This bike route is the world’s largest mapped off-pavement cycling route. It extends over 2700 miles from Banff Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. When the trail was created one goal, which was mostly accomplished, was to keep the trail within 50 miles of the Continental Divide. There are about 30 times when one finds themselves crossing the divide. The trail is mostly gravel with some single track and pavement to join the gravel roads. One website statistic quotes that there is over 144,00 feet of climbing on the route. We were impressed with the route and enjoyed the experience.

Before we left for the trip, a friend told us about a site that had quotes on stoicism. One of the readings seemed to be quite useful for our trip.

We found the words Amor Fati to be quite useful when we had challenges.

Before we left on our trip we had become introduced to the game of Wordle. The morning we left we used the word BIKER for the first word and then guessed the word on the second try. We figured that was a great start to our journey.

Upon arriving to the spot where we were leaving the Uhaul, we unloaded our bikes and when a car pulled in next to us we were able to give them the extra items we weren’t taking. It all worked out! Now let the trip begin!

We pulled out the app and set out to reach the trail head. The first 5 miles were pavement so with our lights flashing and our bikes feeling quite heavy we began the first leg of our trip. There was a decent amount of climbing and it wasn’t long until we became familiar with the term hike a bike. The day was hot and the road dusty. A group of goats took our mind off the climb.

Finally we joined the trail where we had peddled from Banff several days before. We are in new territory and it is beautiful.

Looks like we have found home for the night.

Spray Lakes surrounded by mountains was awesome for the first night.

We set in a camp which is for bicyclists. There are bear boxes and bicycle tools here.

Don takes a rest and then takes another rest in the tent.

We finally feel that our bike trip has begun and we feel relieved to be on it. While Don sleeps, I filter water and make dinner.

The camp is called Spray West Campground costing $31.50 Canadian

Miles peddled today 19

July 15

We were the only ones in the campground last night, but were assured since tonight was a weekend the campground would be full. We will be long gone we hope. The night started out warm, but as the sun set behind the mountains the temperature dropped. We are enjoying the long days so we were up by 5 and ready to be on the trail by 6. The road was in excellent shape and had few cars, however when they came a lot of dust was created. Drivers vary from being polite and slowing down to seeing how much dust can be created. The morning surrounded us with beautiful mountain scenes.

With the road being in good shape we were able to move right along. One of the highlights this morning was seeing a large moose with its antlers glowing in the sunlight. No photo though as the trees blocked it. An introduction to a steep pass was when we encountered Elk Pass. We soon learned that hike a bike most likely would be a common occurrence. Then there is the downhill after the climb. This one was noted for its steepness and stopping to allow our hands to un cramp occurred frequently. Today we had it all, good pavement, rocky trail, push a bike, steep down hill and single tracks. At one of the provincial parks there was the Bolton store. Don had his morning coffee there and I had ice cream and lemonade. Ice cream for breakfast, not bad. We had plenty of food so didn’t need to buy anything here. Further on there was a cabin on the trail, that was opened for campers.

We had heard that the Tobermory cabin is known for mice that come out at night. We had plenty of day light so we peddled on.

Our goal for the night was Weary Rec. Area. There were several tents here but no people. We found a site by the river and waited for the campers to return. When they did they said we were welcome to stay, but they had planned a 24 hour party and it may be noisy. We were tired and the next camping option wasn’t close. We decided to stay, go to bed early and hope to be asleep before the merriment begins. More information that we have gotten is that some of the trails in the next section are washed out due to the flooding in the area. This could mean that we will be doing more pavement for the next several days.

Campsite Weary Rec. Area

Miles peddled 58

July 16

With the river flowing over rocks and our ear plugs we both slept well. It didn’t hurt being tired from peddling. We were up by 5 and ready to go by 6. We said good by to the guys who were just getting ready for bed. They were miners in the nearby town and worked 4 days on then 4 days off. They worked night shifts and were used to being up for long hours. They also told us about the road being flooded so pavement it is. It was a beautiful chilly morning and I didn’t have my over-mitts handy. Don gave me his because he was using his heavier mittens. I was back to being able to function. Don’s bike started making a clacking sound and since there is a biking store in Fernie we planned to make it before it closes. The road to Elford is mostly downhill made up of very dusty sections and plenty of pot holes. In Elford we checked out a grocery store that wasn’t opened at 10 and instead found a gas station that had some milk and fruit. We sat outside of the station and were soon joined by some local retired mine workers. It appeared that this was a daily meeting place and they told us stories of working at the mine. Now we will be on pavement till Fernie. It won’t be as much fun, but it will be faster. We stopped in Starwood for lunch at an A & W. The hamburger, onion rings and root beer floats were just want we needed. A plus was that we could charge our electronics. Eating not only gives you nourishment but also the opportunity to feed the electronics. Next door to the restaurant was one of the main tourist attractions. It is a large truck that was built for the mining operations. It now is the backdrop for bikers and tourists that go thru the town. There was only one of these trucks built and only used for a short time due to the high costs of maintenance and operation.

The tire size gives one an idea of how large this vehicle is.

We peddled on to Fernie which should have been easy as it was mostly downhill, but the headwind made us work for our miles.

Don put the local bike shop directions into his phone and soon he was getting his bike looked at. A loose peddle crank was the culprit and was soon fixed. He decided to get new brake pads as well. By this time it was time to look for a camping spot, the RV park was full and so our only option was to go up to Mt. Fernie Provincial Park. When we arrived there after needing to push our bikes up a steep hill, a sign said full as well.

This already has been a long day and we thought maybe we could find a camping host and see if there was somewhere we could set up a tent. As we circled the campground, a very nice women in a truck stopped us to see what we needed. She said that the campground was full, but the campers at one of the sites had to depart because of an emergency and she thought that it might be available. She told us to go to the nearby shower house where another biker was waiting who also needed a spot go camp. Five minutes later she showed up and told us both to follow her to a site. We happily shared a site with Joey who was doing more of a road tour on his bike for two months. Interesting that there is only one toilet stall at a nearby bathroom and two showers. This is a fairly large campground. I decided that taking a shower was a priority and got there before the line started. As we headed to our tent we made a comment that the campers made more noise than the miners that we had slept next to last night after their warning of their all night party. Tomorrow we plan to have a shorter day so a 5 o’clock wake up is not going to happen .

Campsite Mt. Fernie Provincial Park

Miles Peddled 73

July 17

We decided last night since our route today was mostly pavement and the mileage to our destination was shorter we could have a relaxing morning. Joey was also not leaving early so we peppered him with questions that he patiently answered. He has been bike touring for many years and had a lot of useful information. He probably wondered a bit that we might be setting ourselves up for a big challenge. Threre was a bike cleaning station at the campground so we took advantage of it and gave our dusty bikes a good cleaning. Don had lost some air pressure in one of his tires and Joey suggested finding a regular sized pump to pump his tires. I took the suggestion and found that the campsite next to ours had one. It made for such an easy way to add air. We said good-by to Joey and peddled away.

We left Fernie and enjoyed the mostly downhill to Elko. It was a beautiful morning, but we had the feeling that it was going to be a hot day.

Sometimes it is hard to keep your eyes on the road as beauty surrounds you.

As we were rounding a bend we were treated to these Mountain Sheep.

We took some time marveling at their agility.

We were going to try to eat at Elko, but the only store that was opened was a gas station that didn’t have much of a selection. The map had a marked eating location which gave us hope until we pulled in and said it wasn’t open till noon. Noon was several hours away so at a nearby rest area, we found some shade behind a sign and pulled out our cereal. We then took the suggested route to Baynes Lake, it was longer and had some gravel roads mixed in with some local paved roads. The traffic was minimal and we enjoyed the route. Finally we were back on highway 93 and headed toward the border which we plan to cross tomorrow. There was a steep descent to cross Elk River and then a steep climb on the other side. The day had turned hot and Don had a stiff back and neck. At the first shade we took a long break and drank lots of water. There is a small gas station in Grasmere which we hope will have some cold drinks. We passed a sign for a bake sale , but the thought of going off route outweighed the thought of baked goods. We were setting high expectations for the little store. When we arrived to the store we were able to park our bikes in some shade and head inside. It was a very small store, but we were able to purchase some cold water, cold ice tea, a couple of apples, cheese and a salty bag of potato chips. It was enough to perk up the bodies and we headed to a campsite a mile away. When we arrived to the site there was a picnic table that was totally in the sun and had no shade nearby. This wasn’t going to work for us so did some more looking and found a flat spot near a stream with shade. It was a winner as we set up the tent, rinsed out some sweaty clothes and soaked our feet in the cold water. Don found his way to a supine position in the tent while I filtered water and cooked dinner. We decided that it is best to get some miles in early while the day is cooler. The wind also tends to come up in the afternoon. We are starting to figure out our rhythms for this journey. Off to bed with maybe a change in the weather for tomorrow.

It was a great place to hang out in the shade!

Campsite Grasmere Recreation Area

Miles peddled 43

July 18

The rain started falling in the early hours. We were prepared, but were not expecting rain. At first light we were surrounded by the sounds of thunder and the flash of lightning bolts. We were were glad when the storm passed and we were able to pack up and head towards the border. The rain was light but steady. The traffic fortunately was very light. We were one of the first ones in line to cross the border. We waited for awhile to get the green light signal. It almost felt that we had interrupted the morning coffee of the border guard. He wasn’t very friendly as he checked out our passports and waved us on. Don saw a bathroom and quickly disappeared, apparently he had been storing up some waste products for awhile. After the visit to the bathroom, there was a noticeable improvement in the back pain. Glad to be back in the USA and to start map #1 of our trip.

Montana has the most miles of any state that we will be doing

The main part of the storm is now to the east of us as we watch the black clouds and rain pour in the distance.

Don removes his rain jacket but keeps on his rain hat that matches his DaBrim

Instead of the direct route to Eureka we are taken to side road called Tobacco River Road. Once again we are impressed with the routing and the lack of traffic on these country roads. Upon arriving to Eureka the rain finds us again and we stop at a local organic shop hoping to get some breakfast. Alas due to staffing shortages no breakfast type food is available, but they can make us a smoothie. Don drinks his coffee and I shortly join him for a cup of hot tea. The store clerk suggested that she could open a bag of bagels for us and we could put cream cheese on them. We liked that idea and the bagels were delicious. .We bought the rest of the bagels to have later that day. We have enjoyed the food we bought but also are enjoying eating at some of the local shops. When we stop we always take advantage of the electric outlets. With our bellies full we head out to the road again. We have about 10 miles of pavement before we turn on to Grave Creek Road. The first 15 miles of this road has been freshly paved. It is narrow, but so far there is very little traffic. When the pavement stops the pot holes begin. Not too bad for us as we can weave around them, but the few cars that pass us are almost going as slow as we are. We turn on to a road that will take us up Whitefish Divide. It was quite rocky and relatively steep so we opted for some time doing hike a bike. Walking gives you even more time to observe your surroundings. Such as this Swallowtail Butterfly.

And the fields of the Bear Grass Flower

A biker passes us we walk up hill. He also plans on doing the whole trail as well. We stop, eat our bagels and a big chocolate cookie. The rain is gone and we enjoy a day that is not as hot as yesterday. We finally top out at the divide and are able to ride our bikes down the hill.

There are some gradual up hills, but not quite as steep.

We had planned to stop at Tuchuck campground, but the sign said closed due to bear activity even though we had heard that it was open. Not wanting to break any laws, we peddled on for about 3 miles until we found a site that we could set up the tent. It was a day of beautiful scenery, intro to rocky roads and fast running clear streams. Tomorrow we can find out if we can go over Red Meadows Pass. There has also been conflicting information about whether it is opened or closed.

Campsite wild camping past Tuchuck Campgrouns

Miles peddled 55

July 19

We awoke to clear skies and were relieved that no bear had visited us during the night. Our bear protocols include using an Ursack and placing it far away from our camp. We ate a bar and packed up quickly. Our morning eating habits are to eat a bar and then several hours later stop for breakfast. We didn’t go far when we saw a grizzly bear sauntering down the road. We gave a holler, hoping that he would notice and run into the woods. Not this bear, he gave us a look and just kept coming. We retreated around a bend and backed up. Soon he appeared again, sniffing and walking. Okay the bear isn’t going to go away so we respect that and continued to go back to where we had noticed a car parked. We were assuming that there was a person sleeping in the car and if the bear continued on his path we would use the car to our advantage. After waiting about 15 minutes and no bear in sight, we cautiously got on our bikes and peddled down the road. To our relief the bear was no longer in sight. The morning was chilly as we went from a wilderness area to very nice homes by the Flathead River. Most of the houses had no trespassing signs as well as keep out signs posted! At the turn to head up to Red Meadows there wasn’t a sign telling of its closure so we made the decision to head upwards. Along the way we found a nice stream to stop and have breakfast. The wild flowers are starting to come out. It was a steady up to the pass which allowed us to enjoy some walking and use different muscles.

When we arrived to the lake, we shared a picnic table with a man who was hiking the Continental Divide Trail. we swapped some stories and took photos.

His trail name was Fire and he had hiked some of the trails that we had done,

Can’t complain about the weather today. The higher elevations bring cooler temps.

The next 22 miles to the town of Whitefish was downhill. The first part was quite steep, requiring several breaks to rest our hands. The second part was more mellow and the miles flew by. When we arrived to Whitefish, we stopped at the first restaurant that we saw. It happened to be a barbecue and we quickly filled up with a plate of good tasting meat. The free refills of lemonade couldn’t of happened at a better time. Next goal was finding a place to camp for the night. It is difficult to make a plan because how far and how fast you can go is unknown. The first place we called was full, but the second one worked out and soon we were taking showers and doing laundry. The manager even opened up the camp store and we were able to buy ice cream. Life is good!

RV parks are always a good option for camping. They usually have showers and laundry. One disadvantage is that they are often close to highways which makes for a noisy night.

Camping RV park in Columbia Falls

Miles peddled 65

July 20th

We did our usual get up at 5 and we were off by 6:30. We had to head down a busy highway to get back to the trail. We sure appreciate the side roads that we are mostly on. We peddled on pavement thru beautiful flat and lush farmland. We feel really fortunate that the fires haven’t started yet and the air is so fresh. We saw a photo with mileages to both ends of the trail and stopped to take a photo.

As we were taking the photo a man came out of the house and began talking to us. His wife and he had made the sign and they enjoy seeing the bikers come by. We were the first bikers that he had seen today, but a group had gone by yesterday. He took a photo of us and then we took a photo of him(Tim).

Tim told us that the best restaurant in the area was 10 miles ahead called the Echo Lake Cafe. We set that as a goal and increased our peddling power as we were hungry. As we pulled into an empty parking lot our hope sank as the sign in the window said closed today due to lack of staff. So on to Big Fork, a touristy town which also has a cafe. The line was long and we were told that there was a 45 minute wait. Since that was our best option I waited while Don went to get Coffee and a scone. In about 5 minutes I was called to a table with the explanation that since there was only two of us, they had a table. Now where was Don? He was in another shop in line waiting for coffee. Eventually he made it back and we over ate their huge breakfast burritos. The joys of eating and riding a lot. We called Holland Lake Lodge and tried to make a reservation for dinner tomorrow night, but they were closed due to an event. That means we need to go to the grocery store here and buy a little more food. There was a very nice bike trail out of town by the river. After leaving this trail we headed back to gravel which was going to go up and up and up. We had been warned that water was an issue on this stretch so when we heard the sound of water most of the way up we stopped and gladly refilled our water bottles. This would able us to dry camp tonight. We met three bikers going norhtbound. We exchanged some information about the upcoming sections. After all the up hill we were grateful to enjoy the downhill. There were no public campgrounds in this section so after passing thru the wildlife refugee we found an old logging road that had potential. Unfortunately we had to share it with a massive amount of mosquitoes. The first thing we did was grab the tarp, put it up and set up the thermacell mosquito repeller. whew! It wasn’t long till we could eat dinner without being bitten or buzzed. We were experts at quick tent set up and found ourselves going to bed soon after.

It was quite peaceful except for the sound of the mosquitoes.

Campsite wild camping

Miles peddled 63

July 21

We heard an animal during the night, most likely it was a deer and was just passing thru. We thought for awhile that we might be able to make it to Holland Lake Lodge for lunch. Our calculations were wrong and finally we gave up that thought. Lots of variety on the roads today, some pavement, good gravel, some double track and some single track. Since lunch was no longer an option at the lodge we opted instead to take a break at the Owl Packer Camp. There was water and shade here and Don was able to take his nap. After we cooked a meal we were ready to head on to home for the night. It was about a 9 mile ride to Clearwater Lake trail head. We thought of camping by the lake but after a short hike on the trail and we realized we were going to have to push our bikes for half a mile, we found a site close to the road. A pair of grouses entertained us for most of our dinner doing what looked like a mating dance. The photos below are of some of the single and double track we encountered today. We didn’t seen any bears going thru this area, but saw a lot of recent bear activity, needless to say our voices were heard quite frequently

We realized today that we didn’t take enough photos so hope we do better in the following days

Campsite Clearwater Lake Trailhead

Miles peddled 65

July 22

The morning was overcast as we began our climb toward Richmond Peak. It started out flat then the climb began. Someone had made a sign out of sticks spelling bear with an arrow. We doubted if that information was relevant.

We switchbacked are way up the mountain, walking some but riding more as our bodies are getting stronger.

Finally we came out to a view point where we could see the snow capped mountains.

As we continued upwards we pushed our bikes around a boulder and the single track began. We alternated

between riding and walking. We skirted by a place that an avalanche had taken out part of the trail. Earlier in the year this section had been snow covered and the path was a lot more challenging. Now it was just taking some caution as we hiked our bikes.

We found a great place to park our bikes and have lunch while we checked out the scenery.

After lunch we got psyched to do four miles of downhill single track. It was a stop and go process as going too fast was not what we wanted to do.

We are definitely in the mountains of Montana!

After the single track, it was a rather steep 10 mile downhill on gravel all the way to Seeley lake. We found the laundromat, took showers and once again ate hamburgers which our bodies crave along with onion rings and a rather large milkshake. We checked out some stores for groceries, but pickings were slim. We will be eating pop tarts for breakfast. We left about 4 and headed to Montour campground. There is no potable water at the campground and due to the recent rain the creek water was quite muddy. It was not ideal for filtering. As we were contemplating what to do a man walked toward us and asked us if we needed water. He then invited us to his camp and gave us a cold beer. Wow did that taste great. He also offered us as much water as we needed. Our need for water was solved. We had fun talking to them and learning about how they spend their summers in campgrounds in the area, having lots of fun fishing the streams. We are coming up with a plan for tomorrow. We will eat breakfast in Ovanda and then try to make it to Lincoln for the evening.

Tim and Lisa were our first Trail Angels!

Campsite Montour Forest Service Camp

Miles peddled 46

July 23

Getting up at 5 and ready to go by 6 has become routine. It beats some of the heat and lots of the traffic. As we were finishing packing up here comes Lisa. She is bringing coffee for Don and hot tea for me. She wished us well and said that she slept with her window open in case she heard any bears in the area. We smile and appreciate the goodness of the people we meet. It is a short 8 miles to Ovando where we plan on getting breakfast. The morning is clear and the gravel in great shape.

The road is surrounded by large fields.

By the time we arrive to Ovando, the restaurant Stray Bullet is open. Ovando used to be known for its fishing, but now it is also known for the bikers doing the Great Divide Trail. There are places to camp including the ability to stay in the jail. We look forward to having breakfast at the Stray bullet.

It did not disappoint!

This quote was on the wall.

There are a couple of stores that are here and they are well stocked for biker’s needs.

We picked up some potato chips and discovered an easy way to carry them.

As we left Ovando we needed to head over a pass before dropping down to Lincoln Montana. It was another pass that we alternated between walking and riding on the way up.

We met several bikers who were doing a trip with Adventure Cycling. They were going to Lincoln as well. It was a group of 8 with one leader. Don and I were happy to be on our own. It was fun talking to the participants as we learned about why they chose to do a guided tour. The down hill went quickly and soon we were pulling into an RV park that had showers and places for tenting. it was $10.00 a person and was quite nice. We were invited to share some drinks with the Adventure Cycling group. They invited us to dinner but we declined and headed into Lincoln for dinner. We first stopped at the grocery store to see what we could buy and ask for a restaurant recommendation. The town is made up mostly of bars and casinos. The first one seemed more bar than a restaurant so we headed across the street to another casino. This one seemed to have a better food selection and we each had a steak burger and fries. Of course our dinner included desert as well. In the shower house there was a sign about the Llama ranch which we plan to stop at tomorrow, The sign said to call and reserve a cabin which we did. Now it is back to our tent where we quickly fell asleep.

Campsite Lincoln RV park

Miles peddled 45

July 24

Quiet was not the theme of the night. There was a wedding across the road and campers playing music. I was glad to see 5 O’clock light up on my watch. We ate our bar and quickly packed up. The Adventure Cycling group have breakfast at 8, we will have miles put in by then. We started out on a nice gravel road, perhaps I had read the description wrong about this road being primitive and rocky. Then we turned right on to a road that led past some houses. Once we passed the houses the road deteriorated . Now it fit the description

It continued to get rougher, steeper and rockier. We began the climb up Stemple Pass

Definitely a Hike a Bike and with some elevation included!

Finally the top appeared and we worked our way along a ridge and some logging activity. The road had improved somewhat and we were zooming along enjoying the scene as we continued to climb. All at once Don yells,” Stop”, we are off course. My smile turned downwards when,” I asked how far?” We had gotten complacent and missed a turn. Unfortunately we did more climbing than we needed to. The downhill was quite rocky and washed out in places. It took some time to work our way down the road. Eventually we did and as some houses appeared the road improved. In the distance we saw the Llama Ranch our destination for the night.

In the distance we saw the green roof with a bicyclist stenciled on.

This is going to be a short day and we are ready for it!

Before heading to the ranch we stopped to watch a couple of Evening Grosbeaks on the road.

As we were nearing the ranch two dogs come out to welcome us in!

Barbara and John and Rose Marie (Barbara’s Aunt) welcomed us to the ranch. They showed us a cooler filled with cold beverages and sandwiches. Relax, they said and then we will show you where you are staying tonight. Even thought this is called the llama ranch, there are no more llamas here. Instead there are four rescue alpacas.

I think their main purpose is just to be cute and have their photo taken.

After a cold drink Rose Marie takes us to the back where there are accommodations for the bikers. Since we had called in a sign on one of them welcomes us.

We open the door and are amazed at the thoughtfulness that has gone into making this cabins so welcoming.

Beds with sheets, water, stove and plenty of food items. There is even a box full of chamois packets and a jar full of M&M’s.

There was a prominent sign on the wall which we were told to read.

We are impressed and look forward to passing it forward.

Just as we got settled into our cabin, the rain started to fall…what perfect timing. It also seemed so appropriate to lay down on the bed and see what happens. Soon both Don and I were into a well needed nap.

John came by later in the afternoon and invited Don and I plus the other bikers to have dinner with them tonight. There were 8 bikers plus Barbara, John and Rose Marie sitting around the table. The rule of the night was there can’t be any left overs. The food kept coming and it was delicious. Hungry bikers were able to take the rule seriously and soon all the plates were cleaned.

This was a many course meal. All done by the owners, the bikers were the ones being served!

There are a lot of sayings around the buildings. We liked this one

I can see why many bikers speak of this place being one of their highlights for the trail.

Even with the nap today, we were ready to go to bed at our usual time. Those sheets and blankets feel so nice.

Campsite Llama Ranch

Miles peddled 24

June 25

What a great nights sleep in our little cabin! Since we didn’t have to unpack our bikes it was easy to take off this morning. We bid our cabin adieu and head back to the road.

We say Good-by to the figure that welcomes bikers going Northbound.

Today we needed to cross the Continental Divide twice which meant some uphills were in store for us. Montana has a history of mining and today we rode past several of the ruins.

Always fun to learn about the history of the area.

Another thing that Montana is known for is its cows. Today we had a bit of a standoff as these cows weren’t sure they wanted to share the road.

We eventually won and were able to convince them to move,

Lots of spring flowers along the road today.

It was a hot stretch of road with little shade before we began our desent to Helena.

It was a very hot day by the time we arrived to Helena. When we saw the sigh for a Huckleberry Smoothie, we pulled in found a little shade and cooled off a little.

Our goal for today was to find a bike shop that could replace our brake pads. the first one had a day or two wait, but the second one Big Sky Cycling said they could fit us in before they closed. Great!. We headed out to find a place to eat with some AC. Between eating and charging our electronics we had a nice afternoon. We spent some time looking at the route and decided that we would take alternate routes around Lava Mountain and Fleecer ridge. We decided that some of the advice about not taking the main route sounds good to us. We head over to Mountain Bike City for the night. The Adventure Cycling Group is here getting ready to spend their last night of the trip. They are heading out to dinner so we have the place to ourselves. It is very nice, clean and reasonable. The only distraction is the train that passes thru several times during the night. It feels good to have new brakes and a restful afternoon.

Campsite Mountain Bike City

Miles peddled 46

July 26

We we pulling out just as the Adventure Folks were getting up. We said our goodbyes and headed out. We are not doing Lava mountain. Several Riders have told us that it is in very. bad shape and only do it if you want to push your bike a lot. That opinion was enough for us and we headed off to do the Boulder Alternate. It also has a lot of climbing, but at least the Gravel roads aren’t full of rocks and roots. We had hoped to have breakfast at Clancy, after a very long down hill but all stores were closed so we peddled on and found a picnic table outside of a closed restaurant. Next was a very long up hill which had some gravel and some pavement. This old homestead caught our eye.

It was fun to imagine what life here would have been like.

It was lots of uphill until we summited at Jefferson City,

We are glad for our DaBrim Hats. There wasn’t much shade on this route.

Today we were either going up or down, the word level wasn’t used. Finally we got to Boulder and headed to the first cafe we saw. We barely made it before it closed at two. The waitress gets a 5 star for being nice and refilling our lemonade glasses numerous times.

Another delicious burger with sweet potato fries.

A visit to the grocery store added to our supplies. I was particularly happy with this purchase.

It was an easy road to Basin where we had reservations to stay at the Merry Widow Health Mine. A couple of bikers Eric and Joy rode in and camped next to us. We met them at the Llama Ranch. They were doing a loop trip for a shorter vacation. The host told us about the mine and we were intrigued. The mine is visited by people hoping for a therapeutic effect from radon gas. Joy, a real estate agent, was wanting to hear more as most of the time radon gas would not be called therapeutic. We walked up to the mine to see what we could learn. We were greeted by this sign.

It was close to closing, but the owner gave us permission to take a look. The mine has no entrance fee.

We headed in and took notice of the different ways you could use the water dripping from the walls. There was even a bathtub to put your pet in the water.

The owner came out and told us of the benefits of drinking the water. He also told us how his wife had been healed. He suggested that we fill our water bottles and that we would notice more energy on our ride tomorrow. His suggestion went unheeded for us, but the campground was full of people who were using the mine for its healing benefits.

Campsite Merry Widow Health Mine

Miles peddled 50

July 27

It was very quiet last night and we decided not to fill our water bottles with radon infused water so can’t report on its effects. The morning was cool as we headed towards the town of Butte. I am not sure who was more surprised as we headed under an underpass and came face to face with cows being moved to an upper pasture. Poor timing on our part as the dogs and cowboys had to work a little harder to get the cows back under control. We froze in place and waited while the mooing cows moved on.

Good gravel today which included going down thru a steep canyon. Everyday brings new terrain for us to experience. We love the trail!

We stopped at the Sheepherders recreation area. No one was there enjoying the beautiful picnic structure.

Nice and shady. It was a perfect place for stopping.

Plenty of purple thistles lined the trail.

Our goal for the day was to stop in Butte, have our bike chains checked and get food for the next 3 days of travel.

A different view than the mountains and forests we have been riding thru.

Butte is a mining town. The mines go way back in time.

We rode the route which goes thru the old part of town. A lot of the buildings were abandoned. We talked to the owner of the bikeshop and he said that Butte is on the rebound with a lot of people becoming interested in the area. He told us that he didn’t have any chains for our bikes, but that we should get them when we are in Pinedale He recommended to eat at the Pita shop next door and said that we could park our bikes in his shop. He also told us that we would pass by the Three Bears Grocery Store. A store that has its roots in Alaska. We stopped, bought a half gallon of lemonade and food for the next section. They had everything we needed plus more so now we have heavy packs again. The bike shop owner also told us that the road going around Butte was quite busy during rush hours and to try to get thru it before the traffic started. Even the route description had a warning about the s curves. With all those warning we peddled with a mission and soon turned off to a road leading to a bike park. For severals miles we meandered thru paths wondering if we were on the right ones. The app said we were so we continued on.

At one point we were on a rails to trails path , however that didn’t last long when soon we were directed to go on a single track

This involved some pushing.

We made our way out of the maze of trails and ended up on a paved road that soon turned to gravel. The first place we stopped to camp already had a camper there so we continued on. We had enough water to dry camp so it wasn’t an issue to have water near by. When we pulled into the Highland Trail head we knew this was the place. It had a flat spot and vistas in every direction. The Continental Divide Trail passes thru here. We were the only ones here so quite the quiet night. There were no trees in the area suitable for a bear hang so the roof of the outhouse worked just fine.

Campsite Highland Trail Head

Miles Peddled 57

July 28

We thought that the night would be quite quiet which it was for most of the night until the wind picked up and we were glad that we had the tent well staked. The joys of being close to the top. The morning gave us some great light and soon we were headed about 12 miles to where the road goes underneath the interstate. The trail information noted that the road is steep, in places that was almost an understatement. Once again our hands cramped up from braking. There was also plenty of loose gravel which kept us focused. Sure glad we had new brake pads. The cows were out enjoying the morning as well. It is so interesting to see the different reactions. Some just stare at you while others kick up there feet and raise their tails.

We decided to take the alternate around Fleecer ridge. Fleecer ridge is a notorious part of the trail. It is not long but the 30 degree downhill didn’t seem like fun to us. We were also told that the 4 wheelers and rainy weather have made it even rougher. The divide alternate was all paved, but the challenge for it was peddling on a two lane highway with no berm, and guard rails right next to the road. We were the efficient and meticulous peddlers on this section.

This was the first section of pavement. I was concentrating too much to take a photo of the more dangerous pavement.

We arrived to Wise River mid morning and looked for an open cafe. This was not to be, but a small coffee shop at the beginning of town advertised breakfast burritos and fresh bakery products. Off we went and filled our stomachs once again. A small mercantile here was well organized and very friendly, just didn’t have a lot of options to buy for food. We are meeting some friends at the Elkhorn lodge for dinner so off we go enjoying the Pioneer scenic byway. It was all paved, but there was a lot of climbing involved. A lot of the route paralleled a stream which made for a scenic ride. It reminded us of Yellowstone with the mts. in the distance.By late afternoon we were climbing up to the pass which involved a lot of switchbacks. Our legs were begging for the downhill. Finally it came, but not like I hoped. We still had quite a few ups and down.

A large meadow right after the steep sections.

Finally we made it to the lodge and found a place to put up our tent. The $25.00 price included the camping fee, entrance to the hot springs pool for both of us and a discount for breakfast. Below where we camped we met a newly married couple who were from New Mexico and live in a town that we will be passing thru. If they are around we are invited to stay with them when we go thru their town, Soon it is time to meet Alex and his family. Alex worked with us many years ago at NOLS Alaska. After a dinner of guess what…burgers….we headed to the hot pool.

Our friends, Alex, Allison and Julian, a great time!

Campsite Elkhorn Lodge

Miles peddled 66

July 29

We decided to eat the seven dollar all you can eat breakfast which began at 8 O’clock. That meant we had a leisurely morning to clean our bikes and look at the route, The next section of road is pretty isolated so we are preparing for that. Alex had brought us some delicious fruit, we had put if far from our tent. I was relieved that we wernt’t visited by a bear last night. Breakfast was okay, but the price was right. By 10:30 we were on our way, heading thru very large fields of hay.

The hay fields were massive, several of the fields had several tractors working the hay into hay bales.

We are riding thru the Grasshopper Valley.

Our next stop was Bannock State Park which is made up of a ghost town and a campground. We decided to visit the ghost town and then head on to the very small town of Grants.

This state park is way out there, but the parking lot was almost full. It was very well maintained. The cost was $4.00 per person and for bikers included a loaner book that told about the buildings. This is another place that during its time was quite busy, but as the mining slowed down so did the town.

Some of the buildings were open and one could go inside. The walls were quite thick and helped with temperature control

The visitor center had cold water and pop. Both sounded good along with the bag of potato chips. Perhaps not very healthy, but liquids of any kind is good. We met four bikers here who we learned were in the hot pool at Elkhorn last night. Two are from England and two are from Ohio. They plan to also go to Grants tonight. We chatted some and then took off. The hayfields are mostly sage fields now. (The power of water.) The area is very dry and desolate.

We made it to Grants about 3:30 and plan to spend the night

We can camp out back and at 5 the restaurant opens. As we are relaxing at a table a northbound biker pulls in. His name is Ethan and we share information. This is so helpful!

The outside looks like it hasn’t been updated much since it opened in 1860, but the inside….

We felt like we were back to living in a western town. A rodeo was on the TV and talk of horses and cows were the main conversion.

There was even a country singer to entertain us.

Our entre was a 10 out of 10! It included sirloin tip with vegetables and mashed potatoes with gravy. Then came the desert.

This was a one person portion, but we were told that it probably would be best shared.

Time to go set up the tent. a storm is moving in!

First Amy the manager gives us some info about the place. The owner is retired military and is currently in Ukraine. The wind is picking up and the rain can be seen coming our way.

We head out back to where we can set up our tent. The wrecked vehicle is a great wind break.

It rains hard and the wind blows, but our tent holds up and we sleep well. We hope the storm moves thru tonight and cools down the temperature. Tomorrow is another day with not a lot of water opportunities.

Campsite Grants Horse Prairie Stage Stop Hotel

Miles peddled 37

July 30

We woke up early to a completely blue and clear sky. All the other bikers that had arrived here yesterday were still in their tents when we pulled out. The morning’s route was a steady uphill, passing by huge ranches.

We passed by one of the few streams that we will encounter today and had breakfast. The next part of the road will be a steep climb which found us walking for some of it. Our bodies are getting stronger, but walking is still needed. Plus it uses different muscles and gives our biking legs a rest.

The day is heating up and no shade is available.

Back in the day this was a heavily used road going to the ghost town that we visited yesterday.

After a morning of up, the afternoon was spent going down. We kept waiting for the road to at least be level, but to our surprise it just kept going down to the town of Lima. (like the bean) no complaining!

It was a beautiful canyon that had a stream next to it.

Finally we made it to the paved road. which would take us to town. We had dropped off a resupply box here on on way to Pinedale. There is camping behind the motel and we can get showers here as well as do a load of laundry. We have been eating out more than we had planned so our food bags are full. There isn’t much of a grocery store here so we are glad to have the food we sent. In the campground we meet several of the bikers that we had met in Eureka when we were driving our Uhaul north. We were surprised to see them as they had about a 5 days headstart on us. There was Tom from Indiana, Patrick from Switzerland and Henk from the Netherlands. This is also the town that the Continental Divide trail gets resupplies so there were a lot of tents here tonight.

Campsite Lima Motel

Miles peddled 69

July 31

As usual Don and I are the first ones to leave, but Henk from the Netherlands who is a couple years younger than us is also packing up. The road today doesn’t have a lot of elevation gain, but the majority of the road has chunky gravel which is not a fun surface. Gripping the handle bars tightly is a must for today’s ride.

We are glad when we see this sign which means there is a campground nearby. Don and I had expectations of going further today, but the chunky gravel road and the heat convinced us to camp at the campground.

The visitor canter was closed today, but the informational kiosk gave a little shade and the concrete platform underneath the sign was so cool. We decided to just take a break here and lying flat on the cement was cooling. Eventually we were able to peddle on to the campground which had trees and shade. The best thing though was a piped spring that provided water and was cold! Tom, Henk and Patrick are camping here tonight so we had fun exchanging stories of life on the trail.

A couple from Portland were also camped here in their van. They walked over to where we were camped and asked if we would like some watermelon. An affirmative yes came from all. Not only did they bring some watermelon, but also a small flask of whiskey to toast our trip. There names were Kyu and Nancy and they are interested in doing the trail so we discussed what we had learned so far. When they heard of our difficulty in getting a chain, Kyu who was quite knowledgeable in bike mechanics had a spare and gladly gave it to us.

Once again meeting people is a fun part of the journey.

There is a slight haze over the water tonight and the setting sun gives us a feeling that a fire is burning somewhere. So far we have been fortunate not to be dealing with fires or smoke.

Campsite Upper lake campground Red Lake Refugee

Miles peddled 57 miles