10: Endless Singletrack!
Today was everything I hoped the CDT would be. I rode my bike for 11 hours and every minute of it on good quality singletrack. Several of the descents were fun on par with the Butte 100 sections in terms of fun—great sightlines, fast smooth trail, and perfect grades. Much of what I ride today is somewhat recently constructed, which adds to the fun—fewer rocks and roots, fewer water bars, more swoops, and more ridable grades.
This is the stretch of trail that first inspired my imagination of a CDT ride—a continuous ribbon of moderate trails open to bikes between Butte and Helena. I’m passing sections of familiar trail, and filling gaps between. It all very much feels an adventure in my backyard at the moment. The Boulder are not the most dramatic or spectacular mountains, but the riding is exceptional.
Feeling lucky and grateful—great weather (minus the first two days) and so, so many trees have been cleared from the trail this season.
