Bicycling the Lewis & Clark Trail
Great Falls to Fort Benton, MT

Friday, July 30, 2004
Distance Cycled: 54 miles
Vertically Climbed: 1610 feet
Average Speed: 13.8 mph

We left Great Falls at 7:00 AM, after eating a continental breakfast at the motel. We traveled an alternate route between Great Falls and Fort Benton, that was supposed to have a couple of hill climbs. It actually had about 5 hill climbs including 2 that were harder and longer than the climb to the top of Rodgers Pass. In addition, we only took one break where we ate our lunch out of the back of the bicycle, sitting on comfortable benches in front of a church. The road was very nice even the 2 miles of construction. The last 15 miles had a strong side wind which kept our speed down.

We arrived in Fort Benton before noon. Our rooms were not yet ready so we dumped our gear and locked our bicycles outside the hotel. We then walked along the Missouri River.

Finally we came to an ice cream shop where Mary Kay had an ice cream sandwich and I had a butterscotch shake and a root beer. We than walked back to the hotel and got cleaned up.