Day 32, Saturday, August 18, 2012, Jackson Hot Springs Lodge to Dillon, MT

Day 32, Saturday, August 18, 2012, Jackson Hot Springs Lodge to Dillon, MT

The Jackson Hot Springs Lodge was not open at 8 AM for breakfast so we went across the street to Rose's Cantina, which was open. We got our breakfast plus sandwiches. The bass player for Northern Lights came in and I engaged him in conversation, while everyone else was getting on their bikes to go. He is a cyclist and is interested in doing some touring when he retires from full time music.

After leaving Rose's Cantina I walked back to our room to get my helmet, camelback and helmet. As I was getting on the bike a gentleman who was fishing the Big Hole River with his son and grandsons, an annual affair for this gentleman since he was a toddler. He wanted to know where we started and where we were headed. We got to talking about mosquitos and the upshot was he gave me a small bottle of some 100% DET. I may give it to Jay, although we have not been bothered by mosquitos since entering the states and they weren't much of a problem at Waterton, either. 

I took the pictures below because we were eventually to leave The Big Hole Valley.

The Bitterroots, the first in a series of pictures making a panaroma.

The pictures below are the highlight of my trip so far as regards my picture taking ability and sharp eyes.

 

From about a mile away I spied these lighter colored forms moving in the field. Those dark spots in the back ground are Angus. What do you think they are?

Any guesses yet. The zoom on this Canon camera is pretty good.

Stragglers from the main group above.

 

You may want to use the zoom on your viewing device.

 

If you haven't guessed yet, it's too late. They are Antelope. The above is my best picture of the herd.

Not too long after the above pictures the road started to climb with a little more determination. Concurrently a strong head wind came out of nowhere. This head wind was to stay with us for the rest of the day. As a result the climb to the highest pass, so far, was hard. At the summit was a historical point of interest. The pictures below were from that point.

 

The top of Big Hole Pass.

Zoom in on a Bitterroot Peak.

 

Bull Creek drainage.

A Beaver Slide. What does it do? It was invented in the Big Hole Valley for one of the primary products of the valley.

 

Historical ranch, originally called the Carrol Ranch, but is now part of the Hamilton Ranch. Several of the buildings are original and still being used. 1904 is the date the Carrol's started ranching in the Big Hole. Bull Creek can be seen by the green trees growing next to the creek in the middle foreground.

Interesting enough, was the descent. Yes, the head wind was there but it was steep enough I was able to coast. I stopped to get some pictures of the mountains on the other side of Big Hole Pass.

 

 

I ate my lunch before the last climb of the day, by the side of the road. This climb, to the top of Badger Pass at 6760, to me, was the more difficult. It pitched up to, maybe, 8% or more, for about a mile. I was in my lowest gear during this part of the climb. 

Over the top and it was downhill all the way to Dillon. Sometimes I was able to just let the Rex roll, especially the first 1000 feet of descent. As the descent flattened out the head wind played a more significant role. I was going downhill and pedaling and only going 13 or less miles per hour. It was tiring.

Geno, Bob, and Frank stopped at the first restaurant, which was well into the city limits of Dillon. Jay, Herb, Mike and I were very glad to see there bikes.

Once inside I remembered I needed the iPad to find the address to the motel. I went back out to the bike and got the iPad. I sat down, pulled up my email and looked for the confirmation email. I found it and clicked on the map link and started searching for the motel. I then tried to back track to where we were. Eventually I pushed on the directions button to have it show me the way. It did. Even had one variation to choose from on how to get to Dillon, SC from Dillon, MT. Oh, shit! I had made reservations in the wrong Dillon. We were already late for check in as it was 3 PM in Montana, which meant 6 in South Carolina, and we still had 2500 miles to go. Needless to say everyone got the jolly's from my errant scheduling.  I drowned my sorrows in two vanilla milkshakes.

We were able to obtain lodging in Dillon, MT.

By the time we reach Grant Village in Yellowstone we will have ridden 10 days straight without a rest day. An 18 mile day like yesterday comes close to being a rest day.

Stats: T= 4:01, Mx= 31.3, Av.= 11.7, El Gain= 1774, Mx Alt= 7012 (map says Big Hole Pass is 7360) ODO= 4114, D= 47.1