Day 10: On to Ennis

Bike Distance	Avg Speed	Total Ascent	Saddle Time	Calories
72.06 miles	15.0 mph	1947 ft	04:48:37	4535 cal

Sleepless Night:

I was unable to string more than 3 consecutive hours of sleep last night. The most consistent noise generator was interstate 15 which is less than a mile away. Semi trucks were running throughout the night and boy could you hear them. Then, I could hear something moving directly outside my tent. The camp host said that bears don't frequent the KOA but could this be the one exception? There was a light pole in the distance he shined on he front of my tent. I looked up and could see the silhouette of a rabbit grazing at the front of my tent. I let out a sigh and then had to laugh at myself. I was being surrounded by a pack of rabid rabbits! :) lastly, I woke up twice to "relieve" myself. That was the worst as the temperature last night dipped into the 30s. Brrrrr.

I woke up, ate breakfast and had a route idea. The night before Brad had mentioned how much fun he and Sarah had at Ennis. So much so that they stayed two nights at a hotel. Today's scheduled ride was 48 relatively flat miles to a KOA in Alder. Ennis is 23 miles further but there is a catch. I would need to climb 1800ft over 13 miles. Then, I would simply coast the remaining 10 to Ennis. My plan was to reassess once I reached Alder and decide then.

Cruising to Twin Bridges:

Nothing better than a southwest wind to help propel you north! The scenery was blah so the faster the better! After an hour and half I completed the 26 mile trek. I found the library on the main (and only) strip. It was closed. I decided to have a short break and enjoy the libraries outdoor seating.

Absent in Alder:

I reached Alder at around 1pm and was shocked at how lame it was. A gas station, RV park and some other random businesses. Most of these weren't even open. I found some shade, pulled over and re- hydrated as it was a scorcher out there! I decided right then that there was no way in hell that I was going to spend the rest of today and the evening here. I continued down the road and a mile later approached the KOA. There was one pop up camper and that was it. The place was a ghost town. On to Ennis.

Entryway to Ennis:

The climbing pretty much started by now. It gradually got steeper and steeper until the last 4 miles before the downhill. Then it got serious. 6,7 and 8 percent to the summit. I found my favorite gear and assumed the position. I eventually reached the summit at 6900ft! I pulled over to celebrate with a much needed Gatorade. My shirt, head sock and gloves were soaking wet with sweat. So much so that salt particles were forming. In fact, I could feel the grit on my hands. People were waving and giving me the thumbs up! I felt on top of the world!

The descent was like any other white knuckled ones in the past. I do think I will need to change brake pads when I return home. I reached Ennis around 3:15 this afternoon and searched for the campground. It was just outside of town and honestly the heat was too much so I opted for a in town motel. Guess I'm getting soft in my old age. This will make walking around town more pleasant. Maybe tonight I'll catch up on some sleep! :)

Longbranch Saloon:

Tonight I treated myself to a real Montana steak. 20 ounces of pure goodness. A fully adorned baked potatoe, some green beans and a salad. I must admit, I was a bit intimidated as I've never seen a steak this large! I was doubtful that I could consume such an enormous amount of food. Well, I'll let you look at the pictures to see what happened. :)