A New Riding Family

To Lee Creek Camp, Montana -- 40.6 miles, 15.5 mph, 1200 ft

For the first time in ages, especially for a riding day, I didn't feel the normal pressure to get on the road this morning. The new members of the crew -- April, Kevin, Kirk, Sue, and Laurie -- were sound asleep at 6:30. They were still working on California time and had had very long days to get to Missoula. As a result, that gave me time to wander down the block for a cup of coffee.

Since none of the Eugene gang had been to the Adventure Cycling office on Saturday, that was our first stop. Maxton, took our pictures and also offered to weigh the bikes. The Green tandem (and gear) weighed in at a considerable121 lb, which means with Kylie and me the total rig is about 335 lbs. Meg's and Dex's steed weighed in at 104 lbs, though they were missing much of the food they would normally be hauling.

The gold tandem, ready to be weighed

About 15 miles out of Missoula, just as we turned onto Hwy 12, we stopped at the Travelers’ Rest visitor’s center.  This happends to be where Lewis and Clark stopped in September of 1805 during their westward journey and again in June of 1806 on their way back east. Interestingly, what took Lewis and Clark five months to traverse, Fort Mandan (near Dickinson, ND) to Traveler’s Rest here in western Montana, we’ve completed on bikes and modern roads in a mere six weeks.

On the way up the early, gentle slope of Lolo Pass, the temperature climbed into the 90's. We gladly soaked our heads in the nearby river as we continued up to the Lee Creek campground. We’d already planned to meet Laurie there, so she could spend the day exploring and hiking.

Lolo Peak

Cooling off in the river

It was great to have a bigger group to ride with today. Just knowing we're not in it alone is a big help. Moreover, Laurie’s camper proved to be a godsend when a thunderstorm rolled in during dinner. We all huddled in, thankful for some solid walls and a warm meal -- one big happy family.

One big happy family

The Emerald City

To Missoula, Montana -- 53.6 miles, 14.9 mph, 1200 ft -- Sat-Sun, June 24-25

We made it!  Missoula, the "Emerald City," as Meg puts it, has been the major goal for us since Minnesota! I am suddenly way more exhausted than I figure I have any right to be, especially based on yesterday’s relatively easy ride. Even with a few hills, we had a net 1500 ft descent, which allowed us to average an unheard of 14.9 mph over the 54 miles into Missoula!

The Adventure Cycling staff that we were camping with were very kind and offered us breakfast with the rest of the tour group. Forget bagels and peanut butter, we had eggs, bacon, hot and cold cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee! Awesome. Of course, we are not the quickest bunch getting out of Dodge, but we still got out onto the road at a respectable hour, and it was a beautiful day. Pine covered hillsides and the rapidly flowing Blackfoot River followed us all the way into town. We were making such good time that we didn't take a serious break until the Adventure Cycling lunch stop in Milltown, just ten miles from Missoula.

Although, I've followed Adventure Cycling maps for thousands of miles -- along the TransAmerica trail, east to west in ‘97, along the Continental Divide north to south on mountain bikes in ‘01 with Meg, and from Baton Rouge to Pensacola with April in 2002 -- I had never stopped in at their office in Missoula. Laurie, one of the staff members, showed us around and gave us the history of the organization that was started by a husband and wife in the seventies. Their first major undertaking was to plan out a bicycling route across the US from Astoria, Washington to Yorktown, Virginia to celebrate the US Bicentennial in 1976.  The non-profit has grown significantly over the years, and, now, with scores of employees, it continues it's mission of developing bicycle routes, publishing maps, distributing a monthly magazine (The Adventure Cyclist), guiding bike tours, and advocating for better and safer cycling.

Us in the Co-Motion advertisement in Adventure Cyclist

While we were waiting around at the office, Arlen, one of the ACA staff that we’d met the day before, asked if we had a place to stay. We were planning to stay at the Missoula KOA where we would meet April, Kevin, and their friends, Kirk and Sue the next day. However, his offer to stay at his place was too good to pass up. Arlen mentioned having a seven and nine year-old at home, which sweetened the deal, so we cancelled our Saturday reservation at the KOA and followed Arlen on his bike to his home a few miles away.

Arlen and his wife, Shawn, had moved to Montana five years earlier after meeting in Massachusetts. They are both involved in bike tours and active Warm Showers hosts. We were amazed to hear of the cross-country, fund raising trips Arlen had organized and led with teenagers years ago. Currently, Shawn organizes and caters her own fully supported bike tours while Arlen is responsible for all Adventure Cycling Association tours. The bottom line here is they are absolutely fantastic folks, wonderful hosts who are big hearted and inviting. And, Shawn is an incredible cook.

Seven year old Shaylee ready for camp

Arlen, Shawn, Dallas and Shaylee

Arlen and Shawn's foster kids, Shaylee and Dallas, were instant playmates for Dex and Kylie. Within an hour of our arrival, they were all whisked away for a swim party at the public pool. Suffice it to say, we were a little sad to leave the next morning.

Nevertheless, this was the big day. The day we would meet up with our new riding partners for the next two weeks -- April, Kevin, Kirk, and Sue, plus another friend of the four, Laurie, who would be joining us in her new camper for the first few days.

April and crew

Our long distant rides with April go a ways back. Decades ago, in 1996, April and I did our first tour together riding over the Labor Day weekend from San Jose to San Luis Obispo. She, her mom, and sister met Meg and me in Wyoming during the summer of '01 and rode with us across the high desert for a few days along the Great Divide mountain bike ride. When April rode across the country in 2002 along the Southern Tier route, Meg joined her through the giant state of Texas, while I met her in Baton Rouge and rode along until Pensacola. Finally, both Kevin and April joined us in '05 for an eight day, self supported, "shake down" ride over what turned out to be an absolutely scorching Fourth of July week riding from Spokane, up into Canada, and back down through Idaho.

Our Nepal hiking partner, Kevin

New friends, Kirk and Sue

Laurie with Dex

Theoretically, we could have started riding today, but the Hoornaert's are always happy to take advantage of those elusive rest days. Instead, we filled the day with some last minute shopping and bike prep while Dex and Kylie did the important stuff -- mini golf, swimming, and recumbent trike riding.

Laurie's brand new camper

Kylie sporting a biker tan

Over the Divide

To Ovando, Montana -- 58.0 miles, 11.4 mph, 2475 ft

Thirteen miles into our ride this morning, we crossed the Continental Divide. We are now officially in the West. Certainly, the scenery has changed dramatically over the last fifty miles. Gone are the treeless, rolling grasslands -- which have pretty much been with us since western Minnesota -- now replaced with pine covered mountains and winding rivers.

The good news for the ride today was that after the initial uphill slog, the rest of the day was down, at least on paper. Most of the down required pedaling against the wind and the “two uphill blips” we were told about at lunch, were definitely more like six or seven. Nevertheless, by 4:30 we were in the tiny town of Ovando where we chanced to meet Cindy and Dean outside Trixie’s Saloon.  They were actually part of a twenty-nine rider, week long, supported biking tour that had just arrived in town and suggested we camp at the school grounds with the rest of the tour.

Quick (non alcoholic) drink at Trixie's Saloon

Thankfully, the tour leader, Dave, had no problem with our “squeezing in” among the other tents. The group was just finishing up a one week Bike Montana tour and, like us, would be heading to Missoula in the morning. And, because the tour was put on by Adventure Cycling Association based in Missoula -- the organization that puts out the bike maps we've been following for the last couple weeks -- we’d have a chance to visit the office when we arrived. Given our cross country, fully supported credentials, we garnered a little bit of extra attention with the group. Luckily for Meg and me, we were offered the use of the heated showers and portable toilets. Dex and Kylie, true to form, eschewed the shower. They much preferred getting dirtly and jumping down the large piles of gravel next to the camp.

Under the Bridge

To the Dearborn River & Hwy 200, Montana -- 59.4 miles, 11.6 mph, 2550 ft

We’re off again after our much appreciated rest stop in Great Falls. I don't know how many times over the last two days I though how nice it was that we were not on the bikes. I was so uncomfortable after the last week in the saddle that I bought a new softer seat and an industrial-sized tube of Chamios Butt’r.

Although we planned on an early start, a half dozen interruptions slowed us down, including a last second hunt for Mr. Monster who was mischievously hiding in the bed sheets. It’s fair to say that today marks our first foray into the Rockies with 5000 feet of climbing over the next day and a half.

Lunch at the Simms Store

Miraculously, the expected head winds never really developed and by the afternoon we were revelling in a full fledged tailwind and enjoying the wildlife on the side of the road.

Fifteen feet off the highway, giving us a clear warning

No easy meal for Mr. Coyote

Dex, ever the animal lover

Since, we had little hope of reaching Lincoln, 90 miles from our starting point, we were prepared to find a spot along the road. At mile sixty, we crossed the Dearborn River and that was that. Dex and Kylie were not going to pass up a chance to fish, and there didn't look to be another tree or water suply for at least ten uphill miles. The tent was soon set up under the brIdge, and Dex and Kylie were contentedly fishing. Kylie didn't even bother to take off her helmet. Unfortunately, no fish were biting. Guess we’ll have to postpone the fish dinner for another night.

No fish for dinner tonight