Day 16

It rained overnight in Hardin.  I don't mind waking up in a wet camp (I live in Western Washington, I'm used to it).  What I hate is moving a wet camp.  Unforetunately, waiting out the rain is not an option on the Big Ride.  It rained for most of the morning.  Ironically, I've riden 1000 miles to pedal in the same weather I could get at home.

The Montana roads are sanded during the winter for traction in icy conditions.  Much of the sand is now on the shoulder, where bicyclists ride.  If you don't have fenders on your bike you and your bike get dirty pretty quickly.  My concern is all that crap get thrown into the front chainrings.  Give that we only really have time for a weekly bike cleaning a rainy day like today is cause for concern.

We also started out this morning with a headwind.  The hills weren't too bad but I had trouble maintaining a speed more than 12 mph.  We rode due south on frontage roads along I90.  Much of the ride was through the Crow Reservation which is really impoverished.

By my calculations, we crossed the 1000 mile mark about 6 miles into the ride.  That is not actual cumulative miles, but an estimate of the miles described on the ride.  My mileage is slightly higher because I've taken a few sidetrips.

We also finally left Montana.  I can't believe that we ride coast to coast in 48 days and 9 of them are in Montana.   I lived in Wyoming nearly 30 years ago and this is my first time back.  I have a number of friends here starting with the Terry and Karen in Sheridan.  They used to live in Duvall, near Seattle.  I've known them since the early '80's.

Today's ride was 89 miles.  We averaged 14.2 mph.  We made up a lot of time after reaching the Wyoming border because we lost the wind and we dropped some in elevation.

Tomorrow in a 110+ mile grind to Gillette.  I've heard from other riders who have done this segment that it can be the toughest of the entire trip.