July 7, 2005
Day 51: White Sulphur Springs to Great Falls
Boy was I glad that I decided to stay on US 89. Sure there was a climb right out of town and, later, a steep climb up to Kings Hill Pass, but the highway was nearly empty and there was almost always a creek gurgling alongside the road.
Beautiful fields and ranches and a checkerboard of forests. I had a late morning snack at the Jumping Creek campground, no one there. Tall trees and a small brook. It was so serene.
The climb up the pass wasn't too bad until the last three miles. And there was usually a tailwind. I waited for Pat at the campground at the summit for two hours. The water there was ice cold and delicious. The flies numerous. After a nap and no Pat, I left him a note with a cycle logo taped to the sign at the summit - then took off downhill. Wow! Belt Creek Canyon is lovely - rock walls and wild daisies and rushing water for miles and miles and miles. I stopped for a drink at Neihardt and Pat caught me there just as I was getting ready to leave. He saw the note.
It was a brutal climb out of the canyon, but then it was another long, downhill ride all the way to Belt. When we stopped at the rest area I called my sister and found out that a dear friend had just been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and had been given less than two weeks to live. Anne is devastated as am I. She had been instrumental in getting me sober and in changing my outlook on life. I will thank her - albeit from afar.
Pat and I had decided to ride all the way into Great Falls, but his chain broke halfway there. We could even see the city in the distance. He managed to fix it well enough to continue on and kept his composure far better than I would have done. I stayed at his folks' house. Their dog, Aussie, was supposed to hate strangers, but we made friends. Pat's mom, Charlene went to bed early, but his dad, Mike, and I stayed up late talking politics. Pat was beat and he turned in early, too.
Today's ride: 100 miles (161 km)
Total: 2,729 miles (4,392 km)
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