Bicycling the Lewis & Clark Trail
Lincoln to Great Falls, MT

Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Distance Cycled: 89 miles
Vertically Climbed: 3,010 feet
Average Speed: 12.8 mph

Today we crossed the continental divide at Rodgers Pass. To get to the Continental Divide we climbed for the first 19 miles after we left the motel. Most of the way we climbed at the rate of 2 to 3% grades except the last mile that was a 5% grade. We spent a short time at the top of the pass and then headed down.

We coasted at speeds just under 40 miles per hour because we used our breaks to keep the speed down. The problem was that our breaks failed again just as we completed this downhill. The pad on the disk break again completely wore away as soon as it became necessary to break very hard. When we got into the motel, I phoned Nashbar and they are going to rebate me for the cost of these break shoes since they only lasted for 550 miles.

We continued our travels toward Great Falls, MT and found that it was not going to be an easy day because we were going east and all the streams were flowing south. Therefore we would fly down a hill at speeds approaching 40 miles per hour and then we would have to climb the hill on the other side of the stream at speeds between 3 and 5 miles per hour. This went on for about 35 miles until we reached Simms. From there to Great Falls, 30 miles, the route was almost flat.

We did not do a very good job of eating today. We ate out of the back of our bicycle and had a very limited menu considering it was a 90 mile day. It seems that every time we approached a place to eat, we were either flying down a hill to have a start on the next uphill or we just missed seeing the eating location.

The three couples today traveled pretty independently. Ken and Jan arrived at the motel first around 2:50, we arrived around 3:30, and Jane and George were the last to arrive around 5:15. They had a bad tire which made them go slower. After showers, we all walked next door to a fast food place for supper. Tomorrow is another rest day, although we will need to cross town to a bicycle shop.