2015-07-18 - MT - Day 52 - Chester to Cut Bank

Today's 10-15 mph headwind and crosswind felt great after the storm yesterday. I biked ten miles alone before being absorbed into a paceline. Catherine pulled for a while and then Will pushed the pace. The first rest stop was twenty-four miles in, a town called Devon. On the way to rest stop 2, I got another flat. This time I took my time re-seating the rim tape, which I had applied myself. I think the tape wasn't fully covering the spoke holes, and so was causing the flats. I biked slowly for a while and then led Libby and Gina for a bit before Alex, Reed, and Nils caught up to us two miles out of town. I joined them and we rolled into town to eat at Subway. Halfway into the food, another rider informed Reed that he had a flat. We were about forty-four miles in with another twenty-four to go. After Reed replaced his tube, Chelsea, Reed, Nils, Alex and I took off. We broke apart but regrouped when Alex got a flat and we waited for him to replace his tube. Chelsea rode on ahead but we caught up to her and finished together just past 4:00 PM at Cut Bank, one of the coldest places in the continental US.

I did a 1.5-2 mile jog along the trail near camp on my own. It was beautiful. The route leaders spoke to us about Glacier National Park and the shower in a real bathroom in the campground office was a real treat. Sunset was at 9:30 PM which really screws with your sense of time. We will be in Glacier tomorrow. Can't wait!