July 18, 2015. Rexford, Montana
I spent the night with a warmshowers.org host Richard from Rexford, whom I met last year. He was happy to find out that I did not freeze to death in the winter.
He also suggested I check out Cafe Jax on my way through Eureka.
What a mistake. It took me 1h30 from the moment I walked in until I was able to move afterward. I also found a good excuse not to wear my helmet!
Luckily the real climbing didn't start for a bit.
On the way up I met the last of the Tour Divide racers, who had just finished repairing his tire (he got a nasty slash on the side wall, probably from a stone) and a hiker. "Wrong Way Joe" was headed on the Pacific Northwest Trail and had previously hiked the Appalachian trail, PCT and CDT.
The downhill was fun, with great views of the rugged mountains of Glacier National Park.
Met two dutch cyclists headed north. When they heard I was going to Whitefish today, they started suggesting places to camp on the way, I wondered why. Then I looked at the time: It was 5pm and I still had 50 miles to go with a mountain pass.
Meanwhile in Whitefish: why bother getting a bike lock when you can get a dog!
From Whitefish I rode down to Kalispell on the big highway to find some great valley views with the setting sun. Time to do some repairs and prep for the CDT.
First time I met Thom, he took me for a ride up going to the sun road, then in spring we rode few mtb trails. This time it was Whitefish Mountain which has some amazing singletrack and huckleberry picking opportunities!
Below: one of the trails that we did not go on.
Here is a short montage of the ride at Whitefish Mountain:
Not everything arrived in time but I had to get going. I wanted to meet a friend in Helena and I have just under 3 days to get there. Fred who is 79 is heading out on a tour of the Idaho Hot Springs and I need to make some extra miles.
The staple of the first hour of riding was the constant buzzing of cars, trucks and smooth pavement. A logging truck had crashed on the highway. Scary stuff, there is a bike path meters away from where he is.
Off again into that dreamy Montana country-side.
Easy climbing and lots of people picking huckleberries on the way. Some even carried guns while doing it. I couldn't resist stopping for a snack either. At that rate I will not make it very far :(
ROAD CLOSED.
Luckily the CAT driver let me through on the condition that I don't fall in the stream.
The guy on the other side suggested to take pictures of me while I try to ride across the planks.
A lot of adversity within Road Works Montana :)
Not going to lie though, most of the day looked like this:
But not all of it.
It was 6pm, 100miles done and still 60 to go if I wanted to reach Ovando as planned. Storm was brewing in the distance and baby deers were staring at me from the roadsides. Hats off to Tour Divide racers who can average 150+ miles per day. I headed up the next pass, not sure how far I'll make it.
Luckily the rain didn't last.
Neither did the flat road, but who am I to complain.
By the time I reached the top the sun was heading down behind the Mission Mountains. I wondered if I should camp here or keep going. There were still 2 hours of light and I can probably reach Ovando in 3.
I headed past a parked RV to see prospective campsites, then the door opened.
"Do you want beer? how about some food? Come in!"
I had ran into a cyclist from Helena. Being the small world that it is, he knew my friend Fred and we exchanged stories as the sky turned red. Then it was time for me to set up camp.
"You don't want to be riding on the other side at this time anyway, its full of bears." The trail is narrow and overgrown and I kid you not, last October when I was here - the road was full of bear shit. Ive never seen so much of it in my entire life.
Its encounters like these that make all the difference. It wasn't about the food, or the beer or the cheesecake (yes, there was cheesecake!). Its about the enthusiasm and attitude that makes the toughest situations fun and memorable. Finding that in other people and sharing it. Now that's something.
I've never felt more at home.
...and since I had nothing better to do at 2am than to stare at the stars, think how tired I'll be tomorrow and take pictures...
Nothing says Good Morning like some of the most amazing singletrack on the GDMBR, a handful of huckleberries and a downhill on the other side.
ROAD CLOSED.
This time the folks working past Cottonwood Lakes did not let me through. I had to find a detour via HWY 200 to Ovando.
Share the road, Montana edition.
After an unnecessary large meal I headed off to Huckleberry Pass.
But it wasn't meant to be, I decided to play it safe and take the highway as opposed to the slightest chance of getting turned down at the construction site.
Up Stemple Pass I spotted a lookout. I remember a hunter mentioning last year that one can sleep there. Why not give it a go?
The road kept going up and up, steeper and rockier. The fiery horizon to the west reminded me that it will be dark soon. Dark, cold and very windy.
It was locked.
There was, however, a clean cozy king sized outhouse. Well... that's a first!
The ride down was well worth the climb, I blazed my way past cows, fences, cattle guards and barking dogs.
At the bottom of Lost Horse Creek Pass (?) I met a cyclist from Helena who was training. He got up at 5am to ride here and was now headed back.
Riding beside Mike made the climb effortless and fun. He rode the Divide from Banff, AB to Butte, MT a month ago and will be racing the entire route in 2017. At the top, we parted way and while I thought I was going at a good pace, he took off and left me in the dust...
I rode along rolling highlands and curious onlookers, with Mike's help I was on schedule to hit Helena for lunch. Lunch at Pizza hut all you can eat buffet!!!
One last climb to Priest Pass and one last descent to Helena.
In Helena, after riding all the way across town to get to the Pizza Hut I found out that it was Saturday. Bummer. However on the ride back, on the sidewalk I found some Beef Jerky. Looked around and found 7 more. What a treat!
Helena, pop 40k and the capital of Montana. It has 3 bike shops (all closed on sunday), cool downtown district and a busy highway strip. I couldn't find a good excuse not to ride some of the local trails.
I got to Fred's place only to find out that he had left to meet me. When I called him he was 2 miles up Priest Pass, we must have missed each other.
He is 79, has had a heart attack and broken a hip while on the bike. Leaving for Idaho Hot Springs tour tomorrow. The springs bike route in Idaho looks amazing but before I could get lost in ideas of possible detours...
This is it with the GDMBR, from now it's all about the CDT. I didn't have much time to prepare... it was all one thing after another. All I've got is a GPX track, thanks to the two people who pioneered (by bike) the route in 2014. A set of hiking trail maps - which I sure don't know how to read and a good dose of stubbornness, naivety and a need - for challenge, the unknown and the endless trail along the rocky mountains...
