Day 28: Mile High

I did not feel this tired after riding twice as far one week ago in the Dakotas. My ride might have been only 63 miles, but with a vicious headwind and a 13 mile climb up Bozeman Pass, it was tough going. I was warned in the previous days that the winds coming off the eastern slope of the Rockies would be difficult and so it proved.

Crazy Mountains seen from the south

Leaving Big Timber this morning, I closed in on the mountain ranges that had seemed so distant yesterday. Here in Montana, the Rockies do not form a single solid north-south line like the Front Range in Colorado - rather the highest peaks are broken into compact ranges with the main highways weaving through these ranges. I passed south of the Crazy Mountains and north of the Absaroka Range to Livingston, MT at the start of the Bozeman Pass.

Eastern approach of the Bozeman Pass

Separating the Yellowstone and Missouri watersheds, Bozeman Pass sits a mile high some 1500 feet above Livingston. The climb is a fairly gentle one since it is spread over 13 miles, but with my bike weighed down by my gear and the fierce headwind, it nevertheless took some effort. The temperature gradually dropped as I climbed with a rainstorm materializing rather suddenly. The one positive about climbing a pass is the ride down, which offered stunning views of the forested slopes of the Gallatin and Bridger Ranges. I would have taken a picture had I not been stuck on a fairly busy stretch of I-90 with a somewhat narrow shoulder.

Bozeman offered the most inviting downtown since leaving the Twin Cities some 900 miles east. Tourism, the state university, and a strong farm economy have made this town into something of a boomtown with numerous cafes, restaurants, specialty stores. For dinner, I overate at Over the Tapas; the food and local brews were definitely worth it as were several friendly locals who took an interest in my travels. I take a day off tomorrow to further explore this interesting town.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Big Timber, MT

Ending Point - Bozeman, MT
Distance - 62.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2375.9 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2746 feet

Counties - Sweet Grass, Park, Gallatin, MT

Wind - strong headwind