June 20

Doug Gardner - 77 miles....Jackson Hot Springs to Twin Bridges, MT. A late night and an early morning. It rained in night so we waited for tents to dry. Packed up gear and waited on breakfast. Good pancakes. Sausage patty was as big as the hamburgers they make out here. Started riding at 945 am, and would have to go 48 miles before food and drink available again. Laden with water bottles and snacks, we climbed 2 passes. I struggled and felt like I had a monkey on my back. We ate the group favorite Payday candy bars for quick sugar load. As we crested the last pass we encountered lightning, a quick rain shower, but then enjoyed a 7 mile downhill at high speeds. I never turned the pedals once in that time frame. Saw lots of deer and antelope over a rocky, arid terrain. Shared Pizza with Jordan at 3 pm lunch. The next 18 miles from Dillon to Twin Bridges was wonderful, beautiful irrigated farm land now in contrast to earlier. En route we encountered some folks we had shared conversation with several days earlier at Lochsa Lodge. They were studying the Lewis and Clark Trail and one couple in group was also from Salem, OR and had befriended Jordan and greeted him with a hug. We have collected $137 from people who have just given us cash for the cause. WE saw geese and goslings, ducks, and many deer. We had a great dinner at the Wagonwheel in town. The real treat was the bicyclist campground which was free. We slept on the floor of the hut to stay dry and to enable us to get a jump on riding the next day. Did Laundry, then lights out!