Category: Montana 2014 Part 2

Monday August 25, 2014, 81 miles (131 km) – Total so far: 4,340 miles (6,985 km)

I’m riding my bike along what I think is the approach to Glen Canyon Dam. I start to ride over the dam wall but overbalance and fall over the edge, bike and all. As I’m falling I keep saying, ‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry’. Then I wake up with a start. I’m in my sleeping bag in a Super 8 in Havre, Montana. It’s been about 12 days since I had a very close call with the front end of a pickup. It’s not something that has haunted me whatsoever when riding. But for the first six days afterward, I woke up from biking death nightmares each night. In the last six days, the frequency of nightmares has diminished. I’m happy to report this one is the last one I’ll have. I guess my rational, daytime brain got over things quite quickly, but my sub-conscious took a little longer to process it all.

I get a super-late start today. Read more →

Tuesday August 26, 2014, 5 miles (8 km) – Total so far: 4,345 miles (6,993 km)

Fort Benton is the most important place in Montana that you’ve never heard about. Everyone knows Missoula and Bozeman, and that the state capital is Helena. But how many people have ever heard of Fort Benton? If the name rings a bell, do you know why the town is so important in Montana’s history? Read more →

Wednesday August 27, 2014, 94 miles (151 km) – Total so far: 4,439 miles (7,143 km)

Today will be one of my favourite days on the bike tour. It starts super early, as usual. Mark groggily pops his head out of his tent to say goodbye, then ducks back in for a few more hours sleep. I roll down to Front Street where shadows of buildings still shade the road. I turn east and cross the bridge. The gentle climb up out of the floodplain begins immediately as the road curves north. The gradient steepens to climb between the river bluffs. A school bus with squeaky brakes and non-enthusiastic occupants rounds the corner. School went back last week. Summer is over. At least for some – I’m trying to draw mine out for about a month more 🙂 Read more →

Thursday August 28, 2014, 94 miles (151 km) – Total so far: 4,533 miles (7,295 km)

The water from the tap at the Hobson pool does not seem to have produced any ill effects. So far. I decide to use the rest of the water to fill my Camelbak. This negates the need to double back to Hobson then catch the highway east of there. Instead, I can take gravel roads to meet up with Fed Hwy 191 further south. My map doesn’t show specifics or mileage, so I could end up riding more miles than doubling back to Hobson. But, it does mean all the scenery will be new and there should be less traffic for a bit. Let’s go for it! Read more →

Friday August 29, 2014, 21 miles (34 km) – Total so far: 4,554 miles (7,329 km)

My attempt at sleeping late is interrupted about 8.30 am when an older man opens the door, takes two steps into the room, and picks up the trash can.

I say, “Excuse me!”

He looks up, incredibly startled, and backs out of the room like a dog sprayed by a skunk, as he says, “Oh! I’m sorry.”

He must have thought I’d already left since there was no car in front of the room. I bet he knocks before he enters a room for a while after this experience. Read more →

Saturday August 30, 2014, 23 miles (38 km) – Total so far: 4,578 miles (7,367 km)

The wind pushes against the poles of the tent. Rain beats down in sheets and rhythmic sprays that coincide with the gusts of wind. The temperature has dropped. The cold front is making its way through. But I don’t need to get up and on the road yet since I’m just doing another short hop today down to Columbus. So I settle further down into the sleeping bag, shift my weight off my right hip, and go back to sleep.

Later, the rain has stopped but the wind has not. I let it dry the tent, for the most part, then pack up slowly. Read more →

Sunday August 31, 2014, 54 miles (86 km) – Total so far: 4,631 miles (7,453 km)

I feel sorry for the hordes of people out trying to enjoy the Labor Day long weekend. Yesterday was rainy and cool. Today looks like it is going to turn out that way, too. As I shove off this morning, the clouds are light to the east but darker to the west. Down south toward the Beartooth-Absarokas, the clouds mass against the range. I put the rain covers on my front panniers, tuck Verne and Kermit way down in a rear pannier, and put my rain pants and raincoat right on top.

If you could turn off summer overnight with the flick of a switch, or with the arrival of a particular cold front, then this cold front is it. Read more →