Bozeman, MT to Helena, MT
112.59 miles
6:40.50 hrs
30.7 max
16.8 avg
As I hit the road this morning I quickly noticed how cold my hands got and thought that I must stop somewhere and purchase some gloves that are a little more adaptable to the colder conditions. I opted for some cross country ski gloves because they are light weight, wind proof and provide a decent amount of insulation. As always making a decision on which ones to buy was difficult for me as I hate making wrong decisions. I found a store that actually had the gloves on sale 25% off! It is not that they were all that expensive to begin with but it always makes you feel better when you find what you need on sale. I would have liked to get some water proof gloves but in order to do so I would have had to spend in excess of $60 and I was not about to do that. I will just have to utilize the inexpensive plastic bags from a gas station next time it starts raining!
Of course as soon as I purchased the gloves and stepped outside it was much warmer out and I really didn't need to wear the gloves I had just purchased... but I did anyways. Well, at least for about 20 min until I really started sweating and didn't want to make the soaking wet. I would like to use my new gloves for something so that I feel like I made a good purchase but at the same time, if I never had to use them I would be pretty darn lucky!
People are asking me what I tend to think about during those long hours on the road. So, to give you a little insight to my thought processes while biking I will list off some of the topics that I thought about today and typically think about a little bit every day.
Career - I thought a lot about graduate school, specifically dental school and how this trip is preventing me from applying for the Fall 2010 semester at University of Minnesota. This topic sometimes makes me question if I should be doing this trip or concentrating on my future a little bit more. This trip is a dream for me but so is going back to school and doing something that I love. Maybe this trip is to prevent me from going back to school for a while so that I can explore and learn more about myself. I will be looking (not actively) for an opportunity to present itself that explains why it is that dental school may not be in my future, at least for Fall 2010.
Relocation - I thought about where it is that I want to go after I finish this trip. There are specific destinations that I need to visit in order to collect my life again but there is a lot up in the air about where in the US I will locate myself after this trip. I am nowhere near figuring this one out but things tend to shape up a little more every day.
History - There is a lot of time on the road to think about my past. My past jobs, past relationships, past choices. It is good to think about these things so that I can come to terms with myself on the decisions that I have made in life thus far. It allows me to hopefully realize where things may have gone wrong or what I could have potentially done to resolve a conflict or what I may have done different if I could do it all over again.
Oh crap! (enter object found on road here)! - This is a common thought that crosses my mind when I am pondering other things. It typically comes tot me in a dramatic, frantic and very expressive fashion. I guess that is gods way of saying "Pay attention to the road idiot!". It is never that dramatic but I think you get the picture. When I am looking around at the gorgeous scenery or deep in thought I sometimes may get distracted from the important task of watching the road in front of me. I have only run over 2 forms of roadkill thus far. One was a possum and the other was a dead bird. Hopefully I won't make that a common occurrence. When I am not lost in thought I am very frequently looking at the road, looking at my "rear view" mirror for cars and then repeating the process over, and over, and over again!
I thought about what I would be doing right now if I was not sitting on the bike for 6 hours a day peddling. This one is an open book because the options are endless. I could be in numerous places doing numerous things. It is kind of fun to think about this one, except for when I come up with one that I really would like to be doing at the moment instead of biking.
I think about my future in general and what I want out of life. I analyze what is important to me and try to visualize myself in different situations to see if I would be happy doing "x" and "y".
I think about finances and if I can afford to do this trip. I think about bills that I have to pay. I think about sports. I think about my family. I think about my friends. I think about what others are going through in life. I think about what I am going to eat next. I think about when I will have to stop at the bathroom next. I think about where I am going to sleep that night (when I don't already know and have decided to wing it, which is pretty often). I think about where the next possible place is that I am going to go that has bears (there is money on the table that I am going to be eaten by a bear). I think about happiness. I think about sadness. I think about how I want to live my life! And that is about it... If I change demeanor and start to think about important things while biking, I will let you know. What would you be thinking about if you were on a bike for 6-8 hours a day? Send me your thoughts to 7153381039 via text or email me at dlshirley@gmail.com. I will be able to reply to both while I am on the road (thank you blackberry).
The rest of my day went pretty well. I kept shedding layers and my pace was outstanding! After about 2 hours of cycling (my typical warm up cycle) I maintained a pace of at least 21+ mph for a good 2-3 hours. Once I stopped to use the rest room it took me a little while to get back into that pace but when I pulled into Helena, MT my average pace was 17.1 mph. When I started out I thought that I was holding a great pace when I was going 14-15 mph for a brief moment in time. It has now developed into thinking that 18-20 mph is a great pace and 14-15 is lagging! I wonder what my pace will be when I finish my trip?
As it has been brought up, my route has changed a little. Due to the weather I will no longer be going up to Glacier National Park and will be trying to find ways to get to the coast faster. With winter fast approaching in the Rockies it would be wise of me to stay as low as possible and out of the high altitudes so that I do not lose my fingers and toes. This means that the total length of the trip will most likely change. I have not really analyzed the route yet but it could be increased or decreased length and duration by the path I so choose. I also have decided that I will not be riding in rain, at least until I get to the coast. I do not want to die of hypothermia, although that would mean that someone could win some money from the 'going to be eaten by a bear bet'!
Tonight I slumber in the Cortez family household. They are relatives of my friend Sharron's husband. Thank you to both families for allowing me to stay in Helena tonight! It is very much appreciated!
Goodnight all!
