A mile high and over the Continental Divide
Pat Ryan:
Today we rode 90.4 miles from Lincoln to Townsend, Montana. We added 3,023 feet to our climbing total.
We started early this morning, trying to get out of the hotel parking lot not much later than 0700. The early morning temperature was 50 degrees, and the first few miles felt very cold. We headed due east, directly into the rising sun. And while the morning was crisp, clear, and beautiful, it was also nerve-wracking as we were riding on a very narrow shoulder adjacent to morning traffic. About ten miles out of town the shoulder widened and we relaxed a bit. Then we started climbing Flesher Pass. The climb was ten miles and went from 4,923 to 6,112 feet. Not too steep, with a maximum gradient of about 6.5%, but this was our first day cycling over a mile high, so the thin air took a bit out of us. At the peak we also crossed the continental divide for the first time on this trip.
Descending Flescher Pass was an absolute E-ticket and worth the price. The remainder of the day we rolled steadily down the road with another healthy tailwind helping us. Ninety miles seems manageable at this point.
A highlight of this trip is our frequent encounters with interested veterans that have heard about our mission. Today we met members of American Legion Post 2 from Helena, who gave the team a motorcycle escort from our SAG stop to the main road on our route. Engaging with interested veterans along the way reminds us of why we did the training and are riding these long miles.
Tomorrow we ride from Townsend to Livingston, Montana. We will cycle 90 miles and climb 3,195 feet.
Totals to Date
Miles: 766.4
Elevation Gain: 29,032
Flat Tires: 13
States crossed: 2
Centuries: 2
Crossing Continental Divide: 1
