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.