Imagine biking from Helena to Basin, but not on I-15, which may be the easiest route, if a bit harrowing. Instead, your Helena National Forest trail climbs Lava Mountain, gaining 2000 feet of elevation while crossing boulders, downed trees, and washed out trails.
You’re able to coast down a gravel road as you near your destination, but you’ve been riding on an empty stomach for hours and you’re exhausted from the long climb and dehydrated by the mountain sun, likely compromising your immune system. Then Judi Colombe enters your life.
“When I came into town late at night, she had soup and a sandwich waiting for me,” said Texan cyclist Shawn Hansen, recalling his Basin arrival two weeks ago. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I was fighting a fever and had trouble regulating my body temperature. Lava Mountain was no joke.”
