Montana

Visitors to my tent last night 😊

I had made the decision to do tyre to tarmac today and stay off route. My confidence had taken a beating the last few days as well as my sores continuing to get worse due to the hammering from the unrelenting trail surface. So I headed out with the aim of getting to a town called Ennis where there was no accommodation as it was packed for the July 4 party-it’s become a fad thing to now go to Ennis for July 4. It was 73 miles on tarmac, but I was happy to wild camp mid way if needed.

The initial road was a very busy highway, jointed with trailer RVs and these massive converted coaches …Americans roughing it! I then turned off to a much quieter road heading north. I was quite in my element- good surface, sores not too bad, and making great progress. I had knocked over 20 miles by 9! I headed up over the Raynolds Pass then realised I had gotten to the Montana border 😊. The final US state! A couple in a car which had stopped at the border struck up a conversation with me and kindly gave me a banana and an apple….fresh fruit!

The descent from the Pass was sublime and so it remained for the next 50 of miles – a decidedly downward slope with a tail wind…..bingo! It was what I really needed to restore my love of cycle touring again. I stopped regularly and kept myself topped up with food and water from my supplies.

And before I knew it I’d done 118k and found myself in Ennis! A tiny village which had been overrun with tourists for the parade tomorrow and rodeo tonight! I looked out for a coffee shop, saw a cafe but then a bakery caught my eye so dawdled off to grab a coffee and cake, quite unsure where I might stay tonight. A couple outside the bakery struck up a conversation with me and I mentioned the challenge of finding a place to camp with the tourist influx….and they kindly offered me a room, shower and food for a few nights! What a stroke of good fortune. I agreed to meet them at the house in a few hours which gave me time to look around. I went to get that coffee in the bakery, and the owner, Tracy, gave me a coffee and a gigantic sandwich on the house….im liking Ennis very much 😊

I also met up with 4 other bikers all seeking accommodation!

When I did get to my hosts I was provided with such a warm welcome and a hot shower! They then fed me a humongous steak and then berry pie…..omg how good was this! They live on the edge of town with a view of the mountains. I’ve been invited to the parade tomorrow morning and a BBQ tomorrow night. Can’t get better than this!

I needed today to restore faith in myself and in bike touring. The Divide strips so much from you that it becomes a seemingly unending battle each day, grinding it out day after day. Riding Bob on tarmac for a few hours without cussing and cursing the sand, the rocks, the washboarding…was just what I needed.

Tomorrow I get to experience a true American tradition of July 4 partying. Looking forward to a zero day with a difference 😊