KOA Campground, Butte, Montana to KOA Campground, Butte, Montana

Statistics

Distance: 27.8 miles 

Average Speed: 11.3 mph

Hours Riding: 2 hours 27 minutes

Calories: Not applicable

Total Ascent: Not applicable

Total Descent: - Not applicable

Today my life was like a country and western song - but more about that in a minute...  

I woke at 6:00 a.m. and today's breakfast featured French toast; i also had granola, yogurt and some chocolate milk. I woke a little earlier so that I might get out when everyone leaves, since my GPS has been hit or miss. However, I did not get out on time so I was riding alone and the GPS track was leading me on a wild goose chase.

I hailed a guy in a truck asking him how to get to Route 2 and he gave me turn-by-turn directions with landmarks. I followed his suggestions, but when referencing the map, it did not seem right. Meanwhile, Sue and Joel came by and they were pretty sure they were on route, so I started to ride with them. 

We were riding along route 2, I was behind them and then I went down. My left handle bar and camera hit the ground, and my right hand let go of the phone as I used my hand to break my fall. Despite that fact, I did hit my helmet on the front left side, but not as hard as if I did not break the fall with my right hand. Sue and Joel came over to check on me;  my right pinky and thumb were scraped but otherwise felt fine. Sue gave me a couple of band-aids, and Joel asked what day it was and who the president was. Sue said, "We are doing the main route so we need to get going," and they took off.

I checked my camera and it looked like the lens was broken because the camera body did not recognize it. I fixed several disheveled items on my bike and was started riding again. I saw a white pit bull heading from the curb toward me, so I sped up and and outpaced him. I stopped to take a photo with my phone and Rob, our guide, and Justin, the new participant, sped by.

My hand started to hurt and i was losing strength in it. My GPS instructed me to turn off the road and over a cliff. I didn't follow. I came to what I thought was the turn-off at Thompson Park but was not sure, and my hand had reached a new level of pain and weakness. My hand was so weak, I could not pull the lever for the brake. 

I called Sean and told him about my hand and that I didn't think it wise for me to continue, given the circumstances. I told him I would go back to the KOA and visit the hospital in Butte for an assessment. He suggested riding with them in the van and seeing how I did, but I knew this was going to take awhile to heal and the next jump-off point was in the Grand Tetons of Wyoming. I wanted to get some treatment for my hand right away since I make my living with my hands.

When i got back to Butte, my hand was even worse despite riding essentially with one hand. I called the KOA and they had a cabin available, so I took it for the next two nights. I then called Sean and told him I was now sure I could not continue and to drop off my bags to the KOA campground while I was at the hospital.

After getting settled in the cabin, I walked into town to the hospital, and to my surprise and delight, I was seen right away. Dr. Hibbs checked out my hand and had it x-rayed, and told me there were no breaks that he could see but I likely have a ligament and tendon damage. He said it could take 4-10 weeks to heal. He also gave me a note for my travel insurance indicating that I could not continue to ride my bike. Ashley, the billing assistant, provided me with paperwork that she signed in lieu of my signature since I could not operate a pen. She will send the bill directly to my travel insurance company.

I walked back to the cabin; my bags were in my room and the room was warm. I called Sean to thank him for dropping off the bags and I asked him to extend my goodbyes to the rest of the group. He said he would, and Andy asked him to extend his goodbye to me.

I went out for groceries at the Safeway and came back and had fried chicken and potato wedges for dinner. I called Lorraine, did some reading and went to bed.

Rest day in Butte, Montana

It rained much of the night and there was lightning as well. The lightning appeared to be within 5 miles of us. At one point, the rain was coming down real hard and as it turns out, it was hail and or sleet. I know because the sleet or hail could be found around the outside of my tent.

It was raining in the morning and I needed to use the restroom, so I put on my rain pants and jacket and put on my hydrosocks and sandals. I brought my powerstrip and charged my devices as I washed my softshell jackets. Afterwards, I sprayed them with Nikwax to keep them waterproof.

I took a taxi into town and had them take me to the public library. I asked the driver about places to eat, and he said there is a new place on the corner. It is a chain restaurant called Pita Pocket. I ordered steak and eggs, and I thought they told me to have a seat. I was waiting for awhile until I asked and was told to get in line to have the clerk make a personalized pita pocket kind of like at Chipotle. It was very big and tasty.

I went over to the library and started picking photos to email to Lorraine. I was there from 1:00 p.m. until closing at 5:00 p.m. One of the computer web surfers was watching music videos and muttering to himself, so much so that two separate librarians came over to ask him if he knew he was talking to himself.

I went back to the Pita Pocket and had a gyro pocket, and then I called for a taxi. I met Justin from England, who is starting with us tomorrow.

I asked Frank the mechanic to check out my brakes because when I pulled the levers, they almost hit my hand grips. He adjusted the calipers so that they were equidistant from the brake pads. He said the pads were ok. I also had him check my chain and he said it is still good, but we should change it a little earlier than needed to protect the cassette. He said the rear tire still looks good. He said wearing off of the knobs is not an indicator of when it needs to be replaced, it is the base that is most important.

I did some journaling and some organizing. We ride tomorrow, and Harry from the Netherlands will ride on the paved section.

Holiday Inn Downtown Helena, Helena, Montana to KOA Campground, Butte, Montana

Statistics

Distance: 70.9 miles 

Average Speed: 11.3 mph

Hours Riding: 6 hours 15 minutes

Calories: 3365

Total Ascent: 3973 feet

Total Descent: - 2608 feet

I woke at 6:30 a.m. and got my things in order: carried my gear downstairs to the truck, rolled my bike down and got some breakfast of granola, yogurt, and milk. I cleaned and oiled my chain, picked up some energy bars and filled my water bottles with Gatorade powder.

The route today was reported to be the hardest on the divide; the weather was rainy and it was projected to get worse.  As a result, I decided to do the alternate routes found on the map and in the GPX files for the GPS. Tim and Mike decided to do the alternate route as well.

The sky was lightly spraying rain and I gradually put on more gear. I was wearing my hardshell parka, rain pants, and overshoes. I was fairly dry but cold because of the air moving past my wet rain garments, so I put on my Mountain Hardware synchro jacket under my shell.

We stopped into a convenience store and casino to warm up, and Mike and Tim got cups of coffee. The alternate route was a combination of offroad and highway. I liked the offroad because there were more photo opportunities.

We were speculating that the main route was going to be particularly bad with all the rain. When we got to lunch in Basin, no one had arrived. Luke was the first - he said his feet were blocks of ice and the route had no redeeming qualities. He sat in the van, and Sean turned up the heat so he could thaw out. 

There was a very sweet husky dog at our lunch site. He wanted some snacks; Sean said he would give him some food after everyone was done. He looked well fed and healthy, so he was very likely someone's pet. I had a couple roast beef sandwiches and potato chips. We were getting cold staying still, so we ate and ran. The temperature was in the mid 40's to 50 degrees.

On the alternative gravel path, we saw Wes, Matt, and Seth. There was a continuation of the gravel path on the other side of the highway but we opted for the highway. Near the Continental Divide, I ran into a girl whose car was pulled over on the side of the road with a flat. I asked if she needed assistance and she said she could not get the wheel cover off. Between Tim and I, we got the her donut put on. So Tim and I had our pictures taken with the damsel in distress named Heidi.

The rain started coming down pretty hard and my hands were getting pretty cold. I got into the Butte KOA at around 5:00 p.m. There was vegetable soup ready, so I had some as well as some potato chips and grapes. The new employee Frank started today. He is a cook and a mechanic.

David and Dave invited me into their cabin to warm up and leave my rain gear to dry. I got my tent up, showered and then the riders from the main route started straggling in. Many said it was the hardest route they have ever done. Dinner was around 8:00 p.m. It was a stir-fry with chicken and rice with salad on the side. There was plenty and it was good. For desert, we had the choice of cherry and/or shoefly pie.

This was Tamas' last day so he went out with Sean to the bar to see him off. I did laundry and did some journaling after dinner until about 10:30 a.m. Tomorrow is a rest day.

Spring Creek RV Park, Lincoln, Montana to Holiday Inn Downtown Helena, Helena, Montana

Statistics

Distance: 64.4 miles 

Average Speed: 9.2 mph

Hours Riding: 6 hours 56 minutes

Calories: Not available

Total Ascent: Not available

Total Descent: - Not available

I woke at 6:30 a.m. I took down camp and had some eggs and sausage, as well as granola with yogurt, milk and a banana.

I started riding at 8:30 a.m., and got a flat at about 8:38 a,m. I noticed more resistance pedaling and found my tire pressure was low. I hoped against hope that the pressure was just low and that the tube was not punctured, so I started pumping.

After pumping up the tube, it soon became clear that there was a leak so I pulled over and turned my bike upside down. I started inspecting the tire and pulled out a nail about 3/16 of an inch in diameter. Because it was such a large nail, the self-sealing glue could not reseal the tire so I replaced the tube. While I was working, a very sweet chestnut colored horse came over to the fence as if to say hello. I greeted him and told him what a good boy he was.

I rode by myself much of the morning taking photos. The road was steep and desolate and I imagined bears around every corner. I ran into three bicycle tourists sitting and having a snack. They were Samantha and Josh from New Zealand and Joe from England. They agreed to have their photo taken before I left.

I found Sean at the lunch spot near an old gold mining operation. There was a wall like a retaining wall, for what purpose, I don't know. David, Ton and Marga were also there. I had a turkey sandwich and some potato chips. I also had a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich. As everyone left, Joe from England pulled up and Sean graciously offered him some food; Joe timidly took a Cliff bar. 

I rode off with Joe; we talked about world politics and his bicycle trip which is heading down through the U.S., Central America, South America, and finishing in the Falkland Islands. He said that is the plan, anyway. He said, "I have not done that much riding to date." He was riding a road touring bike with racks and panniers and the drivetrain included a Rohloff hub.

Joe stopped to wait for his friends and I continued with Marga and Ton. At this time, my GPS started to provide me with bad information. I know because it didn't coincide with the map or with other riders' GPS units. That was concerning to me and the rest of the ride was more stressful as a result. 

David came back on the scene and Sean stopped ahead to give us snacks and encouragement. He could not figure out what was wrong with the GPS either.

On the downhill, it started to rain consistently. When we got out to the main highway for the final leg into Helena, we put on more rain gear. It was largely downhill, but I was wet so i was getting cold. We finally arrived at the hotel at about 6:00 p.m. Peanut soup was waiting for us in the lobby of the Holiday Inn. I talked to rob about the GPS but he was not sure why it was not working. It turns out that it was the case for a lot of people.

I was sharing a room with Norm on the fourth floor. I wheeled my bike up and then I brought up my luggage. I noticed my face was red and I assumed it was sunburned, which surprised me because I had on Bullfrog suntan lotion which does not readily come off during the day. As it turns out, I think my face was flushed. My pupils also looked constricted. I also felt dehydrated.

Seeley Lake Motor Lodge & RV Park, Seeley Lake, Montana to Spring Creek RV Park, Lincoln, Montana

Statistics

Distance: 68 miles 

Average Speed: 10.7 mph

Hours Riding: 6 hours 19 minutes

Calories: 3710

Total Ascent: 5574 feet

Total Descent: - 5075 feet

I woke at 6:30 a.m. and started getting ready. We had hot porridge with granola and fruit for breakfast. I was taking many pictures right from the beginning, so soon I was riding alone, which I did for much of the time.

Luke Hussey saw a black bear running from him as he descended a hill. It ran across the road diagonally and into the woods, and he got a good view of the bear's backside.

I met a couple of guys cutting and stacking logs in their pickup truck. They had long beards and told me their look pre-dated "Duck Dynasty." Their names were Red and Jerry. I took a couple of pictures and did a little video.

My Garmin GPS was acting kind of wonky. Usually, there is a indicator pointing toward north and the track faces up. The track was facing every which direction and was very hard to follow. I talked to our guide, Sean, at lunch in Ovando and he help me get it back to normal function. Ovando was a cute town with the original jail still standing. For $5, you can bunk in the jail overnight.

I wasn't the last to lunch, but I was the last out. I rode alone again for most of the second half of the day. It was very quiet and I felt relaxed. When ascending the second pass of the day, I saw a prairie chicken cross the road and I have the video to prove it.

I met up with some of my fellow riders at the top of the second pass where Sean was providing refreshments. We got into camp at about 5:00 p.m. The site is next to a stream and is covered with plush grass.

For dinner, we had a vegetable, bean, and meat dish with potatoes, and mixed greens on the side. It was quite good. We had cheesecake with grapes for desert. I was expecting to lose weight on this trip, but it appears I am a little heavier.

Harry is doing better - I would say about 50% better, and he can put weight on his left leg.

Photos will be posted at the end of the trip

This is Lorraine posting with an update. Lenny is having difficulty transmitting his photos to me, and has decided to just send his journal entries while he is on the trip. 

He types his journal each night with his thumbs on a Blackberry-type cell phone keyboard, and sends each day's entry in an email for me to post on the website when I can.

Thank you for reading! Please check back in the middle of October for what I am sure will be many amazing photos!

If you are on Facebook, you can see the group's photos at this link:
https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatDivideExpedition

You can see more photos from before the trip began (8/19 - 8/22) at this link:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10207721257416456.1073741861.1443622170&type=1&l=d95bffc2dc

USDA Forest Service Campground, Holland Lake, Montana to Seeley Lake Motor Lodge & RV Park, Seeley Lake, Montana

Statistics

Distance: 26.6 miles 

Average Speed: 11.0 mph

Hours Riding: 2 hours 24 minutes

Calories:  Not available

Total Ascent:  Not available

Total Descent: -  Not available

I woke up at about 7:00 a.m. as I heard people stirring. I heard my alarm, but knew it was an easy day so I slept in. Breakfast was at 8:00 a.m., and we had eggs and sausage with bacon on the side. I also had some granola with strawberry yogurt, bananas and milk.

I rode out with Harry Brown and Andy. The paths were beautiful and the sun coming through the trees added to the majesty we experienced. Soon we came to a sign and a "do not cross" barrier. It was addressed to the Great Divide riders and essentially said the path was closed to the riders due to the forest fires. This was not a surprise, but still disappointing.

We took an alternate path that eventually took us out to highway 83, which we took the rest of the way to Seeley Lake. We arrived at the campground around 12 noon. I set up camp, took a shower and had some vegetable and beef soup, as well as an apple turnover and a blueberry turnover. I then walked around town a bit with Harry. We were hoping to see the lake, but much of it was surrounded by private land.

We went into the Rocky Mountain Adventure Gear store that was well equipped with bikes and supplies. We talked to the women who owns the store with her husband, and she told us that she caters to Great Divide cyclists. She said they also sell and rent boats and in the winter, they are a ski shop. She said the section we were diverted from was particularly beautiful and is prime grizzly territory.

I went back to the campsite to backup photos and to make my last attempt to transfer photos to Lorraine for this blog. The backup went fine as usual, but I was unsuccessful in transferring photos, so I am going to have to wait until I get home to post them. It is unfortunate that I cannot post them while I am on the trip.

For dinner, we had salmon, rice and cole slaw. At the end of dinner, Sean came back with Harry van der Raad from the hospital. The diagnosis was a muscle sprain, and the recommendation was rest and icing.

Then we had "the moosie hour." Harry said that moosie was tired of riding on bikes and wanted to ride in the lunch truck and experience lunch, so he gave the moosie to Sean.

After the moosie hour, I gave Harry a massage with some Arnica gel and used my massage vacuum cup to help remove the lactic acid build-up in his muscles. I then recommended that he ice the area. He said he felt a little bit better.

Tomorrow, we ride to Lincoln, Montana.