07.11.2023 - down and into butte

the night was chilly, my feet were cold.  i woke to an inquisitive deer, he kept staring at me.  maybe it was the red jacket.  grazing, it seemed, in the two areas i'd pissed.  wasn't too afraid, he'd scamper off, then come right back.  hope he survives hunting season.

the mosquitos weren't bad, either.

my hands were cold as i road down the mountain.  the sun  wasn't finding much of a path through.  it felt very remote and alone; there wasn't anyone or anything around. just a dirt road through the mantel of the pine forest. this felt like it could qualify as wilderness.

it was 50 mi. to the next meal.  plenty of mountain stream water to filter, though i didn't need to.

2 hours later, i was down out of the mountain, basking in the sun on another warming day in paradise.  civilization (sic) appeared in various scattered forms after the first 10-15 miles.

when you haven't seen any signage except 'pavement ends here' for the last 50 mi., a stop sign can catch you by surprise.  in this case, it also summoned another steep, but shorter climb out of the valley.

this time the reward was more scenic, a beautiful mountain lake.  a few houses and boat docks around, but significantly less developed than, say lake tahoe or even lake glenville up by cashiers.  at this point, i'm beginning to wonder which of the snow spotted peaks in the distance i will end up riding through to reach yellowstone.  probably none of these, but i should be able go see the ones i will soon.

but first, downhill and along the flats into another valley where anaconda and lunch await.  it was noon. i went into the local bike shop, anaconda bikes, to ask for suggestions, got half a dozen and opted for a cafe that served food, the coffee corral.

the downtown of anaconda consisted of parallel one-way main streets.  i never looked at the one going the other way, but eastbound had quite a few business, restaurants and bars.  interestingly, small groupings of houses still exist on the main street, single-story, each with it's own individual variation on a theme.

then following the silver bow creek on to the final 20 mies into butte.

butte is built around the huge open pit mine called the berkely pit.  copper, silver and other ores.  i had thought the town was built up to the pit, but really it's up and to side.  interestingly enough the main commercial area is called 'uptown'.  because it is, at approx. 5,500 feet of elevation.  it's a really good climb on a bike at 4:30 when you're trying to get to the bikeshop before it closes at 5:00.  there is the compensation that a pretty good brewery is right next door to the shop.

there is, of course, more than one brewery.  and when the good one you start at doesn't have any food, one can roll down several blcks to one that serves pizza and overlooks the houses 'down in the flats.' which is where my warmshower host for the hight resides.

my warmshower host, john, a civil engineer/hydrologist, was away on the road for work, but he gave me the code to the back door lock and the freedom of his house.  i had a wonderful little cottage to myself.  but unfortunately, half the pleasure of warm showers is meeting the people.