Day 49 Darby, MT to Missoula, MT

Yorktown, VA to Missoula, MT Miles Ridden 3,277
Average 68 Miles/Day, Estimated Finish July 12, 2015

Biking Detail Darby, MT to Missoula, MT

Day 49 Monday, June 29

Left Darby at 6:00 am. Nice cool temperature. Little more wind than normal for this hour, but a crosswind and downhill most of the way. Used HWY 93 versus the trail for most of the route to Lolo. The 93 shoulder plenty wide and the trail switched sides of the HWY which didn't seem too safe. 

Made it 53 miles, to Lolo, before stopping for breakfast at 9:30. Average speed was 16.7 MPH! Lots of traffic to Missoula / Adventure Cycling after leaving Lolo. Enjoyed my visit at ACA. Visited with other bikers and did the customary photo shoot. 

Bought another Transamerica Trail biking jersey as mine will be well worn after 60+ days of continual ware and daily washing! May have to frame that one. Had the afternoon in Missoula to give some attention to the SAG vehicle! Oil change and new front tires.Looking forward to checking out some Missoula micro breweries this evening!

Shoving off at 6:00 am from the Mountain Spirit Inn in Darby

Adventure Cycling Headquarters in Missoula

Made it to Missoula

Adventure Cycling Building and graphics

Jiffy Lube for SAG Vehicle

New front tires for SAG vehicle

Day 48 Jackson, MT to Darby, MT

Yorktown, VA to Darby, MT Miles Ridden 3,212

Biking Detail Jackson, MT to Darby, MT

Day 48 Sunday, June 28

Left Jackson at 6:30. Smooth sailing. Cold, but no wind and no cars on the road. Road and shoulder not in greatest condition so lack of traffic allowed me to pick the best part of the road to ride on. Stopped in Wisdom for breakfast, 18 miles in. Averaged 16.2 MPH first hour to Wisdom. Nice when you don't have the wind in your face and no traffic. Passed four cars in first hour and all but one going opposite direction. 

At 28.5 miles Margie stopped at the Big Hole Battlefield entrance to give me a water break. After that stop the road takes a dip then begins the climb to Chief Joseph Pass. Very scenic ride up reminding me of parts of Washington State with winding highway, following a small river up to it's source, lots of pine tree covered hillsides and blue sky. 

As we headed up Chief Joseph Pass (7,241 ft) traffic picked up some but still not bad. No rideable shoulder. Did not take the Gibbons Pass Alternate. Didn't want to subject my bike, and me, to the dirt road. Got to the top of pass, took the photo op then headed down. Road is posted as 6% downgrade for 7 mies. What a great ride down staying at about 40 MPH except to brake for couple of the posted 25 MPH hairpin turns. Pass would be much tougher going W to E as this was a very long steep decent! Fun!  

Road actually continues down at a smaller 1%-2% grade for another 31 miles. Except for a little headwind and the increasing heat, it made for a nice run. Stopped 13 miles down in Sula at the Country Store for an ice cream break. Great little campground resort with both camping and cabins. Would have been a great place to overnight...but three passes yesterday would never have worked!!! 

Finished the last 18 miles and got to Darby at 1:45, earlier than expected. Beautiful ride through the canyon along the Bitterroot River. Checked into our motel then tried some local brew at the Bandit Brewery, a tasting brewery in Darby. Best local beer of the trip! One of best burgers of the trip at Naps Grill in Hamilton!

Poor wifii today so will update pictures from Missoula tomorrow.

Beautiful Montana

Wisdom, MT Stopped for Breakfast

Zooming along

This is Big Hole Country

The climb to Chief Joseph Pass Begins Here

One of several water breaks, thanks Margie

Really pretty ride up to the pass

Nearing the summit

Made it, looking forward to the ride down

Great spot to stop for a break on the way to Darby...Sula

The Bitterroot River great for fishing or tubing

Thumbs up for Bandit Brewing in Darby

Is this the biggest burger you ever saw...Naps in Hamilton

Day 47 Virginia City, MT to Jackson, MT

Yorktown, VA to Jackson, MT Miles Ridden 3,137
Average 68.0 Miles/Day, Estimated Finish July 12, 2015

Bking Detail Virginia City, MT to Jackson, MT

Day 47 Saturday, June 27

Left Virginia City at 6:10. Not as cold as yesterday. Roads calm and nice! This is a great hour of the day to be biking! Newly paved road but did not put in a paved shoulder so will be riding on the road. Few extra feet of asphalt is all it takes..gravel shoulder already there?? A rare espresso shop in Sheridan, 20 miles out of Virginia City, so got my vanilla latte! Hit the spot. 

Once hit Sheridan paved shoulder returned! Had breakfast in Twin Bridges. Met Joe, from Santa Cruz, going W to E. Started June 1st. End of trip will take train back to CA. Joe forewarned us about swarming mosquitos ahead as we travel to Dillon. Loaded up with Deet before heading out.  Arrived in Dillon at 11:00. Re-loaded ice chest with water for the two passes ahead! 

Long hot ride to the top of Badger Pass, 6,760 ft, pretty exhausted. Unfavorable slight head wind. Had no choice but to do the 18 miles to the top of the second pass, Big Hole Pass at 7,360 ft, as nothing in between! Got to the top of Big Hole at 4:45!! Do not recommend doing these passes as the last 30 miles of a l00 mile day!!! Heat, headwind and steady climb up....not the best way to end a century day. 

The 9 miles from the pass to Jackson starts with a nice downhill but the last four miles levels out with some rolling hills and climbing the last one mile. Was not mentally or physically prepared for that!!! Ready for a much needed saddle break. Got to Jackson at 5:45, close to 12 hours after we left Virginia City. Our breakfast in Twin Bridges was our only sit down meal break of the day. Lots of power bars and water from the car!!! 

Thank goodness for Margie's SAG services. Would never had made it with out the continual hydration and food snacks at the pullovers!! Stopping at Dillon for the night might have been a better option! But it is nice to have the miles behind us.

Early morning goodbye to Virginia City

Our hotel in Virginia City

Hello Horesy!

Rolling Hills of Montana

Breakfast in Twin Bridges, MT

Joe from Santa Cruz, Enjoy the ride!

Some big Buttes!

43 Miles to Jackson, Go Back!

The climb begins 14 miles to first summit

Second summit in Distance, another 30 miles

Day finished, doing blog in bar, I'm pooped!

Day 46 West Yellowstone, MT to Virginia City, MT

Yorktown, VA to Virginia City, MT Miles Ridden 3,032
Average 67 miles/day, Expected Finish July 13, 2015

Biking Detail West Yellowstone, MT to Virginia City, MT

Day 46 Friday, June 26

Left West Yellowstone at 6:00 AM. Cold riding at this hour but nice to get a jump on the day. Shoulder OK and not much traffic. Beautiful ride along Hebgen Lake. Stopped at Campfire Fishing Lodge for breakfast, just after the Hebgen Dam, at the recommendation of a local in West Yellowstone. About 25 miles from West Yellowstone so perfect spot for stopping.

Breakfast special was raspberry pancake with sausage and egg. Awesome. Definitely a place to stop and eat and right on the Madison River, world famous fly fishing destination spot. Lots of camping around the area as well as cabins. Hope to make it back here sometime for a fly fishing get-a-way. 

Interesting to read the story about earthquake lake then see the destruction from the August, 1959 7.5 quake, one of the most powerful quakes ever recorded in the Rocky Mountains. A massive landslide was created blocking the Madison River...creating Earthquake Lake still here today. Three sections of HWY 287 we are traveling on fell into Hebgen Lake.

Got to Ennis about 12:30 and decided to push on to Virginia City and face the 2,000 feet of elevation gain in ten miles. Got a surprise false summit after some road construction about 8 miles into the climb. I stopped and talked to a couple of bikers from Switzerland at an overlook near the false top. Curtis and Ingrid were on their way to Idaho Falls and return to Switzerland after 10 weeks of biking from Los Angeles. After continuing on, I was real disappointed when a small down slope went up again as I went around a bend. My mind was set to declare victory on this 6%-7% climb after a long day but had to gut it out for another 2 miles. As a consolation it was a quick decent for 4 miles into Virginia City.

Got to Virginia City about 3:30 pretty hot and tired. Headed to the Pioneer Saloon for a cold beer and returned at 5:30 to watch the U.S. Women beat China in the World Cup soccer match...only bar TV in town. Virginia City is a great little town!!!

Hebgen Lake

View from Campfire Fishing Lodge

Madison River loaded with trout feasting on salmon flies

Amazing pancake

Wow! What a pancake

The fishing lodge

Earthquake Lake

No shoulder but light traffic and a downhill slope
 made for a fast ride into Ennis, MT

Had to wait for pilot car on climb to Virginia City

Curtis and Ingrid from Swizterland at overlook near top of climb

Watching the Women's World Cup

Virginia City after dinner

Our Hotel in Virginia City

Virginia City scene