Day 13 - Helena to Three Forks, MT

 HARD RIDE TODAY. HOT & DUSTY, 100 DEGREES

The day started out well with a leisurely ride through downtown Helena, Sunday morning. Visited the state capital, the City community ctr (formally a Shriners Lodge) and Carrol College. Nice city, awesome views!

Started biking for Three Forks around 9:30 with the customary grouping, Hank, Gordie & Karen in the fast wave.

The \ride was along route 12, a busy 2 lane highway, this time with slightly better shoulders. However, construction, dust and traffic worked against us.  After awhile we noticed much smoke in our rear view mirror, a forest fire in the distance?  I hope this is not the beginning of a long fire season. 

We stopped for lunch in Winston and had the biggest side of fries I have ever seen. The fries won, I could not finish!  Paul & Geoff however plowed through to be members of the clean plate club!

After lunch we left the highway for what turned out to be an epic 20 mile diversion on a dirt road. Hot & dusty but beautiful views. Many free range cattle walking with us as we struggled up the hills. The free range cattle walking alongside us were not impressed with our efforts.  

Our path crossed the railroad tracks. After careful listening and analysis, it was safe to cross.

As water was running low we came upon the home of a Mennonite family and they filled us up.  Very nice people, cute kids.

The pic above is one of many abandoned farm houses/ranches we have seen over the past week. It is a bit sad to think of the dreams, blood, sweat. and tears that went into these places only to be abandoned. What might the story be for each of them?

Gravel riding was hard with way too much up & down, and HOT,  The pics don’t do justice to the views and certainly not the grade, max slope 11%.

The day’s path generally followed one of the branches of the Missouri, more history boards about Lewis & Clark. 

The day ended, as it began, on Rt 12. Pulled into Three Forks around 5:15.

By the numbers:
Dist 75.1 miles
Elev Gain 2,957 ft
Elev Loss 2,704 ft
Moving time 6:44