Into Bozeman from Butte: 101 miles and 3778 feet in 5:54 ride time so just 17.6mph. After the last two days of 135+ this felt easy, out of the hotel at 7:15 and into Bozeman hotel 7 hours later, exactly when motel room keys were being passed out so arriving any earlier would have been meant cooling our heels in the McDonald's next door to pass the time. Same cool morning, clear blue skies, and just into the 90s in the afternoon that we've had the last couple days.
The route was simple, out of Butte on Rt 2 and over Deer Lodge pass (at 5902ft). Due to the very leisurely start to the ride and the climb it took an hour to get the first 11 miles done. The continental divide is there at the top, as we crossed it we left the forrested mountains and rivers and dropped in broad grasslands. Still hills and stark edges of course, it's not Kansas, but lots more brown vs green in the scenery and the fields in some place rolled to the edge of the horizon against the distant snow covered peaks. Jerry (Minnesota) pronounced the day "purple mountains majesty day" which really fit. We saw the amber waves of grain in eastern Washington, here we're in another stanza. The Tabacco Root mountains to our south, Gallatins to the east, Pintlers to the west, big snow streaked peaks on all edges of our position in the middle of it.
From Rt 2 we switched to Rt 359 through Harrison and and then 287 through Norris and a left there onto Rt 84 all the way into Bozeman. Rt 84 parallels the Madison River which runs wide and shallow, full of float tubers and fisherman on a hot, sunny Sunday. We had lunch on the shore of the river, 25 miles out of Bozeman, watching the rafters go by and wishing we'd remembered swimming suits, even for a quick shallow dip. The road was busy with 1 lane in each direction, a 70mph speed limit, and shoulders to ride on, about half the time. Not the best with all the rafters and occasional semi going by but we all made it in.
Tomorrow's the same profile as today, 100 miles and 3000 feet, so a couple itineraries that fill well in the context of a short day before some significant climbing in Wyoming and of course there is the day after day aspect of the trip to survive. But so far, excellent.
And the road kill report: 2 deer, a fox, coyote, couple skunks and rabbits. Busy keeping track! Dinner was with John and Mary Jo, good friends of Mike's from Seattle and now in Bozeman, and Tom was off to dinner at the Montana Baccus (on the main drag of Bozeman).
Hey you guys, it's hard keeping up with you. Fun to hear about Montana having recently driven from Seattle to Baker (JFGI) for our Homestead 100th Anniversary reunion. Probably browner now than when we were through 3 weeks ago, but as beautiful as I've ever seen it. Deer Lodge Pass must be the pass with all the huge granite boulders- I love that pass. Of course, in the car it's a different experience I'm sure. Sounds like you're doing great. The rhythm of PAC Tour is monotonous yet liberating-no worries (but the atomic clock looms). Looking forward to hearing about parts of the country I'm not familiar with. Does Tom know someone in every town? Keep those miles churning. Hope the mosquitoes aren't biting.
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