Originally Posted by
indyfabz
Day 1 will take me through Darby to the Sula area. There is a nice store in Darby where I will shop for that night and the next morning. However, Day 2 takes me to Wisdom and then possibly on to Jackson Hot Springs. Last time I was in Wisdom (2014) the grocery store was open but the pickings were very slim for stuff that would make an acceptable meal for me. The mercantile in Jackson was even less well stocked when I went through there in 2011. It later closed for good. So whether I stay in Wisdom or Jackson I may have to eat dinner out. On Day 3 the only grocery sources are a small store off route about a half mile up a rocky dirt road before the second mountain pass or in Wise River, where there is a small mercantile. I'd rather not carry a lot of food up that hill. Last time I was in Wise River I was able to cobble together dinner from the pasta I had and some canned beans from the mercantile and carry it 10 miles down the road to the BLM campground in Divide. That was sufficient since I had eaten a late lunch at the restaurant in town. The town is on the GDMBR so they do have more than you might think for such a small place, but the selection is anything but large. Later in the trip, from Ennis to Lewis & Clark S.P., I will either have to carry groceries from the start in Ennis or go a decent number of miles out of my way to shop. I will probably carry since the day is a relatively short and the only climb of note doesn't look that bad. The penultimate day I will have to take everything (except extra water) with me from the start if I want to camp at one of the U.S.F.S. campgrounds along Rock Creek Rd., which is a dirt road that runs through Lolo National Forest. There are literally no commercial establishments until the road ends at I-90, where there is a private campground and restaurant. We stayed there in 2011, but I would rather stay in the woods along the creek. It's beautiful back there, and there is lots of wildlife. The creek is a blue ribbon trout stream. Found out a few years ago that a local guy I occasionally hike and ride with has fished it before.
Thanks for the clarification. It has been a while since I was there (2007) and it sounds like pickings have gotten more sparse. Sadly that seems to be the case in a lot of small rural towns.
Also your idea (and maybe most people's idea) of an acceptable meal is probably different from mine. Here and there I don't mind a block of ramen noodles especially doctored up with butter, cheese, hot sauce, and/or foil packed tuna as available. I am even OK with instant oatmeal for dinner once in a while, preferably with some enhancement (butter, nuts, whatever).
It may be gone now, but when we were there at I-90, the private campground and restaurant had a tiny store. It wasn't much but in a pinch I could have gotten by. We did eat at the restaurant though, as we were ready for a restaurant meal any way. As I recall it was quite good.
Along the Lochsha, I was wishing I had a fly rod and a license. A trout dinner in camp would have been a nice addition to the beautiful ride and the dip in the Jerry Johnson hot springs.