Coast to Coast Bicycle Adventure: Sunday, June 24, 2012

Wisdom, MT to Dillon, MT (68 Miles)

Knowing how the day ended on Saturday, that is hot and windy, I decided to start early today. Up and on the road before 6:30am, I was about 20 miles down the road before the wind started to pick up. The day was filled with wind gusts that would force you to really lean into it. At times it hit you from the side, next the road would turn right into the wind. To add stress to the wind, there were two passes that needed climbing. They really were not as bad as some previous climbs but when you add a very strong head wind, the climb was very strenuous.

The good things that happened include the sighting of some neat wildlife. The ride still included ranch after ranch of either horse or cattle (mainly black angus), but in one field there was an animal I had read about on a roadside info board, a pronghorn. It is an antelope kind of animal and it had two young with her. A little further down the road I saw what I believe to be a coyote cutting across an open range. I snapped a picture from about 50 yards, but he wanted not part of me and headed in the opposite direction. The next animals of interest were a string of cyclists. After topping the final pass, I encountered two Westbounders who did not have a interest in stopping to chat. I guess they were in a hurry. But, the next three Westbounders were willing to share their story. First I met a fellow wearing an Ireland bike jersey and sure enough, John O'leary was from Ireland. He was cycling coast to coast and plans to visit some friends in California after reaching the Pacific. Then he will fly home. I would have liked to spend more time talking to him, but we both wanted to get out of the sun and wind, plus he had much further to go than I. About one mile further and I met Mike cycling with a full load on his bike. He was from Medina, Ohio and was doing a short tour of Montana with plans to meet up with his wife, as she will fly out and meet in Glacier National Park. The next young man was from Virginia Beach, Virginia and Alex had started in Yorktown and was closing in on the end of his adventure.

The Dillon KOA was just an OK campground with nothing exciting. We did some laundry and decided to have a treat an go into Dillon for dinner out at the local Papa T's Family Dining establishment. It was very good food and enjoyed by all.

Kim, Walt and Vera went off the trail enroute to Dillon to see a Ghost Town in Bannack State Park (http://www.bannack.org/). They enjoyed looking at the old buildings and reading of the history of the former gold mining town.

There were a number of cyclists that spent the night in the KOA campground. Two cyclists, Lauren and Pete, had also stayed across the way from us in Wisdom, MT. As they arrived in Wisdom's mosquito infested evening, we did not get a chance to talk on Saturday. So, in Dillon we enjoyed hearing more about their story. They are making a run for the Atlantic Ocean also, but have a limited time line as they plan to return to college in Boston early in August. They were extremely pleasant people and we enjoyed visiting with them. Their blog site is http://shiftinggearstour.wordpress.com/
They plan to take a day off in Yellowstone as Pete wants to try fly fishing....God's Blessings to both of you!

It was the funniest thing, this entire herd of cattle came charging over the the fence when I came close. I told them I was hungry for a big juicy steak, but they failed to see the humor.