Missouri Headwaters

Saturday,  July 8, 2023

Townsend to Bozeman Montana 

We left at 715am. We took US287 out of Townsend.  It was less busy than when we arrived.  Maybe it was the time of day.  Also, the shoulder was much better for riding. We got yelled at twice today. Both times we were not even close to being in the way of traffic. Oh well. At a town called Toston, we took a bypass around a bridge. There was a big fence and a sign saying the walkway was electrified and for pedestrians to use the bypass. After we rolled over it without getting electrocuted, we decided to roll over it again and go back to take the pedestrian bypass. This led us into town with no way to get back to the highway without crossing the barricaded bridge.

We decided the whole thing was set up to keep animals off the road and they could figure out where to go next, but what about the poor pedestrians? 

We saw potato fields. 

And wheat fields.

Here is the view after a long easy climb.

We found horse statues ( https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bleu-horses )

The road we wanted to take around Three Forks was closed, so we went through and enjoyed the sights there (after a picnic lunch at Wheat Montana Bakery). 

Historic Sacajawea Hotel

Missouri Headwaters Trail 

We, unfortunately, didn't have time to see where the three rivers (Jefferson, Gallatin and Madison) converge into the Missouri.  Sandra shared the pictures with us. 

As we moved on, the mountains got closer.

We went through Manhattan! 

It was really pretty coming into Bozeman with mountains on both sides. 

We got in around 3pm.

70.15 miles

1,768 elevation gain 

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/sRHl41PBhBb

Relive video: https://www.relive.cc/view/v1OwGK33mXO

Tomorrow we go to Gardiner, just outside of Yellowstone.