June 2023

Set under the trees and near a river, the tent was a perfect serene setting for a peaceful night’s sleep. The sun rose and birds sang. Time for the next day’s adventure.
Breakfast at the Cowboy Cafe was even better with Dick and Nancy Riddle nearby. They are from the area and share many insights into its history and local activity.
We are still at 6,000 feet plus elevation. We roll out into a beautiful sunny day. About 10 miles out of town, the National Museum of Military Vehicles is to our left. We stop by and discover what an amazing collection it has. We are told it takes hours to see everything. It looked amazing.

Up we go. In the first four miles and nearly one hour, we climbed nearly 1,000 feet. With the bikes loaded, we want to pace ourselves. Pushing harder serves to make us lightheaded. The last thing we need to do is pass out on the side of the road! More Beware of Bears signs. The camp host sent us off this morning with this advice: Just remember to go downhill. You might be able to outrun them that way. I keep surveying the terrain. Which way is downhill?
As vehicles pass us, we can hear the engines working hard…shifting down gear after gear.
I think about what I’m experiencing. I never would have imagined I would have the opportunity to ride my bike here…to see this beautiful country this way.

We are nearing a month on the bike and could not be happier. The bikes have handled amazingly, we have been blessed with great weather with minimal rain and we feel great. Drew has dropped some weight adjusting his belt loops a number of times and my arm sleeves keep falling down. We expected this would happen so we’re not concerned. Our legs/hips seem more muscular and we seem to be able to climb in bigger gears. So very grateful!
Last night, we went through all our ‘stuff’ and are mailing home things we no longer need like the Adventure Cycling Adventures maps, receipts and a bird’s nest.
Thanks to all our friends who have shared their experiences on their TransAm rides. We have not found ourselves wishing we had something or carrying anything extra. Like Goldilocks ” This bed’s just perfect!”

It’s easy to get used to hearing birds sing at 4 am. The early morning goes from silent to song in a matter of moments. It was brisk last night and it rained after tucking into the tent. We are in a camp where all food/toiletries must be stored in a bear box. I will be glad when we’re out of bear country.

This morning, as we broke camp, a squirrel became quite curious about our activities. Trying to bring it closer, I tried mimicking his sounds and before I knew it, he was so close I thought he’d jump on me! What a fun way to start the day!
We learned the one minute-two minute rule today. While stopping for a quick break and get off the saddle, one minute is perfect. At two minutes, the legs have already gone cold and starting again is uncomfortable! The legs are stronger now. The body adapts to it’s activities and we are now able to climb in bigger gears. It feels so good!

We head to the entrance of West Yellowstone. It is such a beautiful park. We see bison in the distance and several fly fishermen. Old Faithful did not disappoint and we saw a bison cross the street in front of us 30 yards away. We crossed the
Continental divide twice and had so much fun with a raven who entertained us while we waited in a construction zone. He was the size of an eagle and showed no fear of us.