August 24, 2013
Day 24: To East Fork campground, Madison river
I had a miserable night at Fairweather Inn. The room was hot. All night long, it seemed, I heard footsteps on the creaky hall floor going to the shared toilet. Then I heard the door open and close. Then I heard the toilet flush, door open, and more creaky footsteps...
I got away at 8:25. The day's ride started with a stiff 1200 foot climb to an unmarked summit. Modestly forested for a few miles. Then a long descent to Ennis (elevation 4941 feet) which is in the Madison river valley. The Madison river is a major river that flows from high in Yellowstone National Park to the Missouri river.
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In Ennis I ate breakfast #2 and stocked up on groceries. Last real services until West Yellowstone. And it's all uphill and into a strong headwind.
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In Ennis I join US highway 287 going south. Traffic was moderate and the shoulder is good. I'm now going upstream along the Madison river with a 20 mph headwind that is forecast to last for two days.
Progress was slow because of the headwind. A very long boring afternoon of nearly constant pedaling and very little stopped time.
The Madison river is famous for fly fishing. I saw many fly fishing boats drifting in the river. The local economy is mostly resorts, RV parks, and guide services that cater to fly fishermen. World class trout fishing I suppose (I eat fish but don't catch fish).
The landscape becomes gradually more forested as I go upstream. I start to see large mountains ahead to my left.
Clouds came and went all day. At noon it looked like it might rain but it never did. Clouds still looked menacing late in the afternoon. I would gladly pay to stay in a motel, but there is no lodging here. So I turned into the private East Fork campground. $15, with shower. The campground isn't beautiful but the surrounding area is beautiful. This turned out to be my last night to camp during the tour.
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The proprietor suggested that I camp under the picnic shelter. Sure enough, there was significant rain in the evening. Not much lightning, though. Third consecutive day to have a thunderstorm. To me it's freaky to have rain every day in an environment that is so obviously arid. An unusual weather pattern is sending moisture all the way from Mexico's Sea of Cortez to Montana. It's predicted to last for several more days. The higher the elevation, the more unstable the weather. I'm at high elevation and going even higher.
It's nice to see trees and a big river again. What I took for granted early in the tour has now become a rare treat.
Distance: 51.8 miles (83 km)
Climbing: 2511 feet (761 m)
Average Speed: 8.6 mph (14 km/h)
Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km)
Total: 1,250 miles (2,012 km)
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