The Final Day for 2006

9/11/2006: Day 23, 68.1 miles; Total 842.1 Miles

Well we did our record day on the last day. I am getting into shape now and have actually lost about 16 pounds.

At 7:38 AM I was at the Continental Drive starting point in Butte MT, and pedaled about 1.4 miles up the Continental Divide and then had to come to a walk. It is too bad that the low three gears on this bike have rarely worked on the whole trip in spite of 5 or 6 skilled mechanics adjusting them. It appears that I should have insisted on having both shifters changed at the bike shop in Washington on the first week of the trip. The changed left shifter for the front chain rings has worked superbly since it was changed with no missed or slipped shifts. However, the rear canister misses the shifts to the lowest three cogs and when I pedal against sudden “no” resistance I almost fall off the bike. The word from several mechanics is the shifters that were put on the bike to give me a more up right ride are not compatible with the derailleur system in that their cable pulling distance is not what the derailleur expects. This is one of those serious deficiencies that I should have better understood long before now.

In any event, I would not have been able to pedal this hill with any bike, so I walked 3 miles up to the 6800-foot elevation top in just over an hour. Once at the top I put on my windbreaker for the 6% grade 10-mile downhill and went down at over 22 mph. When the Stallion got up to 30, I was anxious so I reined him in and controlled the descent at 20-25 mph. We covered significant ground on that one.

The elevation of Bozeman is about 1500 feet less than Butte so I knew it would be a net downhill; however, I didn’t know there was another 5000-foot bump along the way. So again I walked for about an hour and 3 miles up this one. But again, each of the ups has a reward of a down, and the walks seemed to rejuvenate me. Soon the TB showed up and couldn’t believe I was 25 miles down the road. I was pretty pleased myself. I went into an Exxon and got Cappuccino and a Subway Deli Sandwich with turkey, lettuce, tomato, and hot mustard. It was delicious. About that time the TB came along and I had a couple of cold drinks, tried to adjust the gears myself, and started out again.

In about 20 miles we came to Three Forks, the beginning of the Missouri River that becomes the Mississippi. Of course, Lewis and Clark had been there ahead of me, again. But more importantly, at this location is the home of “Wheat Montana” a wheat farmer who has opened a very well know bread bakery and delicatessen. The service is great and the sandwiches are superb. There is a sign to pick one of 8 kinds of bread, then one of 4 types of meat, then one of 6 kinds of cheese and then one of 13 condiments (pick all you want). Mine turned out to be Sourdough, Turkey, Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, cucumbers, pickles, and hot mustard: to go. We would eat these in celebration at the Big Sky condo as I now was going for the home stretch and the whole 70 miles in one day!

The TB wanted to check out the Lewis and Clark Headwaters Campground as I finished the final 12 miles to Bozeman. I told him not to be late as I was finally on my mission and going to sprint on over there and I was “out of there.”

The final 12 miles went quickly. As I rode I viewed smoke far to the East from The Big Tiber forest fire far east of Bozeman sending smoke thousands of feet into the atmosphere. Soon I pulled into exit 268 at Belgrade, the first Bozeman Exit and the one we use to get to the Big Sky Condo. I had ridden my bike from the Pacific Ocean at Astoria, Oregon, over 800 miles to Bozeman, Montana. I’m not disappointed in my effort.

Multiple circumstances necessitated the end of the trip. It’s not an easy task, although I’m rounding into shape and better able to pedal longer and more efficiently. I don’t like the cold mornings and the need for clothing changes during the day. It’s difficult to take in all the views; but just like hiking watching the trail is very important. To visit with all the wonderful people takes too much time out of the day; but to not visit takes much away from the trip. It’s also not an easy task on my Trail Boss who has done an exemplary job of hanging with me, trying to meet my many needs, studying maps, and predicting the unpredictable.

For both of us, enough is enough—for this year.