Day 34, Fargo, ND - 60 miles

Riders

Despite the threat of rain, it was a beautiful day.  Our last day of riding was on a nearly deserted access road parallel to I-29. Not wanting this to end, I think people were riding in larger groups, taking a little more time, and talking a bit more.  It's always hard to end a tour and, because of Barbara's death in Minot, this one seems a little harder. 

Tonight is our final dinner together, our banquet they call it.  Too bad it's not in the parking lot on white plastic chairs.

Day 33, Mayville, ND - 93 miles

Missile Silo

There was a time a few days ago (July 7th) when someone in our group went up to the perimeter fence of an active missile silo.  Well, today we actually got invited into the area.  Not a personal invitation, but the gates were wide open so we went in.  And there were informational signs everywhere so it was probably OK.  It was very fun.

Plane landing on Road

The other excitement for the day was the plane that landed on the road about 200 yards behind Ellen.  We had stopped to take a picture of wheat being harvested when we noted a plane was flying rather low over the road ahead of us.  It got closer and lower and lower and closer and buzzed right over Ellen's head before landing (in the middle of the road) and turning into a field.  I guess that's just what they do around here.

Otherwise, it was an unexciting 93 mile day.  Overcast all day, very slight headwind, nice surfaces to bike on.  It feels good to be out here.

Day 32, Carrington, ND - 50 miles

Another short day today but the weather sure was sweet. We are finally on small, back roads with low traffic and drivers who are not in a hurry.  Biking is good for the soul.

Day 31, St. Michael, ND - 82 miles

I love it when you get to a point where an 82 mile day seems like nothing.  We had a gentle tailwind, easy rolling hills, and, except for early morning thunderheads on the horizon, sunny skies. 

We are staying in another casino tonight, this one on the shores of Devils Lake.  Unfortunately the casino seems to be the only entertainment around.  That's OK. There's internet.

Day 30, Rugby, ND - 69 miles

Today we rode out of Minot as a group.  It was a very quite, peaceful and serene ride on side streets at first, then low volume roads.  A light, constant tailwind was present and the temperatures were perfect.  It was what we all desperately needed.

Day 28, Minot, ND - 53 miles

Day 27, New Town, ND - 71 miles

Another day filled with tailwinds.  I think they were gusting only to about 30 mph but given my average speed for a 71-mile ride was 17.7 mph, the wind speed was probably plenty. 

Today we were supposed to ride 76 miles from Williston to New Town, ND,  but in 2008 one of the largest deposits of oil ever found was discovered in North Dakota.  Since the discovery, oil wells of every size and description have sprung up all along our route.  With the wells, of course, come the trucks.  The roads are not meant to handle the weight, nor the size, of the trucks so not only are the roads in very poor condition, they have no shoulders and are very crowded.  As a consequence, the highway patrol has prohibited bicycles from traveling to New Town.  The solution today was for us to bike our 71 miles to Stanley, then all get in the van and get a 30 mile ride to New Town. Tomorrow we will shuttle back up to Stanley and start riding.

Also because of today's wind, once again Linda cannot cook.  It's off to the New Town Four Bears Casino Buffet for 28 hungry bikers.  I'm thinking I'd rather have Linda's salmon creation but we'll make due.

Day 26, Williston, ND - 62 miles

Holy smokes! Jeezum crow! Whoo-ee! Amazing! and (at the end of the day) Uff-da!  I don't know how else to describe this day.  Initially we were supposed to do a simple 44 mile day into a town where our motel rooms wouldn't be ready until 4pm.  Well that sounded too easy so we got a new cue sheet last night that took us on a nice 20 mile detour to Fort Buford, located at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers and where, in 1881, Sitting Bull surrendered.

As great as the Fort may have been, that wasn't the most interesting part of the day.  That distinction goes to the wind.  For the first 15 miles of the day, we had a tailwind that was at least 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph and our average speed was 20.1 mph with minimal effort.  Then we turned right and the same wind that pushed us along suddenly became quite a challenge.  Those gusts from behind were a nice push but coming from the side, they kept our minds from wandering.

After 25 miles of winds coming from one side or the other, we were finally back on US-2 and we ended the day with a sweet ride down a hill with the wind from behind.  Tomorrow it looks like more of the same.

Day 25, Culbertson, MT - 59 miles

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride.  The sun was shining, the roads were smooth, there was a 15 mph tailwind and I was surrounded by friends.

But the fun didn't start until we got into Culbertson.  Judy decided she wanted to go to a cowboy bar so she convinced six of us to go into town to find one.  We happened upon the Montana Bar which had happy hour from 4pm to 6pm.  Perfect.  I was expecting to have to decide between Bud and Bud Light but they had a New Belgium Sunshine Wheat, something I had never had before. Before too long we're all having a grand time and some of the women were chatting up the cowboys.  Too bad those same cowboys didn't smell too good.

We all made it back in plenty of time for dinner and to share our stories.  Why is it Judy always has the best ones?

Day 24, Wolf Point, MT - 54 miles

I am getting really good at changing flats and, lucky for me, none have been mine.  Ellen got her forth flat tire of the trip and this time there were no mosquitoes in the area to torment us.

Women on the Road

The beginning of the day saw wicked headwinds for the first 20 miles or so.  Ellen pulled for the first 18.5 and Debbie for the next 1.5 miles. Me? I was saving my strength to fix any flat tires that came up.  After about mile 20, we finally got off US-2 and on to a lightly traveled road through the Fort Peck Indian Reservation for about 20 more miles.  We were surrounded on both sides by fields of wheat and hay and not much else.

The day was not too long but it sure was hot so getting into the hotel felt good.  Too bad there was no water for about three hours after we arrived and the only place to pee was the McDonalds about a half a mile down the road.  But, like someone said, if nothing like this happened, there would be nothing to write home about.

Day 23, Glasgow, MT - 71 miles

It was both a very uneventful day and a very full day.  It was raining at breakfast time so rather than have all the riders stand around getting we while eating our eggs and oatmeal, Linda and Michelle decided to spring for breakfast in the hotel restaurant.  Nothing fancy but it was nice to sit down and eat.

It was still raining when we headed out so we I donned my haz-mat suit (see the photos) and turned east.  The rain stopped at about mile 17 and I remember this because I commented to Ellen that it was a good thing it stopped right when she got her flat tire.  The plan was for her to change the tire so she could get more confidence with the procedure but as soon as we stopped we were swarmed by Minnesota worthy mosquitoes and the goal changed to fixing the flat as fast as possible. 

There was no rain for the rest of the day but it was still overcast until we got into Glasgow.  Because of the wet roads, we all set to a group session of bike cleaning.  I learned that today four people had flats, a pretty high number and often secondary to debris sticking to tires in the wet weather.  Close inspection of my tires revealed a sharp rock ready to puncture the tube at any second.  Ellen found glass in her tire waiting for an inopportune moment to present.  As we were expressing relief at finding the problems while in the parking lot and not on the road, Peg's tire exploded – a calm explosion but it left no doubt what it was doing.  Again Ellen and I expressed relief (that it wasn't ours).

Dinner was curried chicken followed by homemade tiramisu.  Our ride tomorrow is only 51 miles and the skies are supposed to me sunny. Life is good.

Day 22, Malta, MT - 90 miles

Last night our SAG wagon developed a bit of an alternator problem.  To deal with this, Michelle, our guide, was to hang back in Havre to see if she could get it fixed in a timely manner. If she couldn't, our only support was to be the van for a 90 mile day. The temperature was supposed to be 90 degrees so we started rolling at 6:30 in the morning (which made for a wake up call at 5am – the first time we had been up before the sun).  What a tailwind we had!  We were booking along at 20 miles an hour with almost no effort.  Because there were no restaurants along our route, at mile 45, we had a WomanTours hosted lunch with pasta salad and sandwiches, and because we were moving so fast, lunch came at 9:30 in the morning. 

At mile 65 I saw the van ahead indicating our third rest stop of the day.  The bugs were terrible whenever we pulled over so I was planning on making this a fast one.  As I was standing there, filling my water bottles and getting eaten alive, what should appear but our happy SAG wagon all fixed up and running like a dream.  I helped move the support items from the van to the car and the next thing I knew our tailwind had turned into a headwind.  What's a biker to do??  Well, wait for my friend, Ellen, and have her help be fight the wind, of course.  Ellen pulled up in just a few minutes and, after getting ice cold water dumped on her head, she was refreshed and ready to go.  The two of us took off to battle the head/crosswinds for the next 30 miles and we made it to Malta at 1:30. 

Now it's time to struggle with the internet (it rarely functions as advertised at these small hotels) and get ready for another delicious meal.  We are very busy on this tour.  

Day 20, Havre, MT - 62 miles

Entertainment on the Plains

We are essentially following US-2 from now until about two days before trip's end.  The funny thing is, the Great Northern Railroad (aka, the High-Line) also follows US-2… it follows it really closely.  That means our hotel each night is within spitting distance of the tracks.  As we learned from the proprietor of the MX Motel (who last night took us on a limo tour of Chester) there are about 52 trains a day that go through town.  Let's hope Havre's motel is a little more sound proof than Chester's was.

Today was a beautiful day.  We are done with the mountains and we are done with the cold and rain.  The temperature was in the mid 80s and the sun was shining.  We passed through small town after small town that had nothing but grain on one side and a grain elevator on the other.  Overall a delightful day.

Roger and my Wheel

When I got into town I headed to the local bike shop.  Our WomanTours guide and mechanical maven, Michelle, said the odd noise coming from the hub of my rear wheel may be the bearings.  The owner of Havre Bicycle Center, Roger (who is an accountant in the off season), saw me right away, took apart my hub, replaced rusty bearings, relubed and reassembled it, all while showing me what he was doing and for only $20.  What a nice guy.  Now I have another odd noise from my bike but at least I know the bearings are OK.

Tomorrow is a rest day.  I will clean my bike and, well, rest.  There's not much to do around here so I may hit the Wal-Mart.

Day 19, Chester, MT - 66 miles

What a difference a day makes.  We are done with the mountains.  Today, nothing but flat land as far as the eye can see.  Also, we had sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70s. Oh, and a tail wind.

We were warned yesterday that our hotel for tonight may not be the best.  We were not warned about last night's hotel, which was down right scary, so we were in absolutely no hurry to see what was awaiting us.  I rode with Ellen, then with Ellen, Penny and Peg and we all had a great time exploring the Montana Plain's sights (such as informational signs and missile silos).

It turns out our hotel in Chester is nothing to be scared of.  The rooms are clean and cute, the laundry facilities are plentiful, two dogs roam the premises, and there is a lovely courtyard to lounge in.  Today is our half way point (chronologically) of the trip.  It's hard to believe there are just over two weeks left.

Day 18, Cut Bank, MT - 64 miles

What a difference a day makes.  After a short climb at the beginning of the ride, flatness stretched out before us as far as the eye could see.  We were standing on the top of a rise and west were the snow covered peaks of Glacier National Park.  But looking east was the flatlands of Montana.  We're going to be wishing we were back in the mountains after a few days of this.

Beargrass

First thing this morning, we left the hotel and starting our last significant climb of the trip.  In 2007 a fire raged on the east side of Glacier coming within a few miles of the town of Saint Mary.  We saw evidence of that fire today with singed pines lining our route on either side of the road.  Despite the abundance of new beargrass, probably my last chance of seeing a bear has passed.  A member of our group saw a mountain lion which apparently are plentiful in this area.

Our Hotel

We arrived in Cut Bank in the early afternoon but due to a mix-up with bags back in Glacier, our trailer wouldn't arrive for a few hours.  The Glacier Gateway Inn is one of those you wouldn't go near unless you had 30 of your closest friends with you to come to your aid if needed.  Another great slice of America.

Day 17, Saint Mary, MT - 40 miles

Today was our day to ride over the Continental Divide on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.  This Road has been rated as one of the most beautiful drives in America and has been designated a National Historic Landmark and a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.  In addition to fantastic views, there are sheer drops with nothing but a low stone wall between you and air.  The weather was forecast to be cold with a 60% chance of rain.  A perfect day for a bike ride.

The Park Service regulations state bikes have to be to the top of the Divide, Logan Pass, before 11am.  To accomplish that, we had to get going early. Barbara, who is 72 years old and rides a recumbent bike, was up before dawn and was the first to get on the road.  I overslept until 5:45 so I was probably the last person out of the parking lot. Not to fear. I love climbing.

The first 10 miles was flat and beautiful. It was wet but it wasn't really raining and the temperatures were in the 50s.  We followed McDonald Creek and were treated to waterfalls and vistas of the coming mountains.  Some in the group, not me, even saw a few bears.  At mile 10 we started climbing.  It was never really steep but it was persistent.  Despite the dropping temperatures, as evident by more snow on the side of the road, with the exertion we didn't feel the cold.  Also with increasing elevation, it was getting more and more cloudy.  Occasionally I would have some short-lived rain but some people encountered sleet.  Because the day was so miserable there was very little traffic.

Towards the top it was so foggy I couldn't see a hundred yards in front of me but I knew I was getting close because of my altimeter.  When I passed the sign that said "Logan Pass Visitor's Center 1/2 Mile" the temperature was 39 degrees and a fine rain was falling.  Last night we had made plans to wait for all of us to get there, then we would strip down to our sports bras and get a picture of us at the top with the snow. Those plans were quickly trashed because it was waaaaay too cold. We snapped a few quick photos and headed into the visitors center to warm up.  I quickly learned that the Visitor's Center has no heat so we hurried into the bathroom (where the sign said the sink water was too cold to wash hands in) to put on all the clothing we had hauled up.  Even with all that on, it was cold and wet and the only thing that would feel better was to get off the mountain.  As soon as I was dressed, I started down. 

The roads were wet, we weren't using our muscles, the official temperature was 38 degrees, and it was drizzling.  Perfect conditions for a descent down a mountain.  For the first 20 minutes I was so cold I had to stop about every mile to warm my hands so I could break.  Then, all of a sudden we came out of the clouds, the sun was shining, the road dried up and it actually was starting to feel warm.  The rest of the ride down was beautiful with snow-capped mountains on three sides and a gradual descent through prairie ahead of me. It was beautiful.

We have climbed our highest peak so the remainder of the trip into Fargo should all be downhill.

Day 16, Lake McDonald, Glacier NP, MT – Rest Day

Nature Hike

When we're not obsessing about food, we're obsessing about the weather.  Today's temperature was in the 40s or low 50s, punctuated with rain.  Still, we're in Glacier National Park so it was beautiful.  I got up at 5:30 as usual and, after begging some coffee off a security guard (really-he offered) I started in on the job of cleaning my bike.  Yesterday's ride in the rain and, for 2.8 miles, on a dirt road really did a job on it.  But I was up so early I was able to do a good job and it's ready for more muck tomorrow.  After a PB&J for breakfast, Ellen and I took the shuttle to the Avalanche trailhead and did the four mile (round trip) hike to Avalanche Lake.  It was absolutely beautiful with melting glaciers tumbling down sheer cliffs into the blue-green lake.  And not a single bear to be seen (thank god).

Avalanche Lake

Next I took the shuttle down to Apgar Village, a small shopping area with breathtaking views of Lake McDonald and cell phone service.  I called home (all is well) and, when it started to rain, jumped back on the bus to return to the lodge.

The rest of the day will be spent trying to find out what is making that grinding noise in my bike.  And obsessing about the weather.  It is supposed to be cold and rainy tomorrow with the temperatures at Logan's Pass projected to be in the upper 30s.  Can you say snow?  As our guide, Michelle, says: There is no bad weather, just poor clothing.

Addendum: History of the Lamp Shades of Lake McDonald Lodge

Lodge Lampshades

The ornate Indian chandeliers in the lobby and dining room of Lake McDonald Lodge were crafted in 1927 by members of the Blood Indian tribe of Alberta, Canada.  The lamp shades hung in the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton National Park in Canada until moved to Lake McDonald Lodge in 1960, while both hotels underwent remodeling.

By 1982, the original lamp shades, made from buffalo hide, were showing signed of deterioration and were in need of repair.  Local Montana artist, Kay Storms, was commissioned to reproduce the shades using the original framework.

The reproductions took nine months to make, were hand sewn, and painted on parchment paper.  During those nine months Ms Storms worked vigorously on the lamp shades, and as she recently reported to us, she told every visiting friend to "pick up a needle" and help with her project.

The lamp shades on display today are identical to the originals, preserving the stories from the lives of the Blood Indians during the early 1900's.  By showcasing these works, we hope to help save a piece of a proud and vanishing culture.

Day 15, Lake McDonald, MT - 42 miles

Me at Glacier Cyclery

Today we rode into Glacier National Park.  Bikes are not allowed on park roads between 11 AM and 4 PM and the entrance to the park was only 30 miles away so our planned departure time was noon. This gave me some time to see the town of Whitefish.  Glacier Cyclery was the high point and I even got some socks featuring a goat riding a bike.

Threatening Skies

The day was chilly and the skies were very overcast but I was confident we would avoid the rain if we paced ourselves right.  It worked for most of the day but after about 15 miles a downpour started.  I quickly pulled over and put on my rain pants and, apart from my cold and wet feet, was actually quite comfortable.

I got to the town of West Glacier, just outside the park, at about 3pm.  This gave me time to hose off the incredible amount of mud from my bike and to visit a few shops.  At the stroke of four, we all started down the road to the park entrance.  Ellen wanted to see Apgar Village at the south end of Lake McDonald so she hung back a bit and turned west as the rest of us went to the Lodge.  I should have stayed with her because not two minutes later a grizzly bear crossed the road 50 feet in front of her.  Apparently I was only a few hundred yards ahead and if I had turned around I would have seen it, too.

Entering Glacier

We all made it to the Lodge without further incident and were treated by WomanTours to a great dinner in the restaurant.  Tomorrow I'm planning washing my bike (again) and a hike at Avalanche Creek.  I can deal without seeing a Grizzly, especially if it's only 50 feet away.

Day 14, Whitefish, MT - 59 miles

Slippery When Wet

Like most days, I thought of all these great things to blog about but when I sit down at the computer, they go completely out of my head.  Usually I look at my pictures to refresh my memory but today, no pictures. (Actually, you'll find one or two new ones at my photo page, and my buddy Ellen has a bunch.)  I had a good excuse: it was pouring rain all day.  I was lying in bed this morning thinking that it seemed rather dark for 6am, and what's that pit-pat noise outside?  Sure enough, rain.  It wasn't raining that hard but it was only 48 degrees and the forecast was for continued showers all day.  About half of the bikers had no trouble coming to a decision and reserved their place in the SAG right away.  I also had no trouble coming to a decision and I started pulling my rain gear out of my suitcase.  Some were indecisive, but after all the should I or shouldn't I talk, only 12 (out of 27) of us did the ride today.  All of us who started did the entire ride.

Even with the steady, sometimes pelting rain, overall it was a pleasant ride.  I rode with Kit for the entire day, most of which was on US 93.  We ended up seeing seven deer, one of which was looking at a large Samoyed not 10 feet away from it - and the dog was just looking back!

Kit and I pulled into the hotel in Whitefish just after 1pm.  It was about then that the sun came out.

Cattle Guard

Tomorrow we are entering Glacier National Park.  Bikes are not allowed on park roads until 4pm so we'll all meet at the entrance gate and at the stroke of four, we'll ride to the Lake McDonald Lodge as a group where we'll be staying for two nights.  Apparently there is no cell phone service and (gasp) no internet.  After our July 4th rest day, we will ride over Going-to-the-Sun Highway. Two years ago, before I did the Southern Tier bike ride, I saw bikers going up this road and couldn't believe they could do it.  Now it's my turn.

Day 13, Eureka, MT - 68 miles

A mile after we left the Venture Inn Motel parking lot we were on SR 37 and there we stayed for the entire day. We traveled along the Kootenai River (the third largest tributary to the Columbia river) and then, after the Libby Dam, the Koocanusa Lake. (Lake Koocanusa was named for the treaty that was developed between the Kootenai Indians (KOO) the Canadian government (CAN) and the U.S. government (USA) to build the Dam and form the reservoir.)  The day had some pretty good climbing and everybody agrees it felt much harder than yesterday's 96 miles.  The scenery was beautiful with sheer cliff faces to the right and the Koocanusa Lake to the left.

Ksanka Motel

Tonight we are staying in the "Subway-Ksanka-Motel-and-Mini-Mart-Gas-and-Bakery."  Really, that's what the sign says.  We had to go to the Mini-Mart cashier to get our keys. But the rooms are very clean and do not smell – something that cannot be said about every place we have stayed.  I picked up a beer at the mini-mart called Pig's Ass Porter from Belt, Montana, something that has been popular with all of us who need to carbo-load for the next big day.

Tomorrow we are going to Whitefish, MT, then into Glacier National Park.  I have been worried about climbing over Logan Pass from the day I signed up for this tour.  After all the climbing that has been going on to day, it will be easy.

Day 12, Libby, MT - 96 miles

What a fantastic day.  The planned mileage for the day was almost 100 so we started early.  We stayed along the Pend Oreille Lake for most of our remaining time in Idaho and, since we are in the panhandle of Idaho, our remaining time was not long. When our odometers read 35 miles we entered Montana.  Of course everyone had to stop for pictures at the Welcome to Montana sign just because it's what we do. 

As usual, I was riding with Ellen all day.  Our goal was to spot wildlife and we did.  We saw a mouse run across the road right in front of us!  One woman in our group had a bear run across the road no more than 40 feet away, then it stopped and stared until she yelled "go home!" Apparently he did. 

Towards the end of the day we came across the Kootenai Falls, the largest undammed falls in Montana and the site of the filming of "The Wild River" starring Meryl Streep.  After about a half mile hike we found the Swinging Bridge  which is a 3 feet wide bridge suspended over the river just down stream from the falls.  It really didn't swing that much but it was still a little unnerving.

The last 15 miles into town were slightly down hill and accompanied by a wicked tail wind.  We flew along with little effort and had a great end to a fantastic ride.  Now it's time for dinner and most certainly and early bedtime.

Day 10 & 11, Sandpoint, ID - 47 miles

Because we were at camp, we had to clean our rooms, strip our beds and deliver the bedding to the main house ourselves.  Overall the camp was a very cute place and great to spend a night in. Linda, our traveling chef, whipped up her usual tasty breakfast of eggs and steel cut oats, we loaded up the trailer with our luggage and we meandered out of Bear Paw Camp for a short day of riding.  It promised to be a hot one so for the first time I headed out with no arm or leg warmers – just with the jersey on my back.  The route was only 46 miles but I think all of us are pretty tired from the climbing over the past week so the pace was leisurely and we took time to look at the scenery.

We entered Idaho, our first state crossing, at mile 12 and followed the Pend Oreille River for most of the day.  When we arrived in Sandpoint, ID, our rooms were not ready so those that were in went to lunch at an Italian bistro. 

My brother and two of his kids were at an orienteering meet not far away so in the afternoon, they came up for a visit.  We walked around the town, had a lovely dinner, and the boys convinced me to buy them four pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.  I didn't fight them too hard on that one.  The next day was a rest day and my visit with my brother continued when he showed me new and improved ways to clean my bike.  He made a brisk business cleaning other's bikes for a donation to the soccer team he is coaching.  Everyone came out ahead in that deal.

Tomorrow is a long day but the weather looks great and terrain looks kind. Life is good.