The short video today doesn't have a professional lesson, but instead reveals and answers the most frequently asked question I've had so far on this tour cycling journey. Did you guess what it is? I had this question more than 10 times just today!
The day was exciting from the moment I woke up.
As I stepped out of my tent, about 100 yards/meters away I saw a large black animal lounging on the dirt road. I quickly grabbed my pepper spray and whistle. Then became hyperaware of the large objects in the environment where I might take shelter. Hoping to see signs of life at the owner's cabin, I watched and slowly retreated. The animal rolled over and looked my way a few times. A car approached. The critter lumbered around and began to move my way. And that's when I finally saw its long black tail. Whew...it wasn't a bear. It was a Newfoundland dog! I should have grabbed my glasses when I scrambled to get my pepper spray.
The adrenaline rush from those waking moments set me up well for the steep morning climb. That ascent transported me from the Bitterroot Valley to the Big Hole Basin.
Today was packed with beautiful scenery, dozens of historical markers, and encounters with many wonderful people, both locals and tourists. I captured a few of the highlights in the Making Memories section below.
The temperature was a brisk 26ºF (-3ºC) when I woke up this morning so I had to pull out my cold-weather gear including hat, gloves, and many layers. In addition to the cold, the smoke from the forest fires returned to the Bitterroot Valley and made it particularly painful to breathe with the increasing altitude. Thankfully, the smoke subsided once I made it over the Continental Divide (again...this is becoming a common occurence!) to the Big Hole Basin.
