rsbob 

ha ha ha!!!!

PeteHski

All these lovely gravel road pictures have got me thinking. The only attraction there to me is the scenery and lack of traffic (don't get me wrong, those are MASSIVE attractions!). But not the gravel roads themselves - they look nothing special to ride on (just reminds me of boring fire-roads between singletrack segments). I would much prefer to ride on smooth tarmac roads in the same settings or on interesting mtb singletrack. So it's just a matter of what is actually available where you happen to live and ride. I just ride bikes based on that.

tomato coupe

You don’t understand. Their enjoyment of gravel is greater than your enjoyment of tarmac. Euler proved this mathematically back in the 1700s, but I won’t repeat it here because it’s a pretty lengthy proof. (FYI the proof is basically an extension of his earlier work that showed that 2+2=5 in Jan Heine space-time.)

Kapusta

I personally don’t get the appeal of gravel for gravel’s sake. I am largely indifferent to paved vs unpaved.

However, gravel/dirt correlates highly with the routes I want to ride on: roads with little vehicular traffic. So I ride a lot of gravel/dirt roads.

If someone wanted to close them off to cars and pave them, I’d be OK with that.

Mountain biking is different for me. There the technical challenge of the trail is half the reason I do it.

prj71

Great photos. I recognize all of those roads in the pics you posted. I spent the some time vacationing in that area for a week every July from 2007 to 2013. But I was there fly fishing Rock Creek and the Bitterroot.

PeteHski

Yeah, I'm much the same. With mountain biking I enjoy the flowing forest singletrack and the technical challenges it often brings. Obviously no cars too, which is a big plus. As you say it's quite a different skill set and mentality.
With road biking I like smooth rural roads, mountain cols etc. Road bikes are just nice things to ride on a good road and I like covering the distance in groups on big Fondo events.

Gravel would be my choice only if the above roads were not available. I can certainly see the attraction in many locations, just not where I happen to live. But all other things being equal (which they rarely are! lol) I would always choose tarmac over gravel as a riding surface. But I wouldn't be crying if I had to ride gravel instead. I would just get the appropriate bike and enjoy it. But I would always see it as making the best out of riding a crappy road rather than an ideal situation. But I do realise that perfect roads with minimal traffic are not available everywhere you go.

indyfabz

As we learned, Rock Creek Rd. is a hot destination for fly fishing. Back home we learned that a hiking buddy of ours had been out there a couple of times. In 2011 we stopped at Trout Bum for coffee before we got to the campground near the junction with I-90. The woman told us about the Ranch at Rock Creek, which is near the southern end of Rock Creek Rd. She said you could spend thousands of dollars a night there if you wanted to. We didn't believe her but looked it up the next day when we finished our tour in Missoula. Sure enough, she was right. Then, maybe 5 or 6 years later, I learned that the brother of a friend of mine is the sous chef there. I am going to spend some time there when I win the Power Ball jackpot.

Luxury Dude Ranch in Montana - Home | The Ranch at Rock Creek

prj71

Yes. I am familiar with that place. Too rich for my blood.

Our group rented a cabin on the southern end for $90/night. We came in from the Philipsburg side via Hwy. 1. The cabin has since sold, was remodeled some and is now an Orvis outfit at about $500/night.

indyfabz

Both times I rode Rock Creek and the time I rode Skalkaho I camped in Philipsburg at the motel/campground right off of MT 1 after riding there from Butte. Cute town Philipsburg is. The last time (2016) I ended up camping there the same night that ACA's Cycle Montana tour did. As I was setting up my tent I heard a familiar, loud voice. Looked up and realized it was a woman who had been on their 2010 Cycle Vermont Tour, which I had done. She was there with her husband and same friend from the VT trip. And one of the Montana leaders had also been a participant in the VT tour. Ended up getting a free, hot breakfast the next morning. Small world.

When I rode Skalkaho I stopped at the Gem Mountain mine to pan for sapphires. Their retail store is in Philipsburg itself. Found over 16 kts., but they were all too small for faceting. I still have them somewhere at home.

The employee who showed me how to was the dirt took this before I headed up the mountain.

ColonelSanders

Is that your dog?

indyfabz

No. Assumed it belonged to someone who worked at the mine location. He was a friendly pup, like everyone who worked there.

indyfabz

BTW...That photo ended up being part of my 15 minutes of fame after I was interviewed for this article:

Cyclists bring millions of dollars into Montana (greatfallstribune.com)

ColonelSanders

Nice write up.

rumrunn6

that'll keep the riff-raff out, right? ;-(

indyfabz

To some extent. But there are several U.S.F.S. campgrounds along the creek for riff-raff like me who want to visit the area.

The Ranch at Rock Creek I linked to above is crazy expensive, event for an all-inclusive. The peak holiday (June 28-July 4) rate for a room in the lodge for two people is $3,600/night, and there is a five night minimum. May 23rd-Septyember 5th is slightly cheaper, at $3,200/night, with only a 4 night minimum stay. Two of the houses you can rent go for $14,500/night each during peak holiday, but with a minimum occupancy of 8, they are a steal on a per/person basis. All rates are subject to an additional 20% Ranch Fee, which includes tips.

2022 Rates - Luxury Dude Ranch | The Ranch at Rock Creek

prj71

I always meant to stop at the Gem Mountain mine, but fishing took priority and I never made it.

indyfabz

I follow them on Facebook. Sadly, there have been at least three thefts since the pandemic started. First, there were thefts of mined dirt. But late last year someone stole all their welding equipment, among other things.

rumrunn6

OMG! reminds me trying to get Red Sox / Yankees tickets!

prj71

It's a place for the 1% that's for sure.

Everytime I drove by the place there were numerous cars parked there. So a lot of one percenters can afford it.

Outside of that place there are more reasonable places to rent and there are some old USFS cabins that you can rent out in that area from $25 - $50

rumrunn6

oh that's good. remind me of Martha's Vineyard. pretty expensive to buy or rent but there are public campgrounds. not as nice as a house w/ a private deck & outdoor shower. but if most of your day is spent out & about exploring, etc., so what

indyfabz

The last time I flew to Missoula to start a tour there was a shuttle for the place waiting outside the airport.

This place, which I have ridden by a couple of times, is closer and less costly, but not in as scenic an area. Also saw one of its shuttle waiting outside the Missoula airport. The family of four that got picked up had been in first class with me.

Montana Resort - The Resort at Paws Up

rumrunn6

wow, I've never ridden 1st class. but when I was 14, I went to Switzerland w/ my Dad for 2 weeks of hiking. we flew on a 747. not sure what they are like now, but 47+ yrs ago I was allowed to roam around & go up the spiral staircase to the 2nd floor, circular bar area. didn't take any pics but I remember it being very modern & roomy

indyfabz

At 6' 2", my starting point is what Delta calls Economy+. Supposed to offer more leg room. Of course, it also costs more. They way flights to Missoula were priced (at least at the time), 1st Class wasn't all that much more expensive than Economy+. Flew United out there once and it was the same way. So if I am already looking at $850 (flights to MSO are not cheap) and can upgrade to 1st Class for $150 more, why not? Downside was that my flights were always very early in the morning. I am talking around 6 am. While I saw some people do it, I couldn't bring myself to take advantage of the free drinks at that hour. Not until the second leg (usually Minneapolis or Salt Lake City) would I.

rumrunn6

oh interesting & yeah & reserve early AM or sunrise drinking, for special occasions

Riveting

I'm a roadie, though I own a gravel, road, and full squish mtb, and have access to good terrain for all 3 within a mile or two of my front door, or a 30 minute drive into the Rockies if I want world class mtb, hilly gravel, or 6,500' road climbs up to 14,000'....Me personally if I had a choice I would choose mtb over road and gravel. Nothing brings a smile to my face like it, and nothing else gives me the sensory overload (aka hyper focus) like it, but the short high intensity efforts required during mtb are just too taxing on my knees to be done daily, and I like riding daily if I can. The way I see it, Road is great for relaxing and losing yourself in steady-state suffering, and can be done daily. Mtb is great technical fun, out in the middle of the woods, where your constantly picking a new line every few seconds, whether you're going 25mph or 2mph on tech uphill, as well as the adrenaline of avoiding the inevitable falls when you're pushing past the limit of your talents (for me at least), but can only be done once or twice a week (for me). And Gravel is right in the middle, more technical than road due to changing terrain, overall more physically demanding, typically has long stretches where you can stay in a steady-state tempo for 30+ minutes, yet doesn't have the danger/falling aspect, nor the short high-intensity efforts of mtb, as well as less danger of coming in contact with a cager. A perfect week of riding for me is doing all 3 at some point.