To Seeley Lake, MT

June 10, 2024

This is my paved route. Jacinto was delighted with the Great Divide route, was was 30 miles and 1,800 feet of climbing. If you like gravel riding at all, take the back roads.

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I wasn't looking forward to today's ride, based on our previous traffic experience to Seeley Lake, and the heavy traffic I experienced yesterday. Just to add some spice to the mix, there was an unexpected rainstorm last night, and heavy wind forecast for today. I wanted to get out as early as I could. My route went west to start, and the wind was from the west, building all day. But, I had planned on a restaurant breakfast! That took priority. Jacinto went with me to breakfast, but he only drank coffee, and took his breakfast sandwich to go for later. I warned the waitress that he was a serious coffee drinker and liked his cup full. That didn't do the job, she was slow with the refills. Jacinto only had three cups while I ate my omelet. I took about half to go for breakfast tomorrow. Granola avoided for today and tomorrow. The Stray Bullet had better prices and served more food than Trixie's, to our observation.

Jacinto was moaning about my early departure, but I was out the door at the same time as usual. 8:30. He waited until his usual depart time of 11. Jacinto was happy with his dirt route yesterday. He asked John at the Inn if he knew how the dirt road was heading to Seeley Lake. John said that it had just been graded, getting ready for the Great Divide racers. Jacinto debated taking the chance. It had rained for several hours last night. Would the road be muddy? Would there be bear, since it's a back country route?

Jacinto did end up taking the dirt road, and said that it was an excellent ride, highly recommended. He rode at 8 mph, so it was much slower than road riding. I read somewhere to expect to ride half the miles on dirt that you do on pavement. Jacinto said his day felt full, even though it was 30 miles. He didn't see a single bicycle rider. It was the official Great Divide route, we thought there might be some riders. He saw the grader out working on the road. Jacinto said there was four miles of soft dirt, right before the grader. He saw two farm trucks, and maybe four other vehicles the entire day. Jacinto said it felt like his personal road the whole day.

Wise guy Jacinto wanted to know how many cars I saw. He's so funny. We checked out the Great Divide route for tomorrow. It's way too much climbing between here and Holland Lake 4,000 feet of climbing on dirt, and 45 miles. That comes in right before Condon town. That's a little too ambitious for someone with reservations in Swan Lake.

As for me, and my boring ride on the highway. It was unexpectedly boring! There's not near the traffic Monday morning that there is on Sunday afternoon. The wind was annoying, but not to the degree I expected. This would have been a delightful connector day without the wind. As I experienced it, the ride wasn't as distasteful as I expected. I would even move the notch to say pleasant. Overall the day was way better than I thought it would be.

Scenery was excellent. There were many fallen down buildings, wide open vistas, and a few cows. The road was undulating, for those who enjoy punchy climbs. With a total of 800 feet of elevation gain, I perhaps am not allowed to say punchy, but it wasn't straight.

There were road sign warnings about construction on Highway 83, and motorcycles should consider another route. Oh, boy. There's no other route for me, I was going to have to deal with it.

At mile 12.5, I made the turn. The headwind was now a side wind. I got more into the canyon and lost the wind. Actual construction didn't start until mile 7 and lasted two miles. They were resurfacing the road. I'm not sure why. Someone's nephew needed some work? The road surface was excellent. I can name any number of roads that I'd love to see with this old surface that they were tearing out. The only improvement I could see, which was a big one for cyclists, is that the 7 miles they had completed had a nice shoulder. I presume they are adding that shoulder as they continue up the road. An advantage to me on the construction is that there were considerable delays, which bunched the cars up. My ride into Seeley Lake was enjoyable. Hurray!

I stopped at the grocery store on the near side of town and bought assorted snacks and a drink for Jacinto. My panniers are full with my daily items, I had to hang the bags every which way on the outside. The clerk looked at me funny when I asked for an extra bag, but I wanted to distribute the weight a little more. I didn't need the bag breaking halfway to our room!

I wasn't so sure about this stay. I spent considerable time trying to find a one night stay. There's a pricy motel by the golf course on the near side of town, and then nothing until the bar, on the far, far side of town. Out of town. Nothing in the middle, now that the motel has been sold for worker housing. It was still there, very enticing, with numbers on the doors, and the name still up. But there was a big closed sign on the door.

I passed on by, checking my map how much further to the bar. We were indeed outside of town. There it was, a full mile past any other business. The outside looked promising. We weren't actually over the bar, there's an entire large building of motel rooms, although not labeled as such. I parked the bike and went inside. It had keyless entry, but not a touch pad. Hmmm, maybe the numbers light up when it's check in time? I was there at noon and check in is 2 PM. I tried brushing my finger across the screen. Now I could see numbers! I was in. It's a fairly small, basic room. Kuerig coffee, Jacinto was fast to note. I carried my items in and then manhandled my bike up the stairs into the roomy entry. I wonder if we are the only customers tonight? The bar is closed, so no patrons coming from those quarters.

I was tracking Jacinto on Strava. He did indeed take the back way. I called him when he got close, and told him I had snacks, and didn't think I wanted to go back into town to eat. Could he pick us up something from the BBQ Pit. He bought two meals. We haven't eaten yet, but we will take our meals out to the deck area of the bar. It's nice looking.

Tomorrow we have a 55 mile day to Swan Lake. They don't serve dinner tomorrow either. We are having quite a bad run about getting food. At least in Spain if we got there early enough, we could get food. Here, we've been hitting towns when the only restaurant is closed. At Swan Lake we are stopping at the campground to see what they have. I might end up with a can of chili. The bar, where we've eaten before, is now permanently closed.

My depart photo. Can you see the puddles in the road from the surprise rain last night?

The cows were bedded down. I think they should have been grazing, but it was too windy. My opinion, they didn’t tell me that.

The information sign said this cow has been in place since 1971 and has had two makeovers. It’s a local landmark, with drivers letting their friends know, “I’ve made it to the big cow”

I barely got caught at the light. I debated following the last car, but thought I should be good. It was a long wait. 20-25 minutes.

I kept one eye on these clouds all morning. Last night’s rain wasn’t forecast. Rain wasn’t forecast for today either, but my eye to the sky though go t differently.

Finally I saw some deer! Right in town at Seeley Lake.

My rear tire was definitely touching the ground after I stopped at the store.

Jacinto said the wind wasn’t a problem because he was in a tunnel of trees and the tunnel was much more interesting than the tunnel of trees in Michigan.

Jacinto rode a dirt piece. He said there was a mom and baby and the baby couldn’t walk very good and then mom crossed the road and went up the hill and the baby couldn’t do it and she left the baby.

Jacinto said there were enough breaks in the trees to make it entertaining.

Today's ride: 30 miles (48 km)
Total: 313 miles (504 km)

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marilyn swettIn Ovando, did you check out staying for the night inside the sheep herder's wagon, wigwam or hoosgow (jail)? Those were options when we toured through there several years ago.
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5 months ago

Kelly IniguezTo marilyn swettI told Jacinto I was getting old, that I didn’t even try to talk him into any of the fun overnight spots. I did point them out to him, including the adjacent porta potty.
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5 months ago