Hot day

(Clem, 19.5) I too rode over Maclay Bridge on my way back from Lolo--love that river stretch. Day was getting hot and eventually reached 99.

Over the bridge and up the creek

(Keith, 23 miles)  About a mile past the giant cow you come to the one-lane, "historic" Maclay Bridge crossing the Bitterroot River.   Maclay Bridge was to have been replaced by a modern, 2-lane bridge many years ago but has been the subject of significant local resistance.  Its days do seem numbered as rehab-ing the old bridge will cost much more than building a new bridge (after Federal funds are considered).  For now it is a pleasant way to cross the river and one of the highlights of the ride.    

 

After riding along the river - see photo from Clem's most recent ride, I diverted from my standard route and rode up O"Brien Creek Road to the border with NFS. 

If at first you don’t succeed...

(Art, 20)

I was planning to do my weekly fast ride on Wednesday, but after having gotten myself up at 5:15 a.m. to join the early crowd, here’s what I saw when I made the turn in my driveway.  You may not be able to judge scale, but the big tree in the foreground is about 18’ in diameter and the tree was about 80’ tall.  This being the only way out of my property, dealing with this became my morning’s exercise.  Fortunately, my group also rides on Fridays, so today I logged a brisk 20 miles.

BB-TAC

Glenn Here - Just completed a 5 day tour titled (by the group)  BB-TAC (bike, breweries-tour around the Crazies.   Total of 231.7 miles on pavement and gravel.  I will try to post some pics as we saw some spectacular Montana scenery!

Day 1 - to Big Timber - 39 miles;

Day 2 - Harlowtown - 38.7 miles - found live music at the brewery!!

Day 3 - to White Sulphur Springs - for beer and a soak - 60 miles against the wind, I spent 8 hr. 36 min in the saddle;

Day 4 - Roundabout way to Wilsaw - 55 miles

Day 5 - Livingston - 39 miles

Big Flat Road

(Clem, 18) Easy spin past the cow and along Big Flat Road above the river to Kona Ranch Road, and back into town. That puts me over 100 for the week, but no way I can match Glenn!

Up, up, up

(Keith, 12 miles).  I rode up Pattee Canyon this clear, cool (51 degrees) morning.  The ride includes a four mile hill with a 1,000 foot climb to 4,175 ft.  (Clem’s house is half way up the hill).  Then of course there is the ride back - like a bat out of hell, navigating the winding roads and the potholes - no deer this morning.

Painted Rocks

(Clem, 85) For my friend Bob's birthday ride on Saturday, we biked his age plus one with a long but satisfying ride from Hamilton south to Painted Rocks Reservoir, and back. The last half of the route goes along the beautiful west fork of the Bitterroot River. Lots of fishermen but hardly any cyclists. 

Week Two summary

In our second week, we biked 274.5 miles, exceeding our weekly goal by almost 39 percent. Cumulatively, we are now 123.5 miles ahead of schedule, near Milepost 520 on the Missoula-Sturgis segment. Having blown through Yellowstone, and with Cody in our rearview mirrors, we are in the Bighorn Basin, approaching the little burg of Greybull, WY. It’s hot, dry and windy.

The Paoli ride

Tom and I did the Paoli ride yesterday.  26 miles in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat.  Still warm when we finished but acceptable. 



For the Week Ken logged 49.26 miles.  The 0.26 miles is important.



Ken

Fish Oil Ride

(Art, 16). On a humid morning with building heat, rode to Fairport Virginia. The photo shows my bike leaning against a travel lift at Fairport marina. Way in the background is the Omega Protein fishing fleet. These factory ships bring in tons o’ menhaden which they cook on site and turn into things like Omega-3 fish oil pills, animal feed, fertilizer and lipstick.  

We went East!

(Keith, 26 miles). Rode with Clem.  Another great morning ride.  This is my 2nd most often done ride.  Due east through the shambling “towns” of East Missoula and Millvale, then through the new Milltown State Park along the Clark Fork River (see pic) where a major dam was removed ten years ago.  Then across a converted railroad bridge to a sort of frontage road along I-90.  Its an out and back.   One could get a 40-45 mile ride in.  Today I rode 26 miles.

Quick spin down the Clark Fork

(Clem, 34.5 mi.) Bit the bullet and biked from my house, knowing I would be grinding my way back up. Met Keith at his house and we rode past East Missoula to the confluence of the Clark Fork and the Blackfoot at the newly developed Milltown State Park (photo) then further down the Clark Fork to the community of Turah. And back, then up the dreaded hill. I survived.

Donut Run

(Art, 17) Think I mentioned yesterday that I’d be riding with some less serious guys today.  That is demonstrated by today’s more relaxed pace and the fact that we stopped for a donut in the middle of the ride.  Had to keep our strength up.  17 miles at 16.1 mph.

Wisconsin Union

16 miles on my road bike, which I haven't ridden this year.  It is way faster and easier than my hybrid.  I'm afraid if I keep riding it I'll lose my competitive edge. Note the Covid-19 empty terrace.

I’m here, bitches!

(Art, 20 miles)

Keith has just now schooled me on what a blog is and how one makes an entry, so sorry about my absence to date.  

Rode this morning with a fast (for me) crowd, averaging 16.1 mph over 20 miles.  No time with these cowboys to take a photo.  I’m riding with some different peeps tomorrow and will look for photo ops.

Riding Big Flat Road

(Keith, 23 miles)  Took an early morning ride past the Big Steer, then up and over Big Flat Road.  This is one of my favorite stretches of road as it includes a long (four miles) descent with great views of the Bitterroot River below.  As you can see it was another beautiful Montana summer morning.

To the cabin

(Glenn, 23 miles) Headed to cabin on bike (July 19th) until Jeanne finds me along the road - that sounded bad, actually I rode 23 miles until she caught up with me!

Strava labels this as the roller coaster

Sunday July 19.   15 miles to the hill of beans restaurant (Ken has been there.).   Fantastic weather.

Just another day in Paradise

(Clem, 41 mi.) Rode with Bob on the bike path to Lolo, explored neighborhoods between U.S. 93 and the river, then I continued south to Florence on the old 93 and back along the bike path. Blue skies, puffy clouds and mild breezes. It's almost as if the virus had disappeared--except I was brought back to reality at the convenience store in Florence when I realized I had no mask, so I improvised holding my head scarf over my moth and nose.

Largest steer in Missoula

(Keith 17 miles) This is my milk run, my most routine ride. An early start (6:30) in perfect conditions. 54 degrees and no wind. 

What I like about this ride is its variety.  The first 3 miles are nothing special, crosstown and can be in some traffic.  Then it’s a country road. 

Here’s a photo at about mile 5. The largest steer in Missoula. It was, I suspect, a way to attract attention to a dairy store just done the street which is now the Trough, a restaurant that seems to succeed despite its out of the way location.

Our first week

(Post edited to add Tom's 14.5 miles) In our first week, we biked 245 miles from Missoula, exceeding our goal by 47 miles. On the evening of July 17, we’re camped at Granite Creek, just two miles shy of Virginia City. The Snowcrest Mountains are behind us and the Gravelly Range to our left. We’ll be in West Yellowstone in another 87.5 miles; it’s 629 miles to Sturgis and 2,521 miles to Burgess.

Tom

July 11.  15 miles, corrected after Strava went crazy.
July 14.  23.5 miles
July 17.  14.5 miles

July 19.  15 miles

July 22.  16 miles 

July 24.  10 miles

July 25.  26 miles

July 27.  14 miles

July 30.  15 miles

Aug. 1.   25 miles

Aug. 7.   15 miles - hob

Aug  9.   23 miles - Badger State Trail

Aug 13.  22 miles - to Ill.

Aug 14.  24 miles - ken and Brent

Aug  16.  9 miles - Strava wrong.

Aug  18.  22 miles bluemound

Aug  20.  15 miles hob

Aug  22.  15 miles arb

Aug. 26.  20 miles Ridgewood am

Aug. 26.  15 miles Arb pm

Aug 28.  14 miles rib lake

Aug 30.   28 miles dodge

Sept 5.    15 miles.

Sept 11.   15 miles.

Sept 14.   18 miles.

Sept 18.    15 miles

Close call

Glenn - did a quick 20 miles late this afternoon - windy.  Did experience a very difficult moment - heard a screeching - looked up an an SUV left the road and in correcting rolled 3 1/2 times landing directly opposite me in the ditch.  Called 911 and shortly a large group of folks were there, one pulled the windshield away and climbed into the crumpled vehicle - a single individual was inside alive and talking.  Police and fire arrived, so I exited.

Glenn here - did 32 miles this morning (17th) along the beautiful Blackfoot River, along with 2000 cars - Montana must be open.  Interesting tie is the type of debris along the road - footwear and chocolate milk containers????

Route segments

Here are the three route segments on Map My Ride:

Missoula to Sturgis

https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/3265205095

Sturgis to St. Charles

https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/3265210432

St. Charles to Burgess

https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/3265222810

First Post

(Clem 35, Keith 35) This is the inaugural post of our group blog, Rockies to the Rappahannock, chronicling our virtual 2,766-mile ride from Missoula, Montana to Madison, Wisconsin to Burgess, Virginia. We'll post our weekly mileage, our progress across the country, photos as well as comments witty, wry, wise or all the above. I'll start off with a couple of photos taken this morning on a sweet 35-mile ride in the Bitterroot Valley. We cycled a bike path and then into a wildlife refuge. Fellow in the middle is our friend and cycling buddy Bob, who turns 84 in about a week.