Day 11 - Columbus MT to Powell WY, 111 miles, 5500' cumulative climbing

Back to the big climbs again today.  We started the day with a 25 mile uphill run, punctuated at the very end with the steepest section of a mile or so.  Then, after a wonderful long downhill of nearly 20 miles, the afternoon featured another long session of climbing, ending with a steep pitch up right when the legs were ready to say "uncle". But, once again, the views were magnificent in the mountains and on the high plains of Montana.
Unfortunately Gerry had a flat only a few miles in so our whole group of 6 riders stopped to wait and help out.

It takes a village to change a tire!

Midday at the lunch stop we crossed another state line, into Wyoming.  This is the 33rd state I have had the good fortune to cycle in!  And still more to add to the list assuming the trip continues to go well.



Montana was truly a beautiful state to ride through; it might be the prettiest one I've been in of all. Quite remote over many miles, the changing climate zones, with evergreens, high desert, grassy plains, mountains, creeks and valleys just never get routine or boring.  Some more pictures from our last day in Montana:

And by the way, since tomorrow features our biggest, most challenging climb of the entire journey, crossing over the Big Horn Mountains, I'll warn you that photos may be all I have energy for in the next couple of entries. If possible I'll get something jotted down, and add to my thoughts later. But so far we've come a long way in a very short time!  The red line continues to grow longer on the map that greets us at the end of each day.