Shields Valley 200k Brevet Preview

One week before the main event I pre-rode the Shields Valley 200k course-first and foremost for my own fitness, but also to make sure route was rideable. With all the road construction going on, and very few alternate routes, that's always a concern.

The route is in good shape. There's some construction on Park Street/US 89 near the Livingston I-90 interchange, but a side path takes us right around it. The only other construction I encountered was some shoulder work on the Battle Ridge Pass descent, but that didn't impact the traveled way.

The weather was cool and breezy. I got sprinkled on in the lower Bridger Canyon and again just outside of Livingston. Northeast winds gave me a tailwind for much of the route. The forecasts for next weekend show it will be much warmer, breezes out of the west (which may hurt a little on the final climbs), and some possible thunderstorms in the afternoon (which is pretty common this time of year). All in all-it should be a great day to be out on the bike.

Here's photos I snapped along the way:

The view of the Bridger Ridge in Bridger Canyon is beautiful in the morning light. I hope we don't have so many clouds in the way on June 19.
Our first checkpoint is Nordies Grocery in Wilsall.

Not unique to Montana, but more common here than most. The cows will go around you-just be calm-then dodge cow pies for the next several miles.

A view of the Yellowstone River from Old Clyde Park Road

Construction in Livingston. Get on the path adjacent to Park Street to get around it. On the way back get on this same path after riding under I-90.