cnighbor1
09-17-2016, 03:17 PM
''David Beck
Since this was indeed a special trip, I will post more than my typical, “It was a fine ride”.
Listmembers John Barron, Chip Duckett and myself decided to partake in the 10th anniversary of the Cino Heroica ride from Kila Montana, to Hot Springs, then return to Kila. Unfortunately, Chip had to bow out due to complications to his hip fracture. Most unfortunate timing.
John drove out to Montana from Minneapolis which was a boon for me. I got my bike to him earlier this summer and he drove it there and back for me saving the headache of commercial shippers. John was went above and beyond which will earn him free Americanos for life at the Madison swap meet.
I flew out. The approach into Kalispell was not smooth, in fact, quite nauseating, but John was at the airport when I walked out the door. I had found what seemed to be a great place in Kalispell to stay through vrbo.com. As it turns out, it exceeded expectations. Perfect location to downtown Kalispell shops with everything in easily in reach, Whitefish, Kila, Glacier National Park and the airport. It was recently refurbed as everything seemed brand new. The bed was very comfortable.
We unloaded the bikes and stuff from his car and built them up. As dinner rolled around we met Chip’s friend Pete who served as a most gracious tour guide. John and I cannot say enough about the great folks in Montana. We had some beers, Poki and steaks because, you know, we are in Montana, you eat beef. I probably drank too much even knowing the next day we were planning on riding to the summit of the continental divide.
So Friday morning was cold after a hot summer in Chicago, 39F. We met Pete for coffee and breakfast where they had recycled crushed glass as “mulch”. Then it was off to Glacier National Park to ride Going To The Sun Road. Unfortunately, I am a little terrified of heights. I can’t look down in a high rise, mountains are worse. But with even with an elevated heart rate, we found a rhythm and started up the mountain. We were literally in the clouds. Visibility was maybe a tenth of a mile. The views were gone, but at least I couldn’t see the bottom of my certain plunge to death. There was a little construction at one point so we had to wait as only one lane was open. But then we reached the summit and the clouds began to break. Holy crap what a view (now you know why I am not a writer). We came back down stopping along the way to take pictures of the breathtaking views. We had some lunch and began to prepare for the next day’s ride.
Saturday morning we head to Kila. A lot a great bikes to gawk at with a lot of fine souls riding them. We push off with great weather and at the top of the first climb you get bacon for trade or whiskey for trivia. I did a jig and had some bacon. What came next was new to me. I have done plenty of challenge rides in the Midwest. You know, the types that have 1000 feet of climbing for every 10km of road. With those, I dread the descents because I know I will have to climb out of that valley on some wicked steep hill. Cino is the opposite. I dreaded the ascents because the steep descents on rough gravel do a beating on you I have never experienced on a bike. At one point, my rear brake cable snapped on a somewhat steep section. It was definitely one of those “oh crap” moments. Also broke off my front fender because of leaning on the front so hard. Luckily, I was only a couple three miles from lunch. Got a new cable and was ready to go.
As for lunch, it is everything everyone has ever said. It’s great food and drink with a great setting. My only note would be is to have more local flavors in the mix. I’m in Montana, I want huckleberries and bison, or whatever the thing is. In Wisconsin, I eat brats and cheese at rest stops, that’s how you roll.
Made it to Hot Springs, had a schwitz and then a great dinner in our fancy duds. Slept horribly and was not feeling it the next morning. But the wind was behind us and the gravel seemed smoother, although I lost the cork to a water bottle at some point. By the time I got to lunch, it was 70 and sunny, great day. I found my pace and made it to the top of 9-mile hill (which is actually closer to 5 miles, but still long and steep in sections). At the top, I took a picture with Matt and his 37 Hobbs. We were the two knuckleheads who thought single-pivot, long-reach side-pull calipers with cork pads on wood rims was a good choice for this ride.
The north side of the pass there was weather. Cold wind from the north blew down a tree across the descent. Several of us cleared the debris and I put on my rain jacket. Perfect timing because it did begin to rain. By the time I hit the pavement it was raining pretty good. What was really odd, and maybe it was the adrenaline of completing that ride, I thought that was the best part of the ride. I also would like to note I rode Cino on a 1933 Frejus Model A. That is the same make and model as Gino Bartali’s first team bike in 1934. Obviously he knew much more than I, but riding on those wilderness roads must be similar to the prewar mountain passes he rode. It gives you great appreciation for his capabilities and courage.
Anyhow, John and I are back in the Midwest and alive. Pictures of what we did are here.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/68123172@N03/albums/72157673668436095
David Beck
Crystal Lake, Illinois USA''
Since this was indeed a special trip, I will post more than my typical, “It was a fine ride”.
Listmembers John Barron, Chip Duckett and myself decided to partake in the 10th anniversary of the Cino Heroica ride from Kila Montana, to Hot Springs, then return to Kila. Unfortunately, Chip had to bow out due to complications to his hip fracture. Most unfortunate timing.
John drove out to Montana from Minneapolis which was a boon for me. I got my bike to him earlier this summer and he drove it there and back for me saving the headache of commercial shippers. John was went above and beyond which will earn him free Americanos for life at the Madison swap meet.
I flew out. The approach into Kalispell was not smooth, in fact, quite nauseating, but John was at the airport when I walked out the door. I had found what seemed to be a great place in Kalispell to stay through vrbo.com. As it turns out, it exceeded expectations. Perfect location to downtown Kalispell shops with everything in easily in reach, Whitefish, Kila, Glacier National Park and the airport. It was recently refurbed as everything seemed brand new. The bed was very comfortable.
We unloaded the bikes and stuff from his car and built them up. As dinner rolled around we met Chip’s friend Pete who served as a most gracious tour guide. John and I cannot say enough about the great folks in Montana. We had some beers, Poki and steaks because, you know, we are in Montana, you eat beef. I probably drank too much even knowing the next day we were planning on riding to the summit of the continental divide.
So Friday morning was cold after a hot summer in Chicago, 39F. We met Pete for coffee and breakfast where they had recycled crushed glass as “mulch”. Then it was off to Glacier National Park to ride Going To The Sun Road. Unfortunately, I am a little terrified of heights. I can’t look down in a high rise, mountains are worse. But with even with an elevated heart rate, we found a rhythm and started up the mountain. We were literally in the clouds. Visibility was maybe a tenth of a mile. The views were gone, but at least I couldn’t see the bottom of my certain plunge to death. There was a little construction at one point so we had to wait as only one lane was open. But then we reached the summit and the clouds began to break. Holy crap what a view (now you know why I am not a writer). We came back down stopping along the way to take pictures of the breathtaking views. We had some lunch and began to prepare for the next day’s ride.
Saturday morning we head to Kila. A lot a great bikes to gawk at with a lot of fine souls riding them. We push off with great weather and at the top of the first climb you get bacon for trade or whiskey for trivia. I did a jig and had some bacon. What came next was new to me. I have done plenty of challenge rides in the Midwest. You know, the types that have 1000 feet of climbing for every 10km of road. With those, I dread the descents because I know I will have to climb out of that valley on some wicked steep hill. Cino is the opposite. I dreaded the ascents because the steep descents on rough gravel do a beating on you I have never experienced on a bike. At one point, my rear brake cable snapped on a somewhat steep section. It was definitely one of those “oh crap” moments. Also broke off my front fender because of leaning on the front so hard. Luckily, I was only a couple three miles from lunch. Got a new cable and was ready to go.
As for lunch, it is everything everyone has ever said. It’s great food and drink with a great setting. My only note would be is to have more local flavors in the mix. I’m in Montana, I want huckleberries and bison, or whatever the thing is. In Wisconsin, I eat brats and cheese at rest stops, that’s how you roll.
Made it to Hot Springs, had a schwitz and then a great dinner in our fancy duds. Slept horribly and was not feeling it the next morning. But the wind was behind us and the gravel seemed smoother, although I lost the cork to a water bottle at some point. By the time I got to lunch, it was 70 and sunny, great day. I found my pace and made it to the top of 9-mile hill (which is actually closer to 5 miles, but still long and steep in sections). At the top, I took a picture with Matt and his 37 Hobbs. We were the two knuckleheads who thought single-pivot, long-reach side-pull calipers with cork pads on wood rims was a good choice for this ride.
The north side of the pass there was weather. Cold wind from the north blew down a tree across the descent. Several of us cleared the debris and I put on my rain jacket. Perfect timing because it did begin to rain. By the time I hit the pavement it was raining pretty good. What was really odd, and maybe it was the adrenaline of completing that ride, I thought that was the best part of the ride. I also would like to note I rode Cino on a 1933 Frejus Model A. That is the same make and model as Gino Bartali’s first team bike in 1934. Obviously he knew much more than I, but riding on those wilderness roads must be similar to the prewar mountain passes he rode. It gives you great appreciation for his capabilities and courage.
Anyhow, John and I are back in the Midwest and alive. Pictures of what we did are here.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/68123172@N03/albums/72157673668436095
David Beck
Crystal Lake, Illinois USA''