Where are we going again?

For a few days there we forgot where we were going! How many rest days does it take to officially mean you're doing the Divide in sections?? 6 rest days in Helena has more than repaired our sore muscles and hungry stomachs!

Saturday we played with my ridiculously cute nephew, Cayden, and then went to the Symphony Under the Stars...Talk about a treat! The symphony was Western themed, featuring music by Mark O'Connor. The sun set right behind the stage, and the evening ended with fireworks in sync with the orchestra- amazing!!

Sunday was more playtime with Cayden at the park and more delicious food. We spent a good part of the day shopping- all that time spent last year picking out the perfect clothes, and now they are falling off of us. I settled for a cheap tank top and shorts from Target...O, well! That night my sister and I schooled the boys in Dweebies and Taboo.

Monday, another great day in the sun- we drove out to Hauser Lake and had a picnic. Cayden went beserk playing with sand, while I tried fruitlessly to fix my ridiculous farmers tan. That night we took the big C to gymnastics which was again, pretty ridiculously cute. Later on, the ladies beat the boys yet again in Sequence.

Tuesday was a tough day for us. We dropped C off at daycare and drove up to the Missouri River where we rented a raft. We floated the river for about 3 hours in complete bliss. The fish taunted Josh as they swam under under our boat, and Sol found a sweet bridge to jump off. It really was a spectacular day, and we might've forgotten for a few hours that we were on an epic bike ride. To top it off, we ended the day with frozen ice cream, later followed by popcorn and a movie.

Yesterday, I got a massage (tough life) while Josh picked up our bikes at The Garage, an awesome shop that gave Us some great advice and some love to our bikes. A few hours of errands, and then we ended the day with hot dogs, beer, and a great slideshow of our trip so far.

Today was another daycare day for C, and the adults went on a phenomenal tour of Helena singletrack. It was great to get our legs moving again- it's amazing how quickly all of that beer and chocolate takes over your body! The ride was awesome- definitely jealous of the singletrack Helena has to offer. Later on the boys were finally victorious, beating us at shuffleboard at the Lewis & Clark Brewery.

Packing up now, and heading out in the morning. The gang is meeting us at our next camping spot, so we still get one more day of luxury and family time! Our next stretch of riding is fairly remote, so you may not hear from us for awhile, but who knows!

Some fun facts from Jenny:

# of flats: 1
# of peanut butter jars eaten: 3
#of thunderstorms we've seen: 6
# of rainbows: 2
$ we've raised for adaptive bikes- $900! $2100 more to go!

Thanks to all at MHC and Parks & Rec for our wonderful care package!!

Week 2- Zooom!!!!

It's amazing what a rest day will do for you- after leaving Kalispell, we cruised through some wild Montana country and ended up in Helena five days early. Here are the week's stories for you all....

Day 9 was our first full rest day, although it was full of chores. After sleeping in and enjoying a wonderful breakfast with our hosts- Katherine, Gordon, Julie and Jack- we spent the day cleaning and tuning our bikes, grocery shopping, charging electronics, blogging, calling family and of course lots of eating.

Day 10 we woke up refreshed and eager to get riding again. Katherine pointed us towards a bike path that would get us back on route, and we were so grateful- the first 10 miles were paved, rolling curves through brilliantly colored farmlands. 1 hour later and we were already at our day's destination, Ferndale.....so, we kept on trucking. Up and over the pass, we descended towards Swan River, eventually crossing paths with an ACA tour (Adventure Cycling Association runs supported cycling tours throughout the U.S.). We were happily treated to gatorade and rice krispy bars (Jenny's dairy faux pas #1). Rolling along, we set up camp at Fatty Creek Campground, right along the Swan River (a 60 mile day). Josh bolted for the riverside with his fishing pole, and I took a snooze in the sun. After a few hours Josh reported back- one catch and release, and one catch and escape. Remembering that we forgot to buy dinner in Ferndale, we hunkered down with our own style of PB&J: Peanut Butter & Jerky. We were stoked to have enough energy to have a little campfire, which was then quickly put out (but we made extra sure or course) by the ensuing thunderstorm that sent us into the tent early (after seeing two full rainbows over the river).

We slept well, and woke up hungry. With coffee and oatmeal on the riverbank, we both experienced a moment of perfect bliss while listening to John Prine's "Angel of Montgomery." Moments later another thunderstorm threatened and we packed up hastily. We headed toward Clearwater Lake on Day 11, excited to find the only grocery store along the way in Condon.....and passing right by it. Hungry and hot, we pulled in to a diner and our last chance for food. We both ordered lunch, then ordered dinner to go, which we packed away for later. Again, thunderstorms chased us along, and 36 miles into the day we found our stopping point- Clearwater Lake. And what an amazing place to be! After the anglers left the lake, we had the run of the place to ourselves (minus the deer we saw, and the bear footprints we found). I was happy as a clam to go for a swim while Josh set out for some more fish. It was a peaceful and spectacular day- such a great reward to a day of riding.

After falling asleep to yet another thunderstorm, we woke up hungry (again). Still with no groceries, we ate more peanut butter, nutella and Hammergel (Julie you are a saviour!). Our destination for day 12 was Ovando and Trixi's (a famed bar josh heard about "thanks Eric!"), 56.8 miles. The beginning of our day was a long steep climb up Richmond Peak. Halfway up, we finally discovered that music made us zoom....it only took us 12 days. We crested the peak in no time, and pedaled ourselves as quickly as we could to a restaurant in Seeley Lake. Having hardly eaten in a couple of days, we wolfed down a little too much food. With half our day's ride still ahead of us, we waddled to the grocery store trying to find decent food to pack for dinner. Not having much luck, we left with white rice, deli turkey and a half gallon of lemonade that Josh somehow convinced me to carry. We left feeling too full, unsatisfied with our upcoming meals, and really, stinking, HOT. Our upcoming climbs were not substantial, but it was all we could do to keep pedaling. We hopped from shady spot to shady spot, Josh desperately regretting that strawberry milkshake. We eventually cruised into Ovando, our saving grace. We found Kathy, the resident Great Divide Fan, who helped us set up shop. The town of Ovando boasts their hospitatly towards cyclists, featuring very unique camping options as riders come through town. Our options ranged from a teepee, a covered wagon, the jail, or the yard in front of the museum- we chose the covered wagon. The day was still hot, so we walked up to Trixie's- the grandest bar around. After some drinks, a delicious salmon dinner, and chocolate cake to boot, we strolled back down to our wagon (which, turns out, might not be the best choice on a hot summer's night).

Day 13 started out fairly wonderful- our first full breakfast since leaving Kallispell sent us feeling revived towards Lincoln. We crested Huckleberry Pass in no time, and found ourselves finishing our 40 mile day before lunch. Not wanting to spend all day in the tent, we chose to treat ourselves to bunks at the Three Bears Motel, a fun family-run cabin style hotel. It felt like a rest day- more food, lots of gatorade, showers, a toilet (!), clean sheets and an oscillating fan. It didn't take long for us to get cabin fever, and we were excited to wake up early and set out again.

We woke up on Day 14 expecting to ride halfway to Helena. We started the day along with 40 other bikers- the ACA tour had caught up with us again and it was the last day of their journey. It was a fast-paced morning on the flat approach to our climb. At the base of the climb, the ACA guides invited us to share the group's snacks. We certainly didn't say no, and we spent some time chatting with the cyclists. We set out towards the steep side of the mountain, while the tour went around Stemple Pass....and man was it steep. I dismounted twice to walk my bike, and was beyond impressed that Josh made it up the vertical 4 miles without putting a foot down. We met the group at the top, said our goodbyes and parted ways. We set off on our descent, intending on finding a good place to set up camp. We ran into some dividers heading North and stopped for a quick chat. A few miles down the road we found the guidebook's recommended campsite...with signs posted everywhere that it was private property. Feeling discouraged, we were forced to keep riding to look for a spot by water (we were running out), and the only way was up. It was a tough climb for me- I had pushed myself hard that morning, and even harder the previous two days, and was ready to be done for the day. It didn't help that there was a 95 degree sun blaring down on us. We kept on climbing, eventually summiting our 2nd pass of the day, only to be met with thunderstorms dead ahead. So, down we went, looking for a place to camp, and running into another divider heading North. He seemed to think we could make it to Helena in no time. I personally wanted to cry and throw up at the thought of continuing, but we really didn't have many great options. We pressed on, cresting our 3rd pass of the day, with three thunderstorms converging on us from all sides. Now we were really pedaling fast, and I really was crying (my bum hurt), but I was also so excited to know we had family, food and rest waiting for us in Helena. Jamie and Sol weren't the least bit put out that we were 5 days early- so, 70 miles and 3 passes under our belts for the day, we rode straight to the Brewhouse for very large dinners. That night we experienced that wonderful feeling of being clean, laughing with family, eating popcorn and settling in for a movie before a great night's sleep. Truly fortunate.

We have 5 days of rest ahead of us....stay tuned for pictures and stories of our adventures in Helena!!

Camp at Fatty Creek along Swan River (Day 10)

 

Catch and release, bubble fly (Day 10) 

Rigging by Swan River (Day 10)

Swan River Mountains (Day 11)

Secluded ride to Clearwater Lake (Day 11)

Welcoming view on a hot day (Day 11)

The fish eyed view of the fisherman (Day 11)

Fishin'. Keepin' it cool (Day 11)

Morning at Clearwater....view during another "PB&J" session (Day 12)

Approaching Richmond Peak- Clearwater Lake in the distance (Day 12)

Richmond Peak singletrack (Day 12)

Home sweet Home- Ovando, Montana (Day 12)

A familiar view- hot and dry on a Montana dirt road (Day 13)

View heading to Huckleberry Pass (Day 13)

The road we put behind us (Day 13)

1st pass of 3, taken by an ACA rider from Virginia. Good company that day. (Day 14)

Deadman Creek (Not a real campsite apparently). Jenny refeuling for what became 2 more passes to conquer. (Day 14)

Hmmm..... How do you get the bike back out? Zip line and rope swing to boot. (Day 14)

Pass #2. Looming storms ahead and behind. (Day 14)

Crestingg Pass #3. May as well ride the downhill to Helena! (Day 14)

More storms abrewin.....somehow we didn't get a drop of rain on us (Day 14)

Week 1

Weeeeee! What a week of adventure!

We started out in the early morning after some fancy coffee at the Banff Springs Hotel. The scenery was phenomenal on day 1- we covered 61 miles which added up to some fantastic views (and a lot of muscle cramps). Halfway through the day, we were resting on the side of the road by Mt. Shark, when a vehicle pulled up and warned us of a grizzly 100 meters down the road, coming straight for us...we jumped up and pulled out our bear mace, watching him stroll closer as we rang our bells hoping he'd meander away. He eventually ducked into the surrounding bushes, which is when we jumped on our bikes ringing our bells as we road on down the road hoping not to see any of his friends! The rest of the downhill was uneventful, minus some terrible dirt roads and not so considerate drivers (Jenny developed a deep cough for a few days). We pulled into our destination- Peter Lougheed Park- realizing quickly that every campsite within a 10 mile radius was full. We headed straight for the Visitor Center, where the host let us cook our dinner while we troubleshooted our camping dilemma. Eventually we decided to head to what looked like an upscale lodge on our map, the William Watson Lodge. We were impressed right away with the biking trails we used to access the lodge, and what seemed like a huge park full of cabins to rent. We inquired at the main lodge and learned that we were at an accessible camping area for people with physical and developmental disabilities! They didn't have any camping available for us, but we were just so elated to have happened upon such a wonderful facility. As we shared stories with Don, the receptionist, the camp hosts overheard our stories and insisted on squeezing us into a campsite. It was an evening of serendipity, and we were glad to share. We set up camp out of the way, and woke up to a mug of fresh coffee and smiles form our "campmates" Bev, Dale, Keesha and Brenden. We spent most of the morning getting to know the family as they made us breakfast and we all shared stories. Our first 24 hours on the road were full of wonderful hospitality and great folks.

We started day 2 in high spirits and motivated to conquer Elk Pass. Stopping at Bolton Trading Post (where we filled up on gatorade and deli ham), we ran into our first fellow Great Divider, Tony. We all chatted as we stretched and refueled, and we were impressed by Tony's mileage for the day. You are probably way ahead of us Tony, so good luck wherever you are! In our first few miles of the day we crested Elk Pass, and our first Continental Divide Crossing. 42 miles into the day brought us to Blue Lake Recreation Site, just before Elkford. Too tired to make dinner, we munched on peanut butter and Caleb's phenomenal beef jerky. We chatted with our campsite neighbor, Jordan, yet another friendly Canadian who offered us food, beer and a campfire.

We woke up on day 3 very, very hungry and made a beeline for Jordan's recommended breakfast hotspot in Elkford. The descent was truly spectacular, and we arrived to enjoy an absurdly huge breakfast that probably took us 5 minutes to ingest. At the breakfast joint (which was inside the gas station), we met a woman from Ohio that had been following many of the riders going through town. Turns out we were a few days behind quite a few riders, including a unicycler (!). Feeling revamped, and wanting to beat the forecasted thunderstorm, we began the 45 mile trek to Sparwood. Halfway there we began a rocky descent along the Fording River where Jenny had her first flat of the trip, slightly flattening her rim. Full of frustration and worry, we checked into a hotel in Sparwood to regroup and get a better look at the rim. We had a big decision to make: chance thunderstorms, a slightly damaged rim and attempt Flathead Pass, or take the more moderate alternative to Fernie and have the wheel checked out.

After much back and forth, we decided to take the challenge (warm showers and hot food certainly lifted our spirits). We took Day 4 easy, cruising the gently paved 24 miles to Corbin. The views consisted mainly of the majestic divide in the background, framed by the mined coal mountains in the foreground. The ride was mostly uneventful, with the exception of Josh's pedal falling off...a quick repair and we were back on our way. We set up camp fairly early in the day, taking the opportunity to rest a bit more, journal, play cribbage and analyze our next few days. We were feeling nervous as we looked at the elevation profiles, which were more than intimidating. We went to bed early ready for the challenge.

Day 5.....What a fun ride!! We crested Flathead Pass in no time, then cruised downhill into more phenomenal scenery and getting drenched in some fun water run-offs. We logged 34 miles in no time, bringing us into Butts Patrol Cabin. We were stoked to have some cots, tables, a fireplace and a chance to spread our gear out without fear of bears and mosquitoes. We went to bed early, only to be woken up shortly to the sound of mice scurrying towards our food. We jumped out of our cots and hurriedly packed everything away. The rest of the night we got little sleep as we listened to mice and mosquitoes make their way around the cabin.

Day 6 started out rough as we had both slept poorly. We had two passes and 70 miles ahead of us, so we set off quickly. Cabin Pass was relatively simple, and we were then rewarded with some downhill that made us both whoop and grin. About 20 miles later we arrived at what the map described as "rough singletrack." Rough indeed, but pretty fun! Jenny managed to dunk herself in a deep mud puddle, and both of our socks were drenched in mud. At the end of the singletrack we found ourselves at the ".25 mile steep uphill." Steep might not be the most informative adjective....one step at a time we pushed our bikes and selves up a hill we would normally have avoided even hiking. Tired, soaked with mud and hot, we rested up for the last and hardest climb of the day: Galton Pass. After lots of breaks and snacks, we crested the pass. The following descent was so fast and steep, we were down the mountain in only minutes, resting occasionally to cool off our brakes. 30 minutes later we crossed the Rooseville border and booked it to Eureka. A half a roasted chicken and one steak later, we cruised down to the Eureka city park where we camped for only $5. After camp was set up, we headed to Cafe Jax, where Josh took part of an amazing chocolate mint mousse experience.

On the morning of Day 7, we went back to Cafe Jax for a breakfast we wish we could bring back to Bellingham. We restocked on food, sent texts to family and headed for Red Meadow Lake. We were finally in a riding groove, and made great time. After summiting the Whitefish Divide, we ran into Jules, a bikepacker who started in San Diego and was headed for Seattle. We exchanged some information about the route and were happy to chat with a fellow divider. We continued on and made a difficult climb to Red Meadow Lake. Our 63 mile day was physically challenging, and we rolled into the lake campsite excited to make dinner. Neither of us had yet experienced such a swarm of mosquitoes. Unable to fully enjoy the beautiful lake because of the pesky bugs, we donned all of the clothing we could, wolfed down dinner and hunkered into the tent.

That night we had our first thunderstorm, and gratefully slept in while we waited for the rain to abate. Day 8 and 30 miles later we arrived in Whitefish. The bike shop assessed Jenny's rim and gave it the go ahead to keep riding (woohoo!), and we wolfed down another big meal. It just so happened that our friend, Julie Goyette, was in town for a race, so we called her up. Turns out she was with her team at the restaurant across the street (and they got 3rd place!). We all sat down to chat, and Julie's friend Katherine graciously invited us to her house in Kalispell to stay and relax. We accepted, and rode the additional 15 miles to her place. We had an amazing night of showers, salmon dinner, beer and great conversation.

Today, Day 9, we are resting, tuning our bikes and doing laundry. We are so grateful to our hosts here and excited for more adventure! We should be in Helena by next week, so stay tuned for more adventure!

Headed out of Banff (Day 1)

Repaired Goat Creek Bridge (Day 1)

Crossing the Canal before Spray Lake (Day 1)

Spray Lake. Notice the traffic dust along the road we eventual connect with. (Day 1)

Spray Lake Dam. Eating Paige's homemade fruit roll ups- thanks! (Day 1)

Smith-Dorrien Road (Day 1)

Our new friends at William Watson Lodge Camp! Thanks for coffee and bagels! (Day 2)

William Watson Lodge Deck (Day 2)

Adaptive Bike at the lodge (Day 2)

Moose! (Day 2)

Elk Pass and Continental Divide Crossing #1 (Day 2)

Fording River (Day 3)...and 5 minutes before......

We call this the Grand Flat: flat rim and flat tire (Day 3)

Before Sparwood. (Day 3)

Corbin Road rest (Day 4)

Corbin Road. Coal Mountain mined to see the Continental Divide in the background (Day 4)

Coal trains at Corbin. (Day 4)

Treats of the Flathead (Day 5)

Posers. (Day 5)

Achieved levitation at Flathead Pass (Day 5)

Butts Cabin (Day 5)

Inside Butts Cabin (Day 5)

Packing up after a night of no sleep (Day 6)