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.