Remembering Bill White – Founder of Bike Camp in Twin Bridges, Montana
Our friend Brock from The Sprocket Podcast is currently on tour and emailed us this photo the other day. It is a dry erase board from Bike Camp in Twin Bridges, Montana. I drew this little sketch nearly a YEAR ago and miraculously it has managed to not be erased all this time. “Bill” in the note is William White, the man who had the vision to create Bike Camp in Twin Bridges, Montana. It is one of the kind in the country. A purpose built structure for touring cyclists that includes a bathroom, shower, sink, repair stand, reference books and safe haven from mosquitoes. When we passed through there last year, we ran into Bill by pure luck in a coffee shop/curios store on the main drag. We spent the afternoon talking about how Bike Camp came about. He had been seeing touring cyclists passing through but not stopping in Twin Bridges. In his words, “it was like watching gold flow down the river.” He wanted to give them a a reason to stop in town so he lobbied and pulled money together (a lot of it was from his own coffers) and created Bike Camp.
In emailing Brock, he mentioned that Bill White passed away. It is strange to feel such sadness for someone we met so long ago and only spent a few hours with. But there are some people you meet that are so full of kindness, dreams and intelligence that though you only spend a few minutes or hours with them, they leave a lasting imprint on your life. Bill was one of those people. Bike Camp was a great example of his problem solving and his kindness working together. Its aim was not only to aid passing cyclists but also to give people a reason to stay and help support the economy of Twin Bridges. Though his work was localized in a small town, Bike Camp has reached and touched people from all over the US and the world. It is a beautiful and grand legacy in the guise of a humble wooden building.
A quick search on the internet and I found an obituary to William White in the Dillon newspaper. It does little justice to such a great personality. I’m a little late in learning the news but feel no less saddened by it. I thought it was important to share the news of his passing to the greater bike touring community. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Bill White or staying at Bike Camp in Twin Bridges, Montana, please leave a comment and I will compile them and pass it on to the chamber of commerce.
Thank you Bill White, a friend to all bike tourists.
William W. White
1948 – 2012William W. White, 64, passed away peacefully on March 30, in Logan, Utah, after a year-long fight against melanoma.
He is survived by loving family and friends around the country.
Bill grew up in Manchester, south of Akron, Ohio. The family traveled every summer, and he fell in love with the West and fly fishing.
After high school, he headed to Utah State in Logan. A career in construction came next, with many years as a contractor in Santa Fe, N.M., where he was also chief of the volunteer fire department.
In between, he returned to Logan and earned his degree. After moving to Farmington, N.M., he built The River’s Edge fishing lodge, served as host to guests, and enjoyed fishing the San Juan.
He also fulfilled a dream of getting his pilot’s license and owning a small plane, Little Bird.
Back in Logan as Western Airtrails, Bill researched, authored, and self-published two books, The Santa Fe Trail By Air: A Pilots Guide to The Santa Fe Trail ,and The Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails by Air: A Pilot’s Guide to the Emigrant Trails.
He most recently lived in Twin Bridges, where he continued to enjoy flying and fishing. With the help of friends, Bill established the Twin Bridges Bicycle Campground. (www.cyclecamp-twinbridges.com).
Before the diagnosis in January 2011, he was planning to move to Boise, Idaho, to open a school teaching do-it-yourself home remodeling.
Along his route, Bill touched many lives. He left life the way he lived it, with creativity, energy, good humor, concern for others, and the never ending curiosity about what lies around the next bend.
Bill will be missed by those who loved him, and even those who didn’t.
There will be a gathering for Bill’s friends on Sunday, April 15, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Twin Bridges Bike Camp, in Jesson Park.
Donations in memory of Bill can be made to The Friends of the Twin Bridges Library.
I just passed through there a week or 2 ago and photographed your sketch; was going to share the photo with you, post TransAm. I loved the bike camp, and was sad to hear its creator passed. Bill sounded like a kind, dedicated man and an incredible addition to the cycling community. I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet him, but the bike camp shows how much he cared.
Hey Patrice. Thanks for writing in. Bill was a great guy. We’ll have to dig up our short impromptu interview with him and post it. Looks like you gals are having a blast on your trip. Those headwinds sound like some mean ones. Keep pedaling.
R
Bill was agood friend of mine in Twin Bridges. Thank you for your article and the pictures. I will send them to his sister. He is greatly missed.
I rode through about this time last year, and was excited to finally be able to stay at the Twin Bridges bike camp after hearing about it for over a year. I was pleasantly surprised at how well kept and fully loaded it was, and was a perfect place to call it a day after a tough day battling headwinds. I probably wouldn’t have stopped in Twin Bridges if not for bike camp.
Thanks to Bill for Building Bike Camp, and thanks to the community of Twin Bridges, who supported and believed in Bill’s vision. He will be missed!
Corey Dalpee
TransAm rider, 2011
To his new friends from Bike Camp & Twin Bridges, thanks for remembering Bill, I knew him in High School in Manchester (near Akron) and he was a bright, creative, hardworking guy. My best memory though comes years later when Bruce, Ron, and I spent a week in Twin Bridges at Bill’s. He was an unbelievable host! We had a memorable time in 2008! He really loved that town! I expect that was Norm’s place where you had the coffee with Bill. After the trip there, I learned of Bill’s idea to build a Bike Camp (I enjoy cycling). Bill was very excited about and proud of that Bike Camp, even though his knees wouldn’t let him ride one! I haven’t seen Bike Camp personally yet, but you can bet I will! I am certain it is a perfect memorial for him! He is missed every day!
I heard about the Bike Camp in 2009 and centered my bike trip around it in 2010. It was a 200+ mile self-supported trip with my family on the road train: a tandem for my wife and I, a tag-along for my 6 year old, and a trailer for my 3 year old. We spent close to a day (a full 3 meals) in Twin Bridges and happened to have the chance to talk with Bill shortly after arriving. He was a great visionary and told me some great stories about getting the Camp started–and how he turned his greatest detractors into his biggest advocates. We need more people like Bill. He took a nice town like Twin Bridges and made it something very special.
My son Jesse and I met Bill in the street near the above mentioned coffee shop on August 9, 2011. He wanted to make sure we knew about the camp and informed us he built it. I was so inspired by the experience of meeting the Mayor and Bill, and having such a tailor made place to stay, that I’m actually trying to have a similar camp created in my home town. We have the confluence of three major road bike routes here as well as a 100+ mile rail trail all intersecting the same road within a mile or so… Seems like the perfect spot to me!
I live close by in Butte, Montana. I often cycle to Twin Bridges for breakfast or ice cream. I love that Bill had the vision and perserverance to build the bike camp facility. We are starting a statewide organization to support and grow walking and bicycling in Montana, and this bike camp facility is what it is all about. I am sure many cyclists will stop and stay, and support the bke camp. Many thanks to Bill and all who support cycling in their communities.
Thanks for the story. As soon as I started to read it I felt I knew Bill. He grew up in Manchester, Ohio, and I grew up in Ashland, Ohio but went to college in Akron. Lately a lot of things have been reminding me that life is about living, not about what we are getting done. Every time I put my foot over the seat of my bike and start to ride I’m reminded of the gift of my life and all I can do.
We stayed there 2 weeks ago while riding the Lewis and Clark trail. We were so grateful to be there for the night and to have showers. It was wonderful to have bike lanes in town too. A special refuge for bikers traveling through. More little towns should be like this! Thank you.
How sad. I rode part of the Trans Am in ’00. Stayed in Dillon. While I did have breakfast at the Blue Anchor the next morning, I otherwise passed through town. Last year, my girlfriend and I stayed at the Bike Camp on July 4th–a year and a day after the date of this entry–during a 9-day loop tour out of Missoula. We came over the Melrose Bench Road after spending the night at Divide Bridge. We loved the place and actually got to meet someone involved with the facility when he came to empty the “iron ranger.” Three other people stayed that night; a lone fellow heading back to the midwest and a German couple heading west on the Trans Am route. That night, we watched fireworks in comfy chairs safe from the ravenous mosquitoes. While many of the businesses in town were closed for the holiday, we (happily) dropped some serious coin between the Wagon Wheel, the grocery store, (bought some salmon to grill, among other things), the laundry and the family with the coffee and sandwich “hut” behind their house. We also left a nice donation to support continued operations. I wish the Bike Camp continued success and recommend it to anyone who I know will be passing through Twin Bridges.
What I love about all these comments is how they show he was right — his Bike Camp got more people to stop in his town and spend their money with local merchants. Other towns (and I really mean volunteer groups) could learn a lot from this and do so much good for their area. As a group, we cyclists do spend a lot of money, even when ‘just camping.’
Your sketch is still there, got a small swipe from someone writing about rainbow gathering but mostly intact.