My Thanks

I hope I have offered sufficient thanks to everyone who helped me out on the road, especially Andy Straus and Court Smith, who made the start and finish of the trip incredibly enjoyable.

My biggest thanks however goes to my amazing wife, Molly. Molly graciously encouraged me to take four weeks to do this random journey. Molly always supported me by phone, text message, and email without fail. Molly's support gave me strength on the days I needed it, and I did need it. While I was like a little boy playing on my bike, Molly was at home holding down the fort and working long hours. I am not sure what I have done to deserve such a lovely, caring, and amazing wife, but I have missed her dearly and am very much looking forward to reuniting with her.

Day 19 -- Darby, MT to Missoula, MT -- 66 Miles

All good things must come to an end. Today would mark the last leg of my journey to Missoula. As you might guess at this point, I started early to beat the heat and the wind. Cycling was pretty easy today, with high street traffic volume generally mitigated by wide shoulders.

The highlight of the day was a fantastic sixteen mile long bike path running between the towns of Stevensville and Lolo. It was great to see entire families cycling out on the path together, enjoying the safety of being removed from traffic. If I ever become President of the United States, my first act will be to establish 10,000 miles of paved bike paths around the country. It would create jobs, get people off their duffs, improve public health, and of course, it would be a heck of a lot of fun to ride them.

The city of Missoula arrived sooner than expected. In the mind of the bicycle tourist there is always a chance that there is some surprise climb up a 14,000 foot mountain just around the next corner. Well that mountain failed to materialize and the road was pretty flat. Missoula is a great cycling town, with huge bike lanes, and well marked routes for cyclists.

I arrived at Court's house within fifteen minutes of entering city limits. In another gesture of generosity, Court insisted that I stay at his house in Missoula upon completion of the trip. His house was a welcome site, with couch cushions much wider and softer than a bike saddle.

Some delectable fish tacos from a local Mexican joint, and a few pints of tasty microbrew at the Kettlehouse Brewery were savored as a victory feast of sorts. When you bike from Colorado to Montana, there is no parade offered on your behalf. No, you just take a shower (out of sympathy to those other folks who will cross paths with you), put one your fanciest (and only) set of non-cycling town clothes, and quietly begin the process of re-integrating back into modern society.

Day 18 -- Wisdom, MT to Darby, MT -- 66 Miles

Kyle offered me an early ride back to Wisdom, and I graciously accepted his offer given that I wanted to get riding as soon as possible to try and beat the heat. The major climb of the day to Chief Joseph Pass was as expected long but not too bad, although at the top I had to fight off biting flies as the gradient steepened and my progress slowed to a crawl. Amazing how those flies just know where to be to get a cyclist right when he is least able to speed away.

On the way up the mountain, I met a couple from New Zealand riding the whole TransAm to Oregon. They were having a great time and we chatted a bit about other people, including Kurt, who we had all met along the way. We agreed to meet up later in the town of Darby, our destination for the day.



The descent from the pass was a little nerve-racking since I was sure my tire could blow out at any second. It never did! As the terrain leveled out along the Bitteroot River the heat of the day, and a healthy headwind, came to bear. To add more challenge, the road went from one with a nice shoulder to a road with no shoulder. At one point, an oncoming truck decided to pass another car and forced me off the road. I saw it coming, so there was no real danger, but I was definitely ready to get done with the day's ride.

The town of Darby is a quaint cowboy town with a tourist bent. However, walking down the main drag revealed that the local economy was in trouble. Declines in the timber trade, due to the sagging economy and some say the spotted owl, had left many storefronts empty. The Kiwis and I enjoyed drinks and a hearty dinner at the Silver Spoon Saloon in town. I absolutely demolished my chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and the possibly the best homemade clam chowder this side of Maine.

Day 17 -- May, ID -- 1 mile (of Weedwacking)

Court and his co-workers Michael, Tony, and Kyle, invited me to stay an extra day so I could see another one of the ranches that Court manages in the town of May, Idaho. The drive from Wisdom to May gave me a preview of the climb I would have the next day, long but fairly level in grade.

We stopped in the town of Salmon, Idaho for breakfast. Salmon is famous for being the birthplace of Sacajawea, the aforementioned brain trust of the Lewis and Clark expedition. An hour later we rolled through the town of May, which with no functioning establishments isn't really a town at all!

Our main goal for the day was to clean up a ranch so as to get it ready for sale. There were a great many chores that needed to be done for this goal to be reached. Seeing as how I was the least handy worker for 50 miles, Court kindly allowed me to save face by weed-wacking for the day. Even a city slicker like myself can hunt down a weed!

During the day I was amazed to behold all of the other jobs that were being done as I attacked the long grass. Watching folks work tractors, back hoes, combines, and a variety of other equipment to get everything in order convinced me how much skill it takes to do that stuff. Since I sit at a computer for my work I am completely removed from how real work gets done.

Happy hour and dinner were a welcome respite at the day's end. Hanging out with the Steel Creek folks, as well as Thad and Gretchen, the managers of the ranch, was a lot of fun. I was amazed to discover that Gretchen hailed from Perrysburg, Ohio -- the home of my brother Chris. Let me tell you without going into too much detail that Perrysburg and May are very different places.

Dinner was magnificent: steak, asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes, spinach salad, grilled veggies, and the best corn I have eaten in years. I washed it all down with generous helping of whiskey and beer and slept very well that night.

Day 16 -- Wisdom, MT -- 3 Miles

Court, being the supervisor of the Steel Creek Ranch, had a full day of work on his plate but generously gave me a ride to town to grab some breakfast. I rode my bike back to the ranch from town, as I had locked it there the day before. Before riding on the long gravelly Steel Creek Road however, I noticed my rear tire was now worn down to the liner from all of the miles I'd ridden on it. Luckily it didn't blow out on the gravel road. With two days of riding left in the trip I am hoping it will hold to Missoula. Not one flat yet in 900 miles!

The day back at the ranch was spent relaxing, reading, and doing laundry. I was surprised at how sore my legs were from the day before but I guess I hadn't yet done a climb as steep as Big Hole Pass. The couch in my room was put to good use.

Late in the afternoon I overheard Court speaking with a group of prospective investors about Steel Creek Ranch, which is for sale. Listening to him speak eloquently about the many variables of ranch life, I was reminded at how talented a person Court is. Just to summarize, Court manages nine ranches in five states for an investment group. He acts a middle man between the firm's leadership and all of the folks who work the ranches day to day. Court's ten thousand job duties include, but are not limited to: investor relations, shoeing horses, lawn mowing, herding cattle, balancing budgets, hiring and firing, veterinary services, irrigation, team building, construction, wolf deterrence, bear deterrence, mechanical maintenance, grazing management, farming, and customer service at nine different locations hundreds of miles apart from one another. Court is simply one of those rare individuals who can master complex systems of both a physical and mental nature at the same time without appearing to be tested in the least. I do not envy his work days, which are long and exhausting. There is no way I could walk in his shoes even for a day.

Day 15 -- Dillon, MT to Wisdom MT -- 62 Miles

Today was the toughest day of cycling I've had yet on this trip. The first part of the day is two major climbs over two passes of about 3,500 vertical feet. On top of that, there was a headwind almost the whole way and a lot of manure on the road. Water was scarce so I had to carry some extra in my saddle bags to get me through this stretch. After summiting Big Hole Pass, the last climb of the day, I thought things would get easy, but the headwinds forced me to work even on the descent!



I had lunch at the Jackson Hot Springs: a huge buffalo bacon cheeseburger and a carafe of their finest Mountain Dew. This is a popular camping location for cyclists, since as the name would imply, there is a nice hot springs on site. But at $30 a night to camp I think it's a bit steep for sleeping on the ground.



The ride from Jackson to Wisdom was in a construction zone controlled by pilot car. I waited at the traffic light as instructed. The pilot car pulled up a few minutes later, and the driver waved to me to let me know he was ready to go. He then proceeded to leave me in the dust as he sped down the road at 35mph (compared to my 15mph). I guess the pilot car idea doesn't really work with bikes.

Anyhow it was nice to have traffic in both directions managed by a chaperone! It's amazing how considerate all of the rednecks in their big trucks get when there is a police officer nearby! We all waved at each other nice and happy! Just like the real world. Not!

Near the end of the segment, I was attacked by a osprey guarding her nest. While she didn't make contact with me, she swooped in and left me scurrying like a field mouse under attack. For those of you who have followed some of my previous adventures, you will know that I have now been attacked by a bird in three of my seven long trips. The first two attacks were by hawks in Colorado and Oregon respectively.

Molly's theory that birds are drawn to me because they mistake my hair for a nest was debunked since I had my cycling helmet on top of my head! Let me tell you it is terrifying being attacked by a bird. They know how to stay out of sight until the moment they want to strike. I have never seen The Birds by Hitchcock but I can imagine that movie to be one of the scariest of all time.

I was happy to emerge in the town of Wisdom in one piece. After about a whole five minutes of waiting my friend Court Smith pulled into town! Court, who is an old friend of mine, had graciously invited me to stay at the Steel Creek Ranch, which he manages, during my time in Wisdom.

Steel Creek Ranch is absolutely gorgeous, situated on the eastern end of the Big Hole, at the doorstep of the mountains. The accommodations of the Steel Creek guesthouse were easiest the nicest of seen on the entire trip, like a 4 star hotel. It was just what I needed after my run in with the local food chain!

After drinking some beer and catching up, Court and I drove to the Wisdom airport for a pickup game of softball with some other locals. It was a great time, and I couldn't help but laugh at the serendipitous chain of events that led to my playing softball out on the prairie. After the game, the softball crew headed to the Fetty's Bar and Grill in Wisdom for tacos and beer.

I slept very well in my deluxe accommodations that night, with the peace of mind that the walls of my cabin were osprey-resistant.

Day 14 -- Ennis, MT to Twin Bridges, MT -- 45 Miles

First up today, a 2,000 foot vertical climb done in about 8 miles. It was a great workout and I was glad to have it done before the heat of the day was upon me, though I was soaked with sweat regardless.

The fast descent through the historic mining town of Virginia City, though a blur, was an exhilirating payoff. I had a nice second breakfast (just like a hobbit) at a roadhouse in the town of Alder.

My only complaint of the day was the shoulder on highway 287, as it was either non-existant or covered with gravel most of the day. I guess I have become spoiled by the great roads to the south. Having a shoulder between you and traffic makes the ride far less stressful.

When I arrived in the town of Twin Bridges, it was kind of like, to borrow another hobbit-inspired image, Frodo's arrival at Rivendell, the enchanted oasis of the elves. Why you ask? BECAUSE TWIN BRIDGES HAS BUILT A SHADY RIVERSIDE CAMPGROUND FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF TOURING CYCLISTS, COMPLETE WITH HOT SHOWERS, SCREENED-IN PORCH, AND A BIKE WORKSTAND TO BOOT!





So no you know how I feel about Twin Bridges. I apologize for shouting.

The ride from Twin Bridges to Dillon was a relatively flat, but very hot, 20 mile ride. The only notable tourist sight along the way was the Beaverhead Rock, where young Sacajawea recognized a familiar landmark in the distance, essentially saving the Lewis and Clark expedition from starving.

I could not help but get a kick out of the Lewis and Clark Trail signs that had been posted alongside the road. Here is the sign:


So let's take a minute to imagine what this sign is trying to communicate. To the far left we presumably have Lewis pointing to a distant spot, Clark staring at that distant point while fondling his musket, and then Sacajawea with baby standing behind them off to the side. The conversation of the folks in this picture might have gone something like this:

Lewis: "Ya see Clark, that is the big mountain I been telling ya we'd be seein' if we jus' akept awalkin' for a few weeks to and fro! Now if we just climb that yonder mountain all of our problems-a-be-done! I'm sure there mus' be Indian saloon on top of that there mountain where we can get a bite to eat!"

Clark: "You just keep thinking Lewis, that's what your good at."

Sacajawea (to self): "White men enjoy exercise. We walk for weeks in circles with no food. Maybe one day white men will ask me for directions to the Pacific Ocean. There we can eat fish and chill on the beach!"

Upon arriving in Dillon I inhaled 4 liters of sweet tea and a footlong sandwich at a local Subway I made my way to a campground on the outskirts of town. The campground was nice enough but it was definitely an RV place that had just set aside a small patch of grass for tents.