#acaNoTier Cut Bank to Joplin, 72 Miles | Co-Pilots for a Day

Riding Stats

Accommodations

Route Tracker

Very interesting day. I’ve jumped in the back of a pick up truck before but never with two bikes tossed in the back, 11 bike bags and two peeps.

So it was when Tom and I ran into major road construction TWICE on US 2. The first time road crews would not permit us to pass unless we road in the back of the pilot truck. Yep that’s the two of us, the bikes and the bags in the back of one little truck. They were chip and sealing 12 miles. We thought of ourselves as co-pilots for a day, leading traffic over obstacles.

The next time we hit construction was farther east (yes I was secretly hoping for another ride, maybe in a bigger truck, maybe in the front seat) where they were grinding down the road.

Nine miles without pavement. I’m just so grateful it wasn’t raining. Every time a truck came we pulled off to the side to let it pass so we were at it for quite a while. At one point two truckers in the same semi tossed us some cold water. Gotta love truckers!

Second breakfasts are back, but not yesterday’s tailwinds as they shifted to cross winds today. We also traded scenic mountains for the fruited plain as well as many, many trains all along US 2.

When Tom turned on his Garmin after second breakfast it said “Next turn, 103 miles. And so it is in the plains. Lol

We are camping again tonight in the tiny town of Joplin, MT, population 157, in the most beautiful city park. They open it up to cyclists for free! There are clean bathrooms, picnic areas and lots of comfty chairs.

Nighty-night and oh by the way the trains will be running nearby… all night long.