Biking along Madison River – Bike Across America Day 25

Location: Earthquake Lake, MT (Cabin Creek Campground)

I woke thankful that we made the trip to Ennis yesterday. I slept well, with the rushing water to soothe me back to sleep each time I rolled over in the cold night. I often have to resituate my body on the hard ground. My hips, shoulders, and back become sore throughout the night. I woke this morning though feeling great, free of any semblance of pain in my feelings. We packed up slowly so our tents could dry in the warm morning sun. I called to see about the hours of the public library in West Yellowstone, the next sizeable town on our route. I found out that they are closed on Sunday and Monday. We will need to find another option so we can update the website and inform our followers where we are and how we are doing.

The fifty miles we covered today were unusually tough. The terrain itself wasn’t demanding. We followed the Madison River to its source at the lake. Making the day difficult were headwinds, rough pavement, and a hung-over feeling from yesterday’s seventy miles. Headwinds work more than any other adversity to destroy morale. The road and mileage are physically challenging, and a headwind adds to the mental challenges. It’s frustrating to pedal downhill, to work hard to the crest of a hill or mountain and not be rewarded with a long coast down the other side. The gravel and bumps of rough pavement work hard against me also. The difference between biking on smooth road and rough road is tremendous.

Anyway, despite the combined obstacles, we made progress on our way to Yellowstone. I ran out of food around noon, eating my last pop-tart at a rest area. The map showed few options for grocery stores in the wide open space of Montana. The first and second places we came to were closed, and the third had slim pickings in the way of nutritious food. I grabbed some candy bars and nuts and gobbled them down, and then I bought three packs of nuts and raisins for my dinner tonight. I’m full, but usually I have hot dinner, a reward for a hard day of work. No worry, though, there is a restaurant across the street, and tomorrow we plan to eat an early hot breakfast. I hope to stuff myself with French toast for the twenty mile ride to West Yellowstone, where we will prepare to enter Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons. We enter Wyoming tomorrow.