Season 4 Episode 10. Major Letdown and a Tale of Two Cyclists.

Season 4 Episode 10. Major Letdown and a Tale of Two Cyclists.

8/6 St. Mary, MT to Cut Bank, MT 66 miles. 2,972’ climb. 

Today was an emotionally and physically challenging ride. Glacier NP and the lure of GTTSR had served as an incredible motivator to surmount our early trip fire detour challenge. I was somewhat infatuated with making it there, but I hadn’t realized just how much that was until today, when I experienced the letdown that often comes post major achievement. As we left St. Mary and cycled south and southeast on Highway 89, we still had fantastic views of the Rockies first in front of us and then to our right. I was appreciating every moment of their beauty. 

But then as we headed east, the Rockies were behind us. I could see their peaks for quite a while in my mirror - tempted to ride back towards their beauty instead of to the plains in front of us that in comparison seemed so bland and full of nothingness. Yesterday’s majestic ride would have been a great way to conclude a trip. Now how could we possibly top it?

As the mountains receded into the distance behind us, I saw them differently.  Instead of being a single peak or a few, the distance allowed me a perspective of seeing the fuller range in the horizon. I could see the bigger picture so to speak.

Since we passed a sign that we were on the Lewis and Clark trail, I imagined the incredible shock and anguish that those explorers  felt when they traveled westward and first came up against the image of the Rockies as a whole range that I was now seeing. I wondered what profanity did they use in 1804 when they grasped their magnitude. (My curiosity led me to Google to see if the F word was used in those times and was surprised to see how far back it goes as a curse word.)

Welcome to the plains.

To get through the lows of the day and the letdown, unfortunately I used sugar as a psychological lift - I indulged in banana pudding at 12:30pm to get me to lunch, and bought two cookies from the same bakery. White chocolate, macadamia nut was my dessert at 1:30pm after lunch, and caramel pecan my snack at 3pm. The pudding was good, but no Magnolia Bakery standard. At least the cookies were a moan in every bite! Not a good day for my blood sugar, but it helped move me forward and were injections of joy. 

With only 5 miles remaining, I was struggling, pedaling slowly when all of a sudden a barking dog was about 50 yards away on my left, charging down the dirt driveway from its home towards the road. I figured I was safe as there were 2 lanes of road traffic between me and that side of the road. But nope, the  dog (I think bulldog?) kept coming and was at the road only 10 yards away when I went into my own full Pavlovian response - my adrenaline skyrocketed, a chill went up the back of my neck, my heart rate soared from fear. I shouted as loud as can be NO!! NO!!  And I pedaled faster than I’d thought possible in my exhausted condition. Either my NO NO stopped him at 10 yards or he (gender assumed, not verified) wisely realized this is a 2 lane highway with many vehicles. Either way, I was safe. But today was not boding well for our time on the plains. This was going to be a long, challenging phase through central and eastern Montana and then North Dakota. 

We overnighted in Cut Bank, just 30 miles south of the Canadian border and population 3,035. Its claim to fame is with its comparatively high elevation and topography, it is frequently the coldest location in the lower 48 U.S. States.

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8/7 Cut Bank, MT to Conrad, MT 51 miles. 1586’ climb. 

The morning ride from Cut Bank to the town of Shelby was among the most harrowing rides I’ve ever had!

The shoulder of the road varied between 12-18 inches, and I had several fearful moments with vehicles that felt too close. There were 2 incidents that after each one I needed to stop and pull over to regroup and compose myself. 

The first began with a huge 18 wheeler that was the first of the day to rush by me. I guess I forgot what happens, so was too relaxed in my hand grips. The physics are basically that instead of the truck creating a wind blowing me further right into the grass, it creates a giant vacuum effect sucking me into its wake into the road. I was pulled into the road towards the rear of the truck until I could “fight back” and steer back into the shoulder. Heart pounding, I pulled over. 

Second was an oncoming white pickup truck (never seen so many pickup trucks as in Montana!) passing cars in the direction towards me, so it was in its left lane rushing right at me in the shoulder. Although this truck passed me no closer than the vehicles that pass me coming from behind me, it was far more terrifying feeling this truck come at me at 80 mph to clear me by just 2 feet. 

Here’s the crazy part. Heather was riding considerably faster than me and we were separate for the few hours to the town of Shelby where we met up and ate snacks. I told her about my stressful, tension filled, frightening morning. She was in shock. She said it was one of her favorite rides, very relaxed while she was listening to her book and she could have kept going like that and cycled 100 miles. Clearly a tale of two cyclists. 

I could not believe it, and was also stunned that she’d even listen on a road like this. We fundamentally disagree. I never listen to anything while riding, so 100% of my attention is on listening to traffic, and on seeing in front of me and behind me in my mirror. I shared my perspective that her way is an accident waiting to happen. She said that’s my opinion. End of that discussion. (Heather claims her use of Shokz open ear sports headphones, suggested to her by one of our dear WarmShowers guests, are safer than AirPods. I bet they are. But I also claim that if 10 to 50% (or more) of your brain is listening to a book or podcast, than that’s 10-50% (or more) of your brain less focused on safety listening, seeing, reacting to vehicles. 

At least after Shelby we had a much quieter ride to Conrad, to my great  relief. Pedaling on the frontage road that was parallel to the highway, but near empty, was a joy! In the first 90 minutes, only 3 cars passed us in either direction and then in the next hour it was only 6 more. 

We pulled into Conrad with population 2,387. The hotel WiFi code was hotbreakfast, but they did not even have a hot breakfast. Go figure. At least dinner at The Branding Iron was hot and amazing!

Copyright Mark Segal 2024.