Back on the road after a day off in Bozeman, my route turned north towards the Montana state capital. Calm winds made for a quicker ride, but temperatures in the 90s made riding in the afternoon a bit uncomfortable. Similar conditions should prevail tomorrow when I climb my second mountain pass and cross the continental divide.
Though I have now traveled some 2500 miles from New York, I am still within the historical boundaries of the US as it existed since 1803. Through the Plains and Rockies, this land was all part of the Louisiana Purchase. Though Jefferson was only interested in securing the port of New Orleans, France, needing funding for its European wars, sold the US the territory west of the Mississippi extending all the way to the continental divide.
The landmarks along today's ride make reference to that era of American history. At Three Forks, MT, I crossed just south of the headwaters of the Missouri River where three rivers - the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin - come together to form the mighty Missouri. Lewis and Clark named these rivers in honor of the president and his cabinet. Even in one day ride, the landscape changes dramatically from marshy wetlands near the headwaters to sandy grasslands to pine forests as I entered Helena.
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| View south from Three Forks, MT |
My day off in Bozeman yesterday was spent enjoying the culinary experience of the downtown. Check out the salad options at the John Bozeman Bistro for lunch, grab a wood-fired pizza at Blackbird Kitchen, and keep room for dessert at the Chocolate Moose. For the cross-country cyclist, you stock up when you can - lunch today was taken sitting on the curb at a gas station in Townsend, MT.
Starting Point - Bozeman, MT
Ending Point - Helena, MTDistance - 99.3 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2475.2 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2116 feet
Counties - Gallatin, Broadwater, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, MT
Wind - light cross/headwind
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