Oh, I did not want to get out of bed this morning. The bed at our B&B was so cozy with its pillow top mattress and handmade quilts. (It also could have been the few beers I had the night before at the White Front Bar.) Either way, it was tough to get moving this morning.
We finally left the B&B around 9 am only to find that Marc had a flat tire. It was about time that he change out his tires, so no time like the present. After the tire change out and a short 1/4 mile ride into town for breakfast, we were off on our 80 mile ride to Whitehall. I was a bit apprehensive about today's ride. All the locals we met in town warned us about climbing "the grade". They were referring to the mountain pass that loomed about 10 miles out of Philipsburg. Neither one of us were in the shape to climb today. I was still tired and dreaming of the cozy bed that I had to leave, and Marc was in pain with his inflamed Achilles Tendons.
I was pleasantly surprised by "the grade". It really wasn't that bad - only about a 3 mile twisting climb at about a 7-9% grade. We were rewarded at the top with a gorgeous waterfall and large mountain lake. Unfortunately the skies were so gray with rain clouds that the lake looked more ominous than pristine. The true reward of the climb was the 25 mile straightaway downhill into Anaconda with a stellar tailwind.
The town of Anaconda had a 25 mile speed limit through the downtown area and we were close to exceeding it. Marc said that he was running the same speed as a car full of kids and they were all making faces at him. I'd take that ride over mine. I experienced more of a Frogger Video Game scenario - dodging obstacles all the way through town. First there was the Border Collie that ran out in the middle of the busy lunchtime traffic. Luckily, I slowed down enough avoid the dog and the old lady with the walker that suddenly decided to dart out in front of me.
Once through town, we picked up the Interstate again for the rest of our ride through Butte and onto Whitehall. We were warned that the second mountain pass out of Butte would be a big one - 6400 ft. This can be harrowing, especially after riding 55+ miles.
I was feeling good today and though the pass would be a breeze, well until about 15 pedal strokes into the climb when I felt a shooting pain in my Achilles tendon. Ouch! (What the #$#%@! I must be getting sympathy pains for Marc's aches/pains - no that's real - Oh a burning, shooting pain in my right heel!) I contemplated my options - stop and walk the 5 miles up the pass? No that would take forever. Stop and hitch a ride to the top? No, we just passed a hitchhiker that was having absolutely no luck getting a ride. I am just stuck climbing the hill with the pain. So for the next 5 miles up the pass, I did a one legged pedal rotation with the other leg just limping along through the motions. Luckily once we reached the top, it was only 10 miles to Whitehall and mostly downhill. We made our first Continential Divide crossing today at the top of the pass. We are curious to see if this will be the only Divide Crossing or if we'll cross it again in Wyoming.
We made good time to our final destination of Whitehall and rolled into town about 4:45 PM (not bad for a 10 AM start). We chose the Chief Motel for our nightly accommodations and got the "Bicycle Discount" according to the motel clerk. (I think he just raised the rate $10 and then told us we got a discount of $10 - sneaky!) Our room is rustic and comfortable with a large King Bed.
We walked down to the Two Bit Saloon for dinner. For such a sleepy town, the saloon was surprisingly modern with great food. I had the chicken fingers and they were the moistest, most delicious fried chicken fingers that I have ever had. Hand battered and cooked to absolute perfection! (Either I'm getting hungrier or the food is getting progressively better as we journey!) Oh - I almost forgot my pie of the day! I had a surprisingly good mini pecan pie at the Conoco convenience store in Anaconda. It had a delicious caramelly center and roasted pecan top with a tart like crust. Not bad for packaged food. (The pies are getting scarce again - hopefully Joe will know of a good pie stop in Bozeman.)
Tomorrow we are going to venture off the highway and take backroads to Bozeman. Its about 65 miles and should feel like a light day compared to the 80-90 mile days that we've been logging. We are both excited to see our friend Joe in Bozeman.
Showing posts with label Philipsburg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philipsburg. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Day 9: Missoula, MT to Philipsburg, MT
Hi everyone! Sorry for the delayed blog. We did not have internet access last night. Now that we are entering the more desolate areas of Montana and Wyoming, there may be a night or two without service.
The weatherman promised a sunny day for today and it was! Unfortunately it was also very chilly in the morning - a balmy 45 degrees. We suited up and rode down to the Espresso Bakery for breakfast. I was tempted to order the triple berry pie for breakfast but settled on a hearty slice of ham and cheese quiche pie. It was delicious with a tender flaky crust and cheesy, ham and herb filling.
We were eager to get back on the road since the weather promised to be nice, but we also had lots of errands to run. After breakfast we hit the local Albertson's for a few road supplies. Marc's achilles tendons have been bothering him (probably since he's hauling a 50 lb trailer) so we hit the pharmacy aisle for some ibuprofen and IcyHot cream. As we were discussing our medical needs, a fellow shopper and eavesdropper popped his head around the corner of the aisle and quipped, "You guys must be biking a long way."
We told him that we were off to Deer Lodge and he suggested that we take an alternate route- Highway 1 to Anaconda. He said it was the same mileage but alot more scenic but with a steeper climb. I wasn't to keen on doing another climb but we thanked him and said we'd consider it.
After loading up on groceries, pharmaceuticals and then a quick trip to the bike shop for tires (Marc was jealous of my new Armadillo's and wanted a pair too!) we were finally on our way. (It was 11 am by then.)
We followed I90 down to Drummond. It was a fairly uneventful ride, rather boring actually. The highway is by far the quickest, most direct route but really a boring ride. I find myself just checking out all the billboards and mileage signs counting down the miles until our next stop. One billboard in particular sticks out in my mind - The TESTICAL FESTIVAL! Whoa - don't want to miss that fest. (Mr. Homan I know you appreciate that one.)
At mile 50 we stopped in the Bull Shipping Capital of the US - Drummond, MT. A small dusty town with a few motels and saloons. We stopped a gas station to refill our water bottles and ponder if we would like the shorter, flatter route of the highway or branch off on the scenic route. We opted for the scenic route and are so glad that we did!
We headed up Highway 1 for about 30 miles to the small mountain town of Philipsburg. Its a cute town tucked in the valley overlooking the Pintler Mountains. Philipsburg is known for its "Gem Mountain". Many people come to "pan" for gems such as sapphires and such. Its a neat old historic town with many of the old 1900 era buildings restored to their original lustor.
We arrived in town late and to our dismay, it looked as if all the hotels were closed. After riding back and forth across town we happened upon a cute Bed & Breakfast called the Biker's Sanctuary. ( Aptly named as it used to be a presbyterian church back in the early 1900's.)
After settling into our room, our hostess invited us outside for dinner. We enjoyed an amazing grilled ribeye steak and salad on the beautiful deck overlooking the snow capped mountains of the Pintler range. After meeting the other hotel guests, a newlywed couple from Montana and a couple of guys from Canada, our hosts invited us out for a night on the town at the local watering hole, White Front Bar. It was a riot! We had a great time chatting with Kim, our host and her friend and our cook, De, and the other hotel guests. We were even introduced to the wife of the local Congressman! For a Tuesday night, that place was hoppin'!
The weatherman promised a sunny day for today and it was! Unfortunately it was also very chilly in the morning - a balmy 45 degrees. We suited up and rode down to the Espresso Bakery for breakfast. I was tempted to order the triple berry pie for breakfast but settled on a hearty slice of ham and cheese quiche pie. It was delicious with a tender flaky crust and cheesy, ham and herb filling.
We were eager to get back on the road since the weather promised to be nice, but we also had lots of errands to run. After breakfast we hit the local Albertson's for a few road supplies. Marc's achilles tendons have been bothering him (probably since he's hauling a 50 lb trailer) so we hit the pharmacy aisle for some ibuprofen and IcyHot cream. As we were discussing our medical needs, a fellow shopper and eavesdropper popped his head around the corner of the aisle and quipped, "You guys must be biking a long way."
We told him that we were off to Deer Lodge and he suggested that we take an alternate route- Highway 1 to Anaconda. He said it was the same mileage but alot more scenic but with a steeper climb. I wasn't to keen on doing another climb but we thanked him and said we'd consider it.
After loading up on groceries, pharmaceuticals and then a quick trip to the bike shop for tires (Marc was jealous of my new Armadillo's and wanted a pair too!) we were finally on our way. (It was 11 am by then.)
We followed I90 down to Drummond. It was a fairly uneventful ride, rather boring actually. The highway is by far the quickest, most direct route but really a boring ride. I find myself just checking out all the billboards and mileage signs counting down the miles until our next stop. One billboard in particular sticks out in my mind - The TESTICAL FESTIVAL! Whoa - don't want to miss that fest. (Mr. Homan I know you appreciate that one.)
At mile 50 we stopped in the Bull Shipping Capital of the US - Drummond, MT. A small dusty town with a few motels and saloons. We stopped a gas station to refill our water bottles and ponder if we would like the shorter, flatter route of the highway or branch off on the scenic route. We opted for the scenic route and are so glad that we did!
We headed up Highway 1 for about 30 miles to the small mountain town of Philipsburg. Its a cute town tucked in the valley overlooking the Pintler Mountains. Philipsburg is known for its "Gem Mountain". Many people come to "pan" for gems such as sapphires and such. Its a neat old historic town with many of the old 1900 era buildings restored to their original lustor.
We arrived in town late and to our dismay, it looked as if all the hotels were closed. After riding back and forth across town we happened upon a cute Bed & Breakfast called the Biker's Sanctuary. ( Aptly named as it used to be a presbyterian church back in the early 1900's.)
After settling into our room, our hostess invited us outside for dinner. We enjoyed an amazing grilled ribeye steak and salad on the beautiful deck overlooking the snow capped mountains of the Pintler range. After meeting the other hotel guests, a newlywed couple from Montana and a couple of guys from Canada, our hosts invited us out for a night on the town at the local watering hole, White Front Bar. It was a riot! We had a great time chatting with Kim, our host and her friend and our cook, De, and the other hotel guests. We were even introduced to the wife of the local Congressman! For a Tuesday night, that place was hoppin'!
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