I've parked our families gas guzzling Nissan X-Terra in the garage, trading it for a Raleigh mountain bike about 6 months ago. And I'm never going back to my old ways of commuting ever again.

I pedal past the local Conoco and Town Pump and scoff at the $3.60 a gallon gas prices, shaking my head while attempting to avoid breathing in toxic exhaust from large truck tailpipes along the congested roads that I share the road with.

At first, it started with a simple commute up Reserve street to my office each day. From the neighborhood near Costco towards Brooks street by the Larchmont Golf course. A 9-mile round trip with only a few small hills to switch gears on. What seemed intimidating at the beginning, turned out to be quite enjoyable and stress-releasing after a long day of sitting at the desk.

Then my love for biking became even more than just an obsession...

What began as a cost-saving way to get back and forth to work, has transformed into a motivating challenge of mastering as many roads as possible throughout Missoula. For the past few weeks I've been really enjoying the Milwaukee Trail which practically divides this city in half with it's east/west pathway built exclusively for walkers and bikers. From Reserve all the way to UM campus, once I arrive near Mount Sentinel it was almost as if the hills and switchbacks of our town's most recognizable symbol was beckoning me to climb it even after my commute across town. As if it's whispering "hey, you've come THIS far...why not?"

Map of the Milwaukee Trail/Photo courtesy of Google
Map of the Milwaukee Trail/Photo courtesy of Google
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Biking in Missoula is easier than I imagined. I thought for sure I'd have to deal with potholes, narrow roadways where I'd have a challenge sharing the road. Turns out, that is not the case at all. It almost seems as is Missoula roads were built with cyclists in mind! But hey, don't take my word for it...

According to Missoula in Motion:

Since 2003 Missoula has been awarded silver status by the League of American Bicyclists. Their Bicycle Friendly Community campaign recognizes communities that actively support bicycling by providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging residents to bike for transportation and recreation. For more information on this program and Missoula’s place in it, go to League of American Bicyclists.

 

Not to mention, many bike enthusiasts through the area have crafted biking maps featuring trails and roads for both the beginners and seasoned vets:

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