Day 25: July 8: Shelby, MT to Cut Bank, MT: 24 miles.

Dear Mother Nature,

I enjoy your beauty, all around us. The trees, fields, rocks, the occasional flower (occasional anything in Montana really). Also, I try to keep you nice and tidy by picking up trash and I don't do anything wrong to you, anything, ever. So, I guess the question I'm getting to is, Why are you so mean to me? Why? I try to bike 20 measly miles from Shelby to Cut Bank and what do you do?, you make a 38 mile per hour wind in our faces. I want to bike to Glacier on the Going to the Sun Highway, what do you do?, you fill it with thirty feet snow drifts, in the middle of JULY! I mean seriously, think about it. You expect too much, way too much.

We started off this morning rather early with the breakfast at the Crossroads Inn. When we started riding mother nature took over, on her rather mean cycle. TJ and I struggled the most through the wind. I went off the road so many times, I could not stay on the road no matter how hard I tried, it just wasn't safe (I feel bad for those going east, it blew them into traffic). So, eventually Laura, TJ and I walked it for awhile, that's how bad it was, we changed to our walking shoes and off we went.

TJ and I wiped out a lot today. Nobody got hurt, but TJ did break his mirror. The wind off the trucks was terrible and it was blowing the two-wheeled bike all around and into the ditches.

We made it to Cut Bank and are staying at the Super 8. The only room they had left is the biggest one. After we had settled in for awhile I hear Chris just say, "Aw crap." His rear rim is cracking, like it did on the MRT (not good!) Most likely, we will buy a kids frame until he can replace it, or have Hostel send us a replacement. Tomorrow we are having a rest day here.

24 miles (1209 total)

Comments

Hi!

Hey Recumbents,

Just got a chance to check out your blog, looks like you've had a rough past few days. We've been dealing with a nasty headwind the past couple days that finally shifted today. We also had a bunch of bad weather yesterday which we were luckily able to shelter from.

Good luck with the Continental Divide and enjoy the beautiful scenery!

-JJ from ephdetour.com

Thanks Dee!

And in blisters...Roger is winning, then Laura, Chris, me, then TJ

Good job Dear,

Keep it up.

Great Blog Katie!!!

This is one of the best blogs, so far. You get straight to the point and go straight to the source. Thank you, I really needed the laugh.

Don't get me wrong, I really feel bad for all of you. This has been one rough bike trip. But Katie, you said it all so well, so perfect, so funny!!!!

High winds, flat tires, split rim, that all stinks, but getting blown into ditches so many times, ya................................. tomorrow needs to be a rest day.

Great pics too. Thanks again Chris. And TJ, a broken mirror? Wow, you need to do some serious negotiating with the Great Powers above or the rest of this trip and the next 7 years, ya......not so good!!!

You all, enjoy your day off tomorrow.

One question though, so where is everyone at on blisters?