Day 8: Eureka MT to Tuchuck Campground. (32 miles)

I come to sleep very well in my tent, with my sleeping pad and sleeping bag. So well sometimes that I stay in one position too long and wake with a numb limb or two and need to readjust my position. However, it sure was nice to sleep in a real bed with real sheets and a real pillow last night.

It was nice to wake and know that I was going to have a tasty breakfast at Subway and headed that way shortly after brushing my teeth. When I got there the Brits crew were well into their sandwiches and once I had mine we talked some more. This is when I found out one of the guys, Ben, was not going to continue on. He explained that he had been experiencing exercise-induced asthma and his meds were unable to control it. Once his ‘lads’ departed Ben and I continued to talk and try to figure out how to get him and his bike back to Calgary, so he could fly home. I was in no hurry to depart for the day and enjoyed talking to Ben. Just as I explained that part of the adventure is talking and meeting guys like him we see another rider come into the parking lot.

Rick is the first American rider I’ve met on the Divide. He’s from San Diego, CA and has ridden the Divide before so I was very interested in the wisdom he had about the ride. He asked where I was from and told him “Michigan” and he asked where in Michigan. Being a long way from home I always give the; “about 70 miles northwest of Detroit”. Most Americans can identify with that. Then he told me he went to Med School at Wayne State, in Detroit. Rick was a very interesting gentleman who also served as a Navy Seal.

Bidding Ben and Rick a farewell because I still had laundry to do and also wanted to mail back some items no longer needed anymore, like my Passport, the Canada section of my Divide maps and the Bear Bell that, according to most Canadians, is worthless. When I was done taking care of those two items I realized it was lunchtime already and perfect time for me to get one last decent meal before disappearing into the brush for another couple of days. Finally hit the peddles out-of-town around 1:30

Todays trip took me over Whitefish Divide or ‘Thank you pass’ as I like to call it now. As I approached the pass it was getting too steep for my current conditioning so I’m pushing the bike (Which is an all to common theme by now) I began thanking out loud people, sometimes in a tearful moment, that have supported me in my life, given me joy and those that, in one way or another, have shown me that I do have the inner strength to chase big dreams like this.

('Thank You) pass

Whitefish divide (Thank You pass)

The concrete outhouse. It may look like wood but it's solid

The concrete outhouse. It may look like wood but it’s solid

image

There is a deer behind my tent. bugger hung around all night, making me think there was a bear in camp

Hard to see but there is a deer behind my tent. That bugger hung around all night, making me think there was a bear in camp.

Just a few miles after the pass I roll into Tuchuck Campground about 7:30. A very nice camp area that was completely void of other campers. Nice facilities with the nice metal Bear food boxes I’ve heard about but had yet to see and literal ‘Brick shit houses’ I find a nice spot a few yards each from the bear box and the nice sturdy shit house, because if I hear a bear I’m running into the shitter. Yes mom it was big enough for me to sleep in there and hell no I did not!

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2 thoughts on “Day 8: Eureka MT to Tuchuck Campground. (32 miles)

  1. Chris Burns Strockis

    Catching up on your journey so far. So proud of you and your strength! The people you meet along the way are by far one of the best parts of the journey, I am sure. On a much smaller scale, I remember backpacking Isle Royale many years ago and how great it was to meet fellow packers. Even better was meeting fishermen who fed us! Keep strong! Prayers for you!

    Reply

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