GDMBR Day 49
Start: Helena, MT
Finish: Ranch in Lincoln, MT
Miles: 66.2 miles
Odometer: 2,235.9 miles
Ascent: 7,200 feet
Descent: 6,600 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Today was all about the kindness of strangers. A woman named Barbara built a cabin behind her house and stocks it with beer, sandwiches, and coffee for cyclists riding the GDMBR. I have been hearing about her hospitality for a couple of weeks from southbound racers and casual tourists alike. I arrived at her place around 1 PM, a little too early to shut things down for the day. I did have a chance to visit with Barbara. She is a vibrant, kind soul who enjoys meeting new people and helping others out. I thanked her for her generosity but shared that I had accommodations waiting for me over near Lincoln.
I met Cliff up at Mount Bachelor skiing this winter. We became friends. His friends, Doug and Nicole, own a ranch in Lincoln, MT. Just yesterday, Cliff texted me to find out what I was up to, and when I told him where I was he connected me with Doug and Nicole and that’s where I landed this evening. Fortuitous, wouldn’t you say? Doug and Nicole welcomed me with a first class ribeye dinner and a side order of first class conversation. Doug is a four-time winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. He’s athlete royalty in my book. I could tell that his sense of adventure and dedication has spilled over into all aspects of his life. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay with them, and especially Doug’s homemade cinnamon rolls.
Today had a couple of notable climbs. The first climb was marked by another hailstorm. I love hailstorms! They make my day! The second and final climb of the day was over Stemple Pass which gets very steep at the top. As I was cresting the top I was in a foul mood. And then I met Stinky. Stinky was an exuberant, friendly large, long-haired dog whose owner is working up at the summit to rehab an old wildfire area. I asked the owner the dogs name and he said “Winston, but I call him Stinky.” I was so tired but Stinky’s enthusiasm felt like he was celebrating my successful climb.
As I am flying down the other side of the pass I see some of the tour divide racers walking their bikes up (that’s how steep Stemple Pass was).
GDMBR Day 48
Start: Butte, MT
Finish: Helena, MT
Miles: 76.7 miles
Odometer: 2,169.7 miles
Ascent: 8,000 feet
Descent: 9,500 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Apart from the beautiful scenery, today’s ride was marked by running into so many of the Tour Divide Race participants. I recognized they’re trying to go fast and far so I was surprised to see how many wanted to stop and talk. I asked each of the racers, “How are you holding up?” I was shocked to see so many with dazed looks on their faces. Nearly all of the cyclists opened up about their serious physical concerns. Here are a few examples. A female rider who was probably in a top five position explained how she is having difficulty breathing at night when she tries to catch a few hours of sleep. She has trouble breathing when lying flat. That’s called orthopnea and could portend a serious condition. I suggested she get some medical help in Butte. I would later see on Facebook that she posted to the Tour Divide group that she went to get checked out and was told she was in atrial fibrillation. Yikes!
A male racer showed me his swelling in his lower thighs that was noticeable and “squishy” just above the knee caps. I have never seen anything like it, and I have seen my fair share of edema. He had some milder edema in his ankles. I would later see his post on Facebook where he bought some compression hose and was seeking advice from the Facebook community.
Another male racer told me that he had such severe saddle sores that he was bailing at the next big town. In fact, saddle sores have been a common complaint among several of the riders. Another younger racer said he had saddle sores and severe knee pain and couldn’t ride on the seat or off the seat and so he was out too.
A racer who look to be about my age appeared so distraught about his abdominal pain, almost looking through me with this thousand yard stare. He has had the pain for 2 to 3 days and has lost his appetite but has no nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. That complaint is so non-specific it could be almost anything, but one thing is for sure, all of these racers have put their bodies (and their minds) through some pretty harsh conditions in the past several days with very little sleep and recovery.
It’s completely bizarre the way these riders opened up to me within seconds of meeting me. It may be because I asked an open ended question about there experience, but I also think it’s because they have been riding alone for days thinking about their problems and stopping to talk is just a cathartic opportunity.
Not all of the racers were suffering today. I was eating lunch in Basin, MT when an unconventional racer, Jeff from Oklahoma City, came in dressed in a plaid shirt and hiking shorts. He didn’t have any complaints. He was having a good time and relaxed. This is the third time he’s done the race. “It’s addictive.” As he was leaving he grabbed a small race momento out of his bicycle bag and gave it to me. It’s good for two free pieces of pie down in Pie Town, NM. Cool.
Two British racers stopped to chat. They told me that I had a pretty tough climb ahead and one turn to the other and asked, “How long before the old man gets up to the top?” I had to laugh because I’ve never been called an old man before but he was probably 25 years old.
I ran into racer, Jimmy, who I met (with girlfriend Janie) on May 18 down in New Mexico while they were on a training ride. It turns out Janie is a couple of miles ahead and I must’ve missed her in Butte. Jimmy and I visited for quite a while and we took each other’s picture because it was such a coincidence to see each other.
I am starting to run into casual southbound GDMBR cycle tourists who are non-racers. I met Becky from Cornwall, England and Barbara from South Africa. The casual riders are in much better spirits than the racers.
I finished my ride in Helena with its thriving old historic district and downtown promenade with many shops and restaurants, including an ice cream shop with a line out front. Naturally, I got in line. Part of the downtown was closed off for a weekly music concert celebration. This town might be worth a revisit on another occasion.
GDMBR Day 47
Start: Butte, MT
Finish: Butte, MT
Miles: 0 miles
Odometer: 2093 miles
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Today I took a day off to a reassess my injuries. My elbow pain is much better. My rib pain is about the same. All of the wounds look superficial enough and should heal fine with twice daily wound care.
I could not find a lightweight down puffy jacket to replace my ripped one. I did find a fleece jacket on sale nearby and although it adds some weight to my gear, it is the best I can do at the moment.
My plan is to head north on the route tomorrow and to be more careful riding.
GDMBR Day 46
Start: Elkhorn Hot Springs Lodge
Finish: Butte, MT
Miles: 87.8 miles
Odometer: 2,093 miles
Ascent: 5,100 feet
Descent: 6,600 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
After yesterday’s relaxing afternoon enjoying the hot springs and feeding my body, I left the lodge this morning in excellent spirits. I hopped on my bike and headed down the dirt road for a quarter-mile where there was a left-hand turn onto pavement to begin my climb up over my first of three passes. As my front tire met pea gravel on pavement my front wheel slipped out and I went to ground very hard and my body skidded down the road. In the end I had some pretty good chunks of flesh torn out of my left knee, left hip, and left elbow. The fall ripped through my three clothing layers, including my wind jacket, my down puffy jacket, and my riding shirt.
In addition to the skin cuts and abrasions I felt some sharp pains in my rib cage and inside of my left elbow (epicondyle). I pick my bike up and moved it over to the side of the road. I could instantly feel emotion well up inside and I physically tried to push that emotion out into some form of tears, but nothing came so I went about the business of cleaning and dressing my wounds. After stripping off my clothing I used the water bottle to clean out the wounds and then covered them with some bandages that I keep in a little medical kit inside one of my bags. I hopped on my bike and began my ride up the mountain knowing that my first stop was the small town of Wise River some 30 miles away where I could get some additional first aid supplies.
I arrived at the Wise River Mercantile where the grandmotherly proprietor, Connie, works the cash register. Out front I removed all of the old bandages washed the wounds with soap and water and started reapplying bandages. Connie came outside and brought me a free cup of coffee and said, “Let Maw help you with this.” So she applied some bandages and was very supportive and encouraging. She asked me if I needed any hydrogen peroxide or other supplies. Then she refilled my coffee cup.
I rode the rest of the way to Butte, Montana with a total miles of around 88 miles. Every bump in the dirt and gravel road sent a jolt of pain through my left elbow and my left rib cage. When I got to Butte I picked up a package at the post office, stopped at the pharmacy for more first aid supplies, including Betadine, bandages, tape, wrap, and triple antibiotic ointment. I checked into a local hotel and did a more thorough job of assessing and treating my wounds. They all appear to be superficial. The elbow wound is fairly deep but I don’t think there are any broken bones. I don’t think my ribs are broken, just bruised. I decided to take tomorrow off to see how my body is recovering and assess the need for medical care (arm X-ray).
On a positive note, when I was coming down from the final climb over a pass I saw a cyclist stopped on the side of the road. It turns out it was the Tour Divide Race leader, Sofiane Sehili, from France. He stopped to assess how much more climbing he had to do. I asked him if we could take a picture and he enthusiastically pulled his bike up next to mine and we took a selfie. It’s a thrill to meet a world-class athlete in the middle of his race.
Oh by the way, I sat through another thunderstorm/hailstorm today. I am on record pace for most hailstorms in one week.
GDMBR Day 45
Start: Bannack State Park
Finish: Elkhorn Hot Springs Lodge
Miles: 25.7 miles
Odometer: 2,005.1 miles
Ascent: 1,900 feet
Descent: 700 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
I left the state park campground at 7 AM short on food and looking for a breakfast stop. Twenty-six (26) miles of climbing up the road I came to Elkhorn Hot Springs Lodge just in time to enjoy their breakfast buffet. I called my dad to wish him a Happy Father’s Day and then called Robin to catch up. I shared with both that my legs were extremely tired and they both suggested that I take the rest of the day off and enjoy some hot springs. Who Am I to argue with my support team? Their suggestion also alleviated some of my guilt of stopping, instead of riding more miles.
I soaked in the hot springs, ate lunch, took a nap, and caught up on this blog. My legs will be thankful in the morning because I have a heck of a lot more climbing in order to get to Butte, Montana.
On another note, the Tour Divide Race started a couple of days ago in Banff, Canada. The racers are heading south and the leaders are expected to arrive in Mexico in 14 to 16 days. I am following their progress on this website: http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide19f.php
I’m excited to see female rider Lael Wilcox near the head of the pack. She is awesome. She rides like a girl (and beats all the boys).
GDMBR Day 44
Start: Montana ranch house
Finish: Bannick State Park, Montana
Miles: 116.4 miles
Odometer: 1,979.5 miles
Ascent: 5,400 feet
Descent: 6,100 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Today I broke the 100 mile barrier! The terrain was rolling and nice and easy. I love accelerating down a small hill with the momentum carrying me halfway up the next hill, then sprinting over the crest, and then repeating this over and over again. I can usually make pretty good time doing this.
While I have met a few cyclists heading northbound like I am, and a few cyclist doing southbound sections, today is the first day I ran into southbound riders that started in Canada. I ran into eight of them all in one day traveling by onesies and twosies. They are pretty hard-core (compared to me) traveling light and moving fast and. A Dutch cyclist rode 135 miles yesterday. He is trying to cover the entire route in under 30 days. This evening another southbound rider from Kansas told me he’s attempting the 30 day trip as well stating, “My wife says I have 30 days and she’s picking me up wherever I am on day 30.” He is having a pretty miserable time of it, though, and describes hellacious climbs with his single speed bike, gastrointestinal problems, running out of food and water, and generally feeling a bit discouraged. He is 45 years old but looks a lot younger and is fairly fit. I threw out the idea that perhaps he wanted to cut back the miles and enjoy the trip a little more, and even if he doesn’t make it to Mexico he can still have a good time of it. I also gave him a tent stake since he lost one and he doesn’t have a freestanding tent. He took the stake but I’m not thinking he’ll take the advice.
Today was my second thunder/hailstorm in three days. I was climbing up a mountain pass when the storm clouds moved in. Well I know I should seek the lowest point, but I did not want to give up the elevation so I pulled over, dropped my bike, and crouched in a cow pasture ditch. With a little time on my hands while the hail pelted me, I began trying to sort out how far away from the titanium bike I should be. Does titanium serve as a lightning rod? And then I look over my shoulder and see all of the cows running down the hill to a much lower elevation, and when they get there they’re all lying down. I wondered if I should follow. What do they know that I don’t?
There was a small break in the thunder and lightning and I took the opportunity to jump on my bike and push as hard as I could over the crest of the pass. This took a bit of energy. I saw another storm system moving in my direction and I was not only worried about getting struck by lightning but based on past experiences of this trip, I did not want to ride on wet roads with the potential of getting stuck in peanut butter mud again. Interestingly, the other side of the pass was dry but it was a race against time, and black clouds, to avoid a sticky situation. And then a miracle occurred! I got I tailwind to help push me down the long descent. And not just any tailwind, but a very strong tailwind. So I descended for about 20 miles with a strong tailwind hoping to outrun another thunderstorm. Unfortunately as the wind was blowing me down the mountain it was also blowing the black clouds my way. But I rode hard. I was very focused and determined to ride as far as I could on dry road before being pummeled by rain and maybe even hail. And as it turns out I outran the clouds and rode a total of 116 miles all the way to a state park where I enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon in the hikers/biker area visiting with other cyclists.
While I was enjoying my tailwind I came across a southbound cyclist and we stopped on the side of the road to chat and swap intel about conditions ahead. The funny part is when we said our goodbyes, he gave me a parting, “May the wind be at your back.“ I replied, "Yours too.” And then we both realized at the same time how funny that was and started laughing. Not only was that impossible since we were headed in opposite directions, I think we both really wanted the tailwind for ourselves.
GDMBR Day 43
Start: Island Park, ID
Finish: Montana ranch house
Miles: 64.5 miles
Odometer: 1,863.1 miles
Ascent: 2,400 feet
Descent: 2,100 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
I forgot to mention yesterday that I crossed over from Wyoming to Idaho. And today I made the move from Idaho to Montana. I am supposed to be heading north but it seems like the last week has taken me westbound through Wyoming, Idaho, and now Montana, my last US state until I reach Canada. The route continues to traverse beautiful green valleys surrounded by hills and snowcapped mountains. All of the valleys have creeks and rivers running through them. Today I skirted along a huge wildlife refuge surrounding two lakes.
I cannot say that I have had the good fortune of a strong tailwind for any sustained period of time, at least not since day 2 in New Mexico. I have been riding into the wind throughout pretty much this entire trip, including today. I am starting to be grateful for only mild to moderate headwinds. The old me would say, “A headwind, fuck!” The new me says, “A headwind. Well it could be worse.”
Late in the afternoon I was stopped on the side of the road, my bike on its side, and I was filtering water out of a creek for my evening camping a few miles away near a bridge. A couple pulled up in a van to see if I was in trouble. I must have had a troubled look on my face. I told them I was filtering water and planning to camp nearby. They said, “You’d be better off camping at our place. In fact we have an extra room so you can sleep inside.” I was happy to oblige and very appreciative of their hospitality. They directed me to the nearby ranch. It turns out my campsite was flooded from all of the snow melt engorging the rivers.
I very much enjoyed visiting with the couple, Bonnie and Davy, who serve as caretakers for a rather large ranch. They take multi-month caretaking jobs in various beautiful locations mixing adventure and work into a satisfying lifestyle. We drank beers and shared on a wide range of topics including land conservation, wildlife biology, fermentation, favorite books, and travel stories. I was so happy to meet these guys and I hope to stay in touch. They are the kind of folks that radiate good energy into the cosmos.
GDMBR Day 42
Start: Colter Bay Campground, Grand Tetons NP
Finish: Pond’s Lodge, Island Park, ID
Miles: 90.4 miles
Odometer: 1,798.6 miles
Ascent: 4,700 feet
Descent: 5,300 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
I anticipated that today’s trip would be incredibly beautiful. The route took me down the Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road along the southern border of Yellowstone National Park. My expectations turned out to be correct, it was beautiful. The road was closed because of snow which was nice because there was absolutely no one else out there for miles and miles. I finally began climbing to elevation and had periods where I had to get off my bike and push through snow drifts. As I climbed higher and higher I pushed more and more. At one point I was pushing over and through 3 to 4 feet of snow with some postholing when I saw some teenagers up ahead with shovels digging through the snow. My first thought was that these kids were out wheeling on a closed road and got themselves stuck in the snow. As I got closer I realized there were a couple of adults supervising and in fact these kids were from a Boy Scout troop camped nearby who decided to shovel out the road. How incredible is that. This was hard work. They did have a tractor helping out but for the most part the scouts were working with a singular focus. I was happy to see them because the road on the backside (or downhill) was completely clear of snow and that made my job a lot easier and fun. I thanked them profusely and told them how terrific they were. The scouts were very curious about my trip and how I started down at the Mexican border.
I was hoping to hit the hundred mile mark today. I was running out of juice on my external battery and iPhone (which I use for navigation) so I stopped at a national forest campground near a beautiful river. Over in the group camping area an extended family reserved the spot for a family reunion. They invited me to use the electrical outlets to charge my phone and battery and generally welcomed me into their space. After eating lunch, visiting, and charging everything up I jumped back on my bike. From the campground there was an old rails-to-trails path following for miles and miles along the river. The views was stunning. I rode easily and enjoyed the breathtaking views down into the canyons and the river’s rapids below. In the late afternoon scary, dark clouds descended and thunder and lightning and hail sent a fright through me. Amidst open fields and groves of aspens, there was really no place to seek cover. The hail was thick and heavy and battering my helmet and rain jacket. The road begin to fill with water and hail “marbles” and reminded me of being a kid out riding in south Louisiana rainstorms through puddles. I guess I was trying to make it fun because I fully expected to be struck dead by lightning. As fast as the dark clouds flew over, they drifted away and I was left with sunny skies and wet roads for the rest of the afternoon.
The rains left lots of puddles in the wet dirt road. Since I was completely soaked already I didn’t mind riding through these little lakes. However, I came to one puddle and as I was riding through I began to sink further and further until I felt like there was no bottom. I hopped off my bike into waist deep water. I had to drag and carry my bike to the other side. This wiped the smile off my face. At this point I was on about mile 80 and pretty tired. As soon as I hit civilization I was completely wasted and checked in to a cabin because I felt I deserved a shower after the rough afternoon. I would go to the local bar/restaurant later and eat an enormous meal, including local fresh trout, a beet salad, and chocolate molten lava cake with ice cream.
GDMBR Day 41
Start: Jackson, WY
Finish: Colter Bay Campground, Grand Teton National Park
Miles: 54.4 miles
Odometer: 1,708.2 miles
Ascent: 2,000 feet
Descent: 1,400 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights
Perfect weather. No wind. Perfect scenery. Riding through the Grand Teton National Park cannot be described in words. I hope the photographs capture a little bit of the beauty of the Tetons. There is something awe inspiring about the rugged, jagged peaks of these mountains. I tried to soak it all in with some focused attention to every glacier, ridge, and peak. Despite the number of tourists, the place feels like hallowed ground.
Leaving Jackson I rode a dedicated bicycle paths most of the way through the park. While riding through the forest and meadows I kept my head on a swivel anticipating sightings of the moose, grizzly bears, or wolves. I cycled to Jenny Lake for a short break and to check out the campground. Had it not been early in the day I would have camped there in the shadows of these beautiful mountains. And while the campground was full, the small area dedicated for hikers and bikers was completely empty. But alas it was time to move up the route towards Canada and ultimately I settled at Colter Bay Campground on the northern end of the park.
I checked into the hiker/biker section of the Colter Bay Campground where they were four other cyclists, all on the Adventure Cycling Association’s TransAmerican route. Two of the cyclists started on the East Coast and are headed west, and a young couple from Portland started there and are headed east. They tell an interesting story of quitting their jobs, selling their house and planning this ride across the country and eventually south to Florida where they will make their new home. Prior to this trip the couple had not ridden more than 30 miles in one stretch. Crazy kids!
When I walked over to visit with the cyclists, they immediately pulled out and offered me a beer. The camaraderie was instant based on kindred adventurous spirits. One of the west bound cyclists, Fedor, is from Russia and living in Boston with his Harvard researcher wife. Given the Russian angle I begin to think of this group as “The Trans Americans”, recruited and trained by the KGB as sleeper cyclists meant to travel across America collecting intel on American motorists and roadside trash. The quality and quantity of roadside trash says a lot about a people.
GDMBR Day 40
Start: Pinedale, WY
Finish: Jackson, WY
Miles: 78.5 miles
Odometer: 1,653.8 miles
Ascent: 2,000 feet
Descent: 3,000 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Today’s route was supposed to take me over Union Pass in the Wind River Mountain Range but I received word from my Canadian bikepacking friends who are a couple of days ahead that the pass was impassable. The outdoor gear shop said I would be crazy to attempt the ride. Instead, all suggested that I take US Highway 191 to 189 and north over to Jackson, WY. So that’s what I did. The highway route was very beautiful. There were snowcapped mountains all around me. The valley was filled with ranches and open spaces. The only downside was that I had a pretty strong headwind for the entire 80 miles north, including what felt like a wind tunnel through Hoback Canyon. Yikes!
I arrived in Jackson weary but I rewarded myself with a great meal at a restaurant called Thai Me Up - Melvin Brewing (recommended by the Fitzgerald’s bicycle shop mechanic). I had a beer tasting flight that was outstanding. Melvin Brewing has some of the best beer I’ve ever tasted. After dinner I walked over to the boutique chocolate shop and had three chocolate desserts and a cup of decaf cappuccino. Not a bad day.
Fitzgerald Bicycles did not have aerobars in stock. The helpful mechanic pulled up the specs on Jesse’s build (mentioned in yesterday’s post) and gave me a parts list so that I could call another bike shop up the route and get the parts delivered before my arrival.
GDMBR Day 39
Start: Informal roadside campsite in the shadow of the Wind River Mountain Range
Finish: Pinedale, Wyoming
Miles: 45.2 miles
Odometer: 1,575.3 miles
Ascent: 1,000 feet
Descent: 1,800 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Today was another easy ride with beautiful views of the Wind River mountain range and a fox sighting. I crossed paths with Jesse, a bikepacker living in Jackson, WY who just left Jackson southbound on the GDMBR heading to Mexico. We instantly bonded because we have the same Salsa Fargo titanium bike frame. So we compared bikes, components, and gear. He is traveling very light attempting to ride 80 to 100 miles daily to get to Mexico in 3 weeks. He has aerobars mounted on his handlebars and gave me the idea that I should probably be using them as well. I have been having some numbness, tingling, and weakness in my hands and fingers since starting this adventure. The hand and wrist positions as well as the vibration from the riding causes some mild ulnar nerve neuropathy and maybe even carpal tunnel syndrome. He suggested I go to Fitzgerald’s Bicycles in Jackson and see if they could hook me up with the same aerobar set up.
A couple of days ago my bed-and-breakfast host, Wild Bill, asked me to look out for an “older” CDT hiker with the trail name of “Day”. I found her snacking at a gas station convenience store and introduced myself. We arranged to have dinner together in Pinedale, 13 miles down the road. She is 60 years old from Colorado and hiked the Appalachian Trail over 30 years ago. This is her first serious long-distance backpacking trip since then. She started down at the Mexican border and “flipped” up to Wyoming like many others. She has had some harsh conditions and very difficult miles on the trail and last night camped in very windy, fully exposed, tick-infested cow pasture. While neither of us has the advantages of a 20 year-old body, Day and I share a very determined attitude and positive outlook. And that makes all the difference on a challenging adventure. We dined together at the local smokehouse restaurant, drank a couple pints, talked gear, and swapped stories.
Back at the hotel I pulled all the bags off of my bike and brought the bike over to the carwash and gave her a thorough cleaning. I’m pretty sure some of the dirt that came off was from New Mexico.
In my hotel room I pulled every piece of clothing and gear out of every bag and laid it out on the floor. I started separating all redundant gear (Aquamira backup to my water filter) and everything that I have not used and is not absolutely essential (flip flops, extra water bottle, beloved tarp, extra clothing). I threw it all in a plastic garbage bag, went to the post office, and shipped it home. I even shipped my MSR Reactor stove and will be using my new stainless steel Vargo Bot pot for cooking and cold soaking. This necessitated going to the outdoor gear shop and buying a small, lightweight MSR PocketRocket stove that nests inside the Vargo. After the changes, my bike + gear = much lighter load. I’m excited about the changes.
GDMBR Day 38
Start: Atlantic City, Wyoming
Finish: Informal campsite
Miles: 41.8 miles
Odometer: 1,530.1 miles
Ascent: 3,200 feet
Descent: 2,900 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Last night I stayed at Wild Bill’s Bed and Breakfast (and gun shop). The proprietors, Wild Bill and Carmela, built three cabins that they devote to hikers and bikers. Bill is a gunsmith and runs a gun shop as well. He and I sat down and visited over an amazing breakfast prepared by Wild Bill himself.
Today was an awesome day of riding with snowcapped Wind River Range mountain views and practically no wind. I listened to the audiobook “Bel Canto” by Ann Patchett and just pedaled my legs while gawking at the mountains and breathing in the cool crisp day.
Lowlights:
I found a grassy area off the route that had beautiful views of the mountains. So I set up my tent. The first tick I noticed was crawling on my helmet. Thereafter, I began looking for them and found ticks everywhere. I hate ticks worse than I hate New Mexico peanut butter mud. At least peanut butter mode won’t kill you. After checking myself for ticks, I dove into my tent, zipped it up, and spent 12 hours peeking out the mesh door at the mountains while listening to my audiobook (and steering clear of all the ticks). In my opinion, Lyme disease is much more prevalent than reported and causes many non-specific medical conditions. I would later feel a bump (like an insect bite) on the back of my scalp and took prophylactic doxycycline as a precaution. I brought some doxycycline on the trip in case I ran into ticks. I may be overly cautious but I’m OK with that.
GDMBR Day 37
Start: Abandoned meth ranch, Nowhere, WY
Finish: Wild Bill’s B&B, Atlantic City, WY
Miles: 46.2 miles
Odometer: 1,488.3 miles
Ascent: 2,900 feet
Descent: 2,100 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Lowlights:
Today’s headwinds were fierce but inspiring. They inspired me to come up with a list of things I hate (from most hated to less hated):
New Mexico “peanut butter” mud
Colorado “peanut butter” mud
Wyoming headwinds
A rectal exam
Steep climb up a washboard gravel road
A dental cleaning
Last night the high winds rattled my tent all night long. The weather forecast foretold of 18 knot winds today so I packed up from meth camp at 4:30 AM to ride in the morning “calm”. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I rode 46 miles staring at the ground (the only way to ride in the wind) and trying to stay upright. Did I mention it was in the mid-40s all day and I wore all my layers, including my rain jacket. It was brutal.
Highlights:
After limping into Atlantic City, WY on fumes, I stopped at the local saloon, drank two hot coffees, and ate a double bacon cheeseburger with fries. Later, I returned for a steak and potato and beer. Every day since leaving Mexico I pass hundreds and hundreds of cattle grazing in fields, and weave around leftover patties on the dirt road. So today I honored these grass fed beeves with my palate.
These past two days I’ve seen an explosion in the number of pronghorn, usually grouped in 1-4 in number. When facing fierce winds or climbs, listening to an audiobook or podcast just doesn’t cut it; I need music. Well, those pronghorn have bionic hearing. They will turn and look for me from a long, long way off, but they only seem to see me as I approach…and then they’re off to the races. I feel a little guilty for spooking them because they won’t stop running until they’re in the next county.
I’ve seen quite a few wild horses usually in groups of 4-7 horses. They don’t often run at the sight of me, but when they do they could easily run down those pronghorn.
Momma cows and calves are often spooked at the sight of my approach; the bulls – never. They just hang there like their big ball sacks. I know that seems gross, but I can’t help but peep their ball sacks. Impressive. And you too can lose your mind, just take a long, solo bicycling trip.
GDMBR Day 36
Start: Rawlins, WY
Finish: Abandoned ranch somewhere
Miles: 90.2 miles
Odometer: 1,442 miles
Ascent: 3,100 feet
Descent: 2,900 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
I rode 90 miles today through Wyoming’s Red Desert (Continental Divide Basin)! Not by choice. The wind was fierce. There was no place to stop without being exposed to high winds. It was either sit in the wind (which is pure misery) or try to make miles by riding through the wind (only slightly less miserable). Around 6 PM I came across an abandoned travel trailer with a missing wheel and the axle sitting on an old stump. I considered spending the night in it, but I was afraid that it would come crashing down. Five or 10 miles down the road I discovered what appeared to be an abandoned old ranch. It was a number of dilapidated wood buildings with tin roofs interspersed with a few abandoned travel trailers. I set up my tent between two of the old buildings to get some reprieve from the high winds. I looked inside one of the buildings and saw barrels of what looked like industrial chemicals (but it could have been anything). The winds were rattling the roofs and making all kinds of noise. Just as I was finishing setting up my tent when the skies opened and spewed down rain. I cooked my dinner and ate inside my tent. Throughout the night the wind whipped and tugged at my tent while the metal roofs banged their chorus. I thought the wind was gonna blow us away. I did not get much sleep. And then my imagination ran away and I thought, what if I’ve stumbled across a methamphetamine lab. So then I started calling the place “meth camp”. I imagined being shot dead in the middle of the night right in my tent. That did not help bring on sleep. On the positive side, meth camp had an excellent, clean outhouse.
Today, I ran across a CDT thruhiker that I breakfasted with down near Pie Town, NM on May 12. Remember the three Canadian military veterans from Nova Scotia? All three “flipped” up to Wyoming to hike the desert since the snow in northern New Mexico and Colorado has rendered their trail impassable for most. I am riding down this old dirt road through the desert and here is one of the these guys. We both laughed and caught up a little. He told me that his two buddies are a day or so behind him.
I am used to carrying more water than I need, except today. I left Rawlins with about 2 ½ L of water and would discover that was not nearly enough. The Red Desert was completely dry. I ran out of water at about mile 60 and began thinking that I had another hundred miles before I got out of the desert. I road a mile off the route looking for the CDT trail in hopes that there might be a water cashe nearby. I came over a little rise and down below was a large reservoir. I didn’t see that on the map. The sight of water made me very happy.
I have a pretty eclectic taste in music. Many years ago when the iPod was in its infancy, I was given a hard drive with some 30,000 songs on it. They were MP3 tracks. Over several years I went through that long list of music and rated each song in iTunes from one to five stars. And then I deleted all the one and two star tracks. The four and five-star tracks are downloaded and available off-line on my iPhone. So I have a lot of music from all different genres ranging from country music to showtunes to rap to R&B to alternative to jazz to blues and everything in between. It’s just so happens the Tom Jones song entitled “It’s Not Unusual (To Be Loved By Anyone)” started playing while I’m climbing a hill. What can I say I like Tom Jones. So I’m climbing over this hill and I have a strong headwind. This combination (hill and headwind) always puts me in a good mood. Just as I get to the top of the hill I see a bull mounted on one of the cows. The scene with the sexy background music made my day. Or at least help me get through another few minutes of hard riding.
GDMBR Day 35
Start: Ladder Ranch
Finish: Backyard Inn, Rawlins, WY
Miles: 73.1 miles
Odometer: 1351.9 miles
Ascent: 5,800 feet
Descent: 5,800 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Today started with a climb over Battle Pass (around 10,000 feet) and onto the scenic byway. The weather was beautiful all day long. The riding was a lot of ups and downs with slow steep climbs slow followed by fast steep descents.
I met a CDT thruhiker who after being stopped by the snow in southern Colorado “flipped” up to Wyoming to cover some ground. We visited on the side of the road and swapped stories.
Today was the longest riding day in terms of mileage. I was happy to get into Rawlins and eat at a Thai restaurant’s all you can eat buffet followed by a pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream.
GDMBR Day 34
Start: Steamboat Springs,CO
Finish: Ladder Ranch (near the Wyoming border)
Miles: 58.6 miles
Odometer: 1,278.7 miles
Ascent: 5,500 feet
Descent: 5,500 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Today was another typical day in the Colorado mountains with a blue sky morning and evening with a dark, rainy sky sandwiched in the afternoon.
The route eventually took me through a beautiful valley carpeted with yellow flowers and the Little Snake River running through it. I passed beautiful ranches with lovely mountain views. The attached photographs speak for themselves.
I settled at the end of the day at the cyclist friendly Ladder Ranch. I camped out in the yard near their bunkhouse and fell asleep listening to the cows mooing nearby.
GDMBR Day 33
Start: Steamboat Springs, CO
Finish: Steamboat Springs, CO
Miles: 0 miles
Odometer: 1,220.2 miles
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Steamboat Springs is known for many things, including their hot springs. Across from the motel is the Old Town Hot Springs facility so I decided on this rest day to treat myself to a soak In the hot springs. Afterwards, I sat in the sauna up in the locker room and who do I meet? Another native of my hometown Lafayette, Louisiana! Brandon is 30 years old and moved to Colorado because “the mountains called me.” I can certainly relate. It is so funny to run into someone from home. The third person in the sauna must’ve thought we were a little nuts. We started talking with Cajun accents about all things Lafayette, especially the good people and food.
In the locker room I weighed myself for the first time since I started this trip. I weighed 167 pounds. Just prior to starting the trip, I weighed 173 pounds which is pretty light for me. I spent most of my adult life around 193 pounds. It’s challenging to consume enough calories to match the calories that I burn riding the bicycle every day.
I thought I would talk a little bit about food on the trail. My food consist of four main groups: breakfast mix, lunch mix, snacks, and town food.
Breakfast mix (in a Ziploc bag): oats or muesli, whey protein, coconut milk powder, nuts and seeds, dried fruit, collagen.
Lunch mix (in a Ziploc bag): dehydrated beans, cous cous or dehydrated potato, flavor packets , olive oil (added while eating)
Snacks: protein bars, trail mix, chocolate, instant coffee
Town food: While I try to eat healthy (veggies) when I get to town, I pretty much eat whatever my body craves. It’s important for me to keep up with my protein so I’ve been seeking local grass fed beef. I’ll also down cans of sardines when I can but otherwise eat a variety of foods and lots of it.
Both the breakfast mix and the lunch mix can be eaten hot or cold. I carry both a stove and a cold soaking container. Cold soaking is when you throw dehydrated food into a container with some water and let it soak for a couple of hours until it turns into a delicious mush. It’s easier than cooking and for me who doesn’t like to stop to cook lunch, I can cold soak food for two hours before lunchtime and the food is ready when it’s time to break. I have been using a plastic ice cream container to cold soak my food. In Steamboat Springs I stopped in at the Big Agnes Factory Store to have a look around. Big Agnes makes great camping gear and I recently bought their two person Copper Spur 2-person bikepacking tent. While in the store the salesman convinced me to switch out my plastic ice cream cold soaking container for the stainless steel Vargo Bot container that doubles as a cook pot or water container. I’ve seen the titanium versions online and always wanted to test one. The Vargo is considerably bigger and heavier than the plastic container. I hate adding extra weight to my load but I just mailed home a few items, including my Apple Watch, so there’s that.
I don’t think that energy bars, including the ones with extra protein, are really all that healthy. I normally don’t eat them. I consider energy bars as fancy candy bars. So many of them are filled with processed carbohydrates and ingredients I cannot pronounce. However, I’m making a special exception because I need the easy calories. I eat at least two energy bars with at least 20 g of protein. I like the chocolate mint versions of both the Pro Bar and Cliff Bar. I also eat an awful lot of nuts and seeds, often in the context of trail mix.
Lastly, I try to keep up with my water intake as much as possible. I carry a gravity water filter system in case I need to filter water from streams or other water sources. I don’t add any extras (like sugary energy powders) into the water. I do take some electrolyte capsules because sometimes my legs get a little crampy and I wonder if it’s not an electrolyte problem.
GDMBR Day 32
Start: Lynx Pass Campground, Routt National Forest
Finish: Rabbit Ears Motel, Steamboat Springs, CO
Miles: 37.6 miles
Odometer: 1,220.2 miles
Ascent: 1,800 feet
Descent: 4,000 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
One of my favorite features of the Garmin InReach Explorer satellite communicator is the ability to check weather via satellite from anywhere. I usually get the “premium” forecast that delineates the weather hour by hour. My forecast for this morning said that it was going to rain early in the morning but be sunny by 7 AM. At 7 AM I was hunkered down in my tent in the middle of a rainstorm. I watched downloaded YouTube videos for a couple of hours and finally got out and packed everything up when there was a break in the weather. The rest of the morning and into the early afternoon was a delightful ride, descending 4,000 feet into Pleasant Valley on the way to Steamboat Springs. As I got closer to Steamboat Springs, I noticed larger and larger houses dotting the landscape usually perched high up on the mountainside with gorgeous views. Sometimes when I am bicycle touring I notice feelings of envy when I see beautiful homes in beautiful places. I also can’t help but wonder how long it takes to vacuum the carpet and dust the countertops in these huge houses. Ever since we sold our 3,300 square-foot home in Louisiana and moved into a 330 square-foot RV back in 2011, I have been pretty satisfied with smaller, more minimalist living. So while it would be nice to have one of those mega million dollar McMansions up on the mountain, I think I might be just as happy with a small cabin or tiny house (with a huge porch), but in the same location with the same beautiful views.
As I approached Steamboat Springs the wind blew the black clouds over my head and the rain began pouring down again. I was happy to make it to a very cool little motel called Rabbit Ears Motel. Despite this being a fairly short and easy day of riding, my legs felt worn out. I think the combination of the mud fest a couple of days ago and yesterday’s serious climbing have taken their toll. So I’ve decided to take a rest day tomorrow.
GDMBR Day 31
Start: Kremmling, CO
Finish: Lynx Pass Campground, Routt National Forest
Miles: 40.8 miles
Odometer: 1182.5 miles
Ascent: 6,000 feet
Decent: 4,600 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
If possible I like to start off my mornings at the local diner. Local diners always tell the story of a place. I sat at the counter and visited with a local retired engineer named Dave. He retired here 10 years ago and spent the first five years building his house. While he loves living here from the late Spring through early Fall, he is pretty much over the winters. He was looking to invest in property down in Mexico for the winters. I listened very carefully since the winters in Oregon can be awfully long and it’s nice to have a place to thaw out.
Today started out as another fine weather day which I needed to take my mind off of the climbing. It felt like I climbed all day. Most of the morning I followed the Colorado River. The rafters and kayakers were all heading in the same direction toward the boat launch. I would later be cycling at a much higher elevation and I could see the rafts on the river down below and they look like small dots.
In the afternoon I had a series of very steep inclines, and as I huffed and puffed to the top of one of them, an adventure motorcyclist parked on the side of the dirt road started applauding. He was a local and he topped off my water bottles, gave me a couple of Cliff bars, and then gave me his telephone number in case I ran into any troubles while I’m in the area. People have been very gracious and generous during this trip.
Oh…and I forded a little river with a strong current.
GDMBR Day 30
Start: Dillon, CO
Finish: Eastin Hotel, Kremmling, CO
Miles: 62.7 miles
Odometer: 1141.7 miles
Ascent: 3,200 feet
Descent: 5,000 feet
Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice
Highlights:
Continuing my visit with my friend Steve this morning got me off to a late start on the bicycle. If you are into cycling, this is the place to be. I rode for almost 10 miles around the Dillon reservoir, through Silverthorne, and north along the Blue River all on dedicated walking/bike paths. It was fantastic. Those communities really value recreation and cycling, and on this particular Saturday morning folks were out enjoying them.
As I am headed up Ute Pass I was stopped by a local cyclist who shares that he has twice attempted the Tour Divide Race. Unfortunately had to pull out both times due to injury. We visited for quite a while and swap stories.
The highlight of the day was the outstanding weather. There was virtually no wind. I arrived in Kremmling, CO and checked in to the 115-year-old downtown hotel. The proprietors were colorful. The rooms were decorated in interesting themes, including one room completely dedicated to folk singer John Denver.
I really had not eaten much all day. The hotel owner directed me to The Grand Restaurant next door where I had the most delicious prime rib special, loaded baked potato, salad, peach pie à la mode with whip cream, and a beer. I needed the protein.
Today was outstanding.