Thursday, January 23, 2014

NaKeD On ThE DiVidE part 3: SolRaK RideS FrOm WhiTeFiSh To HoLLaNd

My room was littered with clothes and gear.  All over the extra bed, hanging near the AC vents, hoping to dry it all.

It was by far the Hardest two days I have ever spent on a route.  Fearing death and starvation, still feeling the discomfort in my throat, but determined to push on.

I had soaked all my clothes in the tub to clean it.  It was brown and murky after a good soak, but came clean after awhile.  In retrospect I would use a washing machine and a dryer to save time.  In between doing laundry, eating slowly and elevating my leg I was taking mental inventory of my woes.

Ankle, swollen, tender and painful, check.

Horrible rash like I have never had before, check.

That next morning I left at Day Break as planned. Early I could ride moderately without too much pain and discomfort. But , right around hour 2, it would become an issue.  I didn't want to take any more Ibuprofen, so I was on a one Excedrin a day.

I left Whitefish, with an empty stomach, hoping to score food in the next town.

When I got to Columbia Falls, I remember thinking that I should have just ridden here last night, it was the fastest 10 miles I had done on the route, all pavement and bike path.

I stopped at the first sight of the word Espresso, but the gentleman was closed.  We chatted for a minute, but he didn't open for another hour and I was in that silly Racer Boi mode so I pushed on.

When I got to the T intersection I saw a Divide Ride Bike leaning against another place advertising breakfast and Espresso.

The place was called Montana Coffee Traders.  They made me a big breakfast and I had two large four shot Espressos with coconut milk.  I forget the Other Riders name but I believe they had given him the Nick Name BEARDO.  He must of been in Racer Boi mode as well, cause he left before me.  I was kinda stoked to chase a carrot, so I calmly finished my drinks and food and then shopped for gourmet Dark Chocolate.

I left there KEYED up on the prospect of making some fast Road miles and chasing the rabbit.  I kept expecting to come around the corner and see the rider, but instead, it was miles of undulating riding similar to what you would ride in Clermont Florida.  Eventually I came up on a construction zone and rolled over some tar that they were using to fix the gaps in the road.  I could here a thump thump  on my tire from where the tar got packed in and picked up a patch of dirt and rocks.  I ignored it, racer boi doesn't stop for some silly shit like that.

I got to a little restaurant where there were about 6 ride the divide bikes.
The riders inside I had seen briefly at the start.  I was excited, but to be honest, they didn't look too happy to see me and none of them where very friendly at all.   I guess being a nice Indian is of no importance.  After a brief Search for Water I pushed on knowing full well I would have to go a mile off route to Swan River to get some batteries and a few small things.

I got in the habit that when I left the route, I would turn off my GPS so I could keep an accurate mileage tally against my elevation profile. It was helpful for me to know how far I had to go before starting the delicious downhill on the other side so I felt that information was more important then keeping an accurate tally of every mile I had ridden on the ride.

When I found the grocery mart I caught up to BEARDO and he was way more talkative and we spent time laughing and talking about our pains and aches.  I left, got back on route and then caught, two riders.  They were younger guys, it was HOT, I had taken everything off and was riding Florida style.  I caught the other guy but he actually responded and after holding him off for a long while, I let him pass me and I stayed back. Not long after I crested the peak where he was waiting for his friend and two other riders, older guys.  These were all the guys I had seen at the restaurant, and they were not too friendly there, and they were not too friendly here.  I rolled past them and started the downhill.

I was flying.  Killing the downhill, then the unexpected happened.  As I was cooking a left handed gravel road switch back, my rear tire lost traction and before I could regain control I was in a high speed nose wheelie heading into the brush line.

I went head over end, and had me a good old fashion crash, scraping up my arm, twisting my seat post and ergon grip and breaking my GPS mount.  It took me all of 3 minutes to make all the repairs and SCREAM LIKE A MAD MAN in ANGER about crashing.  Seems that Tar I picked up on the road, packed in my knobs creating a bald spot.  I sat there for a few minutes scraping the tire when the two younger guys passed me.  I immediately got back on caught and passed them.

The next section proved to be a little difficult.  It reminded me of Riding in the Forest back home.  Sandy, undulating and endless.  The weather was hot, but I had a good roll and the big ring was propelling me in a good flow and it was miles and miles of 18+ mph pace.  Eventually I needed water.  I saw a hobo camp site by a river and stopped to ice my foot in the cold river and filter and eat lunch.  The two older guys showed up and joined me for a bit.  The two younger guys rolled past and got a good lead on me.

Something happened after that.  The route undulations got bigger.  I passed a pair of riders that where having a very dysfunctional time.  One guy recognized me much better then I did him and immediately conversed with me.  I passed on by and kept climbing and his friend from Colorado easily kept time with me.  Up and down, the rain came.  I passed a guy getting dressed I chose to just go with a jacket.  Eventually exiting on pavement where I caught another guy and we rode to Lake Holland Lodge.

There is so much I would of done different at Lake Holland.  I would of camped in a Montana Hilton instead of setting up my tent.....

But, I went inside.  The younger guys had kept their gap from me and got there just a few minutes before me.  Inside I saw my friend Paul Vaughn who had a big gap on me up to that point, but now had FUBARD his knee.  Eliminated from this years challenge.

I found out the younger guys were Australian and I asked if for a money chip in If I could sleep on the floor.  They politely told me they didn't need the money, and after dinner, I put on wet clothes and made camp with Two other Colorado Riders, one younger - one older.

The food at Lake Holland was Gourmet and overpriced.  I was not impressed by their lack of generosity, but I guess thats the price you pay to eat a warm meal in the middle of BFE.

The mosquito's were horrible.  You would think the cold weather would kill them off, but NO, they could care less.

I got in my tent, laying on my wet clothes, hoping to get some sleep and amazingly enough I did.

NK
14


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