Red Barn Bicycles, just off Sleeping Child Rd., is a neat shop.
I was very much looking forward to Skalkaho and the falls. You can see some of it on Google Street View, and I found some videos on YouTube, including one taken by a guy driving east to west. The plunge down looks like a thrill. A mechanic at Red Barn told us that every year people are killed or seriously injured driving the road. (His buddy is part of a rescue team.) In one recent incident, two women drove off the side and their car ended up stuck in a tree. They weren't found for several days. By then, they had died from their injuries. Guess I will have to go back soem day and ride it.
Butte was a natural place to stop between Twin Bridges and Philipsburg and there didn't seem to be any alternative within a manageable riding distance. We treated ourselves to a room at the Finlen (the motor lodge portion) since the KOA was right next to I-90. I made the obligatory stop at Pork Chop John's for a doube pork chop sandwich.
The woman who owns the Inn at Philipsburg is great. Nice place to pitch a tent, complete with picnic table and wooden easy chairs. The bath house is clean and modern and the owener let us use the utility sink in her garage to wash our dishes.
Have you seen this place?:
http://www.theranchatrockcreek.com/home
A woman who owns rental cabins, fly shop and coffee bar near Ekstrom's Stage told us about it. It's located between Skalkaho Highway and the end of MT 348, which connects Philipsburg to Rock Creek Rd. Look at the rates the place charges. Don't think I will ever be staying there.