gavscyclingadventures

Helena to West Yellowstone

Jun 20, 2022gavscyclingadventures

Hey, Hey, Hey, we’re off to see Yogi at Yellowstone. Oh, no we’re not! Sunday 12th to Tuesday 14th June

Sunday 12th June – Helena to Three Forks

After a couple of rest days, we were looking forward to a 3 day block of riding which would take us to Yellowstone National Park to see Yogi Bear, Booboo & Ranger Smith. We were up & on the road under overcast skies by 9.15am, for what on paper looked to be a straightforward day – gradual climbing most of the day with a couple of small downhills.

Before we’d even left town we passed a docile deer nibbling on a boundary hedge of a house – it can’t have been 5 yards away from us & to begin with I thought Sean was joking when he said “Deer Alert!” & as a result I missed my opportunity for another deer close-up. We soon picked up Highway 287, which was going to be our road for the next 3 days. We were surrounded by big mountains, with the railroad off to our right & big, cloudy skies overhead. There was also a wind that was beginning to pick up some momentum & it was blowing across us & into our faces!

A combination of cross-headwind & a small incline results in slow progress for me – I realised this when I deliberately let Sean ride off the front so I could get a photo, then had to work really hard to get back in his wheel! The road was quite busy with RV’s making their way towards Yellowstone & one poor deer found himself on the wrong side of the road. We watched vehicles speeding past until the deer spotted a gap & sprinted across the road, fleeing into the wide open spaces.

After about 10 miles we hit a 4 mile patch of rough gravel laid on mud, as the main carriageway was being resurfaced – we bumped & rattled along, making progress as fast we could, with cars & RV’s impatiently passing us.

We were still very much in ranching & cattle country, as the long, straight road stretched into the distance. For about an hour the scenery hardly seemed to change at all (good practice for when we hit Mid-USA), until we stopped at a Historic Marker to learn about the town of Winston. It now has a population of less than 100, but in the 1860’s & 70’s it was big enough to have its own newspaper, as well as 7 saloons – this was at the height of the gold rush. Having topped up my knowledge banks, I grabbed a photo of the moose statue made of metal & wood!

We started a long, shallow descent & had to pedal, so we knew for certain that the wind was picking up & that we were going to be working hard for the remainder of the ride. As we descended, we could see Canyon Ferry Lake getting even nearer. The lake is the third largest body of water in Montana, with 76 miles of shoreline & was created when a hydro-electric dam was built between 1949 & 1954. It’s a popular recreation site, offering fishing, boating, hiking, camping & swimming opportunities as well as having a wetland & wildlife conservation area.

The Missouri river is the longest in the USA at 2,341 miles & the source of water for Canyon Ferry Lake. It’s considered the main artery for the Great Plains, supporting exploration, growing of food, trade & transportation – we hope to pass 2 of its 3 tributaries later in the week.

About 3 miles after crossing the Missouri, we spotted a Historical Site sign that took us about a mile down a gravel track & took us right to the riverbank. York was a black slave to William Clark & was integral to the success of the Corp of Discovery – we were looking across to York Islands, one of two places in Montana which were named after him. Clark spent 5 years trying to negotiate York’s freedom from slavery, but he remained a black man living in a world of segregation.

As we looked over to York Islands, above us a chevron of Canada Geese were practicing their aerobatic manoeuvres – they kept splitting into small strings, then re-forming into a long line again. After heavy rains & late snow melts in the Rocky Mountains, the Missouri was looking full to overflowing.

As we continued towards Townsend, we passed a small resort complex on our right, which offered wedding, christening & elopement ceremonies! Their post box at the end of their drive was an exact replica of their chapel. Our coffee stop today didn’t warrant a photo – lukewarm, stewed coffee & a processed muffin – not every day is gourmet cake day!!

Leaving Townsend behind, we continued on an arrow straight road with a gusting cross-headwind from the right – this wasn’t good news, because as we reached Toston it became a full on headwind. We struggled to maintain 10 mph on the flat & when the road gradually rose, our speed dropped correspondingly!!! I foolishly stopped to take a photo of Sean against a mountain backdrop & a combination of the headwind, gradual climb & tiredness meant it took me 3 miles to get onto his back wheel again!

As we crested the long drag, we could make out Three Forks way off in the distance, but at least it was downhill! You may be able to make out the headlights of the cars coming up the hill towards us – it was only about 4pm, but it was already getting murky & that’s when we both realised that although the headwind was tough, rain would have been way worse! This was the closest we could get to saying “What an epic day out!”. Tomorrow’s another day & hopefully the wind will have calmed down & it will still be dry.

Stage Stats – 66 miles, 1,667 feet of climbing. Gradually climbing all day into a character building headwind!

Monday 13th June – Three Forks to Ennis

We woke up to overcast skies & trees bending in all directions – another headwind had been delivered, but at least it wasn’t raining…….it waited until we’d had a Frosties breakfast & tasteless motel coffee before it turned up! If you’ve been taking part in my adventure for a while, my last sentence yesterday set up today’s weather!!!

Almost immediately we passed the turn-off for the town of Three Forks (we’d stayed at the Travelodge on the I-90 junction) & picked up the Jefferson river for a short while (one of the 3 tributaries to the Missouri). The early miles were rolling in nature, which combined with a headwind made getting into a rhythm more of a challenge than usual. However, it wasn’t all bad news, as we could see slightly less dark clouds in the distance & after 10 miles the rain stopped.

Within 5 minutes, mountains that had been hiding in the clouds suddenly started to show themselves. At the time we were riding, it felt like the wind was always in our faces, but looking back at a few of the photos, the road wasn’t ruler straight, although the general direction was always North to South into a Southerly wind. If I’m honest, I enjoy these days, I weigh enough to be able to push through the wind & the moody skies always look dramatic on photos – it’s the wet I dislike!

As we reached Sappington, we passed signs for the Lewis & Clark Caverns National Park, but unfortunately they were too far off our route to make a detour. We crossed the Jefferson river, which I now know begins at the confluence of the Beaverhead & Big Hole rivers near Twin Bridges (all of which we passed last week). This marked the start of the first climb of the day, a 4 mile ascent to a plateau with snow-covered peaks in all directions.

There was no protection from the wind, so we were both grateful when we reached the small town of Harrison (population, 137) & spotted the Town Haul Diner, where we stopped for soup & coffee – rain & headwind makes for a cold day in the saddle!! Within its Town Limits, Harrison only has buildings east of Highway 287, as a fire in the 1920’s destroyed everything to the west of the road.

We spoke briefly to a mountain biker who was 4 months into a 6 month adventure riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike route – he was leaving just as we arrived. We would see him again later, as he was on thick tyres, a heavy bike & carrying more kit than us. As we left town, I took one final look back to the Tobacco Root mountains behind us.

The next 10 miles were among the toughest of our adventure so far, making yesterday’s headwind feel like a minor inconvenience! We took it in turns to ride on the front for no more than 2 minutes & covering about 1/4 of a mile), then tucked in to recover (we would usually be happy doing 5 minutes each & covering about a mile in that time). As fellow cyclists know, headwinds start getting into your head in a bad way – I’ve had to learn how to accept anything & everything that comes our way on this adventure & my resilience has probably improved as a result. Anyway, enough psycho-analysis for now!!

As we dropped into Norris Hot Springs our second & final climb of the day was laid out in front of us.

At 5 miles long & 900 feet it took me about an hour to complete the climb of Norris Hill – we both set our own pace on these long climbs & as you can see, Sean was some way ahead of me! The road already existed in 1864, when it was used as an extension to the Bozeman Trail, which was a short cut to the Montana gold fields from Casper, Wyoming. We’re retracing history on a daily basis & as a result of the numerous Historic Point markers, we get to see what that history is.

The view from the summit of Norris Hill was awe-inspiring (big views in all directions), exciting (a 7% descent for a mile) & disappointing (sheets of rain rolling in) all at the same time.

As we reached the valley floor, we got hit with the rain & it was heavy! Although we were only about 5 miles from Ennis Town Limits (pronounced EEEE-Niss), we got totally drenched & cold!

In spite of the rain I stopped to get a photo of the Ennis sign – this was an expensive mistake, as there were another 5 miles from here to our motel & I’d be riding them on my own. I hadn’t told Sean I was stopping & he’d carried on riding – a valuable lesson on the importance of communication, as it made the end of the ride more difficult for both of us.

Our motel turned out to be more of a cabin & we had our own room each, which enabled us to dry all of our kit overnight. However, of a shorter term priority was having some warm food (we both had a chicken focaccia sandwich & fries washed down with a Midas Crush IPA for me & a Devil’s Hump for Sean. Cheers everyone!

On a serious note, when we got back to out motel, we found out about the terrible flooding of the Northern Loop in Yellowstone National Park – I’m pleased to report there were no casualties, but there was huge damage to the roads. The National Park will be closed for the foreseeable future, so we will likely need a new plan for where we go when we get to West Yellowstone tomorrow evening.

Stage Stats – 47 miles, 3,825 feet of climbing. Going uphill most of the day with 2 proper climbs & a powerful, gusting headwind all day.

Tuesday 14th June – Ennis to West Yellowstone

We awoke to new footage of the chaos in Yellowstone National Park – large sections of the Northern Loop road have been washed away, a house tumbled into the river & the town of Gardner is under threat of flooding. I hope everyone stays safe – it’s a brutal reminder of how fast conditions can change in The Rockies.

As we had a long day ahead of us, we were on the road by 8.15am. Leaving town there was still a headwind, but it was less powerful than yesterday’s battering & although overcast, it was dry. We immediately crossed the Madison river (the second of the Missouri river’s tributaries) & ahead of us could see rain showers on both sides of the valley, as well as how far we had to ride. We would need to be lucky to stay dry!

There were imposing mountains all around us as we continued up the Madison valley & after about 15 miles the river re-appeared from a gulch below us & with it an opportunity to look down on an eagle in its eyrie – the first time I’d actually seen the inside. We were taking it in turns to ride on the front, which resulted in the morning passing quickly as the miles ticked down.

Over the next 10 miles we saw 4 long distance cyclists heading in the opposite direction (presumably previous Yellowstone plans had been scrapped). As we approached a fork in the road we could see heavy rain ahead of us, yet miraculously by the time we eventually reached the turning we were in glorious sunshine! The weather gods were clearly looking down on us!

Taking the left fork towards West Yellowstone, we were entering the Yellowstone Basin, one of the most active geological regions on the planet. In 1959 there was a huge earthquake that registered 7.5 on the Richter scale. At the time the quake was the 2nd largest in the continental USA.

We stopped at the Visitor Centre to learn more, but first a Park Ranger insisted on making us a cup of coffee, although the Visitor Centre is food & liquid free. We must have looked like a couple of very cold waifs & strays!

The quake caused an 80 million ton landslide, which formed a dam across the Madison river as it travelled down the side of Sheep Mountain at 100 miles an hour. The landslide killed 28 people who were camping along the shores of Hebgen Lake & further down the valley on the Madison river.

The earthquake caused the ground to subside by 20 feet & the fault line is visible to this day. We could see the tops of trees that had been submerged in Quake Lake more than 60 years ago. Prior to the 1959 earthquake the Madison river was cutting through the valley just like the 2 photos above – less than a month after the initial earthquake, Quake Lake extended 6 miles & had a maximum depth of 125 feet.

Upstream, the faulting caused by the earthquake forced the waters of Hebgen Lake to shift so violently that a wave crested over the dam, causing cracks & erosion. 32,000 acres of land around Hebgen Lake subsided by 10 feet – the impact of the earthquake was truly earth shattering & aftershocks of up to 6.5 on the Richter Scale were felt for several months afterwards.

The Hebgen Lake was created in 1917 by building a dam 85 feet tall & 721 feet in length across the Madison river. It stores & regulates water supplies for reservoirs further downstream, as well as generate hydro-electric power. The lake is a popular recreation destination, with fishing, boating, swimming, hiking & camping all taking place.

As Lake Hebgen receded behind us, we had almost reached our destination – just a right turn onto Highway 191 & the final 7 miles to go. You can almost see the excitement on our faces! We’d stayed dry all day – we later admitted that we’d been dreading the ride this morning as we were both convinced we were going to get soaked & then have to ride for 6 or 7 hours in the rain!

We checked-in to our room at the Dude & Round Up, then headed across the road to enjoy a huge portion of spaghetti marinara, washed down with a Hazy IPA. Tomorrow’s a rest day as we plan what to do next & where to go.

Stage Stats – 72 miles, 3,107 feet of climbing. Going uphill most of the day with 1 climb.

Tour of the USA – Weeks One & Two

Jun 18, 2022gavscyclingadventures

Well, How Did We Get Here? Miles, Feet Climbed, Maps & Profiles.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to get in contact, saying that details of where we’ve been would be of interest. I’ve created a weekly table showing where we started & finished each stage, how far we rode & how many feet we climbed. In addition, you’ll find a weekly map & profile chart.

I’m interested in any feedback you may have, so feel free to comment on this post, or drop me a message. I’ll publish 3 updates over the coming days, each will give you a 2 week block. Going forward I’ll update on a weekly basis.

I’ve also decided to post a photo from each day – it will refresh my mind when it comes to looking back on my adventure!

Week One – Seattle (WA) to Arlington (WA)

Date	Start Location	End Location	Miles	Feet Climbed
30/04/22	Seattle	Port Townsend	52	3,127
01/05/22	Port Townsend	Mount Vernon	59	2,936
02/05/22	REST DAY	REST DAY	0	0
03/05/22	Mount Vernon	Mount Vernon – Chuckanut Loop	66	2,480
04/05/22	Mount Vernon	Concrete	37	387
05/05/22	Concrete	Concrete – Baker Lake Dam Loop	37	2,589
06/05/22	Concrete	Arlington	61	1,198
Totals			312	12,717

If you want to get more detail, the link below will open in a new tab & allow you to explore further, if that’s your thing;

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39337818

Week Two – Arlington (WA) to Omak (WA)

Date	Start Location	End Location	Miles	Feet Climbed
07/054/22	Arlington	Gold Bar	46	850
08/05/22	Gold Bar	Leavenworth	72	4,767
09/05/22	REST DAY	REST DAY	0	0
10/05/22	Leavenworth	Chelan	56	1,939
11/05/22	Chelan	Mazama	77	2,556
12/05/22	Mazama	Twisp	57	4,462
13/05/22	Twisp	Omak	39	3,271
Totals			345	17,845

As for Week One, the link below will open in a new tab & allow you to get further into the detail, if that’s your thing;

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39439506

Our original plan was to cycle from Concrete to Mazama on 5th May. However, due to heavy snowfall late into Spring, the Washington Pass wasn’t open, so we did a 6 day detour via Stevens Pass instead. The first of what will be a few re-routes & all part of what a BIG adventure is all about!

Helena – Capital City of Montana

Jun 16, 2022gavscyclingadventures

Taking in the history & sights of Downtown Helena

We always try & get a bit of rest & relaxation on our rare days off the bikes, so Helena was a real treat as for the first time on our adventure so far we had consecutive rest days. We arrived at our hotel on Last Chance Gulch (pay attention to the name!) on Thursday afternoon & decided to get a couple of tasks out the way straight away – first up was washing our 3 sets of cycling kit, followed by a visit to Safeway to buy dinner for this evening & breakfast for the next 3 days.

Our kit had completed its wash cycle by the time we returned to the laundromat, so we just needed to throw it in the dryer & wait 20 minutes. We were both flagging & on the verge of falling asleep by the time our kit was dry, so we did the only sensible thing, we headed into town for a beer! In the end I had a couple of Scepter Head IPA’s & Sean went for a couple of Cold Smoke Scotch Ales. As we chatted about our highlights of the last 6 days, we could feel our energy returning enough that we could eat our supermarket dinners!

We had a room each for our time in Helena, so we could spread out & enjoy a bit of space both physically & mentally. We met at 10am on Friday & popped to The Fire Tower coffee shop (not the be mistaken for THE Fire Tower) for a pecan & caramel pastry & latte – it felt like a real treat to be able to sit down & just watch the world pass us by, rather than needing to get back on our bikes.

Helena is the State Capital of Montana & 32,655 people live within the city limits. Prior to Europeans arriving in the early 1800’s, the Salish & Blackfeet visited the area seasonally as part of their nomadic travels.

In July 1864, the discovery of gold by “The Four Georgians” prospectors led to the founding of a mining camp along a small creek in an area called Last Chance Gulch. Within 3 months, the population had grown to 200 & by 1888 there were 50 millionaires in the city – it’s estimated that $3.6 billion of gold in today’s money was excavated between 1864 & 1888!

We decided to start our expedition by visiting the cathedral. The site was purchased for $25,000 in 1905 & the cathedral was designed in a Gothic style, based on the Votiv Church of the Sacred Heart in Vienna. Building commenced in 1908 & was consecrated in 1924, some 10 years after the first Mass was celebrated.

The stained glass windows are stunning, as they enable the outside light to flood in – these next photos were taken on an overcast morning! The lighting fixtures are of hand-carved bronze with a special lacquer finish.

There are white marble altars, statues carved from the purest Carrara marble & genuine gold leaf decorates the sanctuary, while the pews & woodwork are all done in hand-carved oak. When the cathedral was finished, it had cost $625,000 to build & decorate.

As we left the cathedral behind we headed towards the pedestrianised area of Last Chance Gulch. This follows the path of the original creek where the first gold strike was declared.

I quite like a statue, so was pleased to see I had a good selection to view. First up was “Extra, Extra” where a young newsboy is proclaiming Capital City Prospers to his passing clientele. We then met The Bullwhacker, who was responsible for cracking the whip above the heads of the cattle to keep them moving & if that failed, he shouted & cursed them to move! The whip wasn’t used to hit the animals, according to historical references. Finally, we found our friends the gold prospectors, as they sluiced & panned the deposits through the early processing machinery.

As we continued towards Fire Tower Park, we passed a memorial devoted to the 4 warships named after the city of Helena. This included a gunboat (1896 to 1932), a warship that was damaged in the Pearl Harbour attack but was repaired – she was sunk in battle in 1943, a heavy cruiser bought with Montana war bonds that served from 1945 to 1972 & finally a fast attack nuclear submarine that was commissioned in 1987 & remains in service today.

We then took a short, sharp climb up to THE Fire Tower itself – known locally as The Guardian of the Gulch. It was built in 1876 after a huge fire had destroyed downtown Helena & was manned round the clock. It was last used in 1931, with it’s location giving commanding views over Helena in every direction, it’s one of only 5 remaining in the entire USA.

Later in the day as we were exploring some of the quiet backstreets, we passed the Federal Reserve Bank, where we were tempted to go in & beg for some dollars, as the GB Pound is so weak at the moment! Not long after Sean spotted a hover of 4 chinook helicopters overhead (I only managed to get 2 in the shot) – on our way into Helena yesterday we also spotted one with equipment being carried in a cargo net. A final treat was spotting a beautifully sculpted horse in a residential garden.

In addition to all the above excitement, I managed to get my first haircut of the adventure & I also had my cycling jersey repaired. The box at the bottom of the zip had fallen off, so my zip no longer stayed zipped up – not a sight anyone should have to see!! My new friend Katelynn (from The Sewing Bee) went out of her way to sort me out, by taking my jersey home with her, buying a new zip on the way & fitting it that evening, before going away for the weekend. Katelynn, you’re an absolute star, thank you so much – hopefully you’ll read how much your kindness meant to me.

After such an action packed day, we both needed to take the weight off our feet for a little bit – somehow we found ourselves back in The Rialto Bar (neither of us know how!), so we had a few beers, then a few more & eventually left at about midnight. Friday Night Beer Club lives on! Luckily Saturday was also a rest day – my only activity was to publish a new blog!!!

Dillon to Helena

Jun 14, 2022gavscyclingadventures

Riding to Rest & Relaxation – Wednesday 8th to Thursday 9th June

Wednesday 8th June – Dillon to Whitehall (Stage 32)

We woke to overcast skies which threatened rain at some point in the morning. After a continental breakfast from the hotel, we took our time packing & set off just before 10am. We left town with a thank you for visiting message & a reminder that Dillon has an Army National Guard Recruitment office!

Route 41 is advertised at regular intervals along the road as the Auto Tourist Route & it was clearly designed by a non-cyclist! While it took us through stunning scenery, there was nowhere for cyclists to ride. Unlike every other road so far, there was no hard shoulder for large parts of the route & a couple of locals enjoyed driving closer than was necessary.

We had glorious views of the towering mountains on either side of us as we cycled towards our first Historical Point of the day – Beaverhead Rock State Park. If you look at the 3rd photo, you may be able to picture a beaver’s head as if gliding across water. Lewis & Clark passed through here on their adventures & learned that the local Indian name for the rock translated as Beaverhead.

Leaving Beaverhead Rock behind us, we found our next Historic Marker around the corner – the National Sandhill Crane Nesting Site, which had a lifelike sculpture of two cranes. We could just make out a flock of birds in the distance, although we couldn’t tell what they were. This wetland site has been rescued by Montana Department of Transportation & now boasts a diverse range of wildlife.

As we continued towards Twin Bridges, we were also fortunate enough to spot an eagle perched in a tree, as well as a couple of herons / cranes that were feeding in a nearby field. The photos aren’t great, but they’re a great reminder of seeing them.

We also passed a couple of fishing lakes along the way, with majestic mountains behind them providing a glorious backdrop. In addition to today’s ride gradually descending the Beaverhead valley, we also picked up a slight tailwind just before we entered Twin Bridges – this boded well as the remainder of our ride was due to follow the same direction. But before that, we had important business in town…..

For the first time in 4 days, we found a coffee & cake stop. The Blue Anchor Cafe delivered with a delicious piece of lemon meringue pie! As we left town, we passed the volunteer fire department & they had a tender on display & a bit further on in Silver Star there was a huge display of Rope Drive Compressor Wheels. Lloyd Harkins has been collecting all types of pre-1900 mining gear over the years & these take pride of place.

The tailwind out of town had raised our spirits & we fairly flew along the valley floor, stopping every now & then to take in the towering views all around us.

We were still in eagle country & we spotted a couple of telegraph poles where wooden pallets had been placed on the stanchion so that the eagles could build their own nests. There were plenty of creeks & rivers available so the eagles could go fishing.

The gentle descent & tailwind resulted in our ride fairly flying by – we were on the road for a little under 3 & a half hours. We made sure that we took in the huge views wherever possible as we closed in on Whitehall.

We arrived in town early, so found an espresso hut where we enjoyed a fresh coffee & cookie, before passing a Welcome sign on the way to our hotel. It was a short day in the saddle, but it still delivered on scenery, wildlife, history & lemon meringue pie!!!

Stage Stats – 56 miles, 643 feet of climbing. Gradually descending all day with a friendly tailwind!

Thursday 9th June – Whitehall to Helena (Stage 33)

The is the final day in a block of 6, as we ride from Lincoln to Helena – we then have 2 days of rest & relaxation planned! We woke up to blue skies & for the first time on our adventure we didn’t need our gilets or wind jackets as we left the hotel – woohoo.

We left Whitehall by tracking the railroad, with big views of the mountains ahead of us & beyond the Jefferson Slough to our right. We then followed the I-15 for a short time on a frontage road before our first climb of the day.

As we summited, a secret valley was laid out before us, with huge views spread out before us. As we descended, the Conrow Creek meandered backwards & forwards on the valley floor below. We both remarked that it reminded us of physical geography classes 40 plus years ago when we were taught how rivers like this formed oxbow lakes as the river finds a shorter route through soft landscape. Oh to be 16 again!!!

After about 5 miles we finally saw a little house on the prairie – although there would be more habitation further up the valley, this was the first sign of civilisation that we’d seen!

In a place so devoid of human habitation, we expected to see some wildlife & we weren’t disappointed. In addition to the eagles soaring overhead (always too far away to photograph), we also spotted two different types of deer. First up, we saw a herd of prong-horned deer & one of them took an interest in us when we stopped, as he checked us out. He soon got bored & bounded off to join his friends / family. Second up we saw a herd of white-tailed deer without prongs. Two of the 3 made eye contact, but the 3rd one quickly grew bored & walked away. A familiar experience for me!!!

In addition to the wildlife, I’m always on the lookout for interesting scenery & today it came in an unexpected form – the clouds. At times they took the form of a burrito, a caterpillar & a pair of sunglasses lenses. I probably have too much time on my hands & you probably don’t see anything but clouds……!

Being surrounded by big mountains, we also had stunning views to enjoy too. Sometimes it was the views along the arrow straight roads to the mountains in the far distance & other times it was simply enjoying the different colours on view & the way they complemented each other.

After 37 miles of gradual climbing, we reached Boulder, where we hoped to find somewhere that would serve coffee. We hit the jackpot in a huge way when we found the Elkhorn Bistro, run by Jennifer. We were welcomed with a huge smile as soon as we walked in the door & Jennifer took the time to talk to us about our adventure. She also shared a story about a few Italian long distance cyclists who were raising money for Diabetes, in recognition of a friend of theirs who had passed away – they had left her a poster of their cause, which she planned to frame & put on display in her bistro.

Jennifer recommended the homemade lemon cake with huckleberry frosted icing, then melted my heart by also offering to add some ice cream & whipped cream!!! Cake shop nirvana – Jennifer loves doing what she does as much as my friends Phily & Yas at The Old Stables in Castle Combe & the passion shines through.

Jennifer also shared a story about the tavern next door – Patrick Duffy’s (he of The Man From Atlantis & Dallas fame) parents owned The Lodge & were both murdered on 18th November 1986, when two teenagers committed an armed robbery. Kenneth Miller & Sean Wentz were both convicted of the murders & sentenced to 75 years in jail.

Leaving our new friend behind, we again tracked the I-15 for a couple of miles – as we were riding along we saw a small hawk like bird attack a far larger eagle. The hawk had 4 or 5 attempts the harry & harass the eagle, who didn’t seem to know what to do. I wish I could have got some video or stills, but it all happened too quick.

As we turned away from the I-15, we realised that the steep gravel road we’d been admiring from afar was our way out of the valley!

The video below probably articulates how difficult I was finding the climb (this was my 4th attempt, as the other 3 resulted in me having to abort the video so I could concentrate on staying upright!!! The climb maxed out at 13% & the gravel alternated between hard-packed (easy to get purchase & stay upright) & sandy (almost impossible to get grip & stay upright). It was a great little adventure, but not one I’m in a hurry to repeat.

At the summit of the climb we stopped, admired the view & talked about the importance of giving each other plenty of room for the gravel descent – there was a casualty, but not the one either of us was expecting! As I descended, my trail mix pack bounced out of my rucksack pocket, hit the gravel & split open. Luckily most of it remained in the pack, but some was left behind as a treat for the wildlife – it had M&M’s in it too 😦

Sean overtook me while I sorted out my trail mix fiasco, but once we reached the tarmac I was able to catch up again & enjoy the remainder of the descent into Clancy.

Clancy was a mere 10 miles from Helena, but it was by far the toughest section, as we hit a stiff headwind that required us to pedal on the downhill sections! We stopped very briefly to talk to a couple of cyclists who were following the Great Divide mountain bike route. They had a schedule to reach somewhere 40 miles past Helena, so we wished each other safe travels & went our separate ways.

We arrived at the Budget Inn Express (our home for the next 3 nights) at about 3.30. We headed off to get our laundry done & also buy breakfast for the next 3 mornings – by this point we were both almost falling asleep on our feet, so did what any self respecting person would do, we found The Rialto Bar where we had a couple of liveners as we chatted about the last 6 days of riding. Thirsty Thursday beer club lives on!

Stage Stats – 69 miles, 2,562 feet of climbing. Gradually climbing for the first 45 miles, then a slow descent into Helena. Glorious sunshine all day!

Darby to Dillon

Jun 12, 2022Jun 12, 2022gavscyclingadventures

The Wild, Wild West – Monday 6th to Tuesday 7th June

Monday 6th June – Darby to Wisdom (Stage 30)

When I left you, we were about to embark on a night under the stars – unfortunately we didn’t see any, as the heavens opened & it rained almost constantly through the night. We both had limited sleep as a result & were feeling very tired when our alarms went off at 7am. The positive news was that the rain had stopped & the tents had kept us dry all night!

We had broken camp & were sat in the sun enjoying a pre-ride coffee by 8.45am, ready for a big day of climbing, as we would be crossing the Continental Divide again later. As we rode through town we passed the historic Marshal’s Office – I’ve cut the brand new patrol car that was next to the office from the photo. As we headed into more remote countryside, we passed a welder’s home with a metal horse in the garden – it was a majestic piece & the best form of advertising possible. In no time we’d left civilisation behind & were looking across fields of real horses towards towering peaks. The third photo below is of Trapper’s Peak, the tallest mountain in the Bitterroot Range that extends along the Idaho-Montana border & it tops out at 10,157 feet above sea level (ASL).

While I stopped to take a photo of the the Bitterroot river close to bursting its banks, Sean spotted a couple of herons or cranes (if you know what they are, please let me know & I’ll update my post). Anyway, as we stood watching them, we realised they had a couple of really small chicks with them – you may just be able to make out the two yellow shapes in the bottom right of the picture. A mere 10 minutes further down the road we also spotted an eagle perched in a tree, surveying the world around him/her. Although we’re now seeing deer & eagles on a daily basis, there’s no danger of me getting bored of them – I realise only too well how privileged I am to be experiencing wildlife in their natural environment & when I return home at some point, I may never see another one.

The Bitterroot river was a torrent as it splish-splashed downstream. We were travelling up the valley in the opposite direction, so were gradually climbing as we made our way to Sula. This was our great hope for a coffee stop, but sadly they didn’t open on Mondays, so we had to tackle the climb in a caffeine depleted state!

At the moment, we’re following the Lewis & Clark Trail – Meriwether Lewis was tasked by President Jefferson with exploring lands west of the Mississippi river that comprised the Louisiana Purchase. William Clark was his co-leader & between 1804 & 1806 they covered 8,000 miles as they sought a route across The Rockies to the Pacific Ocean. Sula was an historic spot where Lewis & Clark were welcomed by the local Indian tribes.

As we left Sula behind, the start of the Lost Trail Pass climb began in earnest. On the early slopes we were surrounded by high mountains in all directions, but over the next 14 miles we climbed from about 4,500 feet to 7,200 feet ASL. We were now looking across to the mountain peaks, rather than looking up. We were also almost up to the snowline once again.

As we reached Gibbons Pass (the highest point of Route 93, we briefly passed from Montana into Idaho (we decided not to change back to Pacific Time!!). We took a left turn onto Route 43 & immediately returned back into Montana, as we climbed another few hundred feet to the summit of Loss Trail Pass. Down below we could make out the road we’d been climbing.

We met Jordan at the summit, another long distance cyclist who was travelling in the opposite direction. We chatted for about 20 minutes or so as he waited for his buddy to join him at the summit of the climb – we shared our experiences, as well as suggestions for places to visit & avoid. We’d been planning to stay at the American Legion Campground in Wisdom, but Jordan advised that the Big Hole River RV Park had better facilities & 2 showers thrown into the price! We made an instant decision to change our plans for our overnight stop.

We descended into the Big Hole Valley on wide two-lane road that was deserted. As we plummeted towards the valley floor the gentle curves in the road were visible way into the distance. I only used the brakes once on the descent & that was to let Sean get in front so I could take a photo of him!

To add to our sense of happiness, we picked up a tail wind as we rolled along the valley floor, along the way passing through a part of the forest that had burned in a huge fire last year. It took in the region of 200 fire fighters to eventually bring it under control. We also passed Big Hole National Battlefield – in 1877, the Nez Perce Indians were forced on a 126 day journey that spanned 1,170 miles & 4 separate states. On 9th August, US Troops surprised the Nez Perce killing between 60 & 90 men, women & children. 31 Troops were also killed during the raid. Big Hole National Battlefield was created to honour all those who died. It didn’t feel right to take any photos while I was there.

As we left Big Hole, the road changed direction & our tremendous tailwind became a sinister sidewind. The final 5 miles were tough work, but we’d had help for most of the previous 10 miles, so we’d still had the better of the conditions. Pulling in to Wisdom we saw that we’d just beaten some rain laden clouds into town & we headed straight for Big Hole River RV Park, realising that we’d likely be having another damp night in the tent.

However, someone was looking after us, as right next door was Nez Perce Motel & they had two rooms available for $79 each. Fate had handed us a way out of sleeping in a wet tent, so we took full advantage of the opportunity to sleep indoors! We turned on the heaters, re-arranged our rooms so we could dry out our camping kit & went for a pint to celebrate 🙂

The rains didn’t come during daylight, which meant I could get a couple of photos of the sun setting behind the herd of alpacas that were in the enclosure outside our rooms. As I turned out my light, I could hear the rain starting to patter against the window – what an awesome day we’d had once again!

Stage Stats – 59 miles, 3,422 feet of climbing. Gradually ascending until the climb of the Lost Trail Pass. Dry all day, sunshine during the climb & descent of Lost Trail Pass, then racing the rain into Wisdom.

Tuesday 7th June – Wisdom to Dillon (Stage 31)

In spite of heavy rain again overnight, we woke to blue skies with cotton wool clouds. All our camping gear was now dry again after our bonus motel stop & we were under way by 9.30am. We immediately picked up Route 278 as we left Wisdom & we passed the “airport” as it’s known in town – in reality it’s a landing strip & was where the fire fighters camped to bring last year’s forest fire under control.

The road was ruler straight for the first 5 or so miles & into a head wind, as we had views of the mountains to our right. The majority of the day we would be in ranching territory, as the soil isn’t fertile enough to grow crops, but is ideal for cattle & horse grazing.

Once more we were fortunate enough to see two separate eagle eyries. The first 2 photos showing the eagle guarding its territory, so we think there may have been a chick in the eyrie. While I was taking photos of our 2nd eagle encounter, there were a scurry of chipmonks playing with each other – they didn’t seem at all bothered by a bird of prey sat watching them.

As we reached Jackson, this was our one & only possibility of finding somewhere open for coffee – the town’s only shop was closed for the day, so we would be riding in a decaffeinated state again. Big Hole valley is known as the land of 10,000 haystacks, because of the superior quality of its grassland & it’s also where the “beaver slide” was first developed as a method of stacking hay. Heaps of it look like giant loaves of bread!

The first big climb of the day was ahead of us. Although it wasn’t a long climb, it was relatively steep at 7%. As we turned through 90 degrees, we could make out the road way below us. The good news was that although I was only doing 4 mph, the climb was over in little more than 30 minutes. The final photo below was taken at a Historic Marker where the history of the valley & the nearby ranch is described in detail.

We stopped at the summit of Big Hole Pass for our customary photo, then enjoyed the fastest descent of the adventure so far – I clocked 47 mph on a straight & empty road, with a slight tailwind. I’d slowed considerably when I took the photos below.

We were now in the Lemhi Valley & we got blown forward by the tailwind when we reached the valley floor, reminding us both of the day we were turbo boosted into Cut Bank, happy days indeed!

All good things come to an end however & it wasn’t long before we could see our next challenge on the horizon. Beaverhead Pass was another relatively short, but testing climb. It averaged between 5% & 6%, but occasionally hit 8%, which certainly stung the legs. I was a little disappointed to find there wasn’t a summit sign when we crested the climb.

As we started descending, we were still over 6,500 feet ASL, but the mountains in every direction towered above us. The photos don’t do the view justice, but this was the most spectacular scenery! We separated on the descent, so I took the opportunity to stop & take a photo of Sean descending as he passed me. It took us about 15 minutes to reach the valley floor some 7 miles from the summit.

The final few miles were into a cross headwind, but it was a small price to pay for yet another epic day of cycling the remote roads of Montana. Heading into town there was a metal moose by the side of the road & a neat welcome sign.

We went to Papa T’s for dinner, it’s a really friendly, family run restaurant that sponsors the local school’s many sports teams & there were photos of winning teams all the way back to the 1970’s. I went for some traditional English food with an USA twist, my pieces of cod & chips came with toast. I obviously removed the offending article before taking a photo!! We did some toasting of our own as we celebrated another glorious day in the saddle.

Stage Stats – 66 miles, 2,434 feet of climbing. Two big climbs of Big Hole Pass & Beaverhead Pass. Big blue skies with a shiny yellow thing in it all day.

Lincoln to Darby

Jun 10, 2022gavscyclingadventures

No Cathedral in Lincoln, Nor donkeys in Darby – Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th June

Friday 3rd June – Lincoln, Rest Day

We managed to get all the laundry done last night at a small laundromat on Huckleberry Trailer Court – a very kind chap helped me out with change when I foolishly put our kit (& money) in a dryer that was broken! That meant today was a chance to relax & explore the small town of Lincoln.

Sean had seen an article about Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture In The Wild that looked worth exploring & was within walking distance of our motel. As we made our way across town, several of the shops had displays of wooden animals outside – I was particularly taken with the idea of joining a bear named Daryl for a beer. Leaving town we passed a very creative “Welcome to Lincoln” sign – this is a theme in Montana, as a few other towns have made an effort to welcome visitors.

From the road, the Gateway to the Sculpture In The Wild is easy to miss – it’s just two pine logs wrapped in wicker. I later found out the design is based on the DNA double helix.

The Sculpture in the Wild project began in 2014 as an International Sculpture event when 5 artists worked with the community of Lincoln to create 6 site-specific sculptures that form the nucleus of the park. The purpose was to blend sculpture, landscape, nature & human experience using natural & industrial materials. It’s been hugely successful as there are now 18 permanent sculptures from internationally acclaimed artists, as well as a number of sculptures that are displayed for 12 months. I don’t intend to explain the message behind any of the pieces, simply enjoy them as pieces of art – you can find out more here (www.sculptureinthewild.com).

First up was the Montana Drawing Line, followed by a tree stump that had been carved into an almost angelic form & a classic “barber’s chair” – this happens when a tree is being cut down & the trunk splits along the vertical, rather than the horizontal.

As we continued we passed the Gateway of Change (made from two trunks that share the same roots), Tree Circus (inside there were 10 chambers, 5 open to the elements & 5 closed), Clearing (the outside walls are made from trees that were burned in a natural forest fire, while the inside features newly harvested cedars) & Picture Frame (the branches within the sculpture were all from the Sculpture in the Wild site).

Next up was Stringer (the interlacing of the trunks reminded me of a wigwam as the human model magically grew before my eyes!) & Ponderosa Whirlpool (again the darker wood in the middle of the whirlpool was recycled from a natural forest fire).

A Place Is A Place Is A Place was a clever 3 dimensional house that took on different shapes as we walked around it.

We’re now into my favourite three permanent sculptures – first up, The Bridge. It was just missing Indiana Jones running away with his love interest as he was chased by the baddies!

House of Sky eluded us for quite a while until we saw it from the right angle with the sun shining on it – we then wondered how we missed it!

Finally, my favourite permanent exhibit by a long way – Montana Memory. Teepee Burners were used in the timber industry & were once a common sight. This re-imagining of the Delany Sawmill TeePee Burner ensures that the history & heritage continues to be shared with future generations.

It took us a couple of hours to walk around the site & we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves – it was tiring work & luckily one of the temporary sculptures encouraged visitors to interact with it. As we were leaving, we saw what looked like large gourds, but on closer inspection were actually birdhouses!

We spent the remainder of our rest day doing exactly that – resting! I caught up on my journal, wrote a blog & then spent some time reading. We’re learning that rest days are essential in making sure we stay fit & healthy, as is beer!! A final treat for you – our motel has just started renting out teepees for guests. Glamping, but better!!

Saturday 4th June – Lincoln to Missoula (Stage 28)

Lincoln is one of a number of places where our motel stay doesn’t include breakfast. As on those previous occasions we bought some Frosties, yoghurt & milk from a grocery store the night before & made our own breakfast. We both agreed, “They’re Grrrrrrrrreat!!” Today’s stage is 82 miles, so we were on the road by 8am with low-lying cloud ahead of us. We soon picked up the path of the Blackfoot river as it meandered across the valley floor. For the first 5 miles or so we didn’t see or hear any wildlife which is unusual – we were beginning to wonder if maybe the road was too busy for our furry & feathered friends.

All of a sudden our barren spell disappeared as first a herd of 5 deer burst from the undergrowth & bounded into the forest – all too quick to photograph. Within a couple of hundred yards we spotted an eagle feeding on a dead deer that was lying at the roadside. It took off & perched in a tree waiting for us to move on. It appeared quite comfortable on its branch, so I took a couple of photos before leaving the eagle to enjoy breakfast in peace. A little while later we also spotted an eagle eyrie in a tree overlooking the river (top left of the 3rd photo below).

We continued to follow the Blackfoot for a while longer although the cloud continued to cling to the lower mountain slopes. The road separated from the course of the river for a while as we climbed up & over a spur, then enjoyed a descent down the other side. We also left the National Forest behind for the time being. The big mountains continued to show their lower slopes, although the upper slopes remained shrouded in mist.

Continuing across the plain, we soon reached the town of Clearwater, where we posed beside an enormous fibreglass cow!! The gas station was the other attraction for us, as it gave us a rare opportunity to enjoy a coffee stop (plus a tasty slice of banana cake).

Soon after leaving Clearwater it started raining, but never too hard. Continuing along the 200, the plain soon ended & we entered the Helena National Forest for the first time on our adventure – this also coincided with a new competition between the locals – show off the largest gateposts. Here are a couple of contenders for the award.

Helena Forest also marked the start of our only proper climb of the day, as we passed through an Experimental Forest which is being managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Montana State Government & Montana University. Just as Sean summited the climb, a jogger passed in the opposite direction. For me, the joy of any climb is the descent that usually follows, you may be able to tell from my smug grin!

As we continued downhill, we crossed a small clearing, before picking up the Blackfoot river again. This far downstream it had grown significantly in size & was looking swollen from the large amounts of meltwater from the snowy mountain peaks above. The cloud didn’t lift all day, so even this far down the valley the lower slopes were hidden from view at times – as a result, we almost missed the rickety rope-bridge that crossed the river.

The town of Bonner marked our return to civilisation. Our American Cycling Association map once again guided us along relatively traffic free roads as we reached the outskirts of Missoula – the largest town we’d seen since our adventure began. The final couple of miles were through the Montana Rail Link Park & on the Bitterroot Trail (more on this tomorrow!).

As it’s a Saturday night, we decided to celebrate another glorious day of cycling with a beer – it’s great to chat through our individual highlights of the day, as we both normally remember different elements. Today was an exception, seeing an eagle eating breakfast at the roadside was the highlight for both of us.

Stage Stats – 82 miles, 1,512 feet of climbing. A day descending the Blackfoot valley. Low-lying cloud all day with rain showers.

Sunday 5th June – Missoula to Darby (Stage 29)

Missoula to Darby looked like one of our easier days in the saddle as we sat in the hotel getting ready for breakfast. 60 miles & 1,200 feet of gradual climbing – this would be a nice gentle recovery ride we thought, how wrong we were! The writing was on the wall when we walked into the breakfast area & there was no toast or cereal. In fact there was just yoghurt & a waffle making kit. We made the immediate decision to eat a couple of yoghurts & then look for somewhere to eat breakfast in Lolo, a short distance into today’s ride.

We set off at about 9.30 & immediately joined the Bitterroot Trail, a cycling specific path that we would be riding for the first 50 miles – while we were always close to the main road, it always felt that we were riding in remote countryside. The early part of the route followed the railroad, while we followed the Bitterroot river all day – this far downstream it was at maximum capacity!

After about 10 miles we reached Lolo, an eclectic little town that retained much of its heritage, while also finding ways to stand-out from the regular, like a painted bison! We stopped at KT’s Hayloft for a breakfast of eggs, hash browns & toast, along with huge cups of freshly brewed coffee. The Hayloft was like taking a step back in time – old rifle & fishing rod collections, as well as wall mounted animal heads. As we sat inside eating, the heavens opened outside, we’d just managed to beat a passing storm.

The worst of the rain had passed by the time we hit the cycle path again, although the big mountains remained veiled in mist, just showing themselves fleetingly. We meandered in & out of wetland areas, rich in bull-rushes, where warblers could be heard singing their happy tunes along with frogs sending us on our way with their croaks & ribbits! As we returned to the river, it had burst its banks where a smaller creek joined it.

I’m always on the lookout for something that will either act as a point of interest or distraction for my regular posts & today we had a feast to choose from. In addition to the painted bison above, there was also a cock (insert own joke here!) & a moose. We’re also being stalked around the state of Montana by Lucky Lil (congratulations on making the blog!) – she has a whole empire of casinos & we seem to see a sign for them every day!! Jimbo you have more money than you thought, so go ahead & buy that new dream bike!!!

The wildlife was more tricky to photograph than normal, as the eagles were generally riding the thermals & were out of range. However, we saw a crane swoop in front of us & land in a tree some 100 yards away. We saw more deer, they always look so cute & inquisitive. I’m sure they’re as interested in the two humans on strange wheels as we are in them! Throughout the day we passed field after field of horses grazing & generally looking as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

As we reached Stevensville we saw a small brown sign to Fort Owen State Park – it was a 1 mile detour, so we decided to go & have a look. Experience has taught us that brown signs mean interesting history is nearby. This was no exception, as the State Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was home to Montana’s first catholic church founded in 1841 & also the state’s first permanent white settlement.

In addition, it also housed the first sawmill, first grist mill, first agricultural development & the first school for settlers. In short, it was of huge significance & importance in the mid-1800’s. Major John Owen arrived in the Bitterroot valley in 1850 & established the fort, as well as trading with the Indians. Another great little side adventure for us too.

A couple of points to mention about today’s “recovery” ride – firstly, we rode into a significant headwind all day & secondly, we rode up a constant gradient, which when combined on a 5 hour plus ride becomes hard work! The cycle path continued to offer stunning scenery as we continued towards the small town of Victor, where we saw another example of the old buildings being protected.

Slowly, but surely, the mountains started to reveal themselves as we continued along the cycle path. We also saw small patches of flowers & vegetation which made for pretty foregrounds & backdrops in a couple of photos. The weather was still a bit on the chilly side at this point, to the point that Sean was using his rain jacket to keep warm.

Late season snowmelt from the mountains had resulted in the many creeks filling the main Bitterroot river to capacity & it appeared a matter of time before it burst its banks. In the second photo you may make out a small white cross just behind & to the left of Sean (the road is just to Sean’s right). In Montana these signify that there has been a fatal road traffic accident & the number of crosses at the site indicate the number of people who died. We have seen several hundred crosses during our time in Montana to date & the worst accident killed 5 people. These markers ensure we remain vigilant when cycling on the roads.

We arrived at Hamilton after about 50 miles & we took to the road for the first time – we were now so far up the valley that the traffic was relatively quiet. The weather had also improved & blue sky was now dominating the clouds (well, almost!!). However, the wind was still blowing on our noses!! We only rode the roads for the final 10 miles of today’s adventure, all the rest of it was on the excellent Bitterroot Trail.

As we cycled into Darby, we could see the parking lot of the local rodeo was full of SUVs & RVs – it was a rodeo weekend & most of the town folk were taking it in. We had other plans, namely putting up our tents in case the weather changed again, as rain was scheduled for the evening. I’ll give an update on how our camping experience goes tonight when I do my next update! It’s our first camping since Rexford.

Stage Stats – 63 miles, 1,207 feet of climbing Gradual climb all day into the teeth of a headwind. Not the recovery day we were expecting!!!

Conrad to Lincoln

Jun 6, 2022Jun 8, 2022gavscyclingadventures

The Road To Nowhere – Tuesday 31st May to Thursday 2nd June

Tuesday 31st May – Conrad to Great Falls (Stage 25)

We woke to blue skies once again & I set off in shorts, short sleeved jersey & sun tan lotion! As we left town, we could see “pepperpots” in all directions, a sure sign we were heading into remote farming country. As we approached the I-15, we took a right turn & joined a small frontage road – once upon a time in pre-freeway days this would have been the main road, but today we would have it almost to ourselves.

The two lane road offered views of the mountains to the right & views to infinity straight ahead! With a light tailwind behind us, we had perfect cycling conditions in a stunningly beautiful location.

After about 10 miles we reached the small agricultural town of Brady – in the last census it had a population of 140. It’s a hub for the collection of grain from the surrounding farms, so in spite of its lack of size, it’s still an important town.

Leaving town, the road picked its way between wheat fields as it continued to track the freeway, with the railroad tracking us on the other side. Round about here we saw our first car for 15 miles, which matched the number of deer I’d managed to photograph!

The next major event was crossing the freeway & passing through a small section of shrubs & small trees. As we reached Dutton we found a small diner where we stopped briefly for coffee & a cinnamon roll. Pepperpots continued to dominate the human landscape as we continued on our way – just after a small airfield the road turned to gravel for about 5 miles, which made an enjoyable change. All the while we continued to mirror the route of the freeway – at times we can’t have been 15 yards away from it!

Montana continues to offer stunning views of The Big Sky – mountains were always visible in one direction or another. We also got early warning of our only descent of the day – as you’ll have seen from the photos already, today had little in the way of elevation changes.

The road remained our own personal playground as we enjoyed the descent – as we reached the turnoff for Vaughn we’d travelled about 50 miles on backroads & we’d seen 6 cars in that time!!

The final 13 miles took us along more populated roads – our first surprise was an oversized load of 4 John Deere combine harvesters heading towards us! We also spotted our first & only wind farm of the day.

As we headed into Great Falls, we spotted a few aircraft overhead – I then remembered that the Malstrom Air Force Base is located just to the east of town & they appeared to be carrying out exercises above us. Thanks to David Higgs for confirming the photo shows a Hercules C130.

I’d forgotten to update my route when we booked the Super 8 Motel, so we had to manually navigate across town, but I’m pleased to say it all went smoothly & Sean was still talking to me when we toasted another glorious day in the saddle!

Stage Stats – 65 miles, 1,240 feet of climbing. Virtually pan-flat with a gentle tailwind for most of the ride.

Wednesday 1st June – Great Falls to Lincoln (Stage 26)

The first 13 miles of today’s ride were a reverse of yesterday’s final 13 miles, so I kept a few details back to use here! As we left town under blue skies, we crossed the Missouri river on our own bike bridge, before passing a car on a pole which was advertising a local auto repair shop. Finally, a livestock auction was in full slow with animals being delivered at one gate & being transported away by their new owners at the other.

At Vaughn we crossed the Sun river (more on this later) which was a small torrent at this point. Joining the relatively busy Highway 89, we were provided our first view of the mountains we’re due to visit tomorrow. We were also back into “Eagle” country – I use the term loosely, as the majority of the birds we see are one of the many varieties of hawk.

Leaving Vaughn behind us, we spotted the first of a number of buttes in the distance – my favourite shot shows a small dust trail being kicked up by an SUV as it speeds across the gravel road. Not long after, I spotted a small bridge that I planned to pose on for a photo, but when I got to it I realised I’d be going for a swim if a tried to balance on a couple of thin planks while wearing cycling cleats!!!

As we reached the small settlement of Sun River we stopped at a Historic Point to learn about its strategic importance. Back in the early 1860’s, a bridge was built over the Sun river & a toll had to be paid to cross it. The bridge was built on an old Blackfeet Indian ford & a thriving town built up as a result of the gold rush in southwestern Montana. In spite of the arrival of the railroad in 1887, the town continued to be hugely important until after 1900. The current bridge is the 4th incarnation.

The most important white settlements in Montana were the mining camps in the western mountains. A series of military posts was established in the 1860’s & Fort Shaw was one of these. It also protected the stage & freight trail from Fort Benton. In 1876 General Gibbon led his troops here to join General Terry & General Custer on the Yellowstone, just prior to his disastrous fight with Sioux & Cheyenne Indians at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Fort Shaw Indian School became World Champions at Girl’s Basketball when they beat all-comers (from the USA & around the world) at the 1904 St Louis World Fair. I learned all this from following a Historic Point sign that had directed us both down a narrow gravel road.

Leaving Fort Shaw behind, we continued to head towards the big mountains until we reached Simms. We stopped briefly for a coffee & cookie at a gas station (the first place that had been open since we left Vaughn about 90 minutes before. As we set off again, we took an immediate right turn onto another deserted road & within minutes we’d spotted another eagle, this one perched in a tree waiting for us to move on. I also met a herd of cows, who made it clear I should moooooo-ve on!!!!

After gradually climbing for about 45 minutes, we finally got our well deserved payback – a long, straight descent! We stopped for a selfie at the top before enjoying a rapid descent with a stunning view of the mountains ahead of us.

As we were freewheeling along the flat at the bottom, we spotted what on first inspection looked to be a ghost town – it was only when we checked out a “Private Property” sign that we realised it was actually a local gun club. Just a couple of fields later we spotted a couple of white tailed deer, although they kept their distance from us. Continuing on, a new section of The Rockies revealed itself – somewhere over there must be the Pass we’re crossing tomorrow.

We got to enjoy one final descent before we joined the 287 for the final couple of miles into Augusta. Our motel is called the Wagons Rest & along with the rest of the town has retained its wild west heritage & some of its physical history too. We arrived slightly early & the owners weren’t in, so Matt (the previous owner) kindly checked us in, sorted us out with room keys & ensured we were comfortable.

After a relaxing dinner from the local grocery store (salad, crisps, chocolate & Dr Peppers in case you’re interested) I stood & watched a stunning sunset as the sun dipped its head behind The Rocky Mountains.

Stage Stats – 57 miles, 869 feet of climbing. Virtually pan-flat with no wind to speak of. Glorious sunshine all day.

Thursday 2nd June – Lincoln to August (Stage 27)

Today we’re back in the mountains again, but first we have to get there. We set off about 9.30am under blue, but cloudy skies & almost immediately we spotted a couple of herds of deer in the same field – there must have been 10 of them in total. The mountains were on our right hand side as we started a gradual climb of the non-categorised variety. As we reached a short downhill section we were overtaken by a huge truck carrying an oversized load – we’ve encountered a few of these on our adventure to date & like all the others, the driver made sure to give us plenty of room.

At the 19 mile point we took a right & re-joined the 200, which we’d been riding yesterday (until we turned off at Simms). Immediately we hit a short, sharp climb, which isn’t really what the legs need before a hors category ascent! What also became clear very quickly was there would be a number of false climbs where we’d keep giving back the ground we’d climbed……

We’d been crossing small creek valleys, which was why the road kept rising & falling – eventually we crossed the last of the rivers & the climb of Rogers Pass started for real. We also returned to National Forest land, this time it was Helena.

While the early slopes of the climb were quite friendly, it did get steeper the further up we went – sections were 8%, which on a fully loaded steel touring bike is slow going as I only do about 4mph in these bits. I recorded my thoughts at about the halfway point of the climb;

We stopped near the top to take a couple of photos to remind ourselves of the climb & the scenery we’d ridden through. I know from experience the mind soon forgets the detail of each of the days, especially when so many new experiences are happening day after day!

Rogers Pass forms part of The Continental Divide, so this became our 2nd crossing in a week (after Marias Pass last Friday).

This was another simple & straightforward descent – a very gentle slope, with no bends or turns to talk of. Sean simply had to tuck in behind me & enjoy the free ride! As we were climbing, it was overcast above us, but almost as soon as we summited we had sun & blue sky again.

As we descended further we started to cross creeks again & pass small lakes. We also stopped briefly at the Ranger Station to learn a little more about bears – we don’t plan to meet any at close range, but do want to know what to do in the unlikely event it happens! We also saw gates to a Sculpture In The Wild exhibition, which Sean investigated further when we reached our hotel. It looks an interesting candidate for a visit on our rest day tomorrow!

Stage Stats – 57 miles, 3.176 feet of climbing. A long drag up a non categorised climb before the Hors Categorie ascent of Rogers Pass.

East Glacier Village to Conrad

Jun 3, 2022Jun 3, 2022gavscyclingadventures

Where The Rockies Meet The Plains – Saturday 28th to Monday 30th May

Saturday 28th May – East Glacier Village to Cut Bank

With the benefit of hindsight, East Glacier Village isn’t somewhere I’d choose to visit again & I should probably explain why I feel that way. I’ll begin with the hotel we stayed in – when we checked-in it took 10 minutes for someone to come to Reception in spite of my vigorous (but polite) ringing of the bell. When someone did turn up, they had clearly just woken up & were in their boxer shorts & vest. I’m pleased to say he went & tidied himself up before checking us in. In the corridor to our room something (or possibly someone) small had left a recent “number 2” on the carpet – luckily we both saw it & avoided it! To give the Inn Keeper credit, he quickly cleared it up & apologised.

There was only one restaurant in town, a Mexican, so that made our choice for us. Unfortunately, Sean doesn’t like Mexican food, so he chose the burger – when it arrived it looked a bit cremated to me, but I kept quiet at the time. Later Sean confirmed it was fairly grim! Although salad was on the menu, they weren’t serving them that evening, although Sean’s burger & my fajitas came with tomatoes, lettuce & onions!

Anyway, enough of East Glacier Village – you live & learn, plus we only stayed one night. We had a few bowls of cereal, a yoghurt & some tinned fruit for breakfast before hitting the road by 9.40am. The first couple of miles climbed gradually as we continued easterly on US 2, with the Rockies laid out to our left & behind us. We also noticed that we had a keen tailwind for the first time on our adventure – this could be fun if it lasted!

The first obvious difference cycling on the eastern side of The Rockies is that the roads are very long & very straight!! The second obvious difference is the lack of protection from the howling wind – while we have a tailwind that isn’t a problem!

Having gradually climbed for the first 30 minutes or so, we found ourselves at the top of a very long, straight descent – after taking the photo, I let the bike start rolling down the hill & by the time we got to the bottom, the howling tailwind had got us up to 46mph as we heading into Browning. This is comfortably the fastest I’ve been on my touring bike, yet it felt really well balanced & safe.

Browning is the headquarters for the Blackfeet Indian Reservation & is the only incorporated town on the Reservation. As we passed the Heritage Centre, I stopped to spend some time reading about the history of the Blackfeet & also to take in the wonderful exhibit which set out The Myth Of Creation. It’s a small town with about 880 inhabitants & it was clear that a number of businesses have struggled over the last couple of years – sadly this cool espresso teepee was one of those that had closed.

Crossing town our tailwind turned to a brutal, gusting sidewind that slowed us down temporarily, until 2 feral dogs started chasing us! We’d been warned about dog behaviour in Browning by several different people at varying points over the last few weeks, so we realised we had to pedal & get away from them as quickly as possible.

Leaving Browning behind, the road turned slightly to the left & our friendly tailwind returned as we flew along the pan-flat, almost deserted road at upwards of 20mph – it wasn’t quite a full-blown tailwind but was very enjoyable!! I stopped occasionally to take a look behind at the snowy peaks as they slowly receded, although I feel I may continue to see them for a little while yet.

We stopped briefly at a Historical Point of Interest – these are indicated by brown signs & we’ve learned to look out for them, as they add a flavour of what life was like 125 to 200 years ago. Today we found out about Captain Meriwether Lewis & his experiences that led to the naming of Camp Disappointment. This was also the moment when the road altered direction enough to give us a full-on tailwind! We also had our first experience of the huge grain elevation silos that border the railroad tracks in this part of Montana.

For the first time on our adventure the temperatures were high enough to see heat haze in the distance. Passing a field of cows on the right, the road rose gently for the first time in about 15 miles – the legs were slightly surprised when they were asked to put in some proper effort, so I stopped at the summit for one final look behind me. The cotton wool clouds overhead reminded me why Montana is known as The Big Sky State, as even the most normal view seemed so much bigger.

Once the road flattened out again, we were cruising along at almost 25 mph – the photo shows how happy we were & how easy the riding was! As we passed an irrigation channel by the side of the road, there were hundreds of birds swooping & diving on the insects in a feeding frenzy.

In just 2 hours 30 minutes we were on the outskirts of town, having covered 46 miles, at an average of over 18 mph – I’ve never achieved this on my carbon bike, so just shows the power of the tailwind! There was a stunning Blackfeet Nation Sculpture which welcomed us to Cut Bank, before we climbed a final, small incline to join up with the railroad once again.

We had a relaxing afternoon, before heading out for a beer to celebrate another cracking day in the saddle. On the way back to the hotel I got to see both the sublime & the ridiculous within the space of 5 minutes – a glorious sunset & a 27 foot penguin which is a permanent reminder of when the temperature plummeted to 64 degrees F below freezing on 1st February 1989. The coldest spot in the nation is actually Prospect Creek Camp in Alaska, where temperatures plummeted to 79.8 degrees F below freezing.

Stage Stats – 48 miles, 958 feet of climbing. Virtually pan-flat with a roaring tailwind for most of the ride.

Sunday 29th May – Cut Bank to Conrad

After a breakfast of cereal & toast, we were on the road for 9.30am. After yesterday’s turbo assisted ride we were expecting to have to work a bit harder today. We set off under overcast skies, with squalls of rain already falling around us (but not on us). The day started with a short climb up to the turning for the Valier Highway, where we turned left. Reaching the plateau we were surprised to meet a herd of alpacas. The alpha macho came over to check us out while the remainder of the herd looked on from a distance.

We were on straight, undulating roads again today & the breeze was behind us for the first section of today’s ride. We could still make out the snow-caps on The Rockies away to our right as they stretched north into Canada & south towards Wyoming.

Off to our left a wind turbine farm was in the middle of a localised downpour, while we continued riding in the dry. The landscape was also gradually changing as the light browns were showing the first signs of green shoots. suggesting there must be a source of water nearby.

Turning to our right there were showers falling on the present & the future of America’s energy needs – a nodding donkey drawing up oil from below, while another wind farm harvested nature’s raw power. It was clear the showers were very localised, as the mountains remained in view throughout the ride.

We stopped at a monument to the Two Medicine Fight Site, where the only violent encounter of the Lewis, Clark & Discovery Corps expedition took place in July 1806. There were differing accounts of what took place & why, however, what isn’t in doubt is that this was the first military conflict between US forces & a plains tribe. The site itself is on Blackfeet Nation land & requires permission to visit it. Crossing the Two Medicine river very little has changed in the intervening 200 years.

Just after crossing the river, we took a left hand turn & experienced the strength of the wind at first hand – unfortunately on our faces, not our tails! We also got our first look at the local “pepperpots” which store grain on individual farms before it gets collected & transferred to the larger co-operative facilities in local towns. After 13 miles of character building riding into a headwind we finally reached our coffee stop in Valier. Being a Sunday, we had to settle for a gas station coffee & Snickers, while we were finishing up, a professional rodeo team passed through.

For the next 8 miles we again fought our way through a headwind – the toughest part is having your entire challenge laid out in front of you! At points we could see 3 or 4 miles into the distance & what the terrain was like. On the descents Sean would tuck in behind me & could just about match me for speed as the laws of gravity took hold. Finally after one last, long climb the ordeal was over & we took a right turn to pick up a tailwind again!

We recognised our good fortune, as we’d avoided the rain all day. All that remained was to enjoy the tailwind for the last 5 miles as it blew us into Conrad, our base for the next 2 nights.

Stage Stats – 53 miles, 1,909 feet of climbing. Undulating terrain with the pain of a headwind & the joy of a tailwind at various points.

Monday 30th May – Rest Day

Monday 30th May is Memorial Day in the USA & most of Conrad was closed to enjoy the Bank Holiday. We took the opportunity to take a stroll along Main Street & then return via Front Street which bordered the railroad. Walking along Main Street, the first thing we noticed was that almost every building had a Stars & Stripes flag flying. As we reached 4th Street I spotted an old map of Conrad that had been drawn on chipboard in 1986 & mounted on the wall. The town has spent a significant amount of effort retaining the 1950’s vibe & it was a look that worked.

We turned onto Front Street just as a freight town was passing through town – I just had time to get myself in position & then take a few photos as it continued on its way – it took about 5 minutes until the rear engine (4106) passed . I also managed to shoot a small piece of video & was very surprised by how much the carriages actually sway as they are pulled / pushed by the engines at the front & rear of the train.

On the opposite side of the tracks was Columbia Grain Central & Mountain View Co-Op, where grain from all the surrounding farms is delivered & from there it’s transported out by railroad. These are huge warehouses & it certainly got me wondering what it must be like around town when harvest season is in full swing.

As we neared our motel there was an old John Deere tractor on display behind the dealership -it was too good an opportunity for me to miss, so I jumped onboard in a flash! There were also a few harvesting machines there too & the front wheels were as tall as me. These really are monster bits of kit!

The dealership itself had a vast array of different farm machinery, I dread to think how much all the items on the forecourt would cost! Hopefully we’ll all be able to spot a John Deere machine from 100 yards from its distinctive colour scheme!

We always try to find something a little different to do on our rest days. There’s quite a bit of admin to do as well, but reading about how I plan a route, book a hotel & write my journal / blog isn’t going to be very interesting!!!

Glacier National Park to East Glacier Village

May 31, 2022Jun 1, 2022gavscyclingadventures

Thursday 26th & Friday 27th May

Thursday 26th May (pm) – Glacier National Park (Stage 21 – continued)

As we entered Glacier National Park (GNP) via the West Entrance, we stopped & took a quick snap as a permanent reminder of our visit. Crossing the Middle Fork Flathead River, we spotted one of the many rafting boats that are advertised – it had just dropped off its passengers & the guide was on his way back to base camp further down the river. Before our adventure in GNP had begun in earnest, we saw at close quarters our first near death moment, as an adult deer bolted across the road in front of two SUV’s that were travelling in opposite directions. A frightening moment for all concerned.

We arrived at the Ranger Station & each bought an America The Beautiful annual pass which gives us access to all the National Parks we plan to visit on our adventure. The Ranger who served us was a genuinely enthusiastic advocate of GNP & answered all my questions about how far up the Going To The Sun Road (GTTSR) motorists & cyclists could travel at the moment & when the Pass may be open. The answers to both questions appear later!

We took the right fork at Apgar which followed the GTTSR, taking us along the edge of Lake McDonald – we’d been told the scenery & vistas were something to behold, but I was still completely taken aback as we got our first views of the snow-capped mountains. The blue skies with fluffy cloud cover & mirror-like lake added to the spectacle.

At the next viewpoint I had the opportunity to capture the breath-taking view looking up the lake towards Heavens Peak & Bishops Cap. Apologies for the ugly mugs that rather ruin the 2nd & 3rd photos!

The views changed at each of the viewpoints I stopped at – although these next photos were taken less than a mile from those above, the panoramas are quite different. Lake McDonald was created when a slow moving river of ice 2,000 feet thick moved down the valley. It scoured the rock & transported rubble at its edges. When the glacier receded about 10,000 years ago, it left behind rubble & rock that dammed the McDonald Creek – this is the end result, at 472 feet, it’s the deepest lake in GNP.

As we continued along the shoreline, there were lookouts where it was possible to get down to small pebble beaches. This low down, the lake almost acted as a mirror, reflecting the glorious views above it.

There was one beach that provided end to end views of Lake McDonald, as well as the surrounding mountains & burnt forest on the opposite bank. There are wild forest fires on a regular basis & they are left to run their course naturally – the most recent event in 2018 was caused by lightning, burned 14,522 acres of forest & destroyed 13 residences. This is all part of nature’s way of ensuring the ecology of GNP continues to flourish.

We passed one final lookout spot on the way to our motel at Motel McDonald Lake (not to be confused with Lake McDonald Lodge, which was right next door!). This gave a panoramic view down the 10 mile length of the lake. I learned that fish found in the lake are both native (such as the westslope cutthroat & bull trout, as well as the mountain whitefish) & non-native species added between 1912 & 1970 (lake trout, lake whitefish & kokanee).

As we reached our hotel, we checked in & dropped off our panniers – the day’s adventure was nowhere near an end! We had plans to explore as much of the GTTSR as possible on our lightened steeds! From here we would be exploring the McDonald Creek valley rather than the lake. Our first stop was a narrow part of the river at John’s Lake Loop, with views up to the small, but fast flowing waterfall.

Heading up the valley, it broadened out briefly, giving hints of the climb to come & after less than 4 miles of riding we arrived at Avalanche Creek – at this point GTTSR is still closed to motorised traffic, so the road was now exclusively the playground of cyclists & hikers!! Within minutes we spotted a deer going about its business just yards from the road.

As we started climbing, snowbanks soon came into view as the road followed the twisting route of the river valley – some of the banks were slightly larger than others. I checked the snow cave for signs of wildlife before offering them a mouthful (or 2) of my prime rump!!

As we continued climbing we spotted some ramblers gazing intently into the forest. This could only mean one thing – a bear sighting!! It was a black bear cub, possibly a year old. There was no sign of mother bear (& we were looking hard for her, in case we needed to move on), hence my assumption of its age. Without a doubt this is the highlight of the trip so far!

We could just make out the path of the road above. It looked like the lower shelf was clear but the snow crews hadn’t yet made it to the higher shelf, as that looked to be covered in snow. The good news was we still had more road to explore!

Just round the corner the river & road took separate paths. We now started climbing in earnest, but the great thing with GTTSR is that the gradient never exceeds 6% – the original design by George Goodwin in 1918 recommended a steep, 15 hairpin climb up Logan Creek. However, a later adjustment by Tom Vint resulted in a shallower gradient & only required one switchback – thanks Tom!!

As we reached that single switchback, huge views of the climb up to Logan Pass came into view. Our friendly Ranger who sold us our tickets had told us the road would be closed to motorised traffic from Avalanche Creek & that there were avalanche warnings in place just after Lookout Point – we had to stop climbing at this point. We’d had 8 miles of riding on empty roads, so truly appreciated our good fortune.

We turned around & pulled in at Lookout Point to drink in the huge vistas & marvel at Heavens Peak, towering above us at 8,987 feet above sea level. As we did, a cheeky chipmonk photobombed my picture!!

We’d ridden through a tunnel on the way up & it had a couple of windows out across the valley – I’d noticed that water was cascading past the window so stopped for a quick photo – it’s not my greatest ever photo, but it captures the moment.

The descent was a joy, as the shallow gradient, wide corners & traffic free tarmac meant that the brakes weren’t required. Having said that, I chose to stop a couple of times to capture the stunning scenery.

We cycled side by side from McDonald Creek to Avalanche Creek & chatted about our amazing cycling adventure in GNP. We’d also deliberately ridden past a couple of lookout spots on the climb, so we stopped at these on the way down.

At Avalanche Creek the road re-opened to motor vehicles, so we followed a couple of GNP Tour cars down the valley, stopping at Sacred Dancing Cascade on the way.

Sean must have the patience of a Saint – I hadn’t realised quite how many photos I’d taken (or how many times I must have stopped) during the afternoon. It would have been easy to get a bit fed up of the countless stops, but he simply let me get on with it – thanks mate, I really do appreciate you giving me the time to capture the moment!!

Once we arrived back at our motel, we had a quick shower & change before heading across to the posher Lake McDonald Lodge to reflect on what has been a monumental day in the saddle – we’re clearly making an impression, as one of the deer popped over to check on the out of towners!

After dinner we went for a stroll around the grounds of Lake McDonald Lodge & took in the last of the daylight, as the sun set behind the towering peaks.

Stage Stats – 27 miles in Glacier National Park, 1,425 feet of climbing. More stunning scenery, jaw-dropping vistas & wildlife than I could count!

Friday 27th May – Glacier National Park to East Glacier Village (Stage 22)

We woke up to slate grey, moody skies – a complete contrast that made us appreciate how fortunate we had been yesterday to see GNP in its fully glory. It was almost as if the curtains had been pulled across the big, snowy peaks today as we made our way back along the lakeside.

I chose to stop at some of the same lookouts, as well as a couple of different ones, just to get some comparisons with yesterday – later in the day I found out that on average, there are 5 days in May where the sun puts its hat on. That really brought home how lucky we were on Thursday.

Even though the mountains were mainly hidden, every now & again one of the peaks would peek out from behind its cotton wool curtain – the lake again played its part by acting as a mirror & inverting the view.

As we reached Apgar we took the campground loop road & then our own cycle path – although it had rained overnight, at this point we were still avoiding the rain! Leaving GNP, we stopped in West Glacier Village for breakfast, as we weren’t quite sure what (if any) our options would be on today’s route & we were still over 50 miles from East Glacier Village.

Heading East, we joined the US 2 & immediately started climbing, nothing severe, but enough to wake the legs up! We reached the summit of the climb just as a huge freight train was heading in the opposite direction – this one was double stacked with containers. The road continued to rise & fall gently, as we occasionally caught views of the Middle Fork Flathead river below.

As we continued through the thick pines of the Flathead National Forest, we finally reached the end of the climbing for a while & descended to the valley floor, where we passed Walton Mountain, its summit wrapped in low-lying cloud. We were also visited by our old friends the inquisitive deer!!! It was about here that we got rained on for the first of several times today – never too heavy, or for too long, but enough to get us damp!

The railroad, river & road converged at a pinch-point in the valley & I was just quick enough to capture it on video. Regardless of the quality of my camerawork & presenting (or otherwise!) I’ve found video to be a great way to be reminded of where we were & how I felt at that time – Tony, thanks for the suggestion.

We crossed over the railroad, as it continued along the left hand side of the valley. We took a different route that saw us climbing the side of the valley & offering up views of the river & railroad below.

As we reached Essex we saw a sign to the Historic Izaak Walton Inn, so decided to take a detour as it also advertised being open all year – after 39 miles we were ready for coffee!

The Great Northern Railway (GNR) built a multi-track yard at Essex to allow “helper engines” to assist heavy Eastbound freight trains overcome the steep gradients of the Marias Pass as they crossed The Continental Divide. In 1939, the GNR authorised the building of the Izaak Walton Inn to accommodate the engine workers & it continues to be a working Inn to this day. There’s also a museum of historic engines & carriages, plus a photo of what looks to be a young Ronald Reagan.

While we were relaxing inside, the heavens opened outside! Luckily by the time we remounted the steel steeds, we only had to deal with light rain & the short, sharp climb as soon as we joined the US 2 soon warmed us up! In no time we had big views over the river & railroad below, but then almost immediately gave all those hard fought for feet back! At Nimrod we left the Flathead river behind us & started following the course of the babbling Bear Creek.

As we passed the Silver Staircase waterfall, it felt like this was where the climb to Marias Pass really began, even though we’d been gently climbing for the last 10 miles. The final 5 miles had a constant 4% gradient & this was made to feel a bit easier by the tailwind we’d picked up. Rounding the final corner, we were treated to the honk of a horn from a passing BNSF freight train.

As we crested the Marias Pass, we crossed The Continental Divide for the first time – we hope to be criss-crossing it again later in the trip! Up until now, every river we’d followed had been depositing its water in the Pacific Ocean. Until we cross the Continental Divide again, water will either be making its way to the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean!

The Marias Pass is the lowest crossing point of the Continental Divide in Montana. Slippery Bill Morrison had claimed squatters rights to 160 acres of land atop the Marias Pass, however he donated a portion of his land to enable the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial to be built in 1932 to recognise him making forest conservation a national policy. The monument is a tapering, 60 foot tall obelisk & is made of solid granite.

The 10 mile descent into East Glacier Village took us past a couple of small lakes as we followed Summit Creek into town.

We’d been expecting something along the lines of West Glacier, so East Glacier came as a surprise as it’s an unincorporated town on Blackfeet Nation land. There appeared to be one hotel that was open (the one we were staying in) & there was one restaurant in town (a Mexican) – it certainly made some of our choices easy!! We’d had two incredible days of adventures in Glacier National Park & beyond, so it was time to toast our good fortune once again.

Stage Stats – 68 miles, 3,556 feet of climbing. Lots of small drags early in the ride, culminating in a hors category climb of Marias Pass & our first crossing of the Continental Divide.

Rexford Campground to Glacier National Park

May 29, 2022May 30, 2022gavscyclingadventures

Big Sky Country – Tuesday 24th to Thursday 26th May

Tuesday 24th May – Rexford Campground to Whitefish (Stage 20)

I set the alarm for 7am, as this was the first time we’d had to take our tent down & pack it all away. We were both dreading getting all the air out of our inflatable mattresses, as this had been a battle when we’d practiced in the UK! To cut a long story short, we had everything packed & loaded up by 8.30, which was in line with our expectations.

The previous evening, Misty had offered to open up The Frontier Bar for coffee & true to her word, she was waiting for us. After saying our goodbyes we headed for Eureka, which was only 8 miles down the road. It’s a great example of small town USA, where everything is organised in a grid & most of the retail & independent cafes & restaurants are near to the centre of town.

We stopped in Cafe Jax (thanks for the suggestion Tina) for breakfast. The food was spot on & we were made to feel really welcome. In the end it was a struggle to get moving again as we were so comfortable!

Leaving town we passed the Eureka Museum which celebrated its history as a logging town, where the logs were floated down the Tobacco river before being loaded aboard the railroad.

We would be on almost deserted backroads for the next 15 miles or so, as we made our way up & down short, steep hills under cover of the pine forest overhead. Every now & then we were provided with brief glimpses of the snowy-white mountains in the distance & the distinctive U valleys between the peaks.

We’d started under blue skies, but after breakfast the temperature dropped & the clouds moved in, threatening rain. However, something like a grey sky wasn’t going to affect our enjoyment of being at one with nature – we spotted eagles gliding on the thermals, we were surrounded by stunning scenery & the deer seemed to be as interested in us as we were in them! Deer in these parts seem to take a Mexican Standoff position – if we keep our distance, they’re prepared to stand their ground too.

As we reached a plateau, we passed a number of smallish lakes, each with an exotic name – my favourite was Thirsty Lake & needless to say, it was running a little low!

We descended into Fortine & re-joined US 93 for the remainder of the ride. Whilst quiet by UK standards, we’ve become accustomed to small back roads, so the first few miles always take a little bit of time to adjust. The main two lane road was fairly flat for the next 15 miles or so, as we rode alongside Murphy & Dickey Lakes, passing the small town of Stryker.

As we rolled past Stillwater Lake, we spotted a bar that had a florescent ‘OPEN’ sign flashing, so we decided to explore further. It was an idyllic location with someone fishing in the weir at the end of the lake. We had a cup of instant coffee & a bar of chocolate & took in the view.

The remainder of the ride into Whitefish was aided by a gentle tailwind which helped no end! As the road looked like it stretched to the end of the universe, it was very much appreciated. Passing the last of the picturesque lakes, we switched to ranch country, with numerous little plots of land with corrals of horses. Ironically, many of the lakes, creeks, sideroads & properties included eagle in the title, yet this was one of the few places we didn’t see any of them.

Riding towards Whitefish we enjoyed one last descent into town, before crossing the main commercial district & eventually finding the Stumptown Inn – recently changed to Apres, although that useful gem of information wasn’t included on Booking.com! We spent a few hours sorting out our laundry & getting breakfast items for tomorrow morning, then it was time to head to The Great Northern Inn to toast another great day in the saddle – we had a few cheeky IPAs, as tomorrow is another rest day! This was another recommendation from Tina & it didn’t disappoint!

Stage Stats – 63 miles, 2,835 feet of climbing. Rolling day with lots of short but steep kickers that gradually drained the legs.

Wednesday 25th May – Whitefish (Rest Day)

We were both up bright & early for breakfast of cereal, fruit, coffee & juice. As it was raining, we decided to delay our trip into town for a bit, so we didn’t get going until about 11am. First task was to drop off both bikes at Runner Up Sports, so they could be serviced – after over 1,000 miles (most of it in the mountains), the gears & brakes needed to be adjusted & it was time for all the mechanical parts to be checked over. While our friendly mechanic went about tuning the bikes, I headed off to Glacier Cyclery to buy a pair of armwarmers (I lost one of mine somewhere along Koocanusa Lake!) & a pair of waterproof gloves.

We then went for a bit of a mooch around town, heading to the lake & beach first of all. The skies were still very moody & the clouds were very much threatening rain, so we took a few photos for posterity. This would be a great place to relax & watch the world go by in the summer!

We just beat the heavy rain as we walked back into town & found Fleur Bake, where we stopped for coffee & cake – a rare treat on the adventure so far!

We picked up our bikes as we headed home – a really efficient & friendly service. As we continued back to the motel we passed a small art gallery that has a couple of exhibits on display outside.

As we’d eaten out the last few nights we both agreed that it would be a nice change to have something fresh, so we went shopping – the excitement of a long distance cyclist!! We’re heading to Glacier National Park tomorrow, so depending on weather we have everything from a 45 to 70 mile route planned – I think we’re both secretly hoping for the long ride!!!

Thursday 26th May – Whitefish to West Glacier Village (Stage 21)

In a break with tradition, I’m splitting today’s ride into two separate parts – this section will cover from Whitefish to the gates of Glacier National Park. The National Park deserves a post of its own.

We left Whitefish at about 9.45am under sunny skies (the day was forecast for rain) & a gentle breeze. We immediately picked up a small two-lane that followed the railroad closely enough that we would here Casey Jones tooting his whistle every now & then. The early miles took us past large working farms on long straight roads – it seemed like every corner was a 90 degree left or right hander.

At Meadow Lake we saw how the other half lived as there was a beautiful golf course set in the grounds of a private resort & spa. I poked my phone through the fence to take a photo! We swooped down a fast, but ruler straight descent into Columbia Falls. Here we got our first glimpses of the big mountains in the far background.

Joining the 486, we climbed up into the Flathead National Forest, where eagles were once more in abundance, gliding on the thermals above us. We then immediately gave the feet back on a long, swooping descent, at the bottom of which we turned onto a small back lane. Hidden amongst the pine trees were summer cabin rentals with PRIVATE PROPERTY – DO NOT TRESPASS posted along the boundaries. Suddenly we emerged from the forest & stumbled across the Blankenship Bridge – a historic single track road across the Middle Fork Flathead River.

After about a mile the tarmac ended & was replaced by compacted gravel. This really did put this morning’s ride into the adventure category – deserted backroads, gravel & huge vistas! The gravel carried on for about 2 miles before we re-joined tarmac & passed the exclusive Lake Five Resort – I quickly cycled in, took a photo & left!

Just after rejoining the US 2, we spotted an old Great Northern railway carriage advertising coffee, so we had to investigate further. The Great Northern Resort offers accommodation, white water rafting & hiking as well as selling coffee to people like us! We were surprised & pleased to find that there was a cycle path (the old US 2) that took us the final couple of miles to the Glacier National Park gateway. This is where today’s adventure would really begin!!

Stage Stats (Part One)– 30 miles, 1,500 feet of climbing. Rolling day with a couple of 5 minute climbs.

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