1,000

Well, I'm back in the saddle again! I've been trying to get out for three weeks now to do a good bike ride and, although the weekdays haven't been that bad, the weekends have been disgusting and cold. This time the weekdays were disgusting and freezing cold and today was great. I set out at 10:30 am while it was still 37 degrees, nice and balmy for Montana in March. Anyway, I was really excited for my ride today because I knew I'd break 1,000 miles on my mountain bike, again. I actually had 1,200 miles logged last year but then dropped the bike computer and it reset. I have about 900 miles on my road bike as well.

Still, its cool to have such a big number on my bike computer. I'll be more careful not to drop it this time (the battery will probably die soon though). I would have taken a picture at the location where I broke 1,000 but it was pretty much at the landfill so I took one of me instead. (I trimmed my sideburns as soon as I got home and took a look at this picture.)


Anyway, I took one of my favorite routes today for 30 miles. I start at home in Billings and head up the foot hills to the South up Blue Creek Road toward Pryor Road. Just South of Blue Creek (a little community outside of Billings) there is a street called 'Aqui Esta Drive'. It translates to 'You are here' so I never have to wonder where I am when I see that street.


Call me crazy, but this is the reason I love this route. It's hard to tell from the picture but the opposite end is even higher than where I am standing. Its a tough climb but it gives me a sense of accomplishment when I'm done with it. Plus its dang fun to go down after I turn around at the top. I hit 45 mph on the way back down. (I won't tell you how slow I was going up.)


I have a rule that I will not stop the bike for anything on a climb. Its too hard to start up again and I refuse to walk. Anyway, I broke my rule today and I had a lot of momentum built up from the downhill too. The reason I broke my rule, a bald eagle was sitting in a tree about 200 yards off the raod watching me. I thought it was rare enough to warrant stopping. On this route I usually see a lot of deer (mule and white tail) and an occasional fox. Today it was all birds; the bald eagle, 5 pheasants (4 roosters and 1 hen), 4 large hawks (redtailed?). Its pretty exciting to see wildlife on a ride. I'm hoping to ride through Yellowstone with Sarah one day.


Anyway, after I got to the top, I took a look back from where I'd come and I was just barely able to pick out the LDS Temple on the other side of the rims in Billings. It wasn't until I got home and zoomed in on the picture that I was able to see a few more landmarks. You can even see the sugar beet factory near our house and the crown plaza hotel near my office.


At the top of the hill I found this sign. I knew I was close to the reservation but I didn't know I was that close.


I traveled a couple miles passed the sign before turning around. It started getting colder on the other side of the ridge and I was quickly approaching another steep drop off that I didn't really feel like climbing but I got a good look at the Pryor Mountains. Its really beautiful back there. I'll go again someday on my road bike. It's a lot easier for distance rides.