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Yorktown, VA to Virginia City, MT Miles Ridden 3,032
Average 67 miles/day, Expected Finish July 13, 2015 |
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| 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!!!
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| Hebgen Lake |
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| View from Campfire Fishing Lodge |
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| Madison River loaded with trout feasting on salmon flies |
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| Amazing pancake |
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| Wow! What a pancake |
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| The fishing lodge |
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| Earthquake Lake |
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No shoulder but light traffic and a downhill slope
made for a fast ride into Ennis, MT |
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| Had to wait for pilot car on climb to Virginia City |
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| Curtis and Ingrid from Swizterland at overlook near top of climb |
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| Watching the Women's World Cup |
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| Virginia City after dinner |
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| Our Hotel in Virginia City |
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| Virginia City scene |
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