Day 22: July 13 Campground near Ennis, MT to Madison Campground, WYv74 miles

Earthquake Lake, the landslide that created it,
and the trees it drowned.

It's beautiful. We must be inside Yelowstone.

An elk poses for tourists.

Monday, 7/13/81
Madison Campground, Yellowstone, WY

Rain woke me up this morning. Just a sprinkle. I rode my butt off 55 miles before lunch to catch up with Bret and Jack just outside West Yellowstone. Stopped at Earthquake Center, though. Very interesting. Killed 28 people.

God, I was tired. We rode six miles into the park for lunch after running errands. Stopped at Madison Campground and found a biker willing to share his site. Bret and I wandered with unloaded bikes through the Firehole River Canyon and Lower Geyser Basin.

I still remember the revelation of venturing forth on the luxury of “light bikes” to see the awe-inspiring spectacles of Yellowstone. We used an entire roll of film each and returned to camp by dinner.

I had a little camp stove that burned Coleman fuel. I couldn’t carry a gallon of fuel around with me, so one of my great worries was how to refuel. In this large campground, I went begging camp to camp and quickly found people who appreciated my story and gave me a refill. Of course, they wouldn’t take my money and I was sograteful! Now that the roles are reversed, I know I would be completely charmed and delighted if a cyclist approached me for a bit of Coleman fuel.

Madison River canyon

An erupting geyser.

An erupting geyser.

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Fountain paint pots (bubbling hot sulphur mud).

Fountain paint pots (bubbling hot sulphur mud).

Great Fountain Geyser not quite living up to its name.

I contemplate Firehole Canyon.

I make a chipmunk friend.

Even Yellowstone ponds are spectacular

Firehole Canyon.

Large animals hanging about. We must be inside Yellowstone.

Firehole Canyon.

Day 21: July 12 Sheridan City Park, MT to campgound near Ennis, MT 52 miles

Jack returns from the two-story outhouse.

Sunday, 7/12/81

Campground near Ennis, MT

Disappointing day. Couldn't find my Off last night, so couldn't sleep, so slept in late. Bret had a flat, so we left without him. Stopped at Nevada City with Jack. It's a restored town with fully furnished shops and homes and two-story outhouse. (Norm Ormbrek and I stopped here in '75(?)) At Virginia City, two miles beyond, found Rick waiting for us. He'd finally figured out we were behind him, not in front. 3.5-mile, 7% grade out of town and 7-mile descent to Madison River valley with Madison River Range alongside.

We waited in Ennis for 2 1/2 hours for Bret. He didn't show, so Jack stayed while Rick and I rode down the valley. 20-mph headwind smacked us and we headed to the nearest camp. No trees, water and river though. 60 lousy miles today.

I used “thornproof” (double-thickness) inner tubes and did not have a flat all the way from Seattle to Denver.

Nevada City.

Old railroad engine, Nevada City, MT.

The old schoolhouse.

Madison Valley & mountains.

 

Day 20: July 11 Cow pasture at Big Hole Pass, MT to Sheridan Town Park, MT 73 miles

Saturday, 7/11/81
Town Park, Sheridan MT

Building thunderhead.

Watched sunrise this morning. It hit clouds first, then alpenglow on Bitterroots, then hill on right, then hill on left, then us, so I got up. It was so cold, my feet were getting cold inside my sleeping bag.

Rode downand up to Badger Pass and down to Dillon by 10:30. 35 miiles--pretty good. Ate at Skeets Cafe, showered at Hotel Metlen, etc.

Played cat and dog with thundershowers in the 30 miles from Dillon to Twin Bridges. Thunder and lightning stabbing the ground was very dramatic. From Twin Bridges, rode 10 miles in headwind and more storms to Sheridan. Camping in Town Park with New Yorker.

We found ourselves in the position of following five miles behind one storm, watching its lightning bolts stab the earth in front of us. We dared not stop though, because there was one coming up behind us doing the very same thing. Eventually, Bret got a flat, so we all stopped under an awning on a farm and let the following storm sweep over us.

Aging barn.

Black and white storm.

Double rainbow.

Day 19: July 10 Campground near Sula, MT to cow pasture at Big Hole Pass, MT 62 miles

Friday, 7/10/81
Cow pasture at Big Hole Pass

Nez Perce Big Hole Battlefield.

Climbed Lost Trail and Chief Joseph Passes this morning and crossed Continental Divide over to Mississippi watershed.

Stopped at Big Hole battlefield where Chief joseph's tribe was attacked at dawn, yet still managed to escape with most of the people. It made me cry.

Fought swarms of mosquitoes at lunch at Wisdom.



 The village was surprise-attacked by the US Army at dawn.

Wisdom billed itself as the “mosquito and late winter capitol of Montana.” I don’t know about late winters, but they certainly lived up to the first half of their reputation. When we stopped for lunch, we were getting eaten alive by mosquitoes at noon on a 95° day with no shade. These experts recommend Off as the best defense against the bugs. I agree.



A bird.

Stopped short of planned destination tonight at Big Hole Pass, elevation 7,000 feet. Should get cold but it's very nicce, really. We're camping in a cow pasture--grass, sage brush, and cow pies. Pretty sunset. [One of Bret's and my favorite memories from the entire ride is camping in that cow pasture!]

 



Big Hole, Montana.



Jack & Bret and part of our stuff in a cow pasture.
Also see this blog's header photo.)

Day 18: July 9 Florence, MT to Sula, MT 69 miles

Thursday, 7/9/81
Campground outside Sula, MT

Early morning fog on our makeshift campsite.

Left Rick at the capsite--he was late with breakfast. Never saw him again. He probably passed us when we stopped at a donut shop.

Rick apparently passed us and spent the next two days trying I catch up with us. Every cyclist we met approaching us told us about this guy tearing along and asking if they’d seen anyone fitting our description, which of course, they hadn’t. It was laughable! The farther along we went. The farther ahead people reported seeing him! 

We wanted to cross two passes this afternoon and make 85 miles, but got too beat andwent 75 miles and camp at the bottom of the first climb.

Stopped at a taxidermist in Darby with bears, mountain lions, elk, beaver, moose, etc. It was very interesting. Also watched a guy paint a mural of nearby mountains across the street.

A Bitterroot Valley tree.



A Bitterroot Valley barn.

Bitterroot Valley scenery.

A Bitterroot Valley home.

Day 17: July 8 Missoula to Florence 17 miles

Wednesday, 7/8/81
Boat ramp, Florence, MT

We all slept in double bunks in the same room last night. We ran errands in Missoula all day, at the Post Office, the laundry, buying a shirt at Sears, groceries, etc. I left my helmet on my bike in front of the hostel and someone stole it. Very maddening. Right when we were going to leave in the afternoon. I had to fo to three bike shops to find another for $40. We only biked 20 miles to a boat launch on the Bitterroot River at Florence. No water or tables. Plenty of mosquitoes.

Day 16: July 7 Lochsa Lodge to Missoula 57 miles

Rock on Lolo Pass.

Tuesday, 7/7/81
Hostel, Missoula, MT

I changed my rear tire yesterday. The threads were showing through. Since it was new in Seattle and I haven't had a flat, I'm happy with my thornproof innertubes.

It was raining when we got up this morning, so I started a fire in the cabin's stove. The climb to the top of Lolo Pass wascold and drizzly, now flurries even and 38°. Once we topped out though, it was downhill all the way to Missoula, Montana. 

Going down the other side was fine with a very strong tailwind, but Rick thought he got hypothermia an stopped awhile. Lunch at a store with a picnic table. Zipped into Missoula by 3:30. Got my lost Traveller's Checks replaced. Stayed at hostel on upper bunk, pretty girl below. Had pizza out for dinner.


Lolo Pass rainbow

At the top of the pass, I came across Rick on the shoulder of the road, huddling under his space blanket. He said he needed to regain some body heat. I hated to leave him there, but he did eventually catch up that day.

Valley church on the descent to the Bitterroot.