After 30 days on the road, I crossed the continental divide today - from here on, the rivers flow west towards the Pacific Ocean. Climbing from Helena, MT at 4000 feet, I reached the continental divide in the Helena National Forest at 6100 feet - the highest point I reach on this journey. Like yesterday, the wind shifted aimlessly but with high temperatures set for the afternoon, I made an early start out of Helena.
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| A photo at Flesher Pass |
As I cycled through the outskirts of Helena in the valley, Gadsden flags and Ron Paul signs testified to the fiercely independent political leanings of the area. Mobile homes scattered in the foothills and ranchlands gave way to forest as I began a gentle climb toward the pass. The hardest part of the climb is a three mile stretch of switchbacks along the forested mountain side where the road rises 1700 feet. The price for stellar views is sweat in the eyes and slow speeds as I spun the crank in its lowest gear. As I approached the summit, a deer stared at me quizzically (mocking me?), finally hopping up the mountain side as I passed. I lingered for some time at the divide enjoying the views and flagging down a passing car to get my picture taken.
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| View east near the top of Flesher Pass |
The town of Lincoln, MT has a dubious claim to fame: hometown of the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski. Now detained at a federal prison in Florence, CO, Kaczynski moved to a small cabin outside of Lincoln honing his survival skills in the wilderness and sending mail bombs over a nearly 20 year period.
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| Continental Divide Hiking Trail |
A small town set in the forest, Lincoln is a fairly busy in the summer - I had some difficulty finding an available motel. Boating, hiking, and fishing are the local attractions, and no one was too surprised to see a cyclist passing through. In fact, a mountain bike race - the Tour Divide - which follows the continental divide in the US passed through Lincoln a week ago. One day of climbing in the divide was good for me.
Starting Point - Helena, MT
Ending Point - Lincoln, MTDistance - 56.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2531.8 miles
Vertical Elevation - 3291 feet
Counties - Lewis and Clark, MT
Wind - light tailwind
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