Feeling Dead at Deadman Creek

Deadman Creek Campsite, 31 miles, a big climbing day.

We ran into Robert that smoky day in Big Fork where we decided to go off-route to avoid the fires. It was his first day on the trail, simply rode from the Kalispel airport. He was tired and disoriented, going through and setting up his camp stuff for the first time.

Today, we run into Robert again and he tells us of his crazy ride through the fire area. He rode on the route through Seeley Lake with a rider from the Netherlands whom he’d met his first night. They stayed together and rode through smoke so thick you couldn’t see 100 yards ahead. New fires were started by lightning along the way all around them. People kept stopping them and asking if they knew there were fires. The forest ranger told them, “If the fires get worse I might come tell you. But I might not.” Yes, we think Robert’s crazy too.

But he’s super friendly and a great story teller, so we end up having lunch with him at the top of the Divide today after the most grueling and steep climb so far. He’s a roadie who decided a tour here in the U.S. seemed better than one he was thinking of doing in Europe, and he’s enjoying it so far.

We end up riding together off and on today and camp in the same location, sharing stories and chatting until well after dark. Though I felt too dead to set up camp when we arrived, I feel much better after dinner and chatting it up with a fellow rider.