Day 6 An average day on the Tour

The bare facts of the day - Missoula Montana to Butte Montana, 133 miles (220 odd k) 5000 ft of climbing max speed 36mph, average speed 16.1 mph, 8hr 20 min riding 10 hr on the road. This makes it close to the tour average for distance and a little higher for climbing.

Being average the day involves waking a bit before six; dressing, packing, applying suncream and chamois cream before taking the bike out and filling drink bottles and checking tyres and breakfast in the car park starting at 6.30.

Breakfast consists of porridge/cereals dried fruit, toast ( some previous Australian has left some vegemite but it is long past its enjoyment date), muffins etc, fruit drink coffee and this morning Susan made scrambled eggs. We take as much as we can on in about 20 mins then finish the packing up and have the bags on the trailer by 7.00 before setting off on the day's riding into overcast conditions with a hint of rain.

First sag after 27 miles on the service road and shoulder of I90 - a puncture at about 18 miles slowed us down and we arrived at about 9.10. Sag involves drinks fruit, bars, chamois cream and suncream taking 10 to 15 minutes then another 27 miles mostly alongside I90 before a turn off onto a lesser road and the second sag. Then on into increasing heat (max 100+F) and head winds to lunch at the Phillipsburg show grounds. Luncheon offerings include hot dogs, salad potato salad, couscous, boiled eggs, cold meat, breads and canned fruit and cake as well as soft drinks and sports drinks as well as chamois cream and suncream.

After about 30 -40 mins (1.35pm) (a bit longer than our norm) we head off into increasing heat and wind and after 7 miles a 4 mile 8% climb to Georgetown Lake then 5 or 6 miles flat alongside the lake before a long (10 mile) downhill of varying slope to Anaconda and then the final sag at mile 114 more chamois cream and on over undulating country to the motel via the back blocks and cycleways of Butte arriving at five past five. Being alongfside major rivers for most of the way the "flat" bits were infact upslope at about half to one percent.