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.
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
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