RandomlyWest

High Country News looks at Ovando, MT and Twin Bridges, MT, and the way they've rolled out the welcome mat for bike tourists.
It reports that touring cyclists contribute about $375 million to Montana's economy each year.

boomhauer

This is good news....
The last time I was on tour there (18 years ago) I was honked at , flipped-off, rude looks, etc...
The fact that there was seldom a shoulder probably has a lot to do with it.
I did run across bicycle tour groups that were three- abreast a couple times. This probably didn't help the reputation with the locals.
Things must have changed for the better. Such beautiful scenery ! Even the eastern side of the state!

mev

Good news.
I was through this area in August 2016 and stayed in some MT motels. I make it a point to sometimes ask motel operators if they get many other cyclists. Impressions I got from there and also similar US areas in past two years:
1. The GDMBR is pretty popular with a lot of cyclists through. This article is also about the race, but there are a good share of post-race bicycle tourists.
2. In MT the season is short and intense for many motel operators. Traffic picks up after Memorial Day and drops off after Labor Day.
3. Motels seems fairly friendly to me as a cyclist. This told me they hadn't just had someone on a bike causing problems.
4. The Transam seems to be at least as popular as the southern tier. However, in the ST there are some small towns where there is only one or two motels and the next town is a ways away. These motels seem to also recall cyclists fairly well.
5. I can compare coming through MT in 1992, 2009, 2011 and 2016. There does seem to be a fair amount more bicycle traffic near the GDMBR and TransAM routes than outside it. I must have been fortunate in my earlier cycling as I didn't seem to have issues with locals on any of these four trips. Perhaps the largest thing that irked me was the MT Senators that seem to be quite rude anti-cyclists (e.g. Anti-Bike Crusade isn?t Funny - Flathead Beacon) After this happened I looked up several MT State Senators whose districts I had crossed and wrote them polite but firm emails explaining why I thought this was a bad idea.

vlicon

In the past two to three years I have read several articles on how bike tourism has benefitted small rural towns. Central and Eastern Oregon have benefitted from the Bicycle Oregon project which has brought travelers to these area who may not have gone there otherwise. Perhaps the nicest aspect of the increased economic impact is that bike tourism supports the small local businesses in these towns and not so much the large corporate businesses in the cities. We did the Selkirk Loop last Summer. I know the area is popular with tourists anyway, but we found all the motels, campgrounds, restaurants and stores very happy to have us.

On a related note. Look what happened to Moab, Utah. My first trip through the area was in 1980. Not much was there. Ten years later the town must have doubled in size with the increase in tourism related services. Now at almost 490 years later it seems a little crowded.

fietsbob

Cycle Oregon is a big infusion of money in rural counties ..

indyfabz

I have toured in the state several times since 2009, including last year. (Also spent time riding there in '99 and '00.) After my 2014 tour I was featured in a "Great Falls Tribune" article about the hundreds of millions of dollars cycle tourism brings into the state:

https://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...tana/13074873/

Have spent a total of 5 nights at the Bike Camp in Twin Bridges. Great place with pretty much everything you could need either at the camp or in town (minus a bike shop). Spoke with the guy who helped get the thing off the ground. They ask people who stay to donate and to fill out a little survey stating how much money you spent in town. They want that information because some town officials are not (or at least were not) supportive of the facility.

The TA is assuredly the most popular route in the state. In 2014 I camped at the hot springs resort in Jackson. There were close to a dozen other riders there that night. But you also have the Northern Tier, which includes Glacier N.P. and surrounding area and then crosses the entire state after Cut Bank. Also the Lewis & Clark route, one portion of which departs the TA at Twin Bridges and heads towards Three Forks.

Never had a problem bringing my bike into any of the motels/hotels I have used. When I stayed at the Seely Lake Motor Lodge last year there was a floor pump in the office for cyclists to use. The town is on the GDMBR and the Great Parks North routes.

In 2016 I was reading one evening while staying at the Bike Camp. Heard a splashing noise, looked over and saw a beaver on the banks of the...wait for it...Beaverhead River.

dennis336

I haven't cycled in Montana but I've done a couple of the Adventure Cycling routes (Adirondacks loop and the Vermont/Green Mountain Loop) and, from what I could tell, at least anecdotally, it would seem that cycling tourists would provide a nice boost to rural, small-town economies. On both of those loops, you do go through a couple areas that are more prosperous and benefit from a larger tourist industry (or, I expect, some wealthy NYC transplants) but there are other small communities that appear to be struggling providing enough jobs for the local population. Seems like cyclists can provide a positive, low impact benefit to these communities.

indyfabz

I will be heading to St. Albans, VT a week from tomorrow to start a tour home to Philly. When I was involved with my local advocacy group back in the 90s the president once said she read that cycling generated more income for VT than maple syrup.

Once I get to N. Canaan, CT I will follow ACA's Atlantic Coast Route. Because of the rural nature of some parts of the route, I will definitely be spending money in some small towns. I have even reserved a restored caboose to sleep in one night in MA. They money will benefit the town's railroad museum.

dennis336

Sounds like a blast! btw, not sure if the Atlantic Coast Route swings through Salisbury, CT (which is the next town west of North Canaan (assuming you meant North Canaan and not New Canaan!) and borders New York State). But if you do, stop by Sweet Williams Bakery. It's right on Main Street (route 44) going through Salisbury Center. Small town center so can't miss it. Great stop to grab a coffee and some pastry. If it's a nice day, they have some tables out by the sidewalk. Have a great trip!

indyfabz

The route does go through Salisbury after that dreaded hill a few miles before town. (I did the Atlantic Coast route a few years ago during a trip from Brattleboro to Philly.) I have two overnight options that day, which starts in Chester, MA. The first is in E. Canaan, CT. Big camping resort, but it has a hot tub and gives cyclists a discount. If I am feeling good after making it through the southern Berkshires, I can continue on from N. Canaan to Rudd Pond, Taconic S.P. outside of Millerton, NY. If I do that, I will be food shopping at LaBonne's Market in Salisbury. Sixth generation family business. I will make sure to check out the bakery as well.