Month: June 2012 Page 1 of 2

I have been riding with Peter Mckay from Juneau, Alaska and Dylan Atkinson from San Francisco. We lost Peter at Circle, MT yesterday – we hope to reconnect.

Enthusiasts, note Peter’s custom Erikson with full Campy equipment.

Dylan and I are in Beach, North Dakota tonight. Winds were from the east 12 to 14 mph with gusts sometimes exceeding 20.

I passed through Oswego earlier in the week – Oswego, Montana that is. There is nothing to report. I like our Oswego much better.

US Highway 2 is known here as the Hi-Line. As I cross Montana I have seen changes in the land use. In the west wheat dominated the landscape. Today I saw cattle and grassland. After crossing the Milk River the first time I started to see trees.

Below is a picture camping in a city park in Malta, MT Sunday night. Just about the time we turned in – (9:30pm) the rain started with very strong winds. Being under the shelter instead of on the grass turned out to be the better choice.

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I am staying at Montana State in Havre this evening. I rode here with Peter McKay from Juneau, Alaska. It was a short day, about 34 miles from Hingham where we camped last night. The two previous days were 70 plus miles. Tomorrow’s goal is Malta, just over 80 mile east. The wind was out of the west on Thursday, making the ride from East Glacier to Shelby, MT enjoyable. This is the third day with no rain! Yesterday strong winds were slightly from behind, but crossing enough to move me when semi-trucks went by. Today the wind was somewhat southwest, helping a little and not causing in problem with traffic.

There have been lots of small hills. None are too steep or long. We stopped at Havre Bicycle Shop this afternoon -free check on tire pressure and a good increase. I am expecting better rolling tomorrow.

As you will see in the gallery below, I left the moutains behind. I could see them for a while after Browning. Today I saw the Bear Paw Mountains. This part of the country has millions of acres of wheat. I did see a little winter wheat this morning, but most has been planted this spring.

There is a lot of distance between services. The little stage coach towns are mostly gone. Some towns are just a grain elevator and maybe a house or two.

I am over the Rocky Mountains! I climbed enough to cross the contenental divide yesterday riding up Going to the
Sun Road. I met Dan from Pennsylvania before Marias Pass (5215 feet). We chatted for a while and met again at Brownies Hostel in East Glacier. I almost camped at the pass, but it started raining and the wind was really howling.

At the beginning of the climb the grade was almost 15 percent. I was concerned about being able to make it over. After that first “hill,” the grades was more moderate and I made it over the top. The rain and wind pushed me downhill to East Glacier.

It has rained part of everyday for more than a week. Tomorrow is supposed to be dry at least after I get out of East Glacier.