Loving Montana and Jimmy Buffett
Pat Ryan:
Today we rode 98 miles from Lincoln to Livingston, Montana. We added 3,900 feet to our climbing total.
Another big number. Ninety-eight miles on Day Eleven. What were they thinking? The profile of the ride looked intimidating enough, but the forecasted winds out of the east had many worried. The temperature at the 0730 start was about ten degrees warmer than the day before, a balmy 60-ish. We started at a reasonable pace, everyone easing into another long day. We immediately began a long, slow climb, ascending 2,000 feet in the first 23 miles. The wind was in our faces for parts of the morning, although we also experienced strong crosswinds. Once we got into the steep part of the climb the wind shifted to a tailwind. Such a gift. We crested the top after a brief SAG and rode that tailwind for a rollicking seven miles. We then took a right turn and those winds became terrible crosswinds, making bike handling challenging. And so it went. Winds shifting from helping to hurting, climbs and descents, fixing flat tires on the side of the road. Long-distance cycling.
Small payment for the beauty we have witnessed in Montana. Stunning vistas, crystal-clear rivers and streams, vast fields of grain, more variety of scenery than we could have hoped for. Absolutely worth the effort today. In the end, we kept turning the cranks and we continued to our destination.
We have only twelve riders doing the entire ride. Many others come in for weeks or days at a time. Today we lost one rider, gained two, and had two riders' spouses arrive to join the fun for a few weeks. We're really a traveling show.
Incredibly, our executive committee includes a few Jimmy Buffett fans and they had designated today as "Jimmy Buffett Day'' based on our arrival in Livingston, Montana (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EtBFEiWjIs). Jimmy Buffet's passing last night struck a chord with many in the group, some of whom had met and spent time with him and had only good things to say about him. Rest in peace.
Tomorrow we ride from Livingston, Montana to Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming. We will cycle 59 miles and climb 2,666 feet.
Totals to Date
Miles: 863
Elevation Gain: 32,932
Flat Tires: 15
States crossed: 2
Centuries: 2
