June 19, 2009 [This Post Written and Edited by Doug Lybeck]

June 20, 2009

[This Post Written and Edited by Doug Lybeck]

Montana treats so unbelievably well!! This evening we rode from Jackson Montana to Twin bridges. Over the last few days we’ve become quite adept at working with thunderstorms. Each afternoon they become more and more intense. The skies are so enormous in Montana that we are able to see for miles and have some sense of where the rain will hit next. As we dodged storms, we talked about rainbows, specifically how you rarely see a full ‘bow.’ Not five minutes later an ENORMOUS DOUBLE rainbow opened up, crossing the entire sky! Not even the torrential rainstorms can dampen our spirits.

Double Rainbow!

As our maps had warned, we are deep in some of the worst mosquito territory in the entire country. The town of Wisdom, MT is the epicenter, where the bugs are so dense you literally have to keep riding at 15 mph or they catch you and EAT YOU ALIVE! We found ourselves running from town to town, ditching our bikes and running into the nearest grocery store. One store renamed their bug-spray isle “Wisdom Valley Cologne”

"Big Hole Cologne" LOL

We arrived in the town of Twin Bridges, concerned about staying dry and finding a place to cook dinner after a rough 80 mile day. Weekend days are always the best for local events, and today was no exception. We were lucky enough to find the annual Darby County “Welcome to the Neighborhood” party in full swing at the fairground pagoda. About 100 locals were celebrating with live music, home cooked food and a delicious local honey-brew beer. All we asked was to use the restroom, but were instead welcomed with open arms. Food and beer flowed freely, and when that ran out we were encouraged to bring all our camp gear into the pagoda and spend the night. The building itself is quite stunning; a turn-of-the-century log-built octagon. It’s a HUGE space, likely 150 feet across and 40 feet high. Many thanks to the event coordinator Rebecca for letting us spend the night in such a wonderful place. You’re generosity kept us warm and dry. Twin Bridges will remain in our memory forever.
The 10.000 square foot wooden pagoda which we were welcome to camp and cook in after the town-party.



One of our favorite campsites "May Creek," which we nicknamed "The Shire." It's in the Big Hole National forest at about 7000 feet elevation. BEAUTIFUL.

[This Post Written and Edited by Doug Lybeck]