GDMBR Day 50

• Start: Ranch in Lincoln, MT

• Finish: Ovando, MT

• Miles: 35.4 miles

• Odometer: 2,271.3 miles

• Ascent: 3,100 feet

• Descent: 3,700 feet

• Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice

I woke up with dead legs. As I get closer to Canada I miss Robin and home more and more, and want to push more miles. I wonder if I’ve been pushing too much. Every day involves climbing over a mountain pass or two, plus big miles equals fatigue. It’s hard for me to take time off the bike. I imagine it takes several days of complete rest to recover from this type of physical grind. 

I mentioned all this to say that I reached a popular cyclist-friendly town, Ovando, MT, after only 35 miles and stopped for the day. I’ve been hearing about Ovando for a week (from southbound riders). They say, “You’ve got to stop in Ovando. They love cyclists.” So with my dead legs needing a short day, I stopped and booked the “chuckwagon” accommodations for five dollars.

I lunched at the Stray Bullet Cafe, showered and laundered at the Blackfoot Inn, charged my electronics at the local museum, and dined at Trixie’s Saloon. Kathy at the Angler Shop came over to gather my information and take my picture for the GDMBR Facebook page. 

Since this was Grand Central Station for cyclists, I had a chance to visit with a number of southbound riders.

At 7 PM I got into my chuckwagon, put in my earplugs, pulled my balaklava over my eyes, and fell fast asleep hoping the rest would rejuvenate my legs.