Messages

1

Routes / Re: Bicycle Camper killed by grizzly bear in Ovando, MT (July 6, 2021)

« on: July 27, 2021, 08:11:10 pm »

Not certain where this should be posted. I am currently in Ovando. Due to the  death in their town, the local church has opened up their basement to all cyclists. It is quite a nice space and clean and cool. There is no donation box yet, but I recommend those who use the facilities leave a donation on the kitchen counter. (Not large enough for big groups.)

A reminder that showers are available for about $10 at the Ovando Inn.

One should count on breakfast or lunch at The Stray Bullet.

A reminder that the Blackfoot Angler cannot only get you the right fly, but can help with some minor bike repairs.

Nice of you to pass along the information. And donations are an excellent idea.  When I did the NT the senior center in Oxford Junction, IA offered to let us spend the night in air conditioned bliss on a scorching day.  We left a donation that matched our average daily camping budget.

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Routes / Re: Questions regarding TransAmerica cycling route and preparation

« on: July 26, 2021, 09:42:15 am »

There's not just health issues there are logistics too.
All solvable, I'm sure, but requiring pretty precise planning and prep.

Precise planning and preparation is not always necessary. Even 22 years ago I was able to get my health insurer to cover a three-month supply of my daily blood thinner "up front."  Took one phone call to explain that I would be travelling and may not always have convenient access to a large pharmacy chain. These days, obtaining a 90 supply of a maintenance drug is quite normal.

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Routes / Re: Questions regarding TransAmerica cycling route and preparation

« on: July 23, 2021, 01:50:22 pm »

If you start in the east around mid-May you will likely encounter others who have done the same. Might be a good thing for a novice. I had never toured nor camped when I did ACA's unsupported group tour of the Northern Tier.  It was good to have other people to learn from.

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General Discussion / Re: Wild fires disturbing your tour?

« on: July 22, 2021, 03:11:15 pm »

Having crossed the US going west over the past 2 months we’ve arrived in Twin Bridges and find the TransAM route closed along 43 into Wisdom and Sula. Fires  burning all around Lolo Pass with sections of RT 12 closed we read and we see new fires in Oregon spreading around Walla Walla and along the Lewis & Clark route. Anyone else having their trip rerouted daily?

SW

What did you do for a detour from Twin Bridges?

BTW..I am on the east coast. Earlier this week the smoke here was pretty bad considering how far away we are.

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Routes / Re: Bicycle Camper killed by grizzly bear in Ovando, MT (July 6, 2021)

« on: July 12, 2021, 11:32:01 am »

Amy - many thanks for monitoring and providing follow-up.
Seems unlikely that two large brown bears would become this aggressive.

From the Powell County Sheriff's Department (emphasis mine):


Powell County Sheriff's Office
3 hrs ·
*** Update on the Ovando Grizzly***

Over the last couple of days, Officials have followed up on multiple bear sightings in the Ovando area. Last night, the Powell County Sheriff's Office took a report from a resident who came home and found her door ripped off and large claw marks were present. A short time later a male grizzly bear was killed in the area. Samples were immediately taken from the bear and were sent to a testing facility where we hope to make positive identification within the next couple of days. Early indications are that this is likely the bear that was involved in Tuesdays attack.

I read a post on another forum saying that the bear appeared to have a neck absess and was not well. Poor guy.

6

Routes / Re: Transamerica - West to East Start Date

« on: July 12, 2021, 10:17:40 am »

I found that I liked the opposite.  Starting far from home makes for definite commitment, gets air travel out of the way, and allowed friends to meet and ride with us at the end of the ride.

+1. My first tour was ACA's unsupported Northern Tier starting in Seattle. Took the train out from the east coast, finished in Bar Harbor then rode home to Philly solo. During that leg I stopped at Yale to visit a friend who had ridden across the country that summer and later spent a weekend at another friend's house near Valley Forge before reaching the city. I literally rolled my bike up the front lawn to the door of my mom's house, dug the key deep out of the bottom of a pannier compartment and let myself in. A few days later I did a two-day charity ride to the ocean in NJ and back. Carried all my gear down on the first day. Had it driven back the second day.

7

Routes / Re: Bicycle Camper killed by grizzly bear in Ovando, MT (July 6, 2021)

« on: July 08, 2021, 08:08:47 am »

As suggested by prior reports, the campers were using the cyclist-only camp sites in town. That might have given them a false sense of security.

I have been wondering the same thing. They had food in their tents and only secured it after they knew there was a bear around. Wondering if there were bear lockers available. 

Also wondering if, given what was known, getting back into the tent was the right thing to do. I am no expert, but it seems like that opens you up to being surprised.

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Routes / Re: Bicycle Camper killed by grizzly bear in Ovando, MT (July 6, 2021)

« on: July 07, 2021, 09:28:59 am »

The article makes it sound like the cyclist-only camping in town.

That would be odd behavior for a bear, indeed. Was just in the area 10 days ago. The heat seemed to be driving folks mad - perhaps a similar effect on wildlife.

A story I read said it happened just outside of town. Also, a bear had recently been spotted in town on, I think, security cam footage.

As for the connection to the heat/drought, here is one take on it:

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/26/california-drought-rattlesnakes-bears

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Routes / Re: Heading on GDMBR July 2nd start in Eureka for 6 weeks

« on: July 07, 2021, 09:20:48 am »

Too late now, but Wayfarers State Park in Bigfork is one of the Montana state parks that has the nice hiker/biker sites with all the amenities. And it has a no-turn-away policy if the tent pads are full. Placid Lake and Salmon Lake have the same amenities but don't know about their policies.

Be careful in that area and around Ovando. A woman on a cycling trip was attacked and killed by a Grizzly around 3:30 am the other night. Happened just outside of Ovando. Authorities have been searching for the bear to destroy it.

10

Routes / Re: New ACA Route coming

« on: July 04, 2021, 08:30:36 am »

Yeah. DE 1 outside of Lewes was really busy and lined with businesses so lots of people turning in and pulling out, and it wasn’t even summer. Still Cape Henlopen State Park is a great facility and a nice place to ride.

11

General Discussion / Re: In need of a few hints for NT route and food

« on: June 27, 2021, 01:13:24 pm »

As noted, a lot has changed in MT and ND since 1987. Probably elsewhere as well.

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General Discussion / Re: In need of a few hints for NT route and food

« on: June 21, 2021, 03:30:19 pm »

Dang! Forgot that they now drop down earlier. IIRC, the major re-route had it staying up on the High Line until Wolf Point and then heading down.

Shame that became necessary. Had some good times in Harlem, Glasgow and Wolf Point. Of course, that was in '99. Traffic on U.S. 2 was mostly very light except in a few places like Shelby and Havre. Still went through Williston and used ND 1804 back then.

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General Discussion / Re: List of reasons why you should not cycle the Transam bicycle route.

« on: June 21, 2021, 03:26:45 pm »

You'd have to ride through KY?

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General Discussion / Re: In need of a few hints for NT route and food

« on: June 16, 2021, 02:33:41 pm »

Where are your planned overnights? In MT, many of the more populated towns (e.g., Chester, Harlem, Malta, Glasgow) have decent grocery stores. You can browse and see what they have. Same with the larger places in ND.

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General Discussion / Re: Security - locking your bike

« on: June 09, 2021, 05:39:19 pm »

Damn! I live in Philadelphia. Better stop doing tours from my front door despite the only place anyone tried to steal anything from me was in a campground Yeehaw, Wyoming. (It was actually DuBois, but I think you get the point.)

BTW...”More likely” doesn’t necessarily mean “likely.” It’s a fact.