Rubbing Elbows with Cycling Royalty

July 9, 2023

Lincoln to Llama Ranch

July 9- Lincoln to the Llama Ranch, 27 miles, 3.7 billion feet climbing

Get Your Keaster Cut

It was time for Jen and Lisa to head back to Oregon, and time for the rest of us to continue. They left around 8, and the Kiwis and I left a short time later. It was so great that they came all the way to catch us on the route and rent the amazing cabin. They got to meet Bill, Ellie and August, and Jen and I were able to talk logistics of me getting back to Oregon. We briefly discussed an option where I would ride back with them from Lincoln, but decided that I'd continue for a few more days at least.

If you need your keaster cut, I know where to send you

As roads often do, this one started out pleasant, with moderate climbing, shade and packed gravel. And as I often do, I thought, "This route isn't that hard! Look how easy it is!" It was so easy that, despite my incredibly honed sense of direction and my attention to detail*, I missed my turn, continuing up Stemple Pass road for about 2 miles, enjoying the easy life, thinking about how I could probably finish this 27 miles in about 15 minutes. But then I realized that I missed the turn about 2 miles back. Luckily the backtrack was all downhill, and I was still sure this would be the easiest ride ever.

*Har!

Then I got to my turn- Poorman Creek Road. It was steep and rough like nothing else. It started with a ridiculous incline, about a half mile of 2% to 29% grades on shitty baby head rock, deep water gullies and loose dirt. Obviously, I pushed most of the way, and was feeling sheepish about that until I caught the Kiwis, who also pushed most of it. It was a grueling, terrible slog which took far longer than expected. Eventually we reached the top, which was our first crossing of the Continental Divide. We did a Continental Divide Summit Dance (which will be available in the film version of this blog), and began a brilliant descent on hard pack into a gorgeous valley.

The ridiculosity of this road cannot be captured by photographs.

It's a road best described as "horrible shittiness from the pit of hell".

Even August and Ellie had to push. I think Bill was in the trailer yelling, "Come on, let's move! What's the hold up here??!"

Finally, at the top! And it's the Continental Divide

As Yogi Berra once said, when you come to a fork in the road, take it.

After reading and watching videos about the Llama Ranch, the first glimpse from a distance as I descended into the valley was amazing. It was like the Griswolds as they drove up to Wally World, only different. The Kiwis arrived a few minutes before me, and John was talking to them. He and Barbara Nye are the owners, and he gave us the rundown. The Kiwis got the larger cabin and I was assigned the Den Schuur cabin. John explained that some of the cabin names are Old Dutch, and if my memory of old Dutch is correct, Den Shuur means "The cattle are dying"**.

The alpacas are shy and don't let anyone get near them. Anyone except Ellie, that is. She's the Alpaca Whisperer.

August and I trying to snap a stealth picture of the cycling celebs behind us. We're so clever.

Sitting on the porch, drinking root beer and eating ice cream. Beats working.

John invited the 4 of us up to the porch of the main house, where we had free sodas and ice cream. John was very hospitable, and I am happy to have finally arrived at this amazing place.

Later at the ranch, several cyclists, including a very prominent TD winner said that road was brutal so I feel validated. But Llama Ranch was worth it. It's free for traveling cyclists, they refuse any donations, and all they ask is to pay the kindness forward. Amazing.

A few younger fellers from Missoula rolled in later, as did 2 guys from New Hampshire. They enjoyed a whole lot of the free beer throughout the evening.

John told us Lael was doing a private guided tour on a section of the route and the group would be staying there so we were pretty excited to meet them. The clients were a father and son riding expensive e bikes, and a caterer who followed them, towing a tiny house with a Ford F250. Truly a stratosphere of difference in experiences. The clients were very generous, sharing their excellent pasta and chicken with the rest of us dirtbag riders, and giving us a tour of the tiny house.

I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Tour Divide record holder Lael Wilcox and her partner Rue. They were gracious, taking the time to meet everyone and pose for the selfies. What a remarkable pair they are. Lael had just completed, and won for the 2nd time, the Tour Divide about 10 days before, and was out there again. I said, "If I were you I'd get out on my bike a little more if you're going to make this cycling thing a reality." She laughed and laughed at the brilliant irony.

This is a tiny house the client bought for the trip. Adam, the caterer, towed it from place to place

August, a bike builder and mechanic, was recruited to look at Greg's (the client) e bike to diagnose an issue he was having with the bike. It was immediately clear to me that the problem was a miscued Franastat objector, but I don't think August wanted to hear my opinions. Mechanics are funny that way.

The next city is Helena, and my plan is to suspend my ride there. I'll take a zero day at the Llama ranch tomorrow to arrange a car, get a flight or otherwise figure out a way back to Oregon. More on that tomorrow.

**Check with your local linguist before accepting this interpretation.

Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 555 miles (893 km)

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Comment on this entry	Comment	6

Andrea BrownWhat a great way to polish off the trip.
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9 months ago

Bruce LellmanThe moral of this day is; One must go through the 'Horrible shittiness from the pit of Hell' in order to arrive in Eden.
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9 months ago

Ron SuchanekTo Andrea BrownIt was really an ideal place to end. It's hard to describe how great this place is.
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9 months ago

Ron SuchanekTo Bruce LellmanExactly. Then you've earned it!
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9 months ago

Jen RahnTo Andrea BrownI can't imagine a better ending to this chapter of Mr. Grumby's Great Divide Adventure!
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8 months ago

Ron SuchanekTo Jen RahnYep!
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8 months ago