Update!!!

Hello friends and family from Helena, the capital of Montana! Don’t worry- we’re alive and well, we just haven’t had enough time or internet to post.

Official Harvers Bike photo, taken somewhere in British Columbia. 1 tandem bike + 1 beast of burden.

Starting from Banff (the Canadian Rockies were so beautiful- thinking of you Aunt Audrey and Pam!!), we have biked about 625 miles. We’ve been enjoying the Great Divide, but I admit that it’s been more challenging than anticipated. Montana seems like the equivalent of our Appalachian Trail Maine; rugged, difficult, and each day has a new challenge...thunderstorms with hail, tough single-track trail, intense headwinds... we are excited to cross the state border in about a week or so.

Though taken in Alberta, Canada, we’ve continued to encounter a lot of rain. We leaned early on that too much mud makes the bike dysfunctional, and that re-routes on road are necessary.

Given the time we have, we have a new goal of taking time off the route to see the National Parks to end up in Golden, CO to see our good friends Chas and Claire (we’re coming for you!!!! p.s. Alex, we’re coming for you, too!!!). The Great Divide skirts Glacier, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons without actually going in to explore the parks. Being out here for the first time, we realized that it would be a shame to miss these amazing spaces so we are re-routing in places to do so, including biking on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail.

Sometimes the trail looks like this…

…or this...

…and sometimes the trail looks like this. We get it, Montana! You are a treasure with big skies! Release us!

First on the list was Glacier National Park. Our rockstar of a friend,  Anne, generously hosted us for two nights and showed us the park. She taught us all about GNP, from Beargrass to good hikes to huckleberry goodness. We can’t thank Anne enough for showing us a place she loves (also, no joke, we saw Nick Offerman at a lodge).
Trading biking for hiking in GNP.

 Our route parallels the Continental Divide hiking trail for much of the route. I’m learning how different bikepacking is from backpacking. You can go so much further, but it definitely takes more exertion to do so, especially with some unique difficulties of a tandem. Dylan has been doing an amazing job of managing and maintaining the bike. Yes, it’s a bonding experience. Yes, it involves a lot of trust. No, I do not just “sit on the back and relax” (this comment deserves it’s own blog post).
Turbo power from the back.

We are exited to be in Yellowstone in about a week and then the Tetons shortly thereafter (props to Aaron for being emotional support today when I felt down). Folks have asked where they might ship us some trail magic. We will pass by the hamlet of Moran in about 10 days. If you’d like to send us something, you can ship it to the following address, estimated arrival will be July 25:

Emma Harver (biker)
C/O General Delivery
United States Post Office
1 Central St,
Moran, WY 83013

Happy trails!

Two is the magic number:
-2 Continental Divide crossings (one in Canada, one here in MT)
-2 jars of peanut butter
-2 tubes of sunscreen
-2 bears (one grizzly, one black bear)
-2 times Emma has fallen off the bike
(and pretty much rain every day)

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