Scores of clear streams
cross the road, sending their sparkling
waters down TO the river. Unless some
r%anchman has allowed them to flow
over the road these streams add to the
pleasure of the trip. Where the road
is under water for 80 yards or more IT
does not tend to make the wheelman
happy. But the ride is delightful, DE-
spite these little ~annoyances, and the
distance seems as nothing. The steady
pace of the wheel takes the rider past
light and heavy teams on the road,
and now and then he has a brush win
some ambitious driver, but the wheel
will win in the end and the pedaller
finally waves farewell at the driver OF
the perspiring horse as he whirls on.
Just above Carlton there is a two
mile coast hat is a hummer. The
road is firm and hard and free from
rocks. 1t winds between thrifty Or
chards and past prosperous ranches,
and all the rider has to do is to sit still
and enjoy the situation. From Carlton
to Lou Lou the ride is as full of pleas
; ure as the former portion has been,
but from Lou Lou to Fort Missoula
the wheelman thinks thoughts tina,
would not look well in print and says
!; things about the Missoula county road
: department that might do some good
| IL they reached the ears OF the authoF'
tiles.
This part Of the road is a heart
; breaker. The sand in places is a foot
, deep and IL puts a kink into "A man.
: back to push through II. When he ha'
reached the end of it the Lou Lou grade
, is before him. This road would be al
right If the rocks were picked out o.
the way. The appearances indicat,
that not a loose stone has been touch
- yhRa @aaGnn-fhaN lie Sn thick nj
over the road. 1t would be easy q
make the road good with "A little work
but II makes a man forget the teach
/. ings OF his mother to try to wheel Owe
the grade in it's present condition an,
the man who ought to clear up tn
: rocks will have much to answer for u
? the hereafter.
After the grade is crossed IL is cas-,
sailing into town. The old sand be,
. on the Buckhouse fiat Is much i'm
. proved this year and the road from tn
Four Mile house to town is all right
a man can make a grand stand mis-
and come into town riding easy. II is
trip worth taking and the condition q
the road down the valley is just nov
excellent.
= The ride by wheel to Hamilton IA
9 become quite a popular one this sea
It son with local riders. Two young Ia
n dies. Miss Cronkrite and Miss Woody
: have made IL successfully. George Bel
lew has made the round trip this sun
n mer and Tom Hathaway and clau1
n Rails are at present in the upper vale,
" having ridden up awheel. The frs
Il man TO come down the valley on
wheel was Charles Bishop. who seN
eral years ago rode an old 4s-poun
road machine down from Victor. 4
n that time the safety bicycle was a nov
j. city and he had a crowded Gus a
Of the way down. AT present, howeve
D. the bike is a common sight in the va
ley and all the notice that a wheel a
: tracts is a passing greeting from tf
ranchmsn or an offer Of a drink
buttermilk now and then. There hs
been one bad precedent established tn
year, though. one or two Butte rancl
seekers have made their inspection
the valley on bicycles. and now when
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