Days 15-18: Montana

Hoteled it in Missoula. Figured I had earned it. Funny, but slept lousy on a real bed. Bob departed to head back to work. I really enjoyed traveling with him: we pushed ourselves hard and saw some amazing country. Glad he joined me all the way to Missoula.

South through Bitterroot Valley, mostly still cattle and irrigated hay and alfalfa. Some nice little towns: Stevesnville, Corvallis (excellent breakfast joint), Darby. Stopped in on last day of Ravalli County Fair.

First climb over the Continental Divide at Chief Joseph Pass. A couple at the top took my photo: the husband was biking east to west on a 15 lb carbon fiber bike and the wife was sagging for him in an Austin Mini. Their three kids all went to UNH, including one, Ben Wakely, who runs the intramural sports program for the university. Av, Beck, Wes - do you know him?

Next three days not many towns, fewer decent food stores, one high lonesome valley separated by a pass after another - The Big Hole, Grasshopper Valley, Ruby Valley, Madison River Valley, Missouri Flats etc. Often with beautiful reservoir-fed rivers running down the middle that have made Montana famous for flyfishing. You cannot count on stores that are marked on the AC maps as being open or having much for food. Had Poptarts slathered with Nutella for dinner at Bannock.

As far as I can tell I am the last eastbound biker on the Transamerica through these parts. I have neither overtaken nor been overtaken by a single biker, and the few westbound bikers I've seen say they haven't seen anyone for two weeks. This is disappointing as I was hoping to ride with folks for parts of the last half of the trip. But traveling alone is a good thing and Ive had many nice conversations with folks at restaurant stops. A pharmacy worker drove me to the Ennis MT post office to mail my lighweight sleeping bag (bought a new one after several nights below 30 degrees) because it was 2 miles uphill in the wrong direction.

Stiff headwinds for two of these days took a lot out of me so today I am taking it easy headed into Yellowstone. W. Yellowstone is the classic hony tonk national park gateway town. Next two days in the park - glad I'm here after Labor Day cause the crowds have thinned out.

Then on through WY which I expect to be higher and lonesomer than MT. Hope the winds are favorable.