Good morning! I just woke from the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in in Big Timber, Montana in the new home of our hosts Jay and Mary. As we were dazzled by the sunset over the Crazy Mountains last night I couldn’t help but think, “Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now.”
Big Timber is a small town between Billings and Bozeman that is surrounded by the Crazy Mountains and the Beartooth Mountains. We rode with a clear and beautiful view of the Rockies the entire day, but also the frightening reminder that today we will be climbing an 8 mile mountain pass to enter Bozeman at the end of our ride. Yesterday’s ride was draining; it felt like we faced an endless uphill climb. Once again, we stayed along the interstate, which has continued to get busier. There are many pros and cons to staying on I-90! It is great because our route is very direct, and the hills are not too steep to protect the semis on the road. Unfortunately, never biking through towns makes it harder for us to stop, the loud cars passing by make it terribly difficult to jam out to my music, and the shoulder is at times very rough and gravel-y.
We were also met by our very good friend, the wind, for an afternoon battle. Another disadvantage of the interstate is no wind cover! However, Charlie and I are young, scrappy and hungry, and we are not throwing away our shot. With the inspiration of Alexander Hamilton and Olivia Rodrigo, we rode past “Gusty Wind Area” signs fighting the urge to constantly “Take a Break.”
As most of you know, Charlie has been the general of this journey, managing our route and keeping track of how far we have traveled. I am his “Right Hand Man,” the Hamilton to his Washington. I have gotten used to not knowing our mileage or speed, and it is very relieving. My mindset has changed along I-90, as I can see and keep track of every mile marker and convince myself to survive until the next one. My appreciation for Charlie’s composure continues to grow.
We finally pulled off the interstate at Exit 367 and rode up to Mary and Jay’s house in a daze. We were STARVING! The ride was long, and we did not have a true lunch break. We stuffed ourselves with chips and queso, chicken enchiladas, and strawberry salad. Then we concluded the meal with our new favorite Wilcoxson’s ice cream with cinnamon sugar roll-ups!
We sat by the new fire pit and chatted while watching the beautiful sunset. I was exhausted from the day in the sun, and my tan lines can prove it 😳. I went to sleep at 9:30, and as I said prior, slept soundly.
Look at where we are, look at where we started!
-Lin Manuel Mira… oops… Maddie
Total Miles: 2523