Two Thousand Miles, Baby!

Day 50 - June 17th
44.5 miles
Total: 2033.9 miles
Moving Avg: 6.9 mph
Overall Avg: 5.0 mph

Well the day was better, but our exhaustion from yesterday must have played into our performance today.

This morning we woke to clear skies and had breakfast with Ville. It wasn't anything glamorous, but it was our last meal together. Today we moved north and Ville headed into Helena. Our goal is to reach Banff by August 8th, he has until late August so he is slowing down.

We said our goodbyes and rolled down the trail. The route we took passed us through a bleeding gash in the earth, fresh clearcuts. Many clearcuts that we have passed through have started rehabilitation, this one was freshly clear cut so it had the mixed aroma of sawdust, mud, and diesel.

We passed the logging operation and dropped a steep rough drop to Rimini, MT an old mining town that once had over 100 mines feeding the wealth of its citizens. Now, fewer than fifty residents live there. Shortly past the town, the gravel road was being prepped for paving. As such the road crew wouldn't let us cycle through. They had to load our bikes in the pilot car and roll us the five miles downhill. The whole operation took longer than it would have if we had just cycled ourselves downhill, but I guess "Safety First."

After getting back on the saddle, we made the long bumby climb over the next pass. It is our conclusion that each state is trying to kill us in its own special way.
New Mexico - Heat
Colorado - Beauty
Wyoming - Wind
Idaho - Pesticides
Montana - Steep roads of dismal condition.
Canada - Bears, I suspect.

We eventually made it to the top of the very bumpy pass and then started the descent. You know the road is steep and rough when you are constantly riding your breaks, and the bumps don't let you safely ride beyond seven miles per hour. Our hands got more exhausted than our legs.

Fortunately we had an amazing host awaiting our arrival. Barbara Nye puts cyclists up in her cabin. She even had it stocked with wine, beer, food, water, and candy for us. We sat and socialized with Barbara Nye and John Denver until the rain sent them indoors to their house. We made use of the cabin to rest up, prepare dinner, and plan for tomorrow.

As of eight o'clock, it appears as though we may have the tiny cabin to ourselves. A welcome retreat after two rough days. I wonder how tomorrow will fare.

Live life at a slower place.

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