Day 2: Bend, OR to Eureka, MT

The Walmart parking lot proved to be a good stopping place for a quick overnight stay. Lance and Paul slept outside on their cots where they were occasional stirred by the thundering sounds of 18 wheelers rolling nearby.

We left Bend at 6:00 AM and encountered heavy smoke from a nearby forest fire. Once past the smoke, the drive was picturesque and took us through varied landscapes from volcanic rock and cinder cones, to high desert, to agricultural lands, to lush forests.

Weather was warm throughout the trip, then got overcast in the early afternoon and began raining as we neared the Montana border. Rain did not last more than 15 minutes and we were back to warm and overcast conditions for the remainder of the ride.

We arrived in Eureka Montana at 7:45 PM MST, unloaded the bikes and rearranged the gear in preparation for the start of our Great Divide ride.

Our plan for tomorrow is to ride up to the Canadian boarder, take pictures and officially start our ride on the Great Divide Trail heading south.

The following are some pictures from the day:

Thick smoke just outside Bend, OR

Mt. Hood (Oregon)

Mt Saint Helens or possibly Mt Adams (certainly a good mountain as it has a halo)

One of many dams on the Columbia River

The landscape of Eureka MT

Our camp setup at Silverado Motel and RV Park, Eureka, MT

Time for a well deserved cocktail.