Day 12 - Section 1B - Montana
08/06/06
Lincoln, MT 62m to Tabor’s 85m = 23 miles
Amazing Hospitality
After a great blueberry pancake
breakfast I picked up some groceries and headed out.
 The
ride out of Lincoln was hot and dusty. As the day
progressed it became more scenic and fun. I stopped on
Stemple Pass, my first US Continental Divide Crossing to take some pictures,
rest, and have lunch. After an hour, as I was getting
ready to leave, Peter and Yoke came riding up. They had
been riding since early morning and wanted to take a
break. We visited for a while and then we rode off
together.
After the divide crossing the trail was
mostly downhill. Again, they rode much faster than I
could keep up with. I am now sold on front suspension.
While I was getting pounded to pieces from the rocky
trail, they were much more relaxed and left me in the
dust.
After a few miles of rough trail, we hit
some very smooth hard pack and without much effort I
caught up with them. It looks like I am a much faster
rider on the smoother terrain. I am beginning to believe
we are equal in our physical ability but their
suspension gives them an extra edge.
We were now riding together when a local
rancher yelled out to me, “Do you need some water?” Yea,
we were almost out and none of us felt like filtering
water from a cow trough so all three of us turned around
and stopped. After talking for a while the rancher,
Paige and his wife Kier, invited us in for dinner,
showers, and a place to stay. We gladly accepted and we
had a great time with our new friends.
This is the type of thing that makes
this ride so memorable. This ride started off as solo
mountain bike journey about me and the wilderness and now it is
becoming an opportunity
to meet wonderful wholesome country folk. The
hospitality of people in these parts is incredible.
Day 13 - Section 1B - Montana
08/07/06
The Tabor’s 85m to Helena, MT 125m = 40
miles
In Pain
 For breakfast I cooked Cream of Wheat
for everyone and Page brought in fresh blueberries from
the garden. That really hit the spot for everyone! Aside
from myself, this was the first time anyone here had
Cream of Wheat and they loved it. After breakfast we all
said our farewells and hit the trail. Peter and Yoke
took off ahead of me toward Helen as I limped along. I
was in excruciating pain because of my knees.
Kier had mentioned that Great Divide
Bicycles in Helena, MT was the only decent bike shop
around and Butte didn’t offer much in the way of bike shops. I was
originally going to go to Butte, MT, but I took Keir's
recommendation and set my sights on Helena. In Helena I
am either going terminate the trip and go home or
revaluate my equipment strategy and buy a new mountain
bike. My knees just can’t take this punishment anymore.
After an hour of riding alone, I met up
with Peter and Yoke again. Yoke’s hydraulic disc brakes
overheated and she lost all braking pressure so they
stopped to let them cool for a while. If I buy a new
bike, I am going to get manual disc brakes with the
largest rotors I can find.
After lunch we hit the road again and
Peter and Yoke took off. My knees hurt so badly, I was
wondering if I was going to make it to Helena.
At 6pm I rolled into Helena and got a
hotel. I think I will stay here for a few days and let
my body recover and check out the local bike shops. For
dinner, I ordered a large pizza and ate the whole thing
myself. It feels so nice to lie down on real bed!
As for pain, this was my worst day.
There was nothing hard about the ride, but 13 days of
riding over rough terrain had finally caught up to me.
Day 14 - Section 1B - Montana
08/08/06
Helena - Rest Day
Risk Investment
Over the last few days I thought very
hard about whether I should quit or continue. If I quit,
I will feel like I walked away from a life long dream
and I will feel like I failed myself. If I continue, I
will have to make a major investment and pray things
will improve. The risk was dropping several grand on a
new bike and with no guarantee that things will improve.
I went to several bike shops and test
rode several different brands and models of bikes. After
a few test rides, I narrowed my selection to two
Specialized mountain bikes, a Specialized FSRxc and a
Specialized Stumpjumper FSR. I immediately noticed major
improvements in my pedaling efficiency and comfort. But
also the gearing was much lower. My Ritchey would only
go down to 26 /34 and the new bikes were 22/34.
I should have researched this before I
left. A long time ago, in the 1990's, I had front
suspension on a bike and hated it. So I regressed back
to simpler technology. Suspension has sure come along
ways since the original Judy Rock Shox.
Day 15 - Section 1B - Montana
08/09/06
Helena - Rest Day
The Great Decision
After careful consideration and renewing
my commitment to the ride, I purchased a Stumpjumper FSR
full suspension bike at Great Divide Bicycles with
upgraded rotor sizes. I figured what’s a couple of
grand, I am here now and in the scope of life a couple
of grand is pocket change. I am living a dream and most
people spend more on less. This is not just a bike I am
buying, it is fulfilling a life long dream.
Eric, the owner of Great Divide Bikes,
was a big help. He professionally fitted me to the right
size bike. But of course the bike I wanted was still in
a box. Tonight Eric is going to build up a new bike with
upgraded 203mm tandem rotors and will have it ready for
me tomorrow afternoon.
Day 16 - Section 1B - Montana
08/10/06
Helena, MT 125m to Parks Lake, MT 143m =
18 miles
The New Bike
 This afternoon I picked up my new bike,
and shipped my old bike home. Around 5:30pm I headed out
of Helena on my new bike. Thunderstorms were forecasted
for tonight and the rest of the week. I knew I would
arrive at my destination, Park Lakes, in the evening.
Riding at night, in the dark, with the cheap light, off
road, is really outside of my comfort zone, but I was
 glad to be back on the trail.
About an hour before
reaching camp, I saw a massive electrical storm off in
the horizon. Fortunately, it was not near me and nor did
it rain. But I did see lightning strike a hillside and
start a forest fire.
Today my knee’s only bothered me
slightly. I think the bike was the right decision. I am
certainly riding a lot more efficiently on it and
covered 18 miles of uphill much faster than I expected.
I pulled into Parks Lake at 11:20, set
up camp, made dinner, and went to sleep.
Day 17 - Section 1B - Montana
08/11/06
Parks Lake C.G. 143m to Improvised Campground 174m = 31
miles
Railroad Tunnel #9
For breakfast I had Cream of Wheat with
brown sugar and a Banana. This morning I felt great and
my knee's felt good.
 Most of today’s trail felt like I was
riding up hill. It was very technical riding and the
trail was steep and rough terrain with lots of rocks,
ruts, and tree roots. Not single track, but it was close
to it. I passed many abandoned cabins and mines, like
the Abandoned Hattie Ferguson Mine. The
trail traversed through very harsh and remote
countryside, very beautiful, but also geologically very
dangerous. I wanted
 to check out some of the old mining buildings, but there was a lot of evidence of sink holes
and unstable ground. So I stayed clear of them.
Because of my knee problems, my original
goal was to make it to Basin, MT, but I felt great with
no more knee problems, so I blew past Basin early in the
afternoon. It started getting dark so I stopped along
 side the road and made camp at a clearing near a stream.
After Basin, MT the trail is an old railroad grade and
was very easy riding. Actually, it was very relaxing to
ride. Just before stopping to camp I rode through
Railroad Tunnel #9. That was really neat. I almost
wrecked inside the tunnel because my light was not
bright enough and I hit a pot hole.
I noticed a significant improvement in
my riding efficiencies and I had no more pain in my
knees. I believe I had made the right choice in buying a new
bike and possibly saved my ride.
Since I left Helena I have seen only two
groups of people and they were prospecting gold from a
creek.
Day 18 - Section 1B - Montana
08/12/06
Improvised Campground, MT 174m to Butte, MT
192m = 18 miles
Down Town
Butte Montana on a Hill
Today was an easy ride into Butte, MT. I
arrived in Butte, by 9am. Ninety percent was paved and a
small portion of the ride was on the freeway. The
freeway part was a bit nerve racking for me. Even though
there was no traffic I still didn't feel comfortable
riding on a freeway.
My first stop in Butte was at a gas station
to get my bearings and as I was pulling in, Peter and
Yoke were pulling out. Again we meet! We shared stories
for a while and they hit the road and I went to the bike
shop and post office.
I picked up the mail my wife sent me. She surprised me with a
care package of freeze
dried dinners. The food was a God send! I am really
getting sick of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and
mashed potato dinners. Wow, do I lover her!!!
 I rode up a big hill in to old downtown
Butte and was pleasantly surprised to see the town was
having an Irish festival. They had Irish dancers and
musicians playing. I killed about 3 hours there. I went
to Bad Beaver Bikes and had Mexican food next door.
There I had lunch with some new friends I met.
I was told by several people that a
portion of the route had been closed. A real estate
investor from Florida purchased some land south of Butte
and the new owners blockaded the route going through
their property. According to the locals, who were really
upset about it, said it would be better to avoid
the area and take the detour. Many people offer to drive
me around the detour, but I decided I was going to ride
the freeway.
Everyone I met in Butte were genuinely
interested in my ride and well being. The hospitality
is absolutely amazing.
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