Blessings of A Redirected Route

It has been a few busy days for Scarecrow and MattyRedrock, as well as their families.  Barbecues were attended, family travel has come and gone, all while Matt & Ted's Excellent Adventure continues on.  The guys have been great about calling and texting with updates and stories of the weather, people on the trail and their daily progress on the Divide.  I know Scarecrow had me on his mind when he posed for this pic!

So, the guys left Lincoln, Montana on their way to Butte.  As they traveled on the gravel service road towards the Divide, a gentleman named Nick came up to them and warned not to attempt to go down the road, as he had tried to get down there with his car, and it was way too muddy for him to pass.  The guys definitely appreciated this, as it would save them time and energy from a route that would be impassible by bicycle.  They posed for a selfie with their trail angel, before heading on their way on the new path.

This warning from Nick also proved to be a blessing in disguise, as the guys redirected themselves down a road along the Divide that lead them to Flesher Pass.  This was very exciting news for Scarecrow, as this was the first time he crossed the Continental Divide Trail, the 3100 mile trail he thruhiked back in 2014. 

  

first crossing over the CDT

Scarecrow and MattyRedrock were very thankful to Nick for the heads up - it lead them to this awesome moment of revisiting Scarecrow's old stomping grounds.

Scarecrow shared they have had their share of flat tires, tough up hills, and some down hill speeding fun.  The weather has been chilly, with stories from some local bartenders about having to attach plows to their trucks! It was snowing over the 6000 ft elevation which caused them to take some lower trails to keep themselves going, without getting stuck or delaying their progress.

MattyRedrock even texted: Is it March or July? Working on 5th day of hypothermia... 43 degrees here."  As we can see, hopefully they had some warmer weather towards the end of the week.

As the guys left Lincoln, headed for Butte, Montana, MattyRedrock texted: "Trail totally washed out to Helena, had to take highest roads, with 18 wheelers flying by at 60 mph on an 8% grade with 30 mph cross winds on 6 inches of pavement... I'll take bears and the woods over that any day!"  Sounds crazy (and pretty dangerous) guys ~ BE SAFE.

At the end of each day, as exhausted as they are, I am sure they enjoy the campfire, their meals, and catching up with each other about their daily progress and the next day's plan.  Spirits seem high when we receive the calls at home, so that's good.  

Your family and friends are cheering you on from here, guys.  Just keep pedaling, stay safe, and ENJOY THE RIDE.

Where are these guys now? Check out their progress by clicking HERE.  

A big thank you to Corinne for continuously updating me with MattyRedrock's texts and pictures.  Listening to the stories from both of them has proven to be unfolding as quite an adventure. 

On behalf of the Bernaths and Warrens, I want to thank everyone for your continued support, prayers, and interest in Matt & Ted's Excellent Adventure.  Corinne and I pass along everyone's kind wishes and thoughts, and the guys appreciate it all so much.  They love that all of us are sharing  their experiences on this adventure through their texts, calls and pictures.

Until Next time,

Corinne & The Thruhiker's Wife