Day 15 Bozeman to Big Timber, MT

BEAUTIFUL MORNING - DIRT ROAD AFTERNOON

Good ride today. We left a little late as I managed to lose the only key to the locked garage with my bike inside it, but eventually found the key after a 30 min panic session. 

After sad goodbyes to my sister and brother-in-law we rode 4 blocks to the coffee shop to carb up. Finally off around 9.

The route was up Bridger Canyon to Jackson Creek Rd, stunningly beautiful. Long easy uphill, great run down! No brakes or pedaling required for about 10 miles!

Eventually we ended up on the I-90 frontage road and in Livingston. While waiting for the traffic light Hank (from earlier posts) and his friend Sam pulled up in Sam’s car, they were going for a hike. We all had lunch together.

Sam lives in Bozeman, he advised us to ride I-90 frontage road and I-90 where there is no frontage road. Adventure Cycle recommended same. Ridewithgps recommended Convict Grade Road, gravel. We took Convict Grade Rd.  Beautiful views but gnarly gravel. We had to walk about a mile, but it was worth it to be off I-90. 

Crossed the Yellowstone River and rolled around in it. Now in Big Timber. Met a nice guy, Vince, a steel worker from Ohio, fishing. 

We had a post ride beer with the proprietor of a local gift store, Nancy, her friend Joan, and Nancy’s daughter Kate. Joan is a photographer and had some great photos in the store. Nancy is a totally irreverent retired thoracic  surgeon. She retired a few years ago, left Princeton NJ, bought a ranch near here and setup shop. “I had to get away from manicured lawns”.

Jeff Brown is now riding with me. Great to have his company!

Convict Grade Rd

Yellowstone River

Convict Grade Rd

View from Convict Grade Rd

Temps in the 80’s, wonderful tailwind all afternoon. Not much wind in the morning.

By the numbers:
Dist 69.1 miles
Elev Gain 2,922 ft
Elev Loss 3,536 ft
Moving time 5:37

Day 14 Three Forks - Bozeman, MT

Monday June 14, 2021

SHORT RIDE - HOT

Hot once again, near 100 degrees.  I noticed today the humidity, increasing. 

Easy ride from Three Forks to Bozeman. We left Three Forks on a nice bike trail for a few miles before jumping to the I-90 frontage road. The Frontage road got quite busy as we approached Bozeman and thus we moved onto residential streets, in new developments, and wound our way to downtown Bozeman. 

I find that my body seems to adjust to the ride - to be almost as tired after a short ride like today as after a hard ride like yesterday. Perhaps it is just cumulative fatigue.

The Three Amigos. Who would have thought, 45 years ago, when were just freshman in college, that we would be doing this! The bonds of friendship run deep - I just wish all of the ‘76 Frosh crew could be with us. (L to R: Gordie Gardiner, me, Paul Templeton)

The trip ends here for all of my traveling companions, unfortunately (Gordie, Karen, Geoff, Hank & Paul).  It has been great to have them along, strong moral support!  So closes Phase 1 of the trip.  I hope that this phase has been the most rigorous for biking, certainly the percentage of elevation gain is ahead of the percent of miles traveled.  Now I expect the key will be weather. Will the winds be from the east or west?  How many thunderstorms will cross my path? Will this abnormal heat wave continue?

Fortunately for me Jeff Brown, also ‘76 Frosh crew, will be joining me from here to the east end of Montana.  Jeff is a long time friend from college and from Seattle.  Our kids grew up together, Alee and Lucy Brown are best of friends.

Now for a couple of lay days, leaving Bozeman for points east on Thursday.  Bike store tomorrow.

Some pics of our approach to Bozeman. 

Paul & I hung out this afternoon on Main Street in Bozeman, drinking ice coffee and watching the world go by.  (I am retired after all.)  We then went our separate ways, until the celebratory and farewell dinner tonight.

Signing off until Thursday.  Stay well!

By the numbers:                                                       
Dist today - 35.4 miles        Total miles 878                    % Miles.      23%
Elev gain today - 941 ft        Total Elev Gain 30,098 ft    % Elev Gain. 29%
Elev Loss today -  187 ft        Total Elev Loss 24,401 ft
Moving time today - 2:52       Total moving Time 72:59 (H:M)

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

Day 12 Lincoln to Helena, MT

ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE!!

Great ride today! After much deliberation we decided to go over the divide by way of Flescher Pass, a bit longer but paved vs. Stemple Pass, dirt. Good call! Traffic was very light, views awesome, the climb not as bad as others we have done, and a great downhill run on the east side.  Big tailwind helped when terrain flattened out.

Part of my riding gear includes an American Flag. Riding with it is a bit like having a guardian angel with me. First, it is very visible so that helps with cars & trucks. Second, ALL people I have met on the road have been friendly and helpful. I am not sure if that is in part due to the highly visible flag - we are all Americans - but I am sure it helps.

As we left Lincoln we stopped at an outdoor sculpture park - some unique items. Paul’s new home.

A teepee burner - adapted design from old sawmills where it was used to burn sawdust.

On the route to Flesher Pass

Now at Oddfellows Farm & Inn outside of Helena. Great place! Farm fresh food and comfortable rooms. I am a bit tired of foil wrapped burritos, burgers and fries.

By the numbers:
Dist - 42.6 miles
Elev Gain - 1,916 ft
Elev Loss - 2,138
Moving Time 3:25

Day 11 Missoula to Lincoln, MT

DEEP INTO THE ROCKIES

Today our group expanded to six: Gordie Gardiner & Karen Sommer have joined Geoff Jones, Hank Koerner, Paul Templeton and me. Great to have the new members! We ride generally in two packs with Gordie, Hank & Karen in the fast wave.  We will all ride to Bozeman if all goes well.

Woke up to a clear and cold Missoula morning, 40 degrees at 7:30 start. Fresh snow on the hills at 5,000 +/-.

Nice ride out of Missoula on bike trails eventually picking up Route 200. Ride was beautiful following mostly the Blackfoot River.  RT 200 was a bit too busy for my liking, and traffic going Montana fast, otherwise good riding.

Blackfoot Railroad - the sign says that for 28 years the railroad harvested 40 million board feet of lumber per year to sustain the Anaconda Copper Mining Company sawmill and smelting operations.  How many trees do you suppose that is?

Great lunch, followed by second breakfast (we were hungry) at the Stray Bullet Cafe in Ovando at about mile 50. Poor Joe, age 3, he really wanted to drive the ATVs out front but no keys. Grandma had to lure him away, wasn’t easy!

 Now in Lincoln, MT.

By the numbers:

Dist 79.2 miles
Elev gain 3,099 ft
Elev Loss 1.619
Moving time 6:14

Lay Day

 June 10

Great day for a scheduled lay day. Pouring rain in Missoula. We saw this last night while wandering around town - surfing on the Clarks Fork River!  Great town!

Day 10 - Powell to Missoula, MT

 June 9 - EASY RIDE INTO MISSOULA

Camped out last night, not good but memorable.

1 - From bad decisions comes experience. . 

2 - From experience comes good decisions.  

I am at about level 1.2.

 

I have an ultralight bivy sack, on the right.  Though I had tried it in my living room, that is not quite the same as squirming into it in a campground.  Sleeping in it is quite a difference experience.  I felt like a fat juicy, worm trying to cram into a small tube. Then, of course, getting out of it and back in it the middle of the night to pee the rain – not great.  Did I say the bivy sack was wetter inside than out by the morning.  Bye-bye bivy sack, hello small tent. 

Woke up in light rain and got underway around 7.  Rain soon stopped and we had a very pleasant, gently downhill ride to Lolo.  Very little traffic.  Seeing the water flowing with us again was a delight. Lots of farming in the valley, beef and crops.  Saw deer and elk along the route.

Outside of Lolo we picked up a bike trail and stayed on it to Missoula.  We met up with Jeny & Jay in Lolo.  Jay is in the e-trike, quite a pair.  They are retired King County transit drivers.  Jay rode cross-country in 2003 but injuries, etc he is now in his whirligig trike. One of Jeny’s bucket list items, ride the longest bike trail in every state.  They are travelling the US in a RV to accomplish her goal.  They ride 20 miles a day when they are at whatever trail they are near, with the range limited by battery length.

 

From Lolo to Missoula on bike trail and sidewalk to the hotel.  Arrived about 1:00.  Now drying out at Holiday Inn.  Lay day tomorrow then a 4-day ride over the continental divide to Bozeman.

 

By the numbers:
Dist 37.0 mile                         Total Dist - 635 miles
Elev Gain 321 ft                     Total Elev Gain – 20,772 ft
Elev Loss  1,272                     Total Elev Loss – 16, 901 ft
Moving Time  2:44                 Total moving time – 53 hrs +/-

Day 9 - Lowell, ID to Powell, MT.

Tuesday, June 8 - OVER THE BITTERROOTS

A beautiful day with lots of climbing.  We followed the Lochsa River Almost all the way to Lolo Pass.  The river got narrower and the valley steeper as we moved up valley. 

Note: the GPS/GIS survey mark in the foreground.

Sadly we saw many dead trees along the river, evidence of the pine bark beetle?  

Reached Lochsa Lodge at 2:45.  Paul and I decided to make a break for it and get over Lolo Pass today as rain is predicted for tomorrow.  This will allow us to get into Missoula early.  So over went.  A 2-hour grunt and another 1,600 feet, (Max elev 5,200 +/-) and we were into Montana.  Saw Mike, from yesterday's post, as we were pulling out.

Camped out at Lolo Hot Springs campground. Didn't go into the hot springs though. They appeared to be a bit dingy Romanesque type bath, and we did not have a togas with us.

By the numbers:
Dist - 86.2 miles
Elev Gain – 4,101 ft – Across Lolo Pass into Montana
Elev Loss – 1,467 ft
Moving time - 7:45

Day 8 - Orofino ID to Lowell, ID

Monday June 7

A much better ride today than yesterday, even though a bit longer.  A gentle climb all day with some ups and downs.  The Clearwater River valley morphed through the day from forest, back to drier high desert, and back to forest.  As we moved upstream more and more rapids came into view. Class 2? Bird life was abundant, kingfisher, merganser, osprey and eagle. 

Traffic thinned out considerably upstream of Kamiah.  Except for one insolent truck driver all was good.  We met a couple of other cross-country bikers, one of whom (Mike) is generally following my route so maybe we will link up again.  Mike, started in Portland, OR.

 

Lot’s of historical markers regarding Lewis & Clark.

 

Pictures below as we moved upstream.

Our destination Three River Resort (cabins and campsites) where the Selway and Lochsa Rivers join to form the Clearwater River.  We struck up a conversation with Idaho Fish & Game personnel at the entrance.  They were removing a broken fish counting trap.  We talked for a bit and the conversation moved to sockey salmon, which tend to wander and not necessarily return to the river of birth.  Some of you may remember the alarm regarding “Lonesome Larry” – the only sockey to return to Redfish Lake (in the Sawtooth Mtns) several years back.  Larry was whisked away to a secret location (under armed guard?) and females brought in from downstream.  Upshot – the sockeye are now again returning to Redfish Lake.  

All-in-all a perhaps our best day yet.  The temp was ideal, the ride not too difficult, traffic getting less and beautiful scenery. Movie clip below.

Clearwater River - video link

Three Rivers Resort - our cabin on the right.

 

Thank you to all those that have contributed to the fund raising for the Granite Falls food bank!  I received an update today that the $6,000 goal has been achieved, so long as I finish the trip.  I’ll keep pedaling, hopefully the donations will keep coming in.  Let’s blow past the goal, and hit it out of the park.

Food Bank Pledge link

https://pledgeit.org/ride4granite

 

By the numbers:
Dist - 54.8 miles
Elev Gain - 1,238 ft
Elev Loss - 656 feet
Moving Time  6:20