25 August 2006

Cold front blew in last night. Windy and fairly cool. I fought head winds all the way to Whitehall and then cross winds all the to Cardwell. I saw a doe in the Jefferson River and, when she finally spooked, I noticed that there was a buck hidden in the vegetation at the water’s edge. I also saw an osprey flying away from the Jefferson River with a fish in its left talon.

At Cardwell there was no sign directing you to Montana Highway 2. I went a few miles down a road that looked like it was going to the right place . I stopped at a bar in La Hood and asked if they could tell me if I was lost. The bar tender said, “If you’re here, you are definitely lost.” I was actually on the right road. It went through this beautiful canyon that was devoid of people and even fences. Great scenery and a 10 mile break from the wind.

I climbed out of the canyon and the winds (cross this time) were back. The funny thing about wind is that there are winds you like (tail winds), winds you really don’t like (head winds) and winds that can kill you (cross winds). At one point, a truck came by and the wind it created coupled with the cross wind, hit me so hard that it felt like I had actually been punched in the face. The shoulder was non-existent and there was a guardrail right next to the road. With the cross winds, I could have easily been bounced out into traffic. A pretty dangerous day of riding. It also took me 7.5 hours to ride 60 miles. I passed Patterson Homestead State Park, home of the Prairie Rattlesnake (see photos). It seems like a depressing homestead although it might have been nicer when it was inhabited. I like the sod roof.

I arrived in Three Forks where Lewis and Clark had to decide which river was the one to follow. They also had to make this decision at the confluence of the Missouri and the Marias River north of Great falls and in Twin Bridges at the confluence of the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Ruby Rivers. Unfortunately, it is too flat here to actually see the confluence except from and airplane.