Day 21

Starting out from Butte, riding past the huge mine, we crossed the divide again, at 7300′ and very cold windy!

Came down the other side and I met up with the support van for Cycle Dreams that is supporting 20 riders from UK, US, NZ, and AUS. Very nice folks and they gave me a snack and a banana!

They were continuing to Wise River, I realized I was pretty far ahead of Dave and Chris for the day and at some point decided I could probably make that target, knowing that Wise River had a restaurant, and a bar, and a motel!

Arrived at the scheduled Beaver Dam campground at 230pm, decided to continue to Wise River, 16m past. 

To do so, I had to conquer the infamous fleecer ridge! It’s 7700 feet, it was the second pass for the day so no small chore, however the hype was fair; it was a half mile pushwalk up, and a VERY steep half mile walk down. But after that, it was mostly downhill into Wise River. 

I left a note and hid a pint of whiskey at the Beaver Dam campground for Chris and Dave on their arrival. They got it! I’m now 16m ahead of them, and may continue the faster pace for a while, hopefully we’ll reconnect on a rest day…

Very nice turkey/chicken/bacon sandwich with a baked potato at the Wise River Club. Very yum!! After, a quiet warm sleep, always happy to have a tent alternative!

Day 22

Woke around 7am, who knew that hot tap water will produce acceptable instant coffee, but falls short of making instant oatmeal attractive. I ate it though… Than the cafe downstairs opened! More breakfast is ok!

I’m ahead of Chris and Dave, just riding my pace it kinda happened. I will probably continue ahead today, may push through to Bannack…

Swallowed a bug along the way, tried to cough it up, tried to swallow it. Neither worked for a while! While trying to steer straight, eventually swallowing won out. 

It was sooooo cold much of the day, intermittent sun, but the first several hours near 7500′, that’s why the cold. This whole day is on pavement, a really nice scenic highway with a decent surface. 

Today’s book day end was at Little Joe, but as I had pushed 16m ahead yesterday, I reached little joe at noon, so decided to continue to Bannack. Basically between yesterday and today, I did three book days in two days. Pretty proud of that! 

I met up with the large supported group at Bannick. All very nice folks, had some nice conversations about cycling around the world, and make good friends with a guy named Justin, about 15 years younger than me who just quit is IT job to do the great divide ride. I think this ride will become exceedingly popular in the years to come.

You can read up on Bannack, it was a state capital for Montana many many years ago, is essentially ghost town now as a state park. Pretty interesting…

Day 23

It was 22° on awaking at Bannack. Yikes! I had a put some serious layers on, but as I was still hanging out with the international supported group, I got a nice bowl of porridge and some hot coffee from them. So lucky to have paralleled with them for couple of days, really nice to talk with people and hear their perceptions of America. And to get free good food!

The book suggests splitting into two days from Bannick to Lima, but the supported group (meaning they are carrying no gear, vs my 55+ pounds) was doing it in one day, total of 80 miles. I thought if I could keep up with them at least to the big hill, I’d get a free sandwich at lunch, and maybe I would be able to make it to Lima. So 80 miles carrying all my gear was a long long day, but I made it! I was never the last one…

Well that group took up all the motel rooms in the one decent motel, I’m fortunate to have a cabin across the street which actually isn’t bad, I’m happy to have a non-camping night as I’m certain I will have camping for the next two or three or four nights.

During the mornings ride, I spoke extensively with Rob the Dutch guide for this group, I told him about my prior experience with trips and he said I should talk to Sean who is the US representative for this trip, which I did and Sean would be ecstatic to have me join them for this trip next year as a helper. So I now have that on my plate as a retiree opportunity…!! 

The popularity of the great divide is increasing all the time, they’re predicting a trip next year from the 20 this year to perhaps 40 or 50 next year. Can’t imagine how they will manage that, you can’t just walk into a campground or store or restaurant with that many people!

I am ahead of Chris and Dave, I have a lot of regrets about that, but I just couldn’t keep up their pace. I really hope they’re not mad at me. I suspect they are probably about 80 miles behind me now…

Today, huge giant massive amounts of big sky country throughout the day, not a cloud in the sky, and hard to explain it in words, the massive remote views; even harder to capture the depth and breadth of this country on an iPhone photo. 

Lima is pronounced like the bean. The school team nearby is called the lima bears, apparently other schools occasionally will make the prank of changing their logos from bears to beans. Reminded me of people stealing the Y off of Colony high. 

I was going to eat at Jan’s café where I rented the cabin, but one of the guys from the group came over and said they’re going to Pete’s where you cook your own steak. I didn’t have a steak, just a hamburger, but glad I went there since they have big sky IPA, Montana brewing companies IPA which is a fantastic beer! The best I could’ve done at Jan’s was coors. Yuk!

I had considered staying another day in Lima, but there is so little here, I think I will probably push through tomorrow and will be doing two or three consecutive days of camping. The weather is good, no rain predicted.

The book day is 57 miles, but the supported group is doing 76, who knows, I may parallel them again, if the sore body cooperates…