After dropping a rental car off at Glacier International on Tuesday, I started in Kalispell/Columbia Falls and have spent nights at Cedar Creek, Seeley Lake, Lincoln, Helena, and Butte tonight. 352 miles / 27k ft elevation gain so far.
It's been a combo of camping and hotels. No rain or storms so far, but ran into smoke from the Ratio Mountain fire coming into Butte. Got a bloody nose from it coming into Butte.
Had some of the first big bike packing trip jitters and anxiety but things have been going well enough for those to mostly subside.
Highlights:
-Holland Lake and Richmond Peak to Seeley Lake was challenging altitude-wise and took quite a bit of concentration on the singletrack and descent, but offered stunning views of Wolverine Peak, Ptarmigan Mountain, and Fischer Peak. Taking a dip in Holland before the climb is highly recommend.
-Ovando and food from The Stray Bullet. Was nice to relax in town for a little and charge some things.
-John and Barbra's cyclist cabins and alpaca farm between Lincoln and Helena. They were out, but the free drinks, sandwiches, snacks, bike repair stuff, they've literally thought of everything. They've supposedly had 12 straight weeks of cyclists or hikers staying at the oasis, up to 30 people a night. I spent and hour and a half there but wanted to stay much, much longer.
-Lava Mountain is no joke and a local told me it's never been in better condition. Uphill hike a bike was hard, but the short but very steep downhill hike a bikes were really tough.
-Meeting loads of other bikers and hikers, some GDMBRers some doing sections, CDTers, and trans continent & coast to coast riders.
by whatwaffle
2 Comments
Thank you for the info, next year will be my year of the GDMBR! I am looking forward to this for several years. Next year; indefinitely paid leave (retirement!) will you post more?
Great – love the aeroe set up!