Introduction

Welcome to Beers and Gears

By Bill Schneider, 5-23-10

	Bill and Will

This is Sunday, May 23, the day before the start of the first-ever attempt to ride the Great Divide Brewery Trail, which is part of the brand new Montana Brewery Trail website hosted by Travel Montana, www.visitmt.com. It’s one of nine routes around and through Montana with strategic stops at the state’s craft breweries, plus detailed information on each brewery and nearby eateries and lodging. Check it out.

These routes were designed for motorists, not cyclists, but no matter. To me, they look like scenic and historic bikeways between Montana’s craft breweries, ideal for microbrew-loving roadies like me—and my partner on this trip, Will Selser. Our good friend and fellow cyclist, Chuck Micklewright, will be following along in his mobile home.

Thirteen days, twelve breweries, and 740 miles through scenic Montana, on a bicycle. How could that not be fun?

(Let’s hope I don’t have to answer that question.)

So, tomorrow morning, weather permitting, Will and I leave Helena for Butte on the first leg of our little adventure, our “first ascent,” which we’re affectionately calling Beers & Gears. You can read daily entries here, covering both what happened along the way and what’s going on in the taprooms, Montana’s new cultural centers. Hope you enjoy it remotely as much as we do.

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