Bikepacking in Montana - Bailing on the Tour Divide

Rob and I had been planning the Tour Divide bike ride since 2020. A border to border has also intrigued me. Things didn't go according to the plan... and just 5 days before the we were set to leave some things came up and I had to make a tough decision to postpone the journey
With a few train tickets to Montana and only 1 week of vacation... we made some adaptations... We would set out for whitefish where we would spend a week exploring the great Montana wilderness.
Overall we had a great time despite drastic changes to our plan. Our route had us starting from Whitefish Bike Retreat, shuttling up to Rooseville, then tracing the rim of the Koocanusa lake. Down by Libby we would start heading North East through the Kooetnai National Forest, past Dickey Lake, and go through Graves Creek and Whitefish Pass. Eventually we'd make it to Polebridge and spend some time in Glacier National park.
Overall the route on Gaia said around 230 miles with 18K feet of elevation. The elevation profile seems off to me (it didn't feel like we climbed that much).
Despite not doing the tour divide, Rob and I had a great time on this trip.

[@TheSaguache]

Best intro ever. I was supposed to thru hike the PCT in 2022. I was permitted and everything. As I planned and trained for it life changed my plans. A month before my start date it was overwhelmingly clear to me that it wasn't really going to be possible. A month after my start date we moved from the US to France. "Hell, it's bike riding." saw me all over the south of France. Best laid plans boys, best laid plans.

[@GregorHalenda-Saku-Moto]

I love Rob's energy and your chemistry. It's really nice. These videos are a ton of work to shoot, edit and produce but they're real gems and fun to watch. So just a note to say it's appreciated and I'm going to enjoy wading through your channel.

[@andrewnelson3143]

That edit at the end- holy crap! I really appreciate your storytelling and introspection, it's a great remedy for all the bluster and machismo bike videos out there. Thank you!

[@1234five1]

So good! I really love the slowed down pace of the video. Really appreciate you putting this together.

[@MBqOBnFB1ePkRia]

Thanks for putting this together! I started the trip the same way you did from Portland on the train to whitefish, then spent a couple days at the whitefish bike retreat. I headed south at the beginning of July and I'm now 43 days into the GDMBR. I'm a slow rider, but I am getting there and should arrive at the Mexican border around mid September if all goes well. It was nice seeing this slice of your trip. Thanks again for all the time you put into these videos, I feel you're getting better over time.

[@nateums]

Great editing and shooting

[@HunterTravels]

I like the train idea 💡.

[@danavanvoorhees3958]

Best train ride in America- Portland to Whitefish!

[@stevekittel9762]

Thanks for sharing your adventures!

[@mvaleri175]

Well edited. Loved it. Would like to see this channel blow up

[@jkarrasch1]

Just found your channel and have been really enjoying the videos! We were backpacking the PNT which has a big road walk down Lake Koocanoosa before crossing that huge bridge. It was a hot one that summer! Thanks for the video, brought back some fond memories of that area.

[@curtbrown7967]

Real. Kinda familiar pivot of plans.

[@kylesmith4653]

Great filming and editing, going to watch more! Really enjoyed that guys, cheers 🍻

[@kylesmith4653]

Round 2 for Rob is the best!

[@JoshuaMello]

Looks like a fun trip. Great video!

[@Ch-rl-s.L-ntz]

Great stuff as always! 👍🙌

[@TheTrakker]

Geez! You guys have a lot of fun!

[@AdventurePlusMe]

Really well done Chris! The Divide will be there next time!

[@theoutdoorsycrew1749]

Even though you didn't get to do the trip it was still a great video no matter if the trip is big or small it's still great watching you guys and I can't wait for the next video it looks great. Keep up the good work and who knows what will happen next year

[@jimmccorison]

Great video. I enjoy your travels as I plan my own.