July 24,
2001. Dillon to Wisdom, Montana. (69 mi.) Mile 3280
Double
passing and a Wise choice
We've crossed the Continental
Divide eight times now, and for all of this, are back on the east side. Today,
we puffed over two passes, or 3,000 ft of climbing in the first 30 miles. We
passed a string of cyclists going the other way, part of 200 in Adventure
Cycling's Bike Montana event, traveling with support
vehicles providing food and portable showers. We stopped and talked to a
couple in this group, who had been checking us out to see if we were the
real thing or, as they said, genuine, self-supported, coast to coast riders. We were proud
to say yes. They said they were checking to see if we looked too clean to be
campers, and had to laugh about our mutual experiences using convenience store restrooms when roughing it. This involves buying a soft
drink to legitimize use of the restroom, hoping no one notices the towel over
your shoulder, then contorting yourself under the sink faucet to clean
up.
The Beaverhead Valley
Our main goal today was putting in
the miles with a few stops to eat. We leapfrogged with Jen, shared a lunch
with her in the tiny town of Jackson, then dinner at our destination of Wisdom
(population = 160). Wisdom was named for Thomas Jefferson's wisdom in
making the Louisiana Purchase. We've come a long way from Jefferson's
Monticello to the country he explored vicariously through Lewis and Clark.
1) 
2) 
3) 
1) We stopped for water and a snack before climbing two challenging passes.
2) At the top of Big Hole Pass, looking into the Big Hole Valley
3) The Big Hole Valley
The campground here is a weed patch
of a park with
outhouses on the outskirts of town, so we decided to splurge for a motel that
allowed Jen to set up her tent on the lawn and use our facilities to clean up.
Tomorrow, another pass to climb, then downhill again as we stair step
gradually toward sea level.
The Big
Hole Valley: Big Sky and big scenery,
riding toward the Bitterroot Range and Wisdom.
Purple sage and
other wildflowers line our route.
